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The Music Achievement Program: Designing A Violin Lesson Curriculum, Laura Julieanne Bennett

Senior Theses

What is the biggest commitment you have ever made in your entire life? How about recalling the biggest commitment you made before you finished the first grade? Other than pledging to only eat candy for dinner for the rest of my life, at the age of six, I unknowingly committed to a challenging and unending pursuit: learning to play the violin. To be completely honest, I was not terribly interested in playing the instrument. However, my kindergarten-age sister was ecstatic to give it a go. So, my parents enrolled me in Suzuki lessons at my creative arts elementary school. Unlike …

Music And Gender, Chris Buckman

Senior Theses

The purpose of this research project was to conduct a study on the correlation between gender and music listening habits. Based on the results of a music survey, the author tested four hypotheses: females have wider genre preference range than males, females spend more time listening to music, males and females listen to music for different reasons, and males and females prefer different genres of music. Analysis was performed using a variety of hypothesis testing methods in R. Only one hypothesis was rejected out of the four—that males and females prefer different genres. Discussion is presented on why this is …

Sonority: A Study In Composing With Color For Wind Band, Kyle Brown

Senior Theses

Over the course of a year, Sonority has come to life. From early melodic ideas to musical sketches and now my final piece, this compositional journey has taught me a lot about my own writing and the processes involved in band writing. My emphasis on instrumental colors and waves of sound guided my writing as I worked to complete this piece. Those key concepts helped to shape the melody, rhythm, and form of this piece. Writing Sonority was certainly an educational experience for me, and I am proud to present this piece as a representation of my work over the …

Robert Burns's Hand In 'Ay Waukin, O': The Roy Manuscript And William Tytler's Dissertation (1779), Patrick G. Scott

Studies in Scottish Literature

Discusses Robert Burns's sources and manuscripts for his expansion of the song "Ay waukin, O," first published as song 213 in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum, III (1790); highlights an often neglected and misdated printed item, William Tytler’s Dissertation, as Burns's source for two of the four stanzas; considers the two full-length manuscripts, identifying one as being an Antique Smith forgery, and detailing the provenance and purpose, of the other, now at the Birthplace Museum; examines and reproduces the Roy manuscript and its pencilled additions; and so clarifies the relationship among the three genuine manuscripts to argue that …

The Life And Legacy Of Samul Feinberg, Solomon Eichner

Theses and Dissertations

Samuil Feinberg (1899-1962), a modern day Liszt, has not been given the credit he deserves. Living under the Stalin Regime, he was neglected and repressed. This pianist, composer and pedagogue lived an artistic life that is worth studying and reviving. Heavily influenced compositionally by Scriabin, Feinberg played an important role in continuing the Russian revolutionary avant-garde style between 1915 and 1930. Feinberg went through two compositional periods, the first being a more virtuosic experimental style and the second a more conservative, contrapuntal and folk influenced style. Feinberg had a deep connection to Bach and transcribed many of his pieces in …

An Analysis Of Akira Miyoshi’S “Miyoshi Piano Method: 12 Progressive Propositions Piano Method”, Azusa Higotani Bies

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes Miyoshi Piano Method: 12 Progressive Propositions Piano Method written by Akira Miyoshi (1933-2013), a Japanese classical music composer. The study comprises three chapters, a bibliography, and two appendices. Chapter one consists of an introduction providing a brief history of the development of piano instructional methods and their development in Japan with an emphasis on the instructional works of Akira Miyoshi. Chapter 2 consists of an analysis of Miyoshi Piano Method inclusive of all twelve volumes. Each volume is analyzed in terms of reading approach, counting approach, technique, artistry and creativity, and compositional characteristics. Chapter 3 consists of …

The Development Of Contemporary Music By Korean Composers: Analyses Of Piano Works By Isang Yun, Young Jo Lee And U Zong Choe, Song E. Kim

Theses and Dissertations

This study concerns the development of contemporary music by three generations of Korean composers, including Isang Yun, Young Jo Lee, and U Zong Choe, focusing on stylistic analyses of selected piano works by each composer: Fünf Stücke für Klavier by Isang Yun, Korean Dance Suite by Young Jo Lee, and 12 Preludes pour piano by U Zong Choe. The study provides an overview of the history of Western contemporary music in Korea and biographical information of each composer. It also describes and analyzes the style influences and characteristics of these composers‟ output. The analyses include examinations of Western techniques and …

An Analytical Study Of The Britten Violin Concerto, Op.15, Shr-Han Wu

Theses and Dissertations

Benjamin Britten is known for his opera, vocal and symphonic works. His violin concerto was composed around the time of the second world war. During that time, there were many great violin works produced by composers such as Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Barber, etc., and their violin concertos are still considered staples of the violin repertoire. However, Britten’s violin concerto is not performed as often as other twentieth-century violin concertos. Although the popularity of his violin concerto is increasing in recent years, there is relatively little scholarly work devoted to it. The goal of this paper is to provide guidelines for performers …

Arvo Part, Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen: A Transcription For Wind Ensemble, Julian Hartridge Sconyers Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Amongst late twentieth and early twenty-first century music, Arvo Pärt’s compositional style is a unique musical voice and has led to the composer becoming the most performed living classical composer for multiple years. His unmistakable tintinnabuli style is often labeled as part of the post-modernist movement, the minimalist genre, sacred minimalism, or even as neo-medieval. Despite any label, his music is as distinctive as it is revolutionary, and many of his works are considered cornerstone works of the late-twentieth and early-twenty-first centuries. However, despite the popularity of his works, most of his music is written for choir, orchestra, small chamber …

Mcneil Robinson As Choral Musician A Survey Of His Choral Works For The Christian And Jewish Traditions, Jason Allen Wright

Theses and Dissertations

McNeil Robinson II (1943-2015), internationally renowned organist and composer, was born in Birmingham, Alabama and educated at Birmingham Southern College, Mannes College of Music, and the Juilliard School. Robinson served at several iconic and celebrated churches and at a synagogue in the City of New York including: the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, the Church of the Holy Family (United Nations), Park Avenue Christian Church, Park Avenue Synagogue, and Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church. As an academic, Robinson was chair of the organ department and a professor of music at Manhattan School of Music. Over the course of these …

An Exploration Of The Availability And Implementation Of Undergraduate Degrees In Conducting In The United States, Erik Lee Garriott

Theses and Dissertations

The art of conducting musical ensembles has grown since conductors such as Louis Spohr, Carl Maria von Weber, Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Wagner, and Hector Berlioz popularized it in the classical and romantic eras of music history. However, there appear to be discrepancies between the prevalence of conducting throughout music history and the availability of bachelor’s degrees in music performance centered around conducting in the United States. Europe has a strong tradition of training conductors from a young age, and Asia is beginning to develop a strong tradition of its own. The United States is a worldwide leader in many degree …

An Investigative Study Measuring Self-Reported Metacognitive Habits Among Collegiate Piano Majors, Steven Phillip Brundage

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate self-reported metacognitive habits among collegiate piano majors. It examined the degree to which participants comprehend and employ practice strategies, recognize their own strengths and weaknesses in learning and performing, accurately predict a performance outcome, and self-evaluate following a performance. A total of twelve (N = 12) participants, six (N = 6) undergraduate and six (N = 6) graduate piano majors, enrolled in applied lessons at the University of South Carolina School of Music volunteered to participate in this study. Participants completed a pretest questionnaire that measured their own metacognitive skills, performed and …

The Political Suppression Of The Saxophone And Its Subsequent Pedagogical Development In Select Non-Democratic Countries, Sheldon Jerome Johnson Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Almost universally, the saxophone struggled to gain acceptance in the early years following its invention; however, the obstacles faced were much more arduous in some places than others. The saxophone faced many serious impediments to acceptance, especially in the non-democratic 20th-century countries of China and the Soviet Union. It is the purpose of this research to explore the institutional roadblocks, their removal, and to profile the people responsible for the subsequent development of formidable pedagogical saxophone traditions in recent years.

The Eccentric Compositional Style Of Mark Applebaum: An Analysis Of His Acoustic Percussion Works, Richard Shane Reeves

Theses and Dissertations

Mark Applebaum is an American composer and Professor of Composition at Stanford University who has made significant contributions to contemporary music. His music has been performed all over the world and his popularity as a composer continues to increase. The experimental nature of his music and his continual innovation and creativity makes his music worthy of study. However, there has been no scholarly research done on his music. Because of this void, a study of his music is needed and would be valuable to both performers and scholars alike.

The oeuvre of Mark Applebaum is vast and includes music written …

An Exploration Of Characterizations In Jac Redford’S Oratorio The Martyrdom Of Saint Polycarp, Melanie Cross Buckner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this document is to highlight the fundamental musical features J.A.C. Redford employs to create characterizations within his oratorio The Martyrdom of Saint Polycarp. Analysis of melody, harmony, texture and rhythm demonstrates Redford’s methods of underscoring the principles of good and evil while demonstrating a Christian worldview.

An examination of each character reveals unique music that highlights specific aspects of their individual personalities. Redford employs a variety of techniques to accomplish the diverse personae. These techniques also illuminate elements of his compositional style. Special features include melodies with natural speech rhythms and inflections, extended tertian harmonies, and rhythmic …