Author Identifier
Gabriel McMahon: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3257-4784
Date of Award
2026
Keywords
Matusiflute, ethnomusicology, flute performance, intercultural performance, Chinese orchestra, flute modification, dizi, bamboo flute, stylistic emulation, appropriation, Sino-Australian relations
Document Type
Thesis
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Master of Arts (Performing Arts)
School
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
First Supervisor
Jonathan McIntosh
Second Supervisor
Philip Everall
Abstract
This research investigates how the Matusiflute can potentially promote intercultural Sino Western collaboration within solo, chamber and orchestral settings by consciously applying technical and stylistic codes attributed to the dízi (traverse Chinese bamboo flute). Using an autoethnographic approach, I reflect on my engagement with the dízi, its morphology, timbre and stylistic interpretation, and how my pedagogical flute context impacted this approach. These learnings were then applied to the Matusiflute through two premiere performances of a commissioned intercultural work by Nicholas Ng, The Secret of the Golden Flower (2024) for Matusiflute and Chinese Orchestra. The latter being performed in a solo recital context, which featured a conscious application of dízi repertoire and stylistic elements onto the Matusiflute, through collaboration with different dízi practitioners. Musical and timbral analysis, as well as semi-structured interviews with key research participants, identifies the Matusiflute’s capabilities and shortcomings in dízi emulation and its potential role within a Chinese Orchestral setting within Australia. Findings suggest that while the Matusiflute approximates some timbral features of the dízi, it cannot replicate certain stylistic ornamentations and lacks the same spectral depth, raising concerns about cultural representation. Nonetheless, the instrument proves effective in promoting intercultural dialogue within an Australian Chinese Orchestral context, bearing a similar role to that of contemporary dízi revisions.
Recommended Citation
McMahon, G. (2026). The Matusiflute: Exploring intercultural collaboration through timbral dízi emulation within an Australian-Chinese orchestral performance setting. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/rzqm-nq63