Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of Selected Vocal Works By Shande Ding: The Mysterious Sound Of Flute And Poems On Western Yunnan, Chuyan Luo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study aims to delve into and interpret “The Mysterious Sound of Flute” and “Poems on Western Yunnan” from a singer’s perspective while also providing guidance and recommendations for other performers. The research encompasses the history of Chinese art songs, a biography of Shande Ding, and an introduction to his compositional style. A comprehensive examination of each song includes background information, song analysis, translation, a Chinese lyric diction guide, and performance suggestions.

Art songs constitute a significant genre in music composition, and Chinese art songs have yielded numerous outstanding composers and captivating works over the years. Among these composers, Shande …

Cyberinet: Integrated Semi-Modular Sensors For The Computer-Augmented Clarinet, Matthew Bardin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Cyberinet is a new Augmented instrument designed to easily and intuitively provide a method of computer-enhanced performance to the Clarinetist to allow for greater control and expressiveness in a performance. A performer utilizing the Cyberinet is able to seamlessly switch between a traditional performance setting and an augmented one. Towards this, the Cyberinet is a hardware replacement for a portion of a Clarinet containing a variety of sensors embedded within the unit. These sensors collect various real time data motion data of the performer and air fow within the instrument. Additional sensors can be connected to the Cyberinet to …

Reasoning The Voice: Toward A Diagnostic And Prescriptive Technique In The Teaching Of Singing, Carlos E. Santelli

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Voice pedagogy literature often draws a parallel between a doctor’s ability to diagnose illness and prescribe treatment, and a voice teacher’s ability to identify vocal obstacles and design solutions. The core of these parallel procedures lies in an ability to utilize critical reasoning skills within highly specific contexts. Medical literature describes this as “clinical reasoning” and has studied it as a learned process. Voice pedagogy literature has traditionally described this as an innate process which is solely developed through experience. This document broadly examines the ways in which medical literature has broken down clinical reasoning into specific cognitive processes and …

Unifying Text And Music: Applying Shurtleff's Twelve Guideposts To Operatic Arias For Soprano, Jamey J. Wright

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the present culture of operatic performance, artistry is measured not only by singers’ musical interpretation and vocal technique, but also by their ability to communicate compelling characterization. This monograph explores a helpful technique for dramatic interpretation in opera. The discipline of musical performance provides helpful guides to characterization through elements such phrasing, rhythm, harmony, and instrumentation. Techniques borrowed from the spoken theater, particularly those pioneered by Constantin Stanislavski, include the Magic If, objectives, actions, and tactics. The literature on auditioning for the theater is useful for synthesizing these techniques for singers, because audition techniques emphasize compelling characterization with …

Music Making And Learning At A School For The Visually Impaired: A Case Study, Jacob A. Peterson

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this case study was to investigate the learning environment and the teaching methodologies of teachers at a state school for the visually impaired. Data collection included interviews and observations with field notes with two teachers at LSVI (one music and one non-music teacher) and an interview with a member of the administration. The semi-structured interviews and observations took place in three phases: 1) preliminary interviews in which the participants answered questions about goals for their classrooms, background information, common strategies/methods/tools that they have at their disposal, 2) observations of a class/classes with each of the teachers, 3) …

A Performance Practice Guide For :Only.Just.Almost.Never For Solo Vibraphone By Jay Alan Yim, Dustin Ray Haigler

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Currently, there exists little scholarship on Dr. Jay Alan Yim’s percussion music, and none exists for :only.just.almost.never for solo vibraphone. Establishing a performance practice guide will allow future percussionists a glimpse into the compositional process of Yim and allow them to expand their repertoire to include this challenging music. The purpose of this project is to create a comprehensive performance practice guide for :only.just.almost.never for solo vibraphone by Jay Alan Yim.

Resources Required

This project relies mainly on the score of :only.just.almost.never for solo vibraphone. I have also conducted multiple interviews with Yim regarding his compositional process, sketches, and …

A Synthesis Of Contemporary Music Composition Pedagogy Practices For The Undergraduate And Graduate Level Sequences, And An Exploration Of Time, Sound, And Space: An Aleatoric Event Score In Collaboration With The Lsu Museum Of Art, Jeremi Wayne Edwards

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation consists of two parts. The first part consists of a synthesis of contemporary music composition pedagogy practices for the undergraduate and graduate level sequences. A conversation of the study of music composition pedagogy is used to investigate current pedagogical practices in music composition and present those findings as a resource guide for new and future teachers. The second part presents an Exploration of Time, Sound, and Space, an Aleatoric Event Score Collaboration with the LSU Museum of Art. This event score is a product of the development of this dissertation commenced with a straightforward question; can we experience/consume …

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 …

Mobile Music Development Tools For Creative Coders, Daniel Stuart Holmes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This project is a body of work that facilitates the creation of musical mobile artworks. The project includes a code toolkit that enhances and simplifies the development of mobile music iOS applications, a flexible notation system designed for mobile musical interactions, and example apps and scored compositions to demonstrate the toolkit and notation system.

The code library is designed to simplify the technical aspect of user-centered design and development with a more direct connection between concept and deliverable. This sim- plification addresses learning problems (such as motivation, self-efficacy, and self-perceived understanding) by bridging the gap between idea and functional prototype …

Old School For The New School: Discussing The Importance Of Motown Records In American Music History, Crystal Darcell Birdsong

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to look at the contribution of Motown Records within music history and American history, as well as why it should be of great importance to those who study 20^th century music. It tends to be overlooked in the world of academia, despite efforts to bring the subject to the forefront of today’s classwork and courses at the collegiate level. It is not so much that it does not exist, but it is not nearly as prevalent as it should be, seeing as its contribution to music history and history in general is so …

Motivic Voice-Leading In Selected Piano Cycles Of Johannes Brahms, Jacob Joel Gran

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation identifies a technique used by Brahms to organize the compositional designs of his piano cycles. The technique is motivic voice-leading. By that I mean that certain patterns of triadic voice-leading gain significance through their unconventional use or varied repetition that have implications throughout the cycle. And, in the same way that traditional melodic or rhythmic motives can be developed and reworked, the composer may break these voice-leading patterns into their component stepwise connections. These stepwise dyads may be developed independently of their original triadic context, in the manner of a pitch-class motive.[1] We can understand many …

Diy In Early Live Electroacoustic Music: John Cage, Gordon Mumma, David Tudor, And The Migration Of Live Electronics From The Studio To Performance, Lindsey Elizabeth Hartman

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research examines early live electronic works by Gordon Mumma, David Tudor, and John Cage—three influential American experimental music composers who designed, built, and recontextualized electronics for live performance—and the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) aesthetic embodied by their instruments and the compositions written for them. This dissertation serves as a presentation of original research into the earliest composers of live electronic works and the necessary DIY approach used in building independent systems. Previous research on the DIY perspectives in music often touch on the grass-roots nature of contemporary electroacoustic systems but there is not yet research specific to the DIY approach taken …

Ukrainian Folklore Influences In The Music Of Myroslav Skoryk: Historical Background And Performance Guide To Selected Violin Works, Iuliia Alyeksyeyeva

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Myroslav Skoryk is one of the most influential Ukrainian composers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. His works draw extensively on the folk traditions of Ukraine to evoke various aspects of the country’s cultural legacy.

The violin holds a special place in the cultural, societal, and historical heritage of Ukraine. Skoryk’s works for violin draw on both Ukrainian folk traditions as well as classical performance traditions. The intricacies of Skoryk’s folk-inspired classical pieces of music are rooted in the oral traditions of Ukrainian folk music.

This document provides background information on certain Ukrainian folk music traditions and their connection to …

Predicting Working Memory And Fluid Intelligence From Measures Of Musicality, Juan Alexander Ventura

LSU Master's Theses

The relationship between musicality and cognitive abilities has been a popular topic in the media and among researchers over the last 25 years. Research has been inconsistent on whether musicality influences performance on non-musical complex tasks, such as measures of working memory and fluid intelligence. Inconsistencies regarding results between studies have arisen partly due to differences in sample and task selection, in addition to conflicting interpretations of results. Consequently, we conducted an individual differences investigation on the prediction of working memory (tonal, verbal, and visuospatial) and fluid intelligence by measures of musicality (formal years of musicality training, musical sophistication, melodic …

The Interval Dissonance Rate In Chopin’S Études Op. 10, Nos. 1-4: Dissecting Arpeggiation, Chromaticism, And Linear Progressions, Nikita Mamedov

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Chopin’s twenty-seven piano études display the composer’s poetic musical language, uniting keyboard techniques, virtuosity, and artistic imagery, while preserving Romantic lyricism and songfulness. Each of these studies is unique in its set of pianistic challenges, compositional processes, and difficulty level. Schenkerian analysis provides an interpretation of relationships between the notes that constitute the harmony and the melody. This type of analysis allows one to understand the theoretical aspects that are necessary to play Chopin’s études. The Schenkerian theories can be used to amalgamate pianism and performance with harmony and analysis. Furthermore, the Schenkerian understanding of these études provides an analytical …

Local Embeddedness Matters: A Study Of Hip-Hop Artists' Interaction With Their Local Community, Castel Vette Sweet

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation study is an exploration of hip hop and rap artists’ embeddedness in local communities, and their interpretation of the connectedness between their work and their communities. I explore the influence of place and space in the identity development of artists, and how artist use those identities to guide their interactions with their local community. I also investigate the significance of artists’ interactions and relationship in the cultivation of social and cultural capital. In contrast to previous scholarship emphasising the negative influence rap and hip-hop artists have on their communities, I utilize in-depth interviews with artists to examine the …

Joshua: Symphonic Suite No. 2 And James Aikman, The Violin Concerto, And The Principle Of Limited Economy, Chad Edward Hughes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation is to present an original work that represents this writer’s perspective as a composer and to examine the work, Violin Concerto No.1, by American composer and educator, James Aikman. The first component of this dissertation is this writer’s composition Joshua: Symphonic Suite No. 2. This work, which portrays the Old Testament Bible story of Joshua, son of Nun, is a neo-tonal ballet, which features the violin extensively. The ballet is divided into four movements, each of which corresponds to a segment of Joshua’s story, including “Joshua and Caleb,” “Rahab and the Spies,” “The River Jordan,” …

Symphony No. 1 And The Development Of New Techniques In Contemporary Music Composition, Eric Lacy

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The initial part of this dissertation is a symphony. Symphony No. 1 consists of three movements. Each movement begins with a monumental gesture designed to make a bold and unforgettable statement. Within each movement, there is an interesting array of harmonic and rhythmic schemes. In Symphony No. 1, the diametrically opposed concepts of “simple” and “complex” are featured prominently. These concepts are contrasted thematically, rhythmically, and harmonically. The next part of this dissertation establishes the existence of certain obstacles facing contemporary composers and the benefits of developing new techniques in composition. The music of György Ligeti and Arvo Pärt are …

Ghost Rags By William Bolcom: A Descriptive Analysis And Performance Guide, Vera Zholondz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This document is intended to contribute to the ongoing study of William Bolcom’s work by focusing on the Three Ghost Rags. The main purposes of this study and the accompanying public lecture-recital are threefold: 1) to provide a background on William Bolcom’s compositional style and his role in the revival of interest in ragtime, 2) to provide a specific descriptive analysis of the Three Ghost Rags and 3) to provide a detailed discussion of the pianistic challenges and requirements found in the Three Ghost Rags. These are offered as a practical guide for the performer who wishes to attain an …

Chamber Ensembles And Web Presence: Best Practices For Creating And Presenting Online Content, Arisia Amalie Gilmore

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study is about creating an online presence for a chamber ensemble. The study takes recommendations from notable books on music entrepreneurship, articles written for classical musicians on the importance of online content for musicians, and articles from select music industry websites. The author compares and combines these recommendations with interviews from members of seven different professional chamber ensembles, and the online presence of seventeen professional chamber ensembles that are based in the United States. The purpose of this study is to introduce to newly formed chamber ensembles how current chamber ensembles are using online media, what content is being …

Character Studies Of Time: A Two Movement Work For Orchestra, Crystal Darcell Birdsong

LSU Master's Theses

The idea behind The Character Studies of Time: A Two Movement Work for Orchestra should be reminiscent of, and is inspired by the character pieces of Robert Schumann’s Carnival. Although the works of Robert Schumann are originally short piano solos, the spirit of the character piece and all that it entails could be found throughout The Character Studies of Time. This symphony does not follow a strict form of 19th century writing, although the elements of romanticism can be found throughout the piece. The “characters” as they relate to time are quite literally “night” and “day.” The individual titles are …

A Performance Guide To Etüden Für Flöte(N) Solo By Isang Yun, Brian Dunbar

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Born in Korea, Isang Yun (1917-1995) became one of the most prominent avant-garde composers in the world. Yun made use of a distinctive musical language that synthesized Far East Asian philosophy, especially Chinese Taoism, with Western techniques and Korean traditional instrumental idioms. Isang Yun left more that 100 works, including twelve works that feature the flute. This essay will discuss Yun’s five Etüden für Flöte(n) solo (Etudes for solo flute(s)), which are highly representative of Yun’s solo music for flute. The document will include a discussion and performance guide for each of the five etudes. This document will present an …

Participation In Active And Passive Music Interventions By Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias: Effects On Agitation, Robert J. Prattini

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The ability of music to produce calming effects on us is well documented, and its use is becoming an increasingly accepted intervention with populations displaying agitated and disruptive behaviors, such as people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other dementias. One reason for its widespread use is because research has demonstrated music’s efficacy in reducing agitation, and consequently disruptive behaviors, in those with AD. Prior studies on music’s effects on agitation in older people with AD have utilized either recorded music used passively, or active sessions with a music therapist or musicians, but none have compared the effects of each type …

A Background, Analysis, And Performance Guide For Eugene Goossens's Concerto In One Movement For Oboe And Orchestra, Grace Ellen Woodworth

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Sir Eugene Goossens (1893-1962) was a leading English composer and conductor of the early twentieth century. Though his music is relatively unknown today, at the height of his popularity as a composer in the 1920s and 30s, Goossens’ music was considered equal to that of British contemporaries Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, Malcolm Arnold, Arnold Bax, and Gordon Jacob. A public scandal towards the end of his career resulted in his works falling into relative obscurity, with the exception of his oboe concerto. Despite the concerto’s popularity within the oboe community, few in-depth studies of the work exist. This monograph …

Music In Virtual Space: Theories And Techniques For Sound Spatialization And Virtual Reality-Based Stage Performance, Zachary Andrew Berkowitz

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research explores virtual reality as a medium for live concert performance. I have realized compositions in which the individual performing on stage uses a VR head-mounted display complemented by other performance controllers to explore a composed virtual space. Movements and objects within the space are used to influence and control sound spatialization and diffusion, musical form, and sonic content. Audience members observe this in real-time, watching the performer's journey through the virtual space on a screen while listening to spatialized audio on loudspeakers variable in number and position. The major artistic challenge I will explore through this activity is …

On The Use And Development Of The Pentatonic Scale Through The Works Of Antonín Dvořák, Andrew W. Brinkman

LSU Master's Theses

Concepts related to style change have been discussed thoroughly by theorists such as Leonard Meyer and others. In the case of Czech scholar, Antonín Dvořák, this change relates directly to his pentatonic style. While many musicologists suggest that the composer's travels to the United States in the early 1890's had a profound effect on the birth of his pentatonic style, this thesis posits that Dvořák's pentatonicism is apparent from even his earliest works. In examining evidence of this pentatonicism it becomes clear that, for Dvořák, there are two types: thematic and cadential. Thematic pentatonicism arises from themes of works or …

Evidence Of Pedagogical Content Knowledge Among High School Band Directors And University Applied Music Teachers In The Context Of Student Self-Evaluation, Danielle Jeanette Emerich

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was threefold: (a) to seek evidence of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in high school band directors’ (generalists) and applied music teachers’ (specialists) evaluations of musical performance; (b) explore the similarities and differences between generalists’ and specialists’ perspectives on PCK; and (c) compare the evidences of PCK to student musicians’ self-evaluations of same performances. A basic interpretive qualitative approach with data collected through a think-aloud procedure applied to evaluation of solo music performance videos revealed four themes indicative of PCK—Aural Concept, Conveying Information, Effecting Change, and Uncertainty—and attendant sub-themes. Generalists and specialists provided a rich trove …

High School Musicians' And Non-Musicians' Listening Preference For Authentic Versus Transcribed Musical Excerpts, Colin Douglas Caldarera

LSU Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to (a) determine high school musician’s and non-musician’s preference for authentic and transcribed orchestral and band recordings, and (b) examine participant perceptual responses regarding reasons for preference. Therefore, the following research questions guided this investigation: (a) To what extent do musicians’ and non-musicians’ preference ratings of paired musical selections (one played by band and one played by orchestra) differ when rated on a Likert scale after listening? and (b) What are the reasons for preferring one excerpt type over another? The participants were musicians (n = 40) and non-musicians (n = 40) in grades …

The Saxophone Symposium: An Index Of The Journal Of The North American Saxophone Alliance, 1976-2014, Ashley Kelly

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Saxophone Symposium is the journal of the North American Saxophone Alliance and is a peer-reviewed academic publication. Since 1976, its readership has enjoyed articles on a variety of saxophone related topics as well as reviews of contemporary recordings and publications. Aside from these academic applications, The Saxophone Symposium is an historical account of some of the saxophone culture in North America and beyond. Academic journals such as this are invaluable to both students and educators, and the ability to access the information within them is vital. Prior to the digital age, the majority of serious academic journals have been …

Musicking New Orleans Street Musicians: A Methodology For Writing About Music, Savannah Cadi Rose Ganster

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This project argues for the use of performative writing as a methodology for writing about musical performances. An analysis of recent scholarship on music and musical performances written by performance studies scholars supports the use of performative writing in texts that address musical performances. In order to further this methodological claim, this study uses performative writing to document both historical and present day accounts of musical performances of street musicians in New Orleans. Utilizing Foucault’s theories on and Roach’s model of genealogy, Bruner’s notion of reflexive ethnography, and Small’s concept of musicking, I theorize, on a meta-methodological level, that performative …