Concert and doctoral defense

On October 21, Lander Gyselinck, artistic researcher at KASK & Conservatorium, defended his doctoral research to obtain the degree of Doctor of Arts.Prior to the defense, a concert by Hihats in Trees at 14:00 was performed at the Zwarte Zaal on Campus Bijloke. The public defense and reception were held in the same location.

Hihats in Trees (live ensemble) consisted of Hui-Chi Li, Mien Heyvaert, Wouter van Asselbergh (drums & percussion), Lander Gyselinck (composition, drums & percussion).

This artistic doctoral research explores the intersection of live performance and electronic production through the lens of a jazz drummer deeply immersed in electronic dance music (EDM) culture. Originating in 2016 from Lander Gyselinck's desire to integrate the rhythmic vitality of club music into his instrumental practice, the project evolved into a broader inquiry: how can the physical, improvisational nature of drumming engage meaningfully with the digitally constructed world of electronic music and vice versa?

Over the course of this PhD, Lander Gyselinck produced five full-length albums spanning solo works, collaborations, and experimental hybrids — each a different response to the question of how acoustic and electronic methods can enrich one another:

• Hihats In Trees – Disleksikon (2020)
• Lander & Adriaan – Lander & Adriaan (2022)
• KVR – Spam Vol. 01 (2023)
• Hihats In Trees – Artefacts (2023)
• Odd Subdivisionals (2025)

The albums and publication can be listened to and read this academic year in the Kunstenbibliotheek and the Muziekbibliotheek.