Search Results

open access

Innovations in Musical Texture and Aural Perspective: Steven Mackey's See Ya Thursday for Solo Marimba

Description: This dissertation and accompanying lecture recital explore the unique textural features in the works of Steven Mackey as exhibited in See Ya Thursday (1993).A rigorous formal, harmonic, and motivic analysis will highlight the compositional characteristics of textural structure and aural perspective that exist in the work. Illumination of these compositional elements can help to identify and minimize the technical complexities that exist within this piece for the performer. In addition, this do… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Hall, David Porter
open access

Exploring Aspects of Korean Traditional Music in Young Jo Lee's Piano Honza Nori

Description: Since the 1960s, several gifted Korean composers, including perhaps most notably Young Jo Lee (b. 1943), have been internationally acclaimed for their work. In Western countries, however, there has been a scarcity of academic studies examining the artistry of the music of these Korean composers. Nonetheless, as one of today's most recognized composers in Korea, Young Jo Lee has been invited to numerous international concerts, conferences, and festivals where his works have been played and discu… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Kim, Jin
open access

A Survey of the Solo and Chamber Works for Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium and Tuba By the Hungarian Composer Frigyes Hidas

Description: Hidas composed more than 135 compositions. Of these 135 compositions 67 feature the trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba in a solo setting, a homogenous chamber setting, or a heterogeneous chamber setting. The first section of this project presents the significance of the topic, state of research, and methodology. Chapter one provides a narrative detailing the collaboration of Hidas with Gusztáv Höna and László Szabó, Sr. Chapter two provides a brief description of characteristics found… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Gill, Jonathan B.
open access

A Performer's Guide to Béla Bartók's Violin Concerto No 1, Opus Posthumous, 1907–1908

Description: Despite Bartók's lasting international fame, some of his works remain unjustly lesser-known. One of the pieces that still resides in relative obscurity is his Violin Concerto No.1—a gem of the violin repertoire that must be brought to the broader public's attention. The fact that the concerto was hidden definitely contributed to its little–known status at first. However, the most important cause for the lack of enthusiasm to tackle this terrific work lies in the unorthodox demands it puts on th… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Jobbágy, Szemoke
open access

The Integration of Western Techniques with East Asian Philosophies in Isang Yun's Quartett Für Horn, Trompete, Posaune Und Klavier

Description: Korean composer Isang Yun (1917-1995) was one of the few successful Asian avant-garde composers to blend philosophical elements from East Asia with Western techniques such as the twelve-tone method, Hauptton, Hauptklang, and Umspielung. In addition to the integration of Western and Eastern influences, a significant feature of Yun´s compositional language, found throughout his oeuvre, is the application of East Asian philosophical tenets into his works. The purpose of this dissertation is to dev… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Kim, Daewook
open access

Derivation of the Thematic Material and Intervallic Gestures From the Main Theme in Fantasia Carioca By Sérgio Assad

Description: The quantity of classical guitar literature reached a new peak late in the twentieth century with many famous guitarists publishing their own works for solo classical guitar. This increase in the published guitar literature resulted in a decline of the relative analytical discussions of contemporary guitar works. Sérgio Assad is a perfect example of an active guitarist/composer whose works are frequently performed in guitar recitals and yet very little discussion has been provided attempting to… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Abdihodži?, Armin
open access

James Wintle's Northwest Miniatures for Flute, Trumpet and Piano (1998): a Performance Guide

Description: James Wintle's, Northwest Miniatures for flute, trumpet and piano is a unique work in the chamber music repertoire. In addition, the use of auxiliary instruments makes this piece a rarity in the flute and trumpet chamber music repertoire. There are a limited number of resources presently available to performers regarding Northwest Miniatures.This dissertation provides a pedagogical performance guide addressing the inherent challenges for the flutist and this instrumentation and serves as a new … more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Walker, Julee Kim
open access

A Performance Guide to Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Trumpet Concerto, "Nobody Knows De Trouble I See"

Description: Bernd Zimmermann's Trumpet Concerto, "Nobody Knows de Trouble I See" is an important twentieth-century work for trumpet. Despite the stature of the composition, it has rarely been performed due to its considerable musical and technical demands. Integrating these diverse demands into a coherent performance requires careful consideration of the various performance practice consequences. The study begins by exploring the historical and musical context in which the work was written. It then con… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Haley, Matthew
open access

Dario Castello's Music for Sackbut: the Sonate Concertate in Stil Moderno (1629)

Description: Dario Castello's Sonate concertate in stil moderno is a collection of 29 trio sonatas in two volumes, with 10 of them employing the sackbut. These works represent a significant repertoire for the sackbut in an era where specific instrumentation was only starting to become a convention. While these pieces are often studied, performed and recorded in Europe, most American trombonists are not aware of their existence. This study seeks to acquaint the American trombonist with the sonatas of Cas… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Hausback, Jason M.
open access

Piano-related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Posture and Pain

Description: A healthy posture protects the body-supporting functions and prevents injuries by maintaining balance. Literature in performing arts medicine suggests that posture is an important component to prevent piano-playing related injuries. However, no known research studies have quantified, characterized, and compared pianists' sitting postures. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between playing postures and perceived pain among pianists. This study applied innovative approach u… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Shamoto, Yoshiko
open access

An Analysis of Pitch Organization in Villa-lobos's Rudepoêma

Description: Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) stands central to the music history of the Brazilian twentieth century. His music represents a synthesis of the European art influences he absorbed and his quest to find a true Brazilian identity, which was not rooted in the deliberate imitation of Brazilian folk elements, but rather in the natural assimilation of them in his compositional style. His early compositions embody strong post-romantic, impressionistic tendencies, especially in regard to their harmonies… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Kruger, Esthea
open access

Transcription of Baroque Works for Classical Guitar: J S Bach's Sonata in D Minor (Bwv 964) As Model

Description: Continuing the common practice of composers of the Baroque period to transcribe their own or other composers' works for a different instrument, this dissertation contributes to studies of J. S. Bach's repertory as the source of program material for the classical guitar. It is from differences revealed through a comparative analysis of Bach's Violin Sonata No. 2 (BWV 1003) and his harpsichord arrangement thereof – Sonata in D minor (BWV 964) – that principles of transcription are derived and or… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Lang, Matthias
open access

A Survey of Four Original Works for Clarinet and Guitar and Their Effect on Compositional Output for the Repertoire

Description: In the last three decades there has been a surge in original compositions for clarinet and guitar resulting in the repertoire virtually doubling in size. However, documentation and research of original works in published sources remains limited and is quickly becoming outdated. This document reviews the current resources and reviews the newer published materials. Early chamber music works for guitar and clarinet typically required the guitar to supply harmonic support to the clarinet's upper vo… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Lignitz, Kellie
open access

The Formative Years: an Exploration of the Early Training and Song Juvenilia of Samuel Barber

Description: In the art of song composition, American composer Samuel Barber was the perfect storm. Barber spent years studying under superb instruction and became adept as a pianist, singer, composer, and in literature and languages. The songs that Barber composed during those years of instruction, many of which have been posthumously published, are waypoints on his journey to compositional maturity. These early songs display his natural inclinations, his self-determination, his growth through trial and… more
Date: May 2013
Creator: Chester, Derek T.
open access

An Examination of Innovations in Alexander Scriabin’s Late Etudes for Piano

Description: Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) stands as one of the most unconventional twentieth-century Russian composers, particularly with respect to his piano works. The overwhelming majority of Scriabin's compositions—sixty-seven of his seventy-four published works—were written for solo piano. His etudes from 1905 forward are revolutionary, especially compared with his earlier Chopinesque style. Among Scriabin’s twenty-six etudes, his Op.49, No. 1 (1905), Op.56, No. 4 (1908) and the last three etudes of … more
Date: December 2013
Creator: Lee, Kuo-Ying
open access

Performer’s Guide to the Execution and Application of Karen Tuttle’s Coordination, As Applied to Ernest Bloch’s Suite Hébraïque

Description: Legendary violist and pedagogue Karen Tuttle developed a new approach to playing the viola known as Coordination. Coordination consists of a deep emotional connection to music, as well as highly specific motions of the body. This document details the execution of the physical motions of Coordination, through written descriptions and multimedia examples. A detailed discussion of the application of the motions is presented, using notated examples from Ernest Bloch’s Suite Hébraïque.
Date: December 2013
Creator: Sander, Amber
open access

An Instructional Approach to Introducing Twentieth-century Piano Music to Piano Students From Beginning to Advanced Levels: a Graded Repertoire for Mastering the Challenges Posed by Logan Skelton’s Civil War Variations

Description: Beginning and intermediate piano students typically study the repertoire of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This pedagogical approach leaves them underprepared to approach compositions written since the latter part of the twentieth-century which are significantly different in terms of harmony, rhythm, meter, and compositional procedure. Therefore, a step-by-step method is necessary to prepare a student for the challenges of learning twentieth and twenty-first century piano music. Civil… more
Date: December 2013
Creator: Kim, Dajeong
open access

A Similar Approach with Different Results: the Use of Baroque Elements in Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne (1933), Shostakovich’s Violin Sonata in G Major, Op 134 (1968) and Schnittke’s Suite in the Old Style (1972)

Description: Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) and Alfred Schnittke (1934-1998) were three of the most important avant-garde Russian composers of the twentieth century. Even though their music shares a number of important traits, their work also reflects very individualized and distinct compositional styles. This study illustrates the similarities in their approach and the contrasting elements present in three selected pieces: Stravinsky´s Suite Italienne for Violin and Piano (193… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Oh, Hyun Sun
open access

Revisioning a Masterpiece: Jon Magnussen’s “Psalm”

Description: In 2001, composer Jon Magnussen met the unusual challenge of unifying his new score for Psalm, an already-existing dance work from 1967, with the original artistic conceit of the choreographer, José Limón, who died in 1972. Limón was inspired directly by his reading of André Schwartz-Bart’s Holocaust novel, The Last of the Just, and had initially desired to use Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms as the score for the dance. Faced with cost-preclusive licensing fees for the Stravinksy, Limón engag… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Burnett, Jason
open access

A Performance Guide to Jean Balissat’s Kaleidoscope for Trumpet and Percussion

Description: Jean Balissat’s Kaleidoscope for trumpet and percussion is an important yet widely unknown piece within the trumpet repertoire. A comprehensive performance guide is necessary in order to overcome the musical and technical demands that this piece presents to the trumpeter. The first section of this document provides historical and contextual information about Jean Balissat, his compositional style, and relevant information regarding Kaleidoscope. The second section of this document includes a … more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Anderson, Matthew Douglas
open access

Iron Sharpens Iron: Duets for Two Women in the Teaching/instruction of Undergraduate Women

Description: Duet literature remains largely untapped as a pedagogical tool in the undergraduate voice studio. This dissertation examines the ways in which eight duets for female voices, although not written primarily for pedagogical use, may be used to teach four main areas of voice technique: intonation, vocal agility, legato singing, and dramatic skills. Duets are chosen primarily from the standard repertoire and are in English, German, French, Italian and Latin. The compositional styles range from th… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Backlin, Laurissa
open access

The Effect of Head Flexion/extension on Acoustic Measures of Singing Voice Quality

Description: A study was undertaken to identify the effect of head flexion/extension on singing voice quality. The amplitude of the fundamental frequency (F0), and the singing power ratio (SPR), an indirect measure of singer’s formant activity, were measured. F0 and SPR scores at four experimental head positions were compared with the subjects’ scores at their habitual positions. Three vowels and three pitch levels were tested. F0 amplitudes and low frequency partials in general were greater with more e… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Knight, Elizabeth Johnson
open access

Micro-images, Genera and Poème Exotique: a Guide to Tone Color Selection, Relative Dynamics and Temporal Pacing for Effective Performances of Three Microtonal Flute Works by Daniel Kessner

Description: Micro-Images for Solo Flute, Genera for Flute/Alto Flute/Bass Flute and Clarinet/Bass Clarinet, and Poème exotique for Flute and Piano by American composer Daniel Kessner (b. 1946) utilize a hybrid compositional approach in which microtones are incorporated with more traditional chromatic writing. Through representative musical examples from each piece, this document highlights the timbral, dynamic and pacing complexities associated with the microtonal fingerings and prompts flutists to forgo i… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Sánchez, Terri
open access

The Sonatas of Johann Gottfried Eckard (1735-1809) and the Evolution of Keyboard Instruments Between 1760 and 1785

Description: Johann Gottfried Eckard was a self-trained composer and keyboardist studying with Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s Versuch while he lived in Augsburg. Eckard traveled to Paris with the keyboard instrument builder, Johann Andreas Stein, in 1758 and settled in France for the rest of his life. Eckard only composed eight keyboard sonatas and a set of variations on the Menuet d’Exaudet. He published his works during the transitional period from harpsichord to fortepiano. The eight keyboard sonatas incorp… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Chiang, I-Fang
Back to Top of Screen