Music Performance Commons^™

Embracing Versatility: A Guide To Preparing Undergraduate Saxophonists For The Modern Job Market, James B. O'Donnell

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Instrumentalists who enter their undergraduate degrees in music performance often spend most of their degree focusing on their primary instrument with the hope of finding a career in their chosen discipline. However, a review of current job vacancies (university positions, military bands, and pit orchestras) show that saxophonists are often expected to have ample experience in not only jazz and classical saxophone performance, but also a working knowledge of multiple woodwinds (flute, clarinet, and occasionally double reeds) to be competitive for work. This reality can be daunting for students who enter their undergraduate program with only a basic knowledge of …

A New Method For Teaching Classical Improvisation In The Wind Band, Eric Anthony Brewer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT A New Method for Teaching Classical Improvisation in the Wind Band

In recent years there has been a renewed interest in the pedagogy of music improvisation taught in the eighteenth century Neapolitan Conservatories.  This project continues that interest by introducing concepts from that pedagogy to the wind band classroom at the high school and collegiate levels.  A new method for wind band that teaches basic concepts in music improvisation and trains students in elements of music composition is presented along with rehearsal techniques for implementing that method.      The method introduces students to the elements of major and minor keys …

A Guide To The Style Of Domenico Scarlatti With An Analysis Of Six Sonatas, Joseph Mcdermott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This document aims to inform pianists preparing to perform keyboard sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757). Readers will learn about Scarlatti's professional life and his compositional characteristics. Analyses of six sonatas, the influence of Spanish traditional music, and details on performance practices are used to illustrate his style. The six sonatas included in this study are Sonata in G Major, K. 63; Sonata in C minor, K. 22; Sonata in F minor, K. 238; Sonata in F minor, K. 239; Sonata in D Major, K. 490; and Sonata in D Major, K. 491. The influence of Spanish traditional music is discussed …

Women In Music: Experiences Of Women Oboists In Us Symphony Orchestras, Brianna Corgel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The evolution of women in American music has been a gradual and ongoing process. Historically, women were largely excluded from public musical life and did not achieve widespread acceptance as professional musicians until the 20^th century, largely due to prevailing cultural and societal expectations. In the 19^th century, women typically performed in domestic settings for small gatherings of family and friends. Female instrumentalists were generally limited to the piano and a few string instruments, while wind instruments—such as the oboe—were discouraged because they were considered unladylike or visually unappealing when played. The 20^th century saw the emergence …

Formation-Based Analysis In Contemporary Saxophone Practice: A Case Study Of Ziwei Shi's The Blue Lotus Bloms, Jiageng Ren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines contemporary saxophone repertoire through a formation-based analytical approach, using Ziwei Shi’s The Blue Lotus Blooms as a case study. It is organized into three parts. Part I establishes the conceptual and methodological framework by introducing the concept of “formation-based analysis,” positioning the “condition of musical formation” as its core. Further situating the study within scholarship on practice-based research, cross-cultural theory, and modernism/postmodernism. Part II provides a detailed analytical and performance-based investigation of the work, including the collaborative commissioning process, the application of Thaat as a pitch resource, the role of extended techniques and embodied endurance, and contrasting …

Treatment Of Birdsong In Selected Works For Solo Piano, Madeline Hoover

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Birdsong-inspired music makes up a small but important part of the classical piano repertoire. This paper reviews birdsong in classical music since the seventeenth century, exploring different techniques for mimicking birdsong and the unique strengths of the piano as an instrument for purveying bird music. In the Baroque and Classical eras, the cuckoo song was sampled often because of its simplicity. Later, composers’ attention turned toward more complicated songs, like that of the hermit thrush. Interest in more complex songs led to experimentation in notation and a push for more accurate transcriptions. In the 20th century, composers included recordings of …

A Constraint-Based Approach To Developing Melodic Improvisational Skills In Intermediate Jazz Piano Students, Alton Xian Rong Wong

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examines the pedagogical value of a constraint-based approach in helping students develop improvisational fluency and coherence by facilitating audiation. Although there are pedagogical texts on jazz improvisation that incorporate exercises shaped by constraint-based thinking, there is neither a systematic framework for their application with students of varying levels and musical backgrounds, nor a clear explanation of their pedagogical purpose. This research investigates how constraint-based pedagogy, through the lens of rhythmic, harmonic, and melodic parameters, can be applied independently or collectively to support the development of improvisational fluency in intermediate level jazz piano improvisers. It argues that musical constraints …

Preparing The Professional: Selected Uses Of Digital Audio Workstations In Applied Tuba Studios, Reid Timothy Cox

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The modern music job market calls for musicians to cultivate and engage with a diverse range of area interests and skillsets. Collegiate music programs provide opportunities to prepare students professionally, yet programs have traditionally fallen behind changes in the job market. One way that music faculty within higher education can help prepare students to succeed after graduation is by teaching students to engage with digital audio workstations, also known as DAWs. Using DAWs, students can gain new practice tools, as well as learn skills that are helpful in a number of musical careers. This is of particular use to the …

More Than A Man: An Ethnomusicological Survey Of The Folklore Of John Henry And Resource Guide For “More Than A Man” By Shanyse Strickland, Clayton R. Heath

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

“John Henry” exists as an enduring folk legend in the United States of America, representing the confluence of the Reconstruction Era, the economic utility of Appalachia and the Westward expansion of industry which left it behind. Though based on historical events, Henry’s fictional representation has diverted and evolved in music and other media from its inception in the oral tradition to the modern age. Through this progression, shared symbols have circulated, gathering embedded meanings and associating the folklore with specific communities. Henry’s representational identity has been signaled with the creation and distribution of each version of his story, both complicating …

Graded Repertoire For Violin By Latin American Composers: Pedagogical Analysis And Categorization Of Selected Pieces, Irene Guerra Rudas

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Repertoire sequences have evolved from a collection of technical studies into a comprehensive educational framework. This research aims to enhance the integration of innovative pedagogical materials by identifying, analyzing, and categorizing works originally composed for violin by Latin American composers. These works are assessed for their suitability within a structured violin curriculum and organized into graded levels, ranging from elementary to advanced.

Each selected piece is evaluated according to pedagogical parameters commonly used in established violin teaching traditions. These parameters include pitch range, rhythmic complexity, bow strokes, length, stylistic diversity, musical language, and the historical and cultural relevance of both …

Stanislavski And Operatic Acting: What Caused The Divide Between Stanislavski’S Ideals And The Opera World?, Max Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

There is a difference between the realism of acting in opera and in other theatrical art forms. One reason for this might be due to theatre practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski’s ideals not being readily adopted in the opera world. Due to translation and publication issues in both the West and in the USSR, his work on opera has been largely neglected by theatre and opera historians. Certain demands of opera as an art form limit or make more difficult the ability for realism in portraying a character, but Stanislavski and others show that it is possible. A look at literature reflecting …

What Musical Meaning Does Conducting Gesture Convey, Jacob Benson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research proposal explores the meaning behind conducting gestures and their impact on musicians' interpretations of a piece. The project aims to determine whether individuals, regardless of their musical background, can watch a silent conducting video and infer musical intent based on gestures alone. Inspired by conducting studies, particularly those by Dr. Brian A. Silvey, the researcher will investigate how different conducting styles influence perception and ensemble response. The methodology involves recording a professional conductor during rehearsal and then showing the footage to participants from various skill levels, including undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty members. Participants verbalize …

Beyond The Book: Charting New Progressions Through Improvisational Experience In Higher Education Jazz Performance Programs, Jacob L. Manny

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Jazz improvisation is a historically rich and culturally relevant art form that is also an underutilized pedagogy in higher education music performance programs (HEMPPs). Previous research has extensively unmasked the relationship of creative, social, and cognitive benefits of improvisational learning. Yet, postsecondary institutions continually rely upon Western European colonialist practices through the isolation of music history, music theory, piano, and compositioncourses. This disconnect results in curricular designs that fail to recognize the importance of experiential learning. In this qualitative inquiry semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten participants who perform and educate globally. Participant stories unearthed not …

A Performer's Guide To Selected Trumpet Excerpts Of Orchestral Works By Women Composers, Julia Stowell

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Orchestral excerpts are brief passages from symphonic repertoire that are intended to demonstrate a player’s musical and technical abilities. The canon of orchestral trumpet audition excerpts has been relatively unchanged for several generations. This established canon of excerpts rarely features works written by women. As orchestras begin diversifying their programs, the frequently requested orchestral excerpts require new considerations to reflect these changes. In order for excerpts to be reflective of the orchestral canon, they must be updated as the canon changes.

Once an excerpt has been identified and obtained, the next issue is addressing its unique musical and technical challenges. …

Winter Term Choir Tour To London And Paris, Bryon Black Ii

Music Faculty publications

This program explores the universal longing for home—a place of belonging, safety and peace. Spanning choral traditions from England, France, Estonia, Mexico, South Africa and the United States, the music reflects how hope, faith and shared humanity shape our understanding of where we belong. Across cultures and centuries, these works reveal music’s power to foster connection and community, even far from familiar ground. We hope this program invites listeners to consider home not only as a physical place, but as a space where we are known, connected and held.

Jazz And Classical Form In Selected Movements Of Nikolai Kapustin's Eight Concert Etudes Opus 40, Hsiaofen Lin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research focuses on three etudes from Kapustin’s Eight Concert Etudes, Op. 40, offering analyses for “Prelude,” “Reverie,” and “Toccatina,” The analysis explores several interrelated issues: the extent to which jazz-derived formal structures may be discerned in Kapustin’s piano works beyond traditional classical models; the ways in which jazz structural frameworks interact with forms such as sonata, ternary, and through-composed designs; and the degree to which jazz formal procedures influence sectional organization, phrase structure, and large-scale form. A further concern is whether Kapustin’s use of jazz form serves merely as a stylistic reference or operates as a structurally determinative …

Μmodules: A Low-Cost, Eurorack-Compatible Modular Audio Synthesis System, Nolan K. Juneau

Honors Theses and Capstones

The modular audio synthesizer is one of the fastest-growing industries in contemporary music technology. Unlike a traditional audio synthesizer, a modular synthesizer allows for the user to directly control the signal path and effects of the synthesized sound, allowing for a workflow that is completely customizable to an individual musician and their creative vision. However, the modules and cases currently in production for the common “Eurorack” design standard can be prohibitively expensive to new users, often costing thousands of dollars for even a small system. The µModules project aims to eliminate this financial barrier to modular synthesis by using inexpensive …

“My Voice Is Trauma, My Voice Is Healing:” A Feminist, Trauma-Informed Embodied Study On The Impact Of Gender-Based Violence In Classical Music Communities, Sarah Pearson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This Social Work doctoral dissertation explores the impact of gender-based violence (GBV) in classical music communities on survivor-artists. This is an intersectional feminist, trauma-informed, embodied study that draws on these three theoretical concepts to conceive of classical music as an institution of both colonial patriarchal power and a site of spirituality and meaning-making. The issue of systemic GBV in the performing arts has been a focus of headline news and sensational celebrity stories in the last decade following the MeToo hashtag and is slowly gaining some attention in academic research.

For this qualitative study, the sample consisted of 14 participants …

Sonic Ecosystems And Natural Cycles: An Immersive Multimedia Improvisation, Jorge E. Variego

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

This proposal presents a 20-minute free improvisation based on the concept of natural cycles, performed by a student-led electroacoustic ensemble. The multimedia improvisation explores the ensemble as a creative sonic ecosystem where sounds emerge, dissipate, and reconstruct in altered forms, mimicking natural processes like growth, decay, and regeneration.

This performance proposal is deeply rooted in the collaboration between Brian Eno and John Hassel in Possible Musics, where acoustic and electronic elements interweave, creating music that is simultaneously otherworldly and rooted in global sonic traditions. As Brian Eno noted, “Music is a process, not a thing.” This performance proposal situates music …

Electro-Acoustic Dance Composition: Practicality And Pragmatism, Ian Evans Guthrie

Journal of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction

“Efficiency, expediency, and experimentation in Dance Compositions.”

In this presentation, I want to describe the practical difficulties in composing for dance and using live electronics, and how I have found a happy medium. The presentation will begin with an overview of common dance approaches as I have experienced at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, the Kansas City Ballet, and the Florida State University School of Dance, and other institutions. Then, I will discuss the limitations for elaborate electroacoustic setups, particularly in the “black box” theatres and variety of dance studios used at these places. I will defend my thesis …