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Claude Debussy and the Etude Tradition
This paper discusses etudes and the history of their composition, focusing on the works of Claude Debussy in particular. Richard E. Roberson examines pieces from Douze Etudes Pour Le Piano, Book One, the difficulty of the etudes, and the problems they present.
Analysis for Performance of the Song Cycle Songs of Travel, by Ralph Vaughan Williams
This paper analyzes Ralph Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel and asserts that the songs are a song cycle rather than just a collection of songs set to to the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson. Richard Porter Cole performs a musical and poetic analysis of the songs and makes suggestions to aid performers of the piece.
The Coplas of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
This paper explores the composition and historical background of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco's coplas. Molly J. McCoy discusses the composer's background, style, and influences, before examining each copla in turn.
Brahms-Schumann Variations, Op. 9: A Significant Contribution Among Brahms’s Piano Compositions
This paper analyzes the Variations on a Theme by Schumann, Op. 9, created by . Pamela S. Lee discusses the influence of Robert and Clara Schumann on Johannes Brahms and his music, evaluating the impact of the piece and its origin.
The Baritone Title Roles in the Operas of Verdi
This paper discusses the nature and significance of the baritone title roles in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi. These operas include Nabucco, Macbeth, Rigoletto, Simon Boccanegra, and Falstaff. Jewel William Hobbins explore the evolution of vocal roles and asserts that Verdi highly prized dramatic skill in his performers.
The Stylistic Predecessors of Maurice Ravel’s Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales
This paper explores the history and creation of Maurice Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales and its predecessors. Walter M. Coldewey explores the waltz and its expression through Maurice Ravel's work, as well as the works that influenced him.
Elements of Surrealism in La Courte Paille by Francis Poulenc
This paper explores the influence of French surrealism in the composition of La Courte Paille by Francis Poulenc. Martha Ann Pampell discusses the history of the surrealist movement, Poulenc's style, and provides an analysis of the piece.
J. S. Bach Cantata No. 52: An Analysis for Performance
This paper analyzes Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantata No. 52, Falsche Welt, dir trau' ich nicht. Janette Cook Williams presents findings on the evolution of the sacred solo cantata and examines the style of Bach's work.
The Elements of Early New Orleans Jazz
This paper discusses the development of jazz that occurred in the Storyville district of New Orleans. Bernard Norman Rose explores the history of the area and the influences that resulted in a synthesis of music.
Four Chamber Arias of Vincenzo Bellini
This paper explores the musical significance, history, and development of Vincenzo Bellini's four chamber arias. Nancy W. Barfield discusses the life of composer Vincenzo Bellini, his musical style, and the style of the arias themselves.
The "Dante" Sonata: The Diabolical Liszt
This paper describes the creation and impact of Franz Liszt's "Dante" Sonata. Bill Blaine gives historical context and elaborates on the literary and philosophical influences evident in the piece before providing an examination of the music.
Unusual Double-Reed Bass Instruments: A Historical Survey
Thesis provides a historical survey of unusual double-reed bass instruments. Carol E. North provides a historical overview before separating the instruments into those with a cylindrical bore and those with a conical bore and describing each in turn.
Beethoven: The "Eroica" Variations, Opus 35
This paper discusses and analyzes Ludwig van Beethoven's "Eroica" Variations, Opus 35. Cynthia Hukill explores the significance of the "Eroica" as a ground-breaking expansion of the variation form.
The Influence of the Commedia Dell’ Arte on Opera Buffa
This paper explores the connection between the Commedia dell'arte and the opera buffa genre and asserts that performers should be aware of this connection. John Arden Hopkin explores the history of the Commedia dell'arte and the rise of opera buffa.
The Liederkreis, Op. 39, by Robert Alexander Schumann
This paper analyzes the music of the Liederkreis, Op. 39 to provide insight into the nature and style of the piece. Robert Farias Austin, Jr. explores the history of the German Lied and the life of the composer, Robert Alexander Schumann.
The Physical Development of the Bassoon
This paper explores the history of the bassoon and its construction. Bob A. Sparks analyzes its evolution over time, from the versions created in France and Germany to the bassoon of the twentieth century.
Some Influences of French Classical Organ Music Upon the Chorale Partita Auf Meinen Lieben Gott by Georg Böhm
This paper discusses how German composer Georg Böhm was influenced by French classical organ music, and how this style is reflected in Böhm's chorale partita Auf Meinen Lieben Gott.
Some Aspects of Unity in Beethoven’s Piano Sonata Op. 81A
This paper highlights aspects of unity in Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 81A. Jannis M. Peterson provides historical background to the work, identifies the problem of unity, and analyzes the piece.
Ultra-Rationality and Anti-rationality as Pre-compositional Techniques of the Twentieth Century
Thesis analyzes the concepts of ultra-rationality and anti-rationality as pre-compositional techniques and then compares and contrasts the two. John W. Petersen discusses the development and use of the two techniques and their impact on the history of music.
An Analysis of Method Books for the Bass Trombone
This paper provides a survey and analysis of eight method books for the bass trombone. Robert G. Hurst describes each of these titles with detail and explores the methods discussed in the texts, as well as the history and construction of the bass trombone.
A Stylistic Evaluation of Aaron Copland’s Piano Variations
This paper evaluates the style of American composer Aaron Copland's Piano Variations. Philip Carey Jones discusses its position as a unique piece in twentieth-century piano literature and compares his work to that of other composers.
A Comparison of Editions of Carl Maria von Weber’s Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48, for Clarinet and Piano, With the Composer’s Autograph Score
This paper compares various editions of Carl Maria Von Weber's Grand Duo Concertant, Op. 48, with the composer's original autograph score. Catherine E. Wood discusses how well these editions retained the composer's intentions, and which edition is the most accurate.
A Survey of New Extensions of Clarinet Technique as They Appear in Four Published Works
This paper explores the new extensions of clarinet technique in four published works, discussing the percussive effects, melodic effects, and multiple sounds that can be produced through these extensions. David R. Widder also explores the history of innovational solo clarinet works.
Pianistic Problems in the Fifth Sonata of Scriabin
This paper discusses the pianist problems in the fifth sonata created by Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin and provides historical background to the works of the composer before analyzing his work.
The Four Chopin Ballades: A Guide to Performance and Interpretation
This paper discusses the origin of literary and musical ballads and focuses on analysis and interpretation of the four Chopin ballades. Jill Beth Street also discusses how to perform these ballades based off of this interpretation.
Analysis of Selected Trombone Methods Developed at the Paris Conservatory of Music
This study described various Trombone methods and specifically analysed the eight methods developed at the Paris Conservatory of Music, which considered to be an outstanding methods for most of the good trombone literature of today.
Analysis of Darius Milhaud's La Creation Du Monde
Darius Milhaud was born on September 4, 1892, to a Jewish family in Aix-en-Provence in the South of France. This study provide analysis of Darius Milhaud's work, entitled La Creation Du Monde.
A Study of Seventeen German Protestant Chorales
German Chorales is a great resource of church music in use today. This study investigate the Seventeen German Protestant Chorales. The researcher hoped that the important work of reviving the invaluable source of inspiration and sacred song will continue and grow.
The Chorale Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit and its Use in Bach's Clavierubung, Part III
This study closely explores the Chorale Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit and its Use in Bach's Clavierubung. The effect is one of gentilness and intimacy that conceal a wealth of inner emotion.
An Analysis of the Hindemith Sonata for Double Bass and Piano, for Performance Purposes
This paper analyzes composer Paul Hindemith's Sonata for Double Bass and Piano and provides conclusions about how to interpret the movements in performance as well as the compositional techniques used by Hindemith to create them.
An Analysis of Jaques Ibert’s Concertino Da Camera for Alto Saxophone and Eleven Instruments
This paper provides historical background for the creation of Jacques Ibert's Concertino da camera for alto saxophone and eleven instruments and analyzes its three movements. As one of the first works written for the saxophone, James Garland Riggs explains the importance of the piece.
Some Acoustical Considerations in the Design of the Contemporary Organ Case
This paper discusses the historical roots, placement, shape, and materials and methods in the construction of the contemporary organ case. James W. Kibbie explores the acoustical considerations of its design and how these are reflected in the finished product.
Some Influences of the Organ Reform Movement on the Instruments of Texas
This paper explores the impact of the organ reform movement on the construction of organs in Texas. E. Dean Beasley also explores the possibilities of further reform for the instrument.
The Four Dominating Elements in the Piano Literature of Sergei Prokofieff
This paper analyzes the piano compositions of Sergei Prokofieff and identifies four elements evident in the literature: classicism, innovation, toccata, and lyricism. Elisabeth Euwer Roberts traces the history of his works and the evidence of these elements in them.
A Style Comparison of the Piano and Organ Versions of Liszt’s Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H
This paper analyzes the piano and organ versions of the Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H composed by Franz Liszt and provides a style comparison of the two. Jerry Glynn Smith also provides context for Liszt's work with the organ.
"Untune the Sky": Ten Original Pieces for Microtonal Viola da Gamba with Voice and Electronics
Untune the Sky is a collection of ten original preludes, dances, and songs for microtonal viola da gamba in 7-limit just intonation with voice and live electronics that incorporates elements of Baroque music, traditional Irish dance music, extended just intonation tuning theory, and live electronic audio processing techniques. This thesis thoroughly describes the work and contextualizes its relationship to its historical and contemporary influences. The first sections explain why extended just intonation and viola da gamba were chosen as the central elements of the work. This is followed by a description of the structure, instrumentation, notational conventions, and intended performance practice of the work. The final section contains a musical analysis of the form, harmony, and structure of each piece in the collection. For researchers and interested performers, Appendix A contains a brief catalog of existing microtonal viol repertoire listed with a description of the microtonal techniques used.
Dido the Chaste: A Characterization of Dido in Spanish Baroque Pasticcio Opera
The Dido myth has evolved and been adapted by many cultures over the centuries. Each Dido was altered to fit the needs of its creator, their society and customs. Despite these variations, every Dido retelling is derived from the Virgilian Dido, historical Dido, or chaste Dido narrative, or a combination of these stories. The pasticcio opera, Ópera armónica al estilo italiano que se intitula Dido y Eneas draws on the general Virgilian plot but emphasizes the chaste Dido narrative. The changes in the plot of Dido y Eneas reflect societal gender norms, theatrical conventions, and historical figures, specifically Queen María Luisa Gabriela, from eighteenth-century Spain. The Dido of Dido y Eneas can be divided into two main personas: Dido the queen and Dido the lover. Her arias, which come from preexisting Italian operas, convey the dramatic text very well. However, no matter what persona Dido portrays, she never fully loses control nor lets her passions rule her actions. Even in the moments before her suicide, her aria, "Punta intrepida," lacks the overt emotionality found in the popular Dido lament made famous by Purcell. This thesis aims to situate Dido y Eneas within the history of the Dido narrative and gender conceptions in the early eighteenth century, and to analyze depictions of affect in Dido's da capo arias. This Dido is a product of her time, transforming the Dido myth to portray a regal queen who overcomes emotional desire and remains faithful to her deceased husband becoming a paragon of chastity.
Motivic Stratification in Fauré's Late Chamber Works: Perspectives on Voice Leading and Tonal Coherence
This dissertation argues how motivic saturation on the musical surface complicates a conventional harmonic interpretation in Fauré's late chamber works. Using motivic segmentation and linear analysis, I illustrate how the abundance of foreground motives has far-reaching implications for tonal voice leading and overall coherence. The outcomes of motivic saliency are twofold, influencing harmonic progressions by 1) altering traditional syntax or 2) replacing traditional syntax to provide the primary form of tonal coherence. I unpack the voice-leading consequences of stratifying motives over one another and bring in two larger, emerging concepts: 1) key duality as disjunction between melody and bass and 2) tonal coherence from the tonal profile of motives. In the first case, either the melody or the bass projects its own center or key separate from the other parts, producing a sensation of key duality. In the second, a single motive furnishes the main source of tonal grounding by unfolding a structural harmony that the surface sonorities obscure. While motivic saliency is a consistent trait across Fauré's late repertoire, the two phenomena above increase over time.
"Stateside: An opera in one act" on the Experiences of the Military Spouse
Based on the poetry of Jehanne Dubrow, professor of English at the University of North Texas, Stateside: An opera in one act uses the mythology of Penelope and Odysseus to tell a story of a modern day military wife. David T. Little's opera Soldier Songs, Sarah Kirkland Snider's song-cycle Penelope, and Stateside are dramatic musical works influenced by the genre, instrumentation, and formal structures of popular music that broadly deal with the emotional and internal elements of military life. These three works prioritize narrative structure of the text in relation to character, and employ elements of popular music harmony, melody, and structure. The critical essay analyzes selections from Soldier Songs and Penelope and explains the compositional process of Stateside. The creative document consists of the full score of Stateside: an opera in one act.
"Songs from Vessels" for Ensemble and Live Electronics and Vessels: A Virtual Reality Micro-Opera
Starting in the mid-2010s VR's high cost of entry became low enough for consumers and artists to explore and experiment with the technology. There have been a few VR operas developed by medium to large sized teams such as Michel Van Der Aa's Eight (2018) and Alexander Schubert's ⁂ASTERISM⁂ (2021), but no widespread work has been produced by a small team comprising only a librettist and composer. Vessels engages in this process with a libretto written by Bea Goodwin and music, audio processing, visual design, and programming by Christopher Poovey. The first step in the process of creating Vessels was the creation of the song cycle Songs from Vessels for soprano, extended tenor, flute, bass flute, A clarinet, viola, contrabass, percussion, and live electronics. These songs are the basis of the micro-opera Vessels which presents recordings of the songs with live processing alongside two songs exclusive to the opera in a VR environment with immersive projections and audio. The development of an ensemble and electronic work along with a VR micro-opera necessitates the implementation and creation of software. Both the Grainflow and cpDelayNetworks packages for Cycling ‘74 Max are pivotal to audio processing in both versions of the work. In addition to these packages and other programming done in Max, the VR opera version of the work relies on custom scripts and implementations of tools for VR interaction, networking, spatial audio, and procedural animations to create an immersive environment to be shared between a VR participant and their audience.
Occupational Stress and Burnout among American Pastoral Musicians
Occupational burnout is a concern to the health and longevity of clergy and musician careers. However, no known study has assessed occupational burnout among pastoral musicians. A literature review revealed pastoral musicians anecdotally experienced multi-tasking, workplace politics, inequality of workload, competing liturgical styles, lack of job security, lack of financial security, and lack of rest, among other indicators of burnout. Therefore, the aims of this paper were to: (1) describe pastoral musicians as a population; (2) identify the prevalence rate of burnout among pastoral musicians; (3) investigate the relationship between pastoral musicians' burnout and religious coping; and (4) investigate the relationships between pastoral musicians' burnout and depression, anxiety, and stress. In 2021, an online questionnaire was designed to assess burnout among pastoral musicians. Dissemination techniques included emails to members of the Hymn Society of North America and via social media to collect data from pastoral music directors in the United States of America. The survey yielded n = 1,050 respondents: 83.8% experienced one or more symptoms of burnout (41.3% with low efficacy; 12.4% with high emotional exhaustion; 21.3% with high cynicism; 8.8% with burnout). Ineffectiveness was positively correlated with negative religious coping. Emotional exhaustion and cynicism were positively correlated with negative religious coping. COVID-19 affected 91.3% (n = 936) of pastoral musicians. This study contributed quantitative and qualitative analysis to pastoral musician research. Findings demonstrate burnout is prevalent among American pastoral musicians.
The Practice of Content-Driven Composition for Instrument and Computer
Two compositions, live electronic music for instrument and computer, have been analyzed in the essay to reflect one of my aesthetics principles, content-driven composition, and the solutions that the I have applied to solve the problems which have occurred in practice. By content-driven, I mean that compositional process, material, mood, and affect are expressions of content drawn from visual art, literature, nature, religion, traditional aesthetics and other non-musical sources. During the journey of exploration, I was often deeply moved and inspired by a historical moment, a real-world story, a film, a poem, a statement, an image, a piece of music, or a natural law. In content-driven works, these elements play a major role in the creative processes.
A Study of Large-Scale Auxiliary Cadence Types in Songs of Schubert, Brahms and Berg
Heinrich Schenker's concept of the auxiliary cadence can be considered as a middleground manifestation of the Ursatz; his definition of the auxiliary cadence caters only to tonal compositions with a single background tonic, such as Brahms's songs. However, there exist compositions in which the a single background tonic cannot be easily ascertained. Such unorthodox compositions, in fact, can be found even prior to Brahms's songs. In such cases, although the opening and closing tonics are different and are often categorized as large-scale auxiliary cadence structured compositions, they do not operate within the single-tonic based tonal paradigm upon which Schenker formed his idea of the auxiliary cadence. Such compositions may be approached as a novel type of auxiliary cadence and described as "process-driven." The thesis presents and contrasts examples of both types of auxiliary cadences in songs by Schubert, Brahms, and Berg.
Ideal Hausmusik: Brahms's Vocal Quartets (opp. 31, 52, 64, 65, 92, 103, and 112) and the Politics of Domestic Music ca. 1848-1900
This dissertation contextualizes Brahms's vocal quartets within a largely forgotten discourse about Hausmusik that flourished in German-speaking lands in the second half of the nineteenth century. In numerous texts about Hausmusik from ca. 1848-1900, authors conceived the genre as an aesthetically and politically conservative expression of German identity and connected its accessible style to an ideal of social cohesion in the pre-industrial age. Similar issues of national identity and musical style arise in the reception of Brahms's quartets, which, I contend, was informed by the works' generic status as Hausmusik. Critics either praised Brahms's works for their simple, folk-like style or disparaged their complexity, artifice, and foreignness. Ultimately, I argue, Brahms sought to elevate the genre of Hausmusik in his vocal quartets by integrating aesthetic and cultural values associated with this genre with a more sophisticated musical style. The works' stylistic and generic ambiguity and the disparity in critics' responses reveal competing aesthetic, political, and cultural world views immediately before and after German unification. Chapter 2 shows how discourse about Hausmusik constructed German identity in the private sphere by promoting a folk-like aesthetic and accessible musical style over the perceived cosmopolitanism and commercialism of Salonmusik and other repertoires. Chapter 3 investigates the tension between Hausmusik and chamber styles and their associated opposing cultural values. Chapter 4 explores a similar conflict between folk and popular musical styles manifested in reactions to the Liebeslieder, which were interpreted as either Ländler or Viennese waltzes. Finally, chapter 5 demonstrates how reception of the Zigeunerlieder reflects the impulse to define German identity in opposition to a foreign "other" by sharply distinguishing between German and exotic musical styles. By relating these descriptive reviews of Brahms's works to largely prescriptive texts about Hausmusik, I define the genre by delimiting its boundaries and demonstrate the crucial role domestic …
Vocal Fold Onset and Its Effect on the Spectral Envelope
The purpose of this study is to examine the acoustic implications of using aspirated, well-coordinated, coup de la glotte, and hard glottal onset methods, in order to compare and contrast the radiated acoustic spectra. Twenty-five singers trained in bel canto singing style were asked to sing 5-second samples on three pre-determined pitches comprising the low, middle, and high range in male and female voices. Each participant was instructed and trained to sing the three pitches with the four methods. EGG was used with audio perception to verify onset type, and VoceVista Video Pro was used to analyze power spectra. A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (rMANOVA) was performed with the SPSS General Linear Model function, with onset type as the within-subjects variable to determine main effects and interaction effects on harmonic amplitude (up to 5000Hz) from the independent variables. A significant main effect was found for onset type and more specifically, a significant acoustic difference was found between the well-coordinated and coup de la glotte onsets. Substantial inconsistencies were found in the execution of the well-coordinated onset, as well as in participants' reported preferred onset compared to their baseline measurement of executed onset type. Intentional study of the phonatory onset beginning with adducted folds and low subglottal pressure may have important acoustic and efficiency consequences for bel canto singers. There is a need for specificity regarding the prephonatory glottal configuration in vocal pedagogy and voice science research, and a numerical classification system may provide a clearer picture in future onset investigations.
Developing Ogolevets's Doubly Augmented Prime: Semitonal Voice Leading in the Music of Shostakovich
In this dissertation, I develop and apply an original voice-leading method to the music of Shostakovich. Between the years of 1926 and 1948, his music involved extreme chromaticism that required analytical views from both Russia and the West. In the mid-twentieth century, Russian theorists such as Lev Mazel' and Alexandr Dolzhansky wrote about the modal language of Shostakovich's works, but their writings lacked how to identify them within extremely chromatic passages. In the West, scholars describe his music as both tonal and atonal, sometimes combined within one work. I unify these two views with my voice-leading system consisting of an intervallic resolution of the doubly augmented prime (DAP), which appears seemingly random on the musical surface, but occurs for specific compositional reasons. First mentioned by name in Aleksei Ogolevets' 1946 "An Introduction into Contemporary Musical Thought," the DAP served no harmonic or modal purpose. While Ogolevets mentions and includes examples that show this interval, he does not discuss its resolutions nor how it functions in musical contexts. This structure, however, has broader conceptual and analytical implications. Therefore, I develop a method based on the voice leading and semitonal resolutions of the DAP, which I apply to the music of Shostakovich. The DAP contributes to his compositional style by functioning in three ways: 1) identifying one mode or two simultaneous modes, 2) completing traditional triadic harmonies, and 3) facilitating both tonal and modal modulations.
The Extended Lydian Locrian Theory of Harmony
The extended Lydian Locrian theory of harmony (ELL) is a system of analyzing harmonies and progressions according to their position along a vast spectrum of colors. The musical premise is that chords and progressions spanning upwards around the circle of fifths sound brighter, whereas chords and progressions spanning downwards around the circle of fifths sound darker. This simple premise gives rise to a complex but unified system of harmonic structures and relations, a system which provides a valuable tool for analyzing and composing music, especially of advanced tonal genres. ELL not only provides fruitful techniques for analyzing certain kinds of traditional harmonies and progressions but also provides a framework for discovering more exotic and colorful harmonies and progressions.
On the Precipice: Examining Generic Convention and Innovation in Thermidorian Opera through "Sapho" (1794)
Often neglected in the musicological coverage of revolutionary music and theater, the Thermidorean Reaction phase (1794–1795) of the French Revolution was a period of governmental transition, in which Parisian theaters enjoyed the institutional and generic freedoms of the Le Chapelier Laws of 1791 in addition to relaxed enforcement of censorship. In recent years, Mark Darlow and Julia Doe's work has advanced understandings of operatic genres during the early years of the Revolution, which they characterize as a balance between "rupture and continuity" with artistic conventions of the ancien régime. I extend their methods of analysis to the second half of the revolutionary decade, exploring the impact that Thermidorian theatrical politics and legal (de)regulations had on operatic genre through the lens of Sapho (1794). This tragédie lyrique premiered at the Théatre de Louvois, a venue of ambiguous status within Paris's theatrical hierarchies. Featuring a libretto by Constance de Salm and music by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini, Sapho falls within the period of temporarily suspended theatrical privilege initiated by Le Chapelier and borrows key formal elements from "great" and popular operatic styles. The opera facilitates a discussion of how composers and librettists collaborated to navigate the rapidly shifting political and legal climate of Thermidor. I argue that Sapho's careful blend of generic consistency and innovation arose from its twofold institutional and aesthetic positioning. Institutionally, it premiered within a period of relaxed theatrical regulations at a theater, the Louvois, that avoids clear categorization. Aesthetically, Sapho represents a culmination of generic developments initiated in the 1750s, with innovative musical and formal elements stemming from the authors' attention to dramatic progression and their desire to remain artistically relevant in the wake of the Terror.
Theorizing Sonata Form from the Margins: The Keyboard Sonata in Eighteenth-Century Spain
This study describes a set of salient formal norms for the eighteenth-century Spanish keyboard sonata through an application of Hepokoski and Darcy's sonata theory, William Caplin's form-functional theory, and Robert Gjerdingen's schema theory. It finds that particular thematic types, intra-thematic functions, and rhetorical markers characterize this repertoire. In order to trace the development of these norms throughout the eighteenth century, this work is organized into two parts. The first part (Chapters 2 and 3) examines the mid-century Spanish keyboard sonatas of Sebastián de Albero (1722–1756), Joaquín Ojinaga (1719–1789), and their contemporaries. The second part (Chapters 4 and 5) examines the late-century Spanish keyboard sonatas of Manuel Blasco de Nebra (1750–1783) and his contemporaries.
"Femininity: Ownership and Power": A Multimedia Exhibition
This thesis is a critical analysis and creative commentary providing research and insight into my 150-minute multimedia exhibition, "Femininity: Ownership and Power," that premiered October 23, 2021. All of my research, composition, and collaboration efforts seek to recontextualize the semiotics of ‘femininity' through ownership and empowerment from varying intersections and identities. The titles of the eight works composed and premiered as part of the exhibition include: a beautiful reckoning; Dust; Moirai; Gaia; Portrait of the American Woman; Shared, In Balanced Contrast; At My Intersection; and I See You. Also included was #pinkcode, an exhibit that features a fuschia graphic user interface for an interactive modulation synthesis application built in Csound designed to bring femininity into computer music spaces. The musical compositions vary in instrumentation including flute, alto flute, voice, guitar, viola, harp, cajon, vibraphone, live electronics, and fixed media. They also vary in medium including live performance, virtual reality video, music video, audio-reactive TouchDesigner video, immersive text projections, light show, and live dance. Feminist texts by women poets and authors recited by women personally connected to me are also included in the fabric of the musical fixed media of multiple pieces in the thesis exhibition. Collaborators of artistic media including film, digital art, music, and dance include Eboni Johnson, Hannah Ottinger, Cami Holman, Miranda Zapata, and Elijah J. Thomas.
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