Composition Commons^™

Music From The Harpsichord House, Julie Zhu

Theses and Dissertations

Music from the Harpsichord House is an installation and series of concerts that exists in the binary of in and out of performance. During a concert, the harpsichordist is hidden inside the house and his face is live-projected outside. Fifteen new musical compositions were commissioned for the harpsichord house.

Connection Between Visual Arts And Music: The Painting And Music Of I-Uen Wang Hwang, Yining Jenny Jiang

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This document explores the connection between the visual arts and music, particularly focusing on the similarity between visual and aural artistic expression by analyzing two sets of piano pieces composed by I-Uen Wang Hwang, a contemporary Taiwanese-American composer and artist. The piano pieces are Dream Garden, Series I and II (2000-2004) and Preludes for Piano (2016). Series I of Dream Garden contains two piano solo compositions based on a series of Hwang’s own watercolor works. Each composition has an analogous painting: “The Horn of the Plenty” and “Butterfly Orchid”. Series II includes two compositions written for two pianos: “Red and …

On Improvised Music, Computational Creativity And Human-Becoming, Arto Artinian, Adam James Wilson

Publications and Research

Music improvisation is an act of human-becoming: of self-expression—an articulation of histories and memories that have molded its participants—and of exploration—a search for unimagined structures that break with the stale norms of majoritarian culture. Given that the former objective may inhibit the latter, we propose an integration of human musical improvisers and deliberately flawed creative software agents that are designed to catalyze the development of human-ratified minoritarian musical structures.

Symposium Of Contemporary Music, 2017, School Of Music

Programs

The program for November 16-17, 2017 featured guest composer Judith Shatlin, he William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor at the University of Virginia. Ms. Shatin also founded the Virginia Center for Computer Music. Her music has been commissioned by organizations including Carnegie Hall and the National Endowment for the Arts.

A Model For Patron-Driven Acquisition Of Print Music Scores: From Conception To Reality, Alan Asher, Trey Shelton, Jason Heckathorn, Aimee Barrett

Charleston Library Conference

This paper and presentation will explore the process of developing a unique patron-driven acquisition program for print music scores and monographs from concept to reality at an American Association of Research Libraries institution. Areas to be discussed include collection development considerations, information technology infrastructure needs, acquisitions workflows, and plan evaluation. The paper and the presentation will examine how partnering with a vendor to implement an innovative collection development plan can support the needs of the library users and the goals of library collection development officers and increase access to music scores and monographs in a fiscally responsible way. Readers can …

Evolution Of The Cello In Music, Joshua Propst

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

With this project, I have studied cello music written throughout many of the major musical eras in an attempt to discover the cello, specifically regarding playing style, technique, and tonal ability. The composers included in this project are Bach, Haydn, Dvořák, Pärt, and Amanti. Most of the major musical styles are represented, with a focus on baroque, classical, romantic, minimalism, and jazz. I performed this wide variety of pieces at my Senior Recital for the Western Kentucky University (WKU) Music Dept. The goal of the recital was to showcase the rich musical history of the cello and how cello composition …

Looking Through The Glass: An Album Of Original Music And Accompanying Artist Book, Sam Genualdi

Lawrence University Honors Projects

“Looking Through the Glass” is a 12 track, 38-minute long album of original songs accompanied by a hand-bound artist book. The book houses the CD as a well as an accordion-structure text block of original prints. The content and form of the work draw upon the experiences of the author to create a unique and personal take on memory as a human experience. Sam Genualdi composed and produced all of the music as well as created all of the art.

The Art Songs Of Zachary Wadsworth: A Guide To Style Performance, And Literature, Jordan R. Davidson

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This Doctor of Musical Arts Document explores the role Zachary Wadsworth plays in the development of American Art Song. Born in 1983, composer Zachary Wadsworth has written over forty songs. His music is complex and challenging, with influences from all musical eras, with much of his work focusing on the techniques and sounds of twentieth-century modernism. Wadsworth’s choice of poetry focuses on English literature from many different musical eras, embracing a broad range of themes subjects, and emotions.

Following a brief biography of Wadsworth’s early life and career, the document surveys Wadsworth’s contributions to contemporary American art song regarding his …

A Musical Crusade: Reviving The Music Of Berlioz’S Benvenuto Cellini Through A Comparative Statistical, Pedagogical, And Theoretical Analysis, Jessica R. Spafford

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Abstract

Much of the operatic music of the eccentric French composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) is overlooked, especially from his first full opera Benvenuto Cellini. This is due in part to many misconceptions surrounding Berlioz’s vocal compositional style, which stem from the political atmosphere at the time of the opera’s premiere in 1838 Paris when ill-willed critics renamed it Malvenuto Cellini. A general ignorance of this work and its music pervades the world of vocal pedagogy, having been excluded from the standard repertoire anthologies, where it can ironically be the most useful. The research presented in this project comprises …

Expressions Of Madness In Coloratura Mad Scenes Of Bel Canto Operas, Rachel G. Christenson

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis will explore the musical innovations in the mad scenes of the bel canto composers in the 1800s. It will analyze Gaetano Donizetti’s mad scenes in Anna Bolena (1830) and Lucia di Lammermoor (1835), and Vincezzo Bellini’s mad scenes in I Puritani (1835) to discover how each composer expresses madness through the high and virtuosic voice of the coloratura soprano. The subject of madness is not a new idea in opera. However, the mad scenes of Donizetti and Bellini are the most successful and are often performed in opera houses around the world. Specific attention is given to the …

Patrick Houlihan Represents Ouachita With Original Compositions, Haley Wilkerson, Ouachita News Bureau

Press Releases

Two compositions by Dr. Patrick Houlihan, professor and chair of music theory, composition and music industry at Ouachita Baptist University, recently were presented at national and regional conferences.

“Snoqualmie Passages” for alto saxophone and piano was selected to be presented at the joint national conference of the College Music Society and the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors held last fall in Santa Fe, N.M. It was performed in historic St. Francis Auditorium by two Ouachita faculty members, Dr. Lei Cai, professor of music, on piano and Dr. Caroline Taylor, professor of music, on saxophone.

Scholarly Debates: The Development Of Early Polyphony, Eleanor G. Raquet

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The records of early polyphony show development that progresses over time. How did these developments come about, and what caused polyphony to develop the way that it did? When one researches this topic, one discovers that most scholars have a different opinion on the factors that led to the development of polyphony. In this paper, I will prove that the development of early polyphony is not a simple linear process and is highly debated among scholars. Specifically, this paper examines and summarizes different scholars' opinions on the role of notation versus the oral tradition in the development of polyphony. It …

"Horse," A Composition For Solo Snare Drum And Live Electronics, Zachary Benator

Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Promise That You Will Sing About Me: Kendrick Lamar In Posterity, Brandon Apol

Music and Worship Student Presentations

Sometimes it would seem that the quietest moments turn out to have the loudest repercussions. This would seem to be a consistent case for twenty eight-year old Kendrick Lamar, whose career has been defined by surprise and unannounced publications of music that shortly afterward are spun into respected works of art. With an album that no one anticipated going to the 2013 Grammy awards, another album that leaked a week ahead of schedule (and brought Kendrick 5 Grammys), and an album that was released with almost no warning whatsoever, Kendrick Lamar Duckworth makes headlines with his art; of this there …

New Compositions For Percussion Duo, Andrea Venet

Showcase of Faculty Scholarly & Creative Activity

The submitted videos are a representation of recent performances and world premieres of commissions by Dr. Andrea Venet’s percussion duo, Escape Ten. Escape Ten is an ensemble in residence at the UNF School of Music with Dr. Annie Stevens (Virginia Tech). The first video is of a new composition, 2300 Degrees, by Ivan Trevino. Trevino held a musical residence at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY and was greatly affected by observing glass blower Lino Tagliapietra work. Ivan states “In order to recreate the feelings I felt while watching Lino work, I decided to create a piece with …

Composition Majors, Cedarville University

Bach’s Lunch Programs

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Nikolai Medtner's Compositional Technique: Form And Narrative In Tales, Oliver H. Markson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation delves into the compositional approach of Russian-born composer Nikolai Medtner. A discussion of Medtner’s own words on composition from his book The Muse and Fashion: Being a Defence of the Foundations of the Art of Music is followed by original analyses of four Tales. Focus is placed on the composer’s philosophy regarding the relationship between form and narrative, in association with his expressed warnings of the dangers behind shifting compositional dominance from pure music to extra-musical narrative. The analyses are followed by a discussion of the vital importance of Medtner’s music and writings for future generations of composers. …

2016-2017 New Music Festival, Eric Ewazen, Lisa Leonard

New Music Festival

Eleventh Annual New Music Festival

• Eric Ewazen, Composer-in-Residence
• Lisa Leonard, Director

Friday, January 20, 2017 at 7:30 pm

• Spotlight I: Young Composers

Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 1:00 pm

• Master Class with Eric Ewazen

Sunday, January 22, 2017 at 7:30 pm

• Spotlight II: Music of Eric Ewazen

Ascensions, Randall Snyder

Randall Snyder Compositions

For Flute, oboe, Clarinet in B♭, Horn in F, and Bassoon.

Ascensions, for woodwind quintet, was composed for Quintessential in conjunction with the Historical Society of Quincy (IL) and Adams County’s current WWI exhibit.

The work, in two parts, suggests two key moments in the life of Quincy balloonist Thomas Baldwin’s life. “1887” was the year of his first balloon ascent and parachute jump from Singleton Park in Quincy. “1917” represents the year of America’s entry into WW I and Baldwin’s contributions to the U.S. Signal Corp balloon division.

As parallel musical analogies, 1887, suggestive of the slow ascent of …

A Portfolio Of Compositions, Anne-Marie O'Farrell

Research Theses

The works in the attached portfolio address a number of compositional focal points: to bring together diverse strands of musical influence into sustained musical argument, across various large-scale media; to enlarge and explore the musical language of the harp, including the lever harp; and to integrate received materials into new music so as to create a different context while acknowledging musical inheritance. These combine with the exploration of inherent instrumental colour within my approaches to rhythm, harmony, melodic transformation, structure and the use of text to demonstrate the development of my compositional style during my PhD study. The commentary opens …

Transcending The Keyboard: The Development Of Non-Traditional Piano Techniques, Brian Hinkley

Music: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Belsen Silence, Monica Gil

Geifman Prize in Holocaust Studies

I often look to text for musical inspiration, and after searching through swaths of Holocaust poetry online, I discovered "Belsen Silence" by Iolo Lewis. Its message is less graphic than some of the other texts I found, but that in no way detracts from its power of emotion. It is about looking back, tending to old wounds that are no longer fresh but are still healing. The Holocaust may have happened over fifty years ago, but it is still relevant, even alarmingly so at times. Today's reflections on yesterday's shortcomings are arguably the only way we learn, and that is …

Pop, Lock, And Bach It/ The Places I'Ve Been, Hannah Madelene Richter Livant

Senior Projects Spring 2017

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College.

The Polyrhythms Of The Ear Canal: Investigating The Human Body As An Instrument And Listening Machine Inspired By Hearing, Attention, And Alvin Lucier, Philippa Ruthe Kelmenson

Senior Projects Spring 2017

Halfway into my college career, I was asked if my attention and hearing impairments had ever benefitted me in any way. Although I refused to see it at the time, it is this exact dichotomy between hearing as passive reception and listening as active concentration that informs my musical work. From otoacoustic emissions to tinnitus frequencies, the ear is an active amplifier of its own sounds, acting as an instrument responding to sound information. To distinguish acoustic elements generated outside of the ear from those taking shape within it, we are required to internally perceive all acoustic information. But is …

The First Three Guitar Sonatas Of David Del Puerto, Jeremy Andrew Bass

Theses and Dissertations--Music

David del Puerto’s first three sonatas for solo guitar are large-scale, multi-movement works in a style that is at once strongly guitaristic, and highly refined with regard to harmony, melody, rhythm, and form. Del Puerto completed all three sonatas in 2015, a considerable milestone for a composer who had never before published works in this form for solo guitar. The sonatas represent a consolidation of the composer's recent style: the synthesis of modal, pandiatonic, and twelve-tone harmony; references to folkloric, popular, and classical musics; and a lucid, immediate approach to both surface rhythm and larger formal structures.

Since the development …