Composition Commons^™

Ex Nihilo: An Inquiry Into The Nature Of Musical Creation, David Orvek

Senior Research Projects

As of late there has been much interest in the creative process of musical composition. Most studies to date have taken the form of quantitative and/or psychological analyses performed upon composers by researchers who are not themselves composers. In contrast, this project takes a more philosophical and historical approach in that it takes time to reflect upon the context and manner in which music has been composed throughout history. Additionally, this study offers a more personal perspective as it draws information from the author’s own compositional process–as recorded in a composition journal–as well as the thoughts and reflections of composers …

Indigiana, Elizabeth A. Knox

Graduate Thesis Collection

Indigiana, for orchestra and audio soundscape, is dedicated to the 2016 bicentennial celebration of the State of Indiana. The title is derived from the words, ‘Indiana,’ ‘Digital,’ and ‘Indigenous.’ Its programmatic style is based on the natural landscape and my reflections on four Indiana state parks. In addition to the state's bicentennial honor, Indiana celebrated its 100^th anniversary of the purchase of its first two recreational facilities, McCormick's Creek and Turkey Run State Park.² To honor the state and my family’s longstanding heritage as Hoosiers, I used the natural landscape and environmental sounds of four Indiana state parks …

A Study Of Chemistry: For Wind Ensemble, Morgan Duff

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Many musicians have a limited understanding of chemistry, while many chemists aren't familiar with details of music theory or composition. Through the composition of a four-part musical work based entirely on several broad areas of chemistry, certain relationships have been shown between music and chemistry. Because of the overlap between certain scientific concepts and many aspects of music theory, it is possible for members of both fields to use what they already know in order to gain a deeper understanding of the other, very different, subject. Because everyone has learning strengths in differing areas, I believe the use of disciplinary …

Requiem, Wendell Glick

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Requiem is a five-movement work for SATB chorus and chamber orchestra and is approximately 28 minutes in duration. The text is a compilation of traditional and adapted excerpts from the Roman Missal, combined with poetry by Tamar Zehr and Psalm 67 from the King James Version of the Bible. In this work, contemporary texts are intertwined with traditional ones to explore textual and musical narratives of doubt and faith, loss and gain, death and rebirth. This document contains the full score of the work, followed by three discussion chapters. The first chapter offers a glimpse into the background of the …

Namazu, Sean Kim

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Namazu, for Orchestra is a three-movement composition for orchestra and women’s chorus inspired by various mythological accounts for the cause of earthquakes. The dissertation consists of two parts: the composition in full score and an analysis of the composition. The first movement is based on the Japanese myth and namesake for this piece, Namazu. The second and third movements refer to Greek and Norse myths, respectively. The discussion document introduces the synopses of these three myths. Additionally, the document not only outlines pre-compositional processes, including the development of a systematic approach to modifying modes and constructing harmonies, but also examines …

Ethos, William T. Nicolaou

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Ethos – meaning the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations – is a piece that explores Greek music from the 3^rd Millennium B.C.E. to the folk tunes and dances of the 16^th century C.E. Ethos incorporates multiphonics, quarter tones, ancient tonal systems and folk scales to show the differences and similarities between ancient and folk styles. The piece also features the traditional Greek drum ‘Daouli’ and mimics ancient instruments with those in a traditional orchestra. As the piece develops, ancient musical fragments can be heard thought the orchestra, chiefly …

A Comparative History And The Importance Of Chamber Music, Aaron M. Sacks

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone presentation focuses on the role of chamber music in both social and academic contexts. Using examples from the past five centuries and including local examples, parallels and divergences are drawn to points of most import. The spotlight is upon three areas: a) what the role of chamber music was in the past, compared to today; b) why it is an important genre, to both musicians, as well as non-musicians, and c) in what ways more exposure to the form can be built. Much of the focus is on composers and their influence, but the impact of and upon …

Journey, Darren Alan Rainey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Journey is not about a particular journey, it is more about images or moments from within a journey. The interpretation for what this means is left up to the performers and listeners; however, I view this as one person not particularly achieving what they set out to achieve. It all began with a rough start, moments of happiness, playfulness, contempt and contemplation, but in the end it wasn't the expected outcome of the journey. The work plays between moments of vigor, aggitation, playfulness, light-heartedness, comfort and relaxation. Expression markings are described above each area of the work. These descriptions help …

Symphony No. 1, Robert Alden Clark

Masters Theses

Symphony No. 1 is a three-movement composition for full orchestra. This piece is composed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree Master of Music with a concentration in Composition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The symphony was composed during the 2015-2016 academic year and is roughly twenty-two minutes in length. The first movement is written in sonata form with prefacing material that encapsulates the essence of an Adagio as well. The second movement is a lighthearted scherzo and trio with elements of sonata form. The final movement is an Allegro in modified rondo form that recapitulates previous …

The Wishing Well: A Children's Ballet (A Composer's Perspective), Lydia Dempsey

Honors Projects

As a composer, I am passionate about introducing audiences to contemporary classical music. I chose to compose a twenty-five-minute children's ballet titled The Wishing Well based on the fairytale Diamonds and Toads. It premiered on April 2, 2016 at the Bowling Green Performing Arts Center in collaboration with choreographer Sophia Schmitz and conductor Robert Ragoonanan. Other elements of the project included set design, costuming, lighting, audio and video recording, and marketing. The mission was to provide the local community with a free arts event, introduce young audiences to music and ballet, enrich people’s lives through music and dance, provide …

Musica In Tempore Belli: An Analysis Of “Black Angels”, Calvin D. Hitchcock

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Described as “…extraordinarily haunting” and “[the] intoxicating magic of…sound,”(Steinitz, 1978) the music of George Crumb is some of the most evocative and expressive music of the 20th century. His extensive use of extended techniques (many of which he pioneered) is in part what makes his music so memorable. Also known for its liberal use of theatricality, Crumb’s music has become a standard of the 20th century, as well as in the contemporary music canon overall.

“Black Angels” for Electric String Quartet, subtitled “Thirteen Images from the Dark Land” was written as a response to the Vietnam War and is one …

Musical Contextualization In The Local Church: A Pragmatic Exploration Concerning The Philosophy And Methodology Of Assimilating Sacred Music Into The Worship Vocabulary Of A Congregation, Kaleb Gooden

Senior Honors Theses

God’s mandate for all worship pastors is that they minister to their local body of believers in an effective way. This directive necessitates the use of scripturally and culturally appropriate music that clearly communicates the Gospel to the church congregation. This creative thesis further investigates musical contextualization in the local church.

Five philosophical pillars represent the most basic structure on which the entire process of local church contextualization stands. The minister must be rooted in scripture, led by the Spirit, present-minded, future-driven, and committed to service. After evaluating these philosophical concepts, this thesis will then explore the methodological contextualization process …

Calvin Hitchcock, Junior Composition Recital, Calvin D. Hitchcock

Junior and Senior Recitals

No abstract provided.

Sean Kisch, Junior Composition Recital, Sean A. Kisch

Junior and Senior Recitals

No abstract provided.

Days Will Come That Sap Our Vigor, Heather Josselyn-Cranson

Northwestern Review

"Days Will Come that Sap our Vigor" speaks encouragement to individuals and congregations in the face of exhaustion (the first stanza), depression (the second stanza), and even death (the last stanza). In each case, God restores to us strength, hope, and life. The tune for this text, FALLS PARK, alludes to the fact that the author wrote the hymn text after visiting Falls Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

One Thousand North, Amber Beams

Graduate Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

Theseus And The Minotaur, Ben Lutterbach

Graduate Thesis Collection

Theseus and the Minotaur is a four movement, through-composed chamber work for flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The work explores elements of fear, chaos, love, and aggression.

Bridging The Gap: A Study Of Compositional Similarities Across Time, The 'Realization' Techniques Of Johann Sebastian Bach And Louis Armstrong, Erin Cheshire

Honors Theses

This study is an examination of certain compositional techniques during the Baroque and jazz eras and how there are unexpected similarities throughout. The premise of this argument draws attention to the notion that, although the world has changed, this particular compositional technique has remained relatively unaltered. Given the aesthetic differences between these two compositional styles, the unlikely conclusion is that some aspects of music truly never go away, they simply change procedures.

By examining the emergence of the figured-bass style in the Baroque period and certain notational features in jazz, the evidence will trace the origins of these compositional techniques …

Symphony For Wind Orchestra By Luis Serrano Alarcón: Background, Analysis, And Conductor’S Guide, Donald F. Goodwin

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Born in 1972, Luis Serrano Alarcón has in a very short period of time, established himself as one of Spain’s most prominent composers. His works are constantly being performed, not only in his home country, but throughout the world. While some of his compositions tend to retain the rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic style typical to Spanish music, many of the works sound as if they were borne more from the Viennese symphonic tradition, both during the time of Haydn and Beethoven, but also during the time of Arnold Schoenberg.

As a young boy Alarcón took up piano lessons with a …

Senior Concert I: A Quiet Departure/Senior Concert Ii: 6 Statements, Matthew Charles Dowden

Senior Projects Spring 2016

Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College

Algorithmic Music Composition And Accompaniment Using Neural Networks, Daniel Wilton Risdon

Senior Projects Spring 2016

The goal of this project was to use neural networks as a tool for live music performance. Specifically, the intention was to adapt a preexisting neural network code library to work in Max, a visual programming language commonly used to create instruments and effects for electronic music and audio processing. This was done using ConvNetJS, a JavaScript library created by Andrej Karpathy.

Several neural network models were trained using a range of different training data, including music from various genres. The resulting neural network-based instruments were used to play brief pieces of music, which they used as input to create …

Creating And Performing A Composition For Tuba And Piano, Joel A. Ragona

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In this creative thesis, I compose and perform a six movement art composition for tuba and piano. The reason for this performance and composition is two-fold. First, I am able to express myself in a way that other methods do not allow. Second, I reinforce important skills that will be vital in my future teaching career. To create the composition, I use various compositional methods, but I mainly adjust the composition by listening to it using piano and online compositional software. Preparing the composition for performance requires that I practice for multiple hours and find an accompanist who will perform …