Music Commons^™

Rhythmic Complexity And Harmonic Innovation: An Analysis Of Joan Tower’S Selected Post-2000 Piano Compositions, Yun Chen

Dissertations, 2020-current

Joan Tower’s post-2000 piano compositions show her unique approach to rhythmic complexity and harmonic innovation. While existing research focuses heavily on her earlier music, her recent piano pieces require further exploration from a performer’s perspective. This dissertation analyzes four specific works: Vast Antique Cubes (2000), Throbbing Stills (2000), Ivory and Ebony (2009), and Steps (2011). It explores how Tower’s compositional choices directly affect piano performance and the listener’s experience.

The first section explores Tower’s rhythmic language in “Steps” and “Throbbing Stills.” The analysis shows how Tower uses frequent meter changes, sudden rhythmic shifts, and strong contrast between motion and stillness. …

A Description Of Zhao Zhang’S Nature No. 2 And Xiaoxuan Xu’S An Unusual Feast Of East, Sicheng He

Dissertations, 2020-current

This research presents a new path in the development of Chinese music by aiming to incorporate both modern Western and ancient Chinese influences in form, texture, tonality, topic, and other dimensions of style and structure. Two Chinese composers whose recent compositions for the piano share similar characteristics: Zhao Zhang (b. 1964; Nature no. 2, 2013) and Xiaoxuan Xu (b. 1990; An Unusual Feast of East, 2022). The research will discuss how Zhao Zhang and Xiaoxuan Xu accomplish this fusion of old and new in their recent piano works Nature no. 2, (2013) and An Unusual Feast of East, 2022. …

Constructing A Contemporary Chinese Piano Language: An Analytical Study Of Zhang Zhao’S Chinese Dream, Ziwei Zhou

Dissertations, 2020-current

The piano arrived in China in the early 1900s. Over the past century, Chinese piano music has moved from early imitation to the sophisticated and diverse styles we see today. For Chinese composers, the main challenge has always been how to balance Western techniques with Chinese traditions and their own unique voices. To address these challenges, Zhang Zhao (b.1964) stands out for his ability to turn traditional heritage into a modern piano language. After a summary of the history of Chinese piano literature, this study examines his Chinese Dream (2014) through his “Three Transformations” philosophy: (1) Western techniques for Chinese …

The Piano Music Of Orlando Fagnani And Its Connections To The Choro Tradition, Norman J. Charette

Dissertations, 2020-current

This study explores the life, piano works, and compositional style of Orlando Fagnani (1922–1977) as it fits into the choro tradition. By situating his compositions within their historical context, providing biographical insights, investigating stylistic features, and analyzing one of his piano works, Mini Prelúdio No. 1, this document highlights Fagnani’s contribution to Brazilian music and places him not only among significant composers of choro, but also among the leading Brazilian composers of the twentieth century. The fortunate timing of his birth in the same year as the Week of Modern Art contributed to a deeper connection with Brazil’s …

Examining The Experiences And Career Of A Highly Effective Orchestra Teacher: A Narrative History, Charlotte A. Hebert

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Much of the available literature on the status of string education in the United States highlights the need for qualified string teachers. However, limited researchers have analyzed the reflections and perspective of retired string teachers. Retired string teachers have a unique ability to provide insight to preservice and current string teachers from a reflective lens. In this historical narrative study, I examined the 40-year career of orchestra director Laura Mulligan Thomas through her contributions and experiences. I utilized previous string education literature to define an effective string teacher. I employed semi-structured interviews, observations of a string techniques class that Thomas …

God In The Margins: Exploring The Intersection Between Christian And Secular Music, Christina Barnes

Composition/Recording Projects

This recording project paper explores the intersection between Christian theology and secular popular music through a practice-led investigation into how faith-informed themes can be communicated authentically within mainstream musical contexts. Drawing on scholarship surrounding Contemporary Christian Music (CCM), popular music studies, authenticity, and lament theology, this study examines how Christian ideas emerge within secular music through both explicit and implicit forms of expression. Case studies include Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” Selena Gomez’s “Nobody,” Lauren Daigle’s “You Say,” and U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” each representing different approaches to integrating spirituality into mainstream culture. Through …

The Eight Types Of Love, According To Ancient Greece: A Musical Album, Alex Aether

Honors College Theses

This thesis examines the eight styles of love as defined by the ancient Greeks, presented as a musical album with each song dedicated to a specific category.

By exploring new ideas and approaches to the typical “love song” while incorporating my personal experiences, I hope to break through a long-standing cliche in the music industry in a way that’s personal to me and inspire others to fill this topical rift. At a broader scale, I hope to create nuance in people’s minds about what love means to them in the moments they feel it, so they can deeply understand and …

Kattam Choreography- A Facade Of The Virgin Islands, Kiyani J.M. Ottley

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Kattam Choreography reimagines a historic building in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI as a vibrant cultural hub that celebrates dance, memory, and commerce. Rooted in the embodied traditions of the qudrille folk dance, this project explores adaptive reuse as a performtive act—where architecture becomes a living archive of movement and heritage.

The design treats the building’s layered history not as a static artifact, but as a choreographic score. Quadrille’s spatial logic—its symmetry, rhythm, and communal gestures—informs circulation, program, and atmosphere. The building unfolds as a triptych: a dance pavilion, multi-purpose educational spaces, and a gift shop. Each element responds to …

On Antonio Vivaldi And His La Primavera, Largo E Pianissimo Simpre, Mary E. Osterman

Undergraduate Research Journal

Antionio Vivaldi’s Concerto No. 1 for Violin and String Orchestra, Largo e pianissimo sempre, Op. 8, No. 1, nicknamed "Spring", influenced program music and concertos in the Baroque period and is a leading example for composers through later eras (Talbot, 2020). Vivaldi’s use of instrumentation, color, dynamics, experimental sounds, and rhythm helped him to achieve the development of program music that was advanced for his time (Vivaldi, 1725). The concerto style grew increasingly popular in Italy and France, making other composers take heed of how Vivaldi wrote for solo instruments (Talbot, 2020). Vivaldi strategically stripped away the instrumentation and …

Investigating Creative Possibility Using Automated Composition, Kian Drees

Undergraduate Honors Theses

As a constructive method, Johann Joseph Fux’s theory of counterpoint defines a space of musical possibility for contrapuntal composition. I developed a computational method for generating melodies to systematically investigate selected properties of this space. My program recursively generates a tree of all possible cantus firmus melodies of a specified length or all possible first species counterpoints on a given cantus firmus, starting with an empty root node and adding child nodes representing possible musical notes at each step until the specified length is reached. I then investigated several properties of the generated melodies, such as the approximate relationship between …

Interdisciplinary Practices In The Band Room: Repertoire As A Tool To Enrich Student Learning, Ainsley L. Brouse

Theses - ALL

Interdisciplinary learning is an educational theory approach that emphasizes the importance of incorporating content from different subject areas into the teaching of one’s own topic of study. Research has presented that the use of interdisciplinary teaching practices can have several benefits on students' learning outcomes and overall academic success. Music has deep and rich historical roots that can provide students a more hands-on experience with the concepts and events they are learning in their history classes. The use of interdisciplinary practices through specific repertoire selections will not only provide students with a deeper, more meaningful experience with the music they …

Cooperating Music Teachers And The Edtpa: Negotiating The Demands Of Mentoring Student Teachers In The Face Of A State Mandated Performance-Based Assessment, Deborah Alane Cunningham

Dissertations - ALL

This qualitative case study examined how cooperating music teachers navigated mentoring student teachers during implementation of the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA), a state-mandated performance-based assessment required for initial teacher certification in New York State from 2014–2022. Initial data analysis suggested utilizing Roegman and Kolman’s (2019) cascading, colliding, and mediating framework to better understand the experiences of the participants, fifteen cooperating music teachers who hosted student teachers from a large private university in the Northeastern United States. Participants represented diverse contexts (elementary through secondary, instrumental, vocal, and general music) with an average of twenty years of experience. Data were collected …

From Sacred Harp To Byzantine Chant: Inculturation And Formation Of Orthodox Communion In Alaska, Ava Ortwein

Honors Theses

This thesis will explore how Eastern Orthodoxy has been embraced by some native Appalachians, which has led to a convergence of musical trends as a regional phenomenon. It argues that parts of Appalachia are embracing Orthodoxy, especially as noted through converging musical structures. Through an examination of countries which have accepted Orthodoxy, I emphasize inhabitants’ agency and free acceptance of the Eastern Church, especially through convergence of musical traditions. I also analyze lived experience in Sacred Music within this Appalachian Orthodox Context rather than formal music theory. The research incorporates a diverse range of scholars including ethnomusicologists, historians, Orthodox theologians, …

Tracking Toward Engagement: Examining The Influence Of A Competitive Participation Tracker On Middle School Students, Lauren Graves

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

This study examined the implementation of a competition tracker in a middle school band program. It aimed to discover the potential increase in turn-in/participation rates in a Concert Band compared to a Symphonic Band, as well as student perceptions of the competition tracker. These classes were skill-based ensembles of seventh- and eighth-grade students, with Symphonic Band being the more advanced ensemble. Collected data included surveys, focus groups, field notes, and turn-in data. This study took place over a four-week time period. Data was coded using the constant comparative method, grouping together similar themes in the data to create 15 level …

Caladrius: Creating A Playable Game Via A Multimedia Experience, Isabelle Morgan Brookshire

Whittier Scholars Program

Caladrius: Creating a Playable Game via a Multimedia Experience hones in on making an experience through different forms of media to represent a game. If this project was fully funded and done, it would be a video game on Steam with an art exhibition, small poetry book, and novel accompanied with it. It would even have a show, a soundtrack, and merch. But at this level, it was to make an experience for my audience that they could experience whether or not they enjoyed video games as a concept. I wanted them to enjoy 'playing' within a physical exhibition and …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Atlas Assessment Levels And Asboa Instrumental Ensemble Concert Assessment Ratings, Daniel Cooper

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

This study investigated the relationship between two key forms of school accountability that relate to secondary instrumental music programs. A thorough review of relevant literature was conducted to establish a framework for analyzing how ATLAS achievement levels may predict ASBOA concert assessment ratings of bands and orchestras in Arkansas. A quantitative approach was used via a binary logistic regression to interpret the impact of ATLAS achievement levels and SES, as defined by free and reduced lunch percentages, on an ensemble's likelihood of earning a superior or non-superior rating at region concert assessment. Results found statistically significant relationships for the predictive …

In The Presence Of A Legend: Mary Palchak Remembers Henri Temianka, Mary Palchak, Charlotte Yoder

Chapman University Temianka Music Research Scholar Program

This interview captures flutist and Chapman University instructor Mary Palchak’s memories of working with Henri Temianka in the California Chamber Virtuosi series and his Los Angeles children’s concerts, highlighting his humor, kindness, audience rapport, and deep commitment to music education.

2025-2026 Performance Forum - May 8, 2026, Isabella Swalm, Elizaveta Goryunova, Elena Swalm, Peter Pao, Meixi Zhou, Peicen Qin, Lillian Platte, Anttuan Rios Pelaez, Karen Trujillo, Nicholas Weathers, Jacob Lomboy, Joseph Muhl

Performance Forum

No abstract provided.

Dropping Into The Expressive Art Therapy: A Community Engagement Arts Based Project, Sydney C. Smith, Meg Chang

Expressive Therapies Theses

This community engagement capstone explores how expressive arts practices (EXAP) may complement surf-based programming by supporting reflection, empathy, and meaning-making among participants. Research has demonstrated that surf therapy can promote emotional well-being, resilience, and social connection through embodied engagement with the ocean and supportive community environments. Integrating expressive arts practices within surf-based programs may extend these benefits by providing opportunities for reflection, creative expression, and interpersonal exchange. Grounded in expressive arts therapy (EXAT) theory and arts-based research (ABR) paradigms, this project examines how creative expression can support relational and emotional experiences within surf therapy settings. Using an arts-informed community engagement …

A Preliminary Study On Composing For Reed Quintet, John O. Ford

Recital Papers

This paper is for the composer that aspires to write for the reed quintet ensemble. It discusses the ensemble’s short history and explains analyses of different reed quintet works to identify roles, pairings, and combinations of the five instruments and their timbral and textural capabilities.