Digital Commons Network^™

Whatever Happened To The Movie Theme Song?, Luka Vasic

Capstones

Film music is as important as it’s ever been and a good theme song can absorb you into the world of a movie. Despite this, our idea of the theme song has changed a lot, and the kinds of themes that have traditionally been memorable parts of classic cinema have now lost their importance and role in modern filmmaking.

http://lukavasic.com/capstone/

Do It Yourself: Women And Lgbtq+ Musicians And Promoters In The Diy Midwest Music Scene, Morgan W. Matzen

Honors Thesis

In certain parts of the Midwest “DIY,” or the underground/alternative music scene, there is not enough representation of women, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals in music, whether onstage as a band or musician, or in venue ownership and leadership. This study looks at where these diverse people are, and the setbacks they’ve faced along the way of becoming a musician, promoter or venue owner. Three emerging themes through this journalistic research include all-ages venues and music scenes as integral to getting people involved in music; a “DIY” attitude or ethos as a push for these musicians and promoters to …

Freirean Pedagogy In Music Education, Tyler Slamkowski

Music ETDs

This is a qualitative, multiple case study rooted in grounded theory. It explores how music teachers might implement Paulo Freire’s theories in their classrooms, as well as best practices in Freirean music teaching. Paulo Freire was a Brazilian educational theorist who claimed that education, rooted in dialogue and co-creation of knowledge, could confront major structural injustices, such as inequality, exploitation, and violence.

The three participants in this study worked in the same large, Southwestern district. Participants were selected based on how their teaching fit with characteristics of Freirean Pedagogy. Three music educators, Robert, Eliza, and Jackie, the participants in this …

Contemporary Central American Imaginaries Under (Re)Construction: Landings In A Postwar Cultural Landscape, Rosario Catalina Ramírez

Open Access Dissertations

My dissertation maps contemporary Central American cultural production in literature, music and grassroots networks for culture. It is focused on the postwar period in the region, from the signing of the Peace Accords in the 1990s onwards. I focus on emergent cultural narratives in order to analyze the reconstruction of isthmian imaginaries through a constructive lens. Cultural texts and discursive imaginaries are analyzed from a perspective grounded in local histories versus the grand homogenizing narratives that have historically defined the Central America isthmus, such as mestizaje and the revolutionary as paradigm. Through the analytical constructs of aterrizaje and descendencia, …

A Graduate Recital In Organ, Peter Matthew Frost

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to discuss the composers and pieces played on the master’s recital. This thesis will include composer biographical information, basic analysis of each piece to be performed, performance considerations, and relevant historical context.

The Sound Of Adventure: Two Original Compositions That Combine Music, Sound Design, And Post-Production, Inspired By Outdoor Experiences, Jason K. Gibson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Composers have been inspired by nature for centuries, but writing music about nature is becoming more popular in our day. Now, under titles like “Landscape Music” and “Environmental Music,” many composers seek to embody the feeling of nature in music. What has yet to be fully developed is how electronic music and landscape music can overlap in the chamber music world. This project culminates in two original compositions, Natural Opposition (ca. six min), and Giants at Night (ca. 15 min), that seek to satisfy the requirements of both realms by combining naturally inspired music with electronic influences. The compositions themselves …

Music From Trinidad And Tobago, Vanessa Tuttle

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This essay will explore the musical culture and customs that come from the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Some of the traditions examined include the usage of the steel pan as a percussive instrument, the evolution of Carnival music in Trinidad, and the various types of poetic styles used in calypso songs. In an effort to understand the development and importance of musical practices in Trinidad and Tobago, it will be vital to take an anthropological and historical look at the two islands. This means learning about how the various cultures of people came to exist in Trinidad and …

Johann Strauss Ii's Die Fledermaus: Historical Background And Conductor's Guide, Jennifer Bruton

Dissertations

Students pursuing graduate degrees in conducting often have aspirations of being high school or college choir or band directors. Others want to lead orchestra programs in educational or professional settings. Sadly, many colleges and universities do not have systems in place that provide avenues for those choosing this career path. The curriculum should go beyond teaching the rudiments of baton technique. Students should receive instruction and practical experience, applying what they have learned. Lab bands and choirs are a helpful tool, but I believe opera programs provide an ideal and essential venue where conductors can not only improve and hone …

Bringing Music Back Into The Classroom And Its Benefits On Elementary School Students, Laura Alcaraz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This project brings to light the lack of music education in elementary classrooms despite its benefits to students. There are numerous positive advantages for students learning to play an instrument or participating in a choir, for example. The education system strives to educate its students to the best of their abilities. However, this focus has pushed away music education to math, science, and language arts, and prepared students for standardized testing. This senior capstone research project examines the benefits of bringing back music into the classroom through the use of literature review and anonymous interviews with public and private school …

Aggregation Services And Songwriter Independence, Saxon John Paul Ahern

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Digital download aggregation services are the modern songwriter’s greatest ally and independent record labels’ newest competition. Digital download aggregators like CDBaby, Distrokid, Tunecore, and Awal have made releasing an album for online distribution far easier than before. Many aggregators are affordable and also provide many services to the songwriter that historically involved employing additional middlemen.

Like distribution, the mastering stage of production has evolved. Mastering music can now be done through online services independently and on a very tight budget. Automated mastering services like LANDR and iZotope will be briefly discussed in section three, as well as additional options for …

Adapting The Ward Method For Use In The Private Voice Studio, Michael Patrick Kilcoyne

Dissertations

The Ward Method is a progressive approach to vocal music education designed for elementary and intermediate students in Catholic Schools. However, due to the solid foundation of vocal pedagogy inherent to the Method, as well as its philosophies of educational psychology that govern its structure and approach, the Ward Method has implications that go far beyond elementary parochial music education. The concepts of vocal and educational pedagogy that distinguish the Ward Method are presented and compared to historical and current sources. An description of the component elements of the method and how they are used in the context of a …

History And Development Of British Secular Song For Solo Voice And Clarinet, Nancy Williams

Dissertations

Even though the use of the solo clarinet in British song made large advances in the twentieth century, many clarinetists are unaware of its repertory. A study of these songs will make it easier for performers to find these scores and will encourage them to program a greater variety of these songs, many of which are significantly underserved. Furthermore, a study of this repertory will lead to greater understanding of the importance of the repertoire and the role of the clarinet in it, resulting in informative and engaging performances. Both the investigation of the history of the clarinet's use in …

Chroma: An Original Composition For Violin, Cello, Vibraphone And Interactive Electronics, Todd Swingle

Dissertations

Chroma is an original composition for violin, cello, vibraphone, and interactive electronics that uses sound to create and control visual images. Using Max/MSP/Jitter, Chroma tracks the pitch and amplitude of the live performers and uses the data to construct a visual representation of the music that is projected onto a screen behind the performers. The music utilizes the color associations of the composer to create a narrative that exists both in sound and in the generated visual images. It explores links between music and emotions and how those links can be portrayed through color and images.

Using Laban’S Efforts To Define Movement In Five Music Genres, Ashley Ames

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to assist in understanding the impact music has on movement. This researcher evaluated music’s impact on movement by looking at the movement performed by nine female dancers in grades six through eight. This movement was performed to five different genres of music commonly found in five different types of dance classes and was measured in Laban’s eight efforts. There were two research instruments used in this study: A researcher survey yielding quantitative data and a participant survey producing qualitative data. The data suggested that there is a difference in how the body responds in …

12 Steps Might Not Be Enough: Playing Music And Its Effects In Addiction Recovery, James Crumm

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Music therapy is very well studied and has been used for such a wide array of reasons over the last half-century: from helping those with psychological disorders to improving cognitive ability for infants in the womb to aiding plant growth. This paper will analyze the effects of music therapy, specifically the action of learning and/or playing a musical instrument, in those who suffer from addiction. Specific forms of music therapy discussed will be one-on-one instrumental instruction, group classes, and instrumental practice. The paper will discuss different professional musicians who have successfully used this activity as a coping mechanism, as well …

Video Game Audio Techniques Applied To Board Game Companion Applications, Jaydon Osborn

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Video games have been one of the most popular forms of entertainment since the turn of the 20th century. Starting in pinball machines that developed into arcade games and now lovingly into virtual reality, console, and handheld gaming systems, video games have become a normal factor in people's lives. It is no mystery why they are so popular; games not only give us a sense of accomplishment beyond what our physical and mental limits could achieve, but also evoke our imaginations by drawing us into a new world that is magical or something we would never have seen before. Think …

Perception Of Music In The Deaf And Hard Of Hearing, Jason Torres

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper will focus on how deaf and hard of hearing people perceive music. I will be taking a look at the statics in hearing loss in the United States. There are different degrees (thresholds) of hearing impairment ranging from partial to full. Case studies have shown there is not a big difference in how deaf and hard of hearing people and normal hearing people listen to music. Some patients are able to acquire cochlear implants that often help with hearing, and others use vibration to feel the music. These vibrations give the deaf and hard of hearing people the …

Hiplife Music In Ghana: Postcolonial Performances Of Modernity, Nii Kotei Nikoi

Doctoral Dissertations

This research project examines the operation of development discourse in popular culture, how it is reproduced, contested and how alternatives are imagined. It is a post-development study of the production and consumption of Ghanaian hiplife music videos and culture. It explores how hiplife makers challenge development discourse and advance alternative ideas of social transformation. Considering the enduring (and damaging) legacies of colonialism, hiplife as a site of relative freedom of expression is fertile for the potential production of a decolonial vocabulary to heal colonial wounds— undoing colonial sensibilities imposed on the colonized. The project reveals that mainstream male hiplife stars …

This Is Me: Anxiety And Depression Awareness Event, Stephanie Cotrone

Honors Projects

College and life are stressful, but they don't have to be. We've all been in that place where it feels like life is caving in and there's nowhere else to turn, but it does get better. This event brings awareness to mental illnesses common on college campuses and in the community. There will be engaging and interactive activities to learn about anxiety & depression, and healthy ways to cope through music, art, theatre, amusement parks, learning, reading, and more. Performances by the Humanities Troupe and testimonies by current students who have had experience dealing with mental illness before or who …

The Impact Of Bridge Program Participation On The Academic Success And Retention Of Freshman Music Majors, Allie Celeste Prest

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The bridge program for incoming music majors at Louisiana State University, run by the School of Music, is a program in its sixth year of existence (2014-2019). The program is a 5 day pre-college orientation that seeks to “bridge the gaps” for incoming music majors through a variety of programming, including sessions on note taking and lectures (given by current music faculty), peer-led integration sessions, financial and time-management workshops presented by university staff, and panels with alumni and community arts leaders. This program was developed as a departmental response to the call to increase the academic success and retention of …

Teaching Grammar Through Music, Katie Monson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research questions addressed in this action research project were How can repeatedly singing songs in Spanish containing temporal words and past tense vocabulary impact Spanish immersion second graders’ use of past tense verbs when speaking Spanish?; And how will learners perceive the songs and their effect on their learning? A pre-assessment was given to evaluate students’ abilities to use past tense verbs in speaking. The same assessment was given after a teaching intervention in which the students sang three songs containing the six verbs every day for two weeks. Students were then interviewed about how they felt about the …

Stewarding College Music Training In America: The Emergence Of Music Entrepreneurship Education And The National Association Of Schools Of Music, Kathryn Louise Brown

Theses and Dissertations

As the only nationally recognized accreditor for American postsecondary music units, the National Association of Music (NASM) determines quality standards for American music training. In an effort to improve professional outcomes for music school graduates, NASM added an entrepreneurial component to both graduate and undergraduate accreditation standards as early as 1999. References to entrepreneurship within NASM conference proceedings increased between the mid-1960s and 1995, as NASM stewarded American college music training through numerous sustainability challenges resulting from intense technological, economic, political, and cultural change. Music entrepreneurship education emerged from the development of curricular innovations in response to these challenges: music …

I Had To Do The Reading: A Phenomenological Case Study Of College English Students, Jennifer Eleanor Frank

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

The purposes of this qualitative phenomenological case study were to investigate multiple student experiences in a general elective introduction to literature course when music was added as an autonomously structured assignment. Music and song lyrics are no strangers to the classroom setting, but there is a gap in the literature examining the space where students can create meaningful links between music they enjoy and assigned course readings in college English. Informed by social constructivism and English studies theories this study was designed to investigate any impact that autonomously driven music-link assignments may have on students. The structured assignments were called …

In Her Own Hands: How Girls And Women Used The Piano To Chart Their Futures, Expand Women's Roles, And Shape Music In America, 1880–1920, Sarah F. Litvin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

American girls and women used the parlor piano to reshape their lives between 1880 and 1920, the years when the instrument reached the height of its commercial and cultural popularity. Newspapers, memoirs, biographies, women’s magazines, personal papers, and trade publications show that female pianists engaged in public-facing piano play and work in pursuit of artistic expression, economic gain, self-actualization, social mobility, and social change. These motivations drove many to use their piano skills to play beyond the parlor, by studying in conservatory, working as classical and popular music performers and composers, founding and teaching at schools, working as department store …

The Meaning In The Music: Music And The Prose Of Chopin, Joyce, Baldwin And Egan, Colin Perry

Senior Theses

Kate Chopin, James Joyce, James Baldwin, and Jennifer Egan are collectively gifted in the art of prose, yet each author also experiments with music in their literary works. An analysis of Chopin's The Awakening, Joyce's "The Dead," Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues," and Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad reveals a trend of authors utilizing music to enrich their texts and convey major themes.

“Native American Folk Song Suite”: A Study Of Traditional Native American Melodies, The Role Of Music In Native American Society, And Its Translation To The Modern Wind Ensemble, Preston Parker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Music holds a sacred place for the many Native American tribes of the United States. Over the past 150 years, ethnomusicologists Dr. Theodore Baker (1851-1934), Dr. Frances Densmore (1867-1957), and John Donald Robb (1892-1989) have preserved these songs by sitting down with indigenous Native Americans and recording their music straight from the source. Through these recordings, these ethnomusicologists created a springboard for composers, including myself, to study the past and create new music that honors the traditions and culture of Native Americans. I have applied my new knowledge of these musical techniques and traditions to create a work for wind …

Charles-Marie Widor's Symphonie Romane: An Examination Of The Performance Tradition, Kathryn Scheetz

Music Theses and Dissertations

Charles-Marie Widor, French organist and composer of the well-known Toccata, composed ten “symphonies” for organ. The tenth and final symphony, Symphonie Romane, Op. 73 (1900), includes a dedication, “To the Memory of Saint-Sernin of Toulouse.” Modern-day organists seem to take this dedication as a performance directive, studying, playing, and recording the piece on the Aristide Cavaillé-Coll organ at the Basilica of Saint-Sernin in Toulouse. In this thesis, I examine the historical contexts and performance tradition of the piece through ethnographic research, interviews, primary sources, and contemporary writings. I begin with biographical information on Widor and his compositions, placing the …

Building A Cohesive Classroom: The Effects Of Music On Cooperation And Community In A Public, Lower Elementary, Montessori Classroom, Julia E. Jones

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The following research assesses how the daily integration of singing and listening to music helps to construct a socially cohesive, cooperative and joyful classroom during clean up time. This study combined group singing opportunities, a music listening station and music played during clean up time. The songs used for this study included lyrical themes of cooperation, happiness, overcoming obstacles and/or friendship. The thirty-day study involved twenty-one participants between the ages of six and nine at a public, Montessori school in Missouri. Each individual completed a pre- and post-survey, as well as a survey each time they used the music listening …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of Jazz Elements In Nikolai Kapustin’S Violin Sonata Opus 70 And String Quartet Number 1, Opus 88, Ching-Hsuan Wang

Dissertations

Nikolai Kapustin is a Russian pianist and composer known for his distinctive compositional style combining both classical and jazz foundations. His compositions include music for big band instruments and symphonic instruments, and a large repertoire for solo piano. Kapustin’s music has slowly gained popularity in recent years but his string works, particularly the violin-related repertoire, remain less well-known. This study hopefully makes his string works approachable for today’s string musicians. This study includes a brief summary of jazz history in the Soviet Union, Kapustin’s musical upbringing, and analyses of Kapustin’s Violin Sonata Op. 70 and String Quartet No. 1, Op. …

The Effects Of Pitch Singing Training On Recognizing And Enunciating Chinese Tones, Danqing Zhou

Dissertations

It is a challenge for non-tonal language speakers to enunciate the four Chinese tones accurately. In the present study, I examined whether musical training benefits tonal language learning, evaluated whether the pitch singing training influence recognizing and enunciating the four Chinese tones, and compared the effects of a pitch singing training method with the traditional audio-lingual method. The participants, 60 American college students who had not taken a Chinese course and who did not speak and write Chinese, were recruited in this study. The participants were divided evenly and randomly into two groups: the pitch singing training group and the …