Background: This research is part of an ongoing collaboration with cellist Umberto Clerici, exploring the broad musical possibilities of the pairing of guitar and cello, whilst expanding the range of repertoire available for this duo combination. Australian composer Natalie Williams was commissioned to write a new work for Schaupp and Clerici's duo and this represented the first time she had written for guitar. Schaupp worked closely with her in creating a playable and idiomatic outcome. She also premiered the cello and guitar transcription of Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata. Schaupp's role in this project was as creative instigator, co-curator and guitarist.
Contribution: This collaboration began at the Musica Viva Festival in April 2015 and brought the guitar together with the cello. The combination of the short plucked sound of the guitar and the long bowed sound of the cello (both in a similar register) lends itself to great musical possibilities, and whilst there is some original repertoire for this combination, Schaupp's role has been to expand the repertoire and source successful transcriptions for this combination to create a full recital programme.
Significance: This collaborative project has included a successful recital tour exploring a variety of musical styles incorporating the world premiere performance of a new nine-minute work by Williams. The exploration of this unique combination of sounds, textures and musical traditions has had significant uptake, with an invitation for a CD recording for ABC Music (to be released 2018). Peer review is evidenced by Schaupp and Clerici's performances at the Musica Viva Festival (broadcast live on ABC Classic FM in April 2015), Melbourne Recital Centre, Music by the Sea, and Peninsula Music Society amongst others.