Digital Commons Network^™

Honors Recital Presentation, David Rutter

Honors Projects

The purpose of this project was rooted in the belief that the reception of a piece of music can be altered or enhanced when the audience is given a compelling historical or cultural background of each composition. With sometimes hundreds of years between the audience members and the composers, to deliver an emotionally stirring and relevant performance to a modern audience is an incredible feat. In the spirit of making my senior violin recital more accessible and entertaining to my own audience, I devoted my Honors project to gathering information on the philosophies, personalities, successes and tragedies of each of …

The Variety Show: Why Classical String Musicians Are Exploring A Multistyle Approach To Teaching, Kelly C. Wiedemann

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The Variety Show: Why Classical String Musicians are

Exploring a Multistyle Approach to Music

Kelly C. Wiedemann

This case study examines the experiences of five classically trained string teachers who now include alternative styles in their teaching. The research questions are: (1) What factors inspire a classically trained string educator to begin teaching alternative styles to their students? (2) Why is it important to keep classical music in string pedagogy? (3) How have these teachers, their peers, students, and community reacted to multistylism? The interviews revealed four major points of motivation: Opportunities for developing creativity and finding a personal voice …

Gesture-Sensing Technology For The Bow: A Relevant And Accessible Digital Interface For String Instruments, Zachary Boyt

Masters Theses

Technological advances in powerful, miniaturized electronics have created a growing potential to continue the evolution of string instruments through an accessible digital interface. Although many new types of instruments and controllers have explored this goal, gesture-sensing technology, when paired with the expressive nature of the bow, has provided the most eligible solution towards bridging technology and tradition. Through a selective showcase of technical development, artistic application, and future possibilities, this thesis traces the evolution of gesturesensing bow technology as an accessible digital interface in string instrument performance.

Your Guide On Learning How To Play The Piano, Jankiben Patel

Senior Theses

I’ve had a strong desire to learn how to play a piano ever since my first music class in elementary school. I asked my parents if I could receive piano lessons. They saw how extremely excited I was and they agreed to seek out a piano instructor for me. Unfortunately, my parents soon realized that they simply could not afford the fees. I brought up the topic a few more times, but to no avail. In middle school, I joined the band to play the clarinet. Although my hopes of playing the piano were put on hold, I grasped this …

Mind, Body, Music, Kimberly Lewis

Honors Projects

Performance anxiety is a phenomenon that all musicians struggle with at some point in their careers. As someone who has been a victim of performance anxiety throughout my life as a musician, I searched for ways that I could eliminate my own performance anxiety, as well as share information with other musicians on how their performance anxiety could be reduced. After doing my research, I realized that many music teachers do not discuss performance anxiety and ways that it can be reduced when teaching their students. I propose that music teachers discuss performance anxiety and performance anxiety reducing techniques with …

Love, Lust, And Loss: A Senior Recital/An Afternoon Of Contemporary Works, Emily Cedriana Donato

Senior Projects Spring 2014

I am graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Bard College’s Music Department as a classical vocalist. For my senior project I have put together a set of two recitals. My goal was to create contrasting programs that were interesting, each with a specific theme.

The first recital took place on Sunday, December 15th at 7:00 p.m. in the László Z. Bitó Conservatory Performance Space. The concert was titled “Love, Lust and Loss: A Senior Recital” and it explored these themes while demonstrating a wide range of abilities in my voice. Throughout all musical eras, composers have written about …

Requiem: All That's Left Is Noise, Danielle R. Dobkin

Senior Projects Spring 2014

Danielle R. Dobkin

Artist Statement

May 2014

Requiem: All That’s Left if Noise

Requiem: All That’s Left is Noise is a personal interpretation of the traditional Latin liturgy of the Western Church’s Requiem Mass- a composition meant to be the carrier for the soul, on it’s journey to paradise. The requiem is comprised of 7 movements: Introit, Kyrie (Lord have Mercy), Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), Lycrimosa (Day of Weeping), Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy), Lux Aeterna (Eternal Light), and the Libera Me (Deliver Me). These seven movements sonically replicate the range of human emotion, ending on the soul’s delivery in …

Eighteenth Century Techniques Of Classical Improvisation On The Violin: Pedagogy, Practice And Decline, Flavia Claudia Todea

Theses : Honours

The art of improvisation flourished in both instrumental and vocal music during the late seventeenth and throughout the eighteenth centuries. The violin techniques of improvisation taught in the eighteenth century (such as ornamentation of melody, decoration of fermatas, extemporization of cadenzas and creation of preludes) formed an integral part of instrumental pedagogy and performance practice at the time, which then declined significantly from the early nineteenth century onwards. It seems that this practice of improvisation has been neglected and its principles almost forgotten in the world of classical Western music today. This paper makes an argument for the re-introduction of …