Digital Commons Network^™

Ain't No Love In New York City, Jason Bisnoff

Capstones

My story is about the defunct relationship between hip-hop and the city where it was born, New York. While cities like Nashville and New Orleans tout their love for the musical forms that were born in their cities from top to bottom, the people of New York love the music and culture that calls the city home but the powers that be on a gubernatorial and municipal level keep it at an arms length. In this piece I explore why and how this disconnect exists through street sign legislation, a battleground area where petitions to co-name streets after rappers have …

Iggy Azalea: Cultural Appropriator Or Scapegoat For Accepted Practice?, Malorie Marshall

Capstones

Iggy Azalea isn’t the first artist to profit from a entertainment persona that differs from her “real” personality. But the fact that Azalea is a white woman profiting by employing a fake “black” sound wrought through appropriating is what seems to angers people more than the quality of Azalea’s music, or anything else about her.

Trapped In The Commons, Max Willens

Capstones

A meditation on owning music as intellectual property, plus a look at the growing costs associated with archiving our cultural history.

Looking For Jazz Gigs In New York, Camilo Gomez

Capstones

There are more than 220 venues in Manhattan where people can listen to live jazz, including clubs, restaurants and bars, but also music schools and concert halls. Yet it is hard for a musician to find a steady gig, let alone one that pays well. Yuki Futami, 27, is one of many jazz musicians who come to New York City looking to further their skills, through schooling or performing. When it comes to finding places to play gigs, competition is fierce. Gabriel Guerrero, 37, and Marianne Solivan,38, also share their experience.

Are Indie Artist Better Off?, Chinwe Oniah

Capstones

This project is about underground musicians that either want to self-release their own music or release their music through and independent music label. They are rejecting that traditional model of being signed to a major label.

A Soul Composed Of Harmonies: George Herbert's Life, Writings, And Choral Settings Of His English Poetry, Benjamin Todd Ebner

Theses and Dissertations

George Herbert’s poetry is among the greatest religious poetry written in the English language. His introspective and nuanced understanding of the human soul and his beautiful style of writing have earned him his place among the great poets. His catalogue is filled with poems ready to be set to music, and dozens of them have been. However, there is no document that seeks to gather an annotated list of these compositions in one place. Further, while a few of these compositions are performed often, there are dozens of other worthy compositions that should be heard on a more wide and …

Independence At Large: Contemporary China's Alternative Music Scenes And The Cultural Practices Of Post-Socialist Urban Youth, Shan Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Using contemporary Beijing’s alternative music scenes as a focal point, this ethnographic research seeks to enrich the understanding of China’s post-socialist urban youth by examining their cultural practices. First, this thesis offers an analytical account of the popularizing embrace of “independent cultures,” which is defined as a collection of experienceable objects and activities in musical, filmic, theatric, and other cultural forms that are well recognized yet believed by advocates as having aesthetic and participatory features that are different from those produced in the popular culture industry. While the vogue for independent cultures is substantially conditioned by the socioeconomic attributes of …

A Guide To Recruitment And Retention For A Band Program, Kara Kordella

Honors Projects

A Guide to Recruitment and Retention for a Band Program is a resource for teachers to establish a comprehensive recruitment and retention plan in their band program. This booklet outlines a recruitment program that can be implemented into a school band program in part or in whole. Also included in this booklet are lesson plans, student assessment worksheets, example recruitment documents, and ideas to be implemented as part of a retention program. All of the activities are backed by research into current recruitment practices, educational psychology, and instrument history and pedagogy. Interviews were also conducted with current and retired band …

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 …

Utilizing Computer Programming To Analyze Post-Tonal Music: A Segmentation And Contour Analysis Of Twentieth-Century Music For Solo Flute, Kate Sekula

Doctoral Dissertations

Two concepts will be synthesized in this dissertation: 1) the creation of accessible computer applications for melodic segmentation and contour reduction and 2) the application of segmentation and contour reduction to analyze twentieth-century post-tonal works for unaccompanied flute. Two analytical methodologies have been chosen: James Tenney and Larry Polanski's Gestalt segmentation theory and Robert Schultz's refinement of Robert Morris's contour reduction algorithm. The investigation also utilizes Robert Schultz's concept of diachronic-transformational analysis in conjunction with contour reduction. While both segmentation and contour reduction are invaluable analytical tools, they are meticulous and time-consuming processes. Computer implementation of these algorithmic procedures produces …

The Essentialism Of Music In Human Life And Its Roots In Nature, Katricia D. F. Stewart

Senior Theses

The connections between our emotions, music, and the natural world have only been examined in dualities, rather than as an interwoven triangle of elements that are innate and stem from our evolutionary history as a species. Our emotions are profoundly tied to musical sounds, while we also have a deeply rooted emotional connection with nature. The music of the natural world provided the foundation for crucial aspects of our human evolution, making our connections with both music and nature innate. Composers, musicians, poets, and storytellers have recognized this for centuries, exploiting these inherent connections in order to convey emotion and …

A Suryey Of Music Therapists' Use Of Music To Facilitate Reading Development In Children, Cynthia Cross

Masters Theses

This study utilized Naturalistic Inquiry methods to investigate how music therapists use music elements to impact reading development in school-aged children. Eleven Board-Certified Music Therapists were interviewed providing information regarding music therapy interventions, reading skills targeted, theoretical influences, and professional influences. Transcripts of interviews were analyzedto determine themes, coÍtmon use of language related to the subject, common perceptions, and techniques and uses for music to impact reading development. In general subjects did not report specifically using music elements to target reading behavior. Rather, most subjects identified reading objectives determined by classroom teachers and developed music interventions to accommodate those objectives. …

The Efficacy Of Music As A Non-Analgesic Method Of Reducing Pain Perception During Cold Pressor Trials, Amanda Lynn Ziemba

Masters Theses

The purpose of this project was to investigate the impact of differentiated onset of self-selected music on pain perception and pain tolerance during a cold pressor test. Subjects participated in four trials during which music was presented at different points of time in relation to their exposure to the cold pressor test. Results indicated that listening to music prior to and concurrently with the onset of the pain resulted in lower self-reported pain (F(3, 66) :3.25, p < .05). Behavioral results indicated that subjects were able to tolerate an average of 25s longer (F(2.04,44.81): I.56,p > .05.) when music was presented after the onset of painful stimuli. Both results have positive implications for the clinical use of music as …

Possible Benefits Of Playing Music Video Games, Amanda Pasinski

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Music video games, such as Rock Band, are an emerging and popular genre of video game that allows non-musicians a taste of what it is like to be a musician. For most people, developing musicianship (or the process of becoming competent with a particular musical instrument) to an expert level is a long and difficult process that can take up to 10 years or over 7,500 hours to complete. Yet musicians tend to outperform non-musicians on a variety of tasks--showing greater motor coordination, better synchronization skills, and better pitch and tempo discrimination--and possibly show differences in related cognitive processes. However, …

Client Selected Music Based Effects On Marital And Couples Therapy, Kevin Matthew Smith

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study was designed to examine the interaction of music-based interventions in the therapeutic process of Martial and Couples Therapy. The use of pre-recorded music was found to be under researched within the literature and created a void within the knowledge that clinicians have about how music might enhance effectiveness of treatment. The inclusion of music in this process is not currently known, which led to this study being conducted. Through a phenomenological lens, the awareness and understanding of how clients react and experience pre-recorded music during the therapeutic process, while still having a selection of options to preserve autonomy, …

Using Spectral Analysis To Evaluate Flute Tone Quality, Ron Yorita

Master's Theses

Many skilled flutists place a high priority on "good" tone quality, or timbre. Timbre can be defined as the audible difference in character that a listener perceives for two notes played at the same pitch. Different timbres are determined by the combination and balance of harmonics that comprise a note. Unlike pitch and rhythm, timbre is difficult to objectively quantify. This project explores (1) how tone quality is described by skilled flutists, (2) whether the harmonic spectrum has some correlation with tone quality, (3) whether certain harmonic spectra are preferred, or considered "good".

Thirty-one flutists ranging from high school students …

Creativity As A Mental State: An Eeg Study Of Musical Improvisation, Joel A. Lopata

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Researchers in cognitive neuroscience have used brain-imaging methods (e.g., EEG, fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of creative cognition and have found increased activity in the alpha frequency band (Fink et al., 2009a, 2009b; Martindale, 1975), however few studies have used neuroscientific measures to investigate artistic creativity. Such studies are valuable because they share a characteristic of ecological validity. In this study I used EEG, the Alternate Uses Test (Guilford, 1967), and the Consensual Assessment Technique (Amabile, 1982) to substantiate a conceptualization of creativity as a mental state characterized by a distinct pattern of neural activity. The participants were musicians …

Problem-Solving Pedagogy: A Foundation For Restructuring, Updating, And Improving Undergraduate Theory And Musicianship Curricula, Michael T. Simonelli

Masters Theses

The goal of this thesis is to provide the ideological and practical foundation for an improved approach to undergraduate theory and musicianship pedagogy. I will discuss the structure of conventional theory programs and explore problems inherent to traditional curriculum design. Problem-solving pedagogy, an approach rooted in creative composition and improvisation, will be presented as a complement to traditional theory pedagogy. Balancing problem-solving pedagogy with a more traditional pedagogical approach will provide a practical foundation for improving undergraduate theory and musicianship curricula.

Modern Recording Studios: Their Evolutions, Designs, And Adaptations In The Music Industry, Gregory W. Hanson Jr.

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Music and sound recording studios have drastically evolved since their inception. Existing in an industry dependent on the rapid innovation of technology causes demand for constant and quick adaption to changing trends, the commercial studio, once an isolated trade, now competes for survival with well-maintained and affordable project studios. Because of the availability of quality equipment and more readily accessible opportunities to produce high quality finished products on a lower budget, commercial studios must adapt to trends in order to hold onto the status as a lucrative industry. This paper will combine research into the history and evolution of the …

From Rage (And Love) To Stage: Musical Reinforcement Of Narrative Themes In The Stage Musical American Idiot, James M. Delorey

Masters Theses

American Idiot, the Broadway musical by the band Green Day and theater veteran Michael Mayer, embodies the experience of a generation of Americans. The story revolves around youths coming of age during the presidency of George W. Bush, living through the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, two wars, ever increasing media and technology saturation, and a breakdown of the suburban ideal. As the primary theme and the driving force in the dramatic action of American Idiot, the characters’ internal struggle between rage and love is reinforced through several devices present in the music. There are four notable …

Action And Instrument Specificity In Musicians, Christopher Logan

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that the visual perception of musical stimuli activates the motor system of expert musicians in ways specific to their primary instrument. In two experiments, trombonists, non-trombonist musicians, and non-musicians were asked to decide if the second note of a two-note visually presented sequence was higher or lower than the first. Participants responded by moving a joystick forward or backward to indicate a higher or lower response (Experiment 1) or by pressing buttons on a computer keyboard to indicate their response (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, response times for trombonists were …

Shape-Note Hymnody As Source Material For Modern And Post-Modern Choral Art Music, David C. Guthrie

Theses and Dissertations

The musical repertoire known as shape-note hymns constitutes some of the oldest indigenous music still in use in America. This body of works has been studied for its origins and history, its continuing use in social and pedagogical functions, and its use in settings of worship. However, its use as the basis for performance-oriented, concert music has been far less explored. This present study seeks to examine the ways in which composers have arranged and adapted these hymns into choral art forms throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In particular, the study will examine the use of this music in …

Embodied Rhythm Interventions For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders (Asds), Sudha M. Srinivasan

Doctoral Dissertations

The current randomized controlled trial compared the effects of novel, embodied, rhythm interventions - music and robotic - with those of a standard-of-care, stationary, academic intervention on the social communication, behavioral, and motor skills of 36 children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) between 5 and 12 years of age. Children were matched on age, level of functioning, and services received prior to randomization. The study lasted for 10 weeks with the pretest and posttest sessions conducted during the first and last weeks of the study. Training was provided in the intermediate 8 weeks, with 2 sessions provided each week. Between-group …

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.

Augmentation Of Delusion, Christopher Lynn Adams

Masters Theses

Augmentation of Delusion is a single-movement piece for chamber orchestra composed by Chris L. Adams. The piece was originally written for a four-person percussion ensemble in 2013 and orchestrated in 2014. This document will analyze the major musical elements of form, harmony, melody, rhythm and meter, and genre of the piece, as well as compare and contrast these variables with other composers’ works.

Music theory terminology and figures will be applied in this document as follows:

1. Set theory functions will be expressed as:
a. Normal order indicated by brackets – [2367]
b. Prime form indicated by parentheses – (0145) …

Micah J. Hood - Selected Musical Works From 2011-2013, Micah Hood

Music ETDs

This manuscript is a collection of musical compositions written by Micah Hood while a graduate student at the University of New Mexico. Each musical work fulfills a composition portfolio requirement as stated in the 2012 — 2013 Music Theory/Composition Student Handbook: a piece with large orchestration, a piece featuring the voice, a piece featuring electronics, and a collaborative piece. Hood's composition portfolio contains original visual art, synopses and musical scores. The pieces featured in the portfolio are Hood's Concerto for Trombone, String Orchestra, Percussion, and Piano: Movement I - Introduction, Ostinato and Fugue, Kyrie for mixed choir and organ, Two …

“One More Drinkin’ Song”: A Longitudinal Content Analysis Of Country Music Lyrics Between The Years 1994 And 2013, Keith Mckay Evans

Theses and Dissertations

The lyrical content of pop music has rarely been studied, particularly for country music. The lyrics of the top 50 country songs for each year between 1994 and 2013 were coded for violent, sexual and substance use-related content. Violence had increased, as had sexual references, substance use, and substance use associated with sexual activity. Of particular note is the frequency of references to alcohol; 21% of the 1,000-song sampling frame contained alcoholic references, and the average for the final five-year period (2009-2013) was 1.01 references per song. This research should serve as a springboard into further studies about the lyrical …

Alban Berg’S Sieben Frühe Lieder: An Analysis Of Musical Structures And Selected Performances, Lisa A. Lynch

Doctoral Dissertations

Alban Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder, composed between 1905-08, lie on the border between late 19^th-century Romanticism and early atonality, resulting in their particularly lyrical and yet distinctly modern character. This dissertation looks in detail at the songs with an emphasis on the relevance of a musical analysis to performers. Part I provides an overview of the historical context surrounding the Sieben frühe Lieder, including Berg’s studies with Schoenberg, stylistic features, biographical details, and analytic approaches to Berg’s work. The primary focus of the dissertation, Part II, is a study of each individual song. Each analysis begins …

Looped: Ios Application, Barbara Alejandra Wong, Lia Zadoyan

Computer Engineering

Looped is a crowd-sourced music-making iOS application. It is designed to bring friends together through creating melodies by looping mp3 samples. A user will choose a sound from the Looped sound database, loop that sound however he or she chooses, and then post it to their friends. The next user can then pick another sound, and loop that sound on top of the previously posted loop, creating an overlay of sound samples. The sound database is comprised of mp3’s provided by the creators of Patatap. Patatap is a simple online interface for playing sounds with your computer keyboard.