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Mapping Legnani In Print: Mustardino’S Thematic Catalogue, Marco Riboni

Soundboard Scholar

A review of Luigi Legnani: Catalogo tematico delle edizioni a stampa per e con chitarra [Thematic Catalogue of Printed Editions for and with Guitar], by Marco Mustardino (Rome: Aracne, 2023).

Brazilian Souls: Portraits Of Brazilian Nationalism In The Piano, Rafael Lima Lima De Paula

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This portfolio consists of the artifacts of the creative, artistic and research work realized during my doctoral studies. In its core, all recitals had Brazilian music, especially that of H. Villa-Lobos, as a unifying element, although personal taste and reasoning were also a driving force behind choosing repertoire and building a theme for each recital. The research work is connected to the repertoire performed, with Villa-Lobos' music and the Brazilian nationalist movement as common threads. “Respectful Majesty,” the research paper attached to Recital 1 analyzes elements present in Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras N.4 and brings the piece's neoclassical nature to the …

Piéce For Solo Flute: An Interpretation, Caroline Beard

Caravel Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Reclaiming The Narrative: Integrating Narrative Therapy And Songwriting For Children And Adolescents Living Through Adverse Childhood Experiences, Emma Smith

Expressive Therapies Theses

Children and adolescents tend to lack agency and power in their lives with their status as minors. Lack of agency can be exacerbated if they are experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Narrative songwriting is an approach with emerging methods that may support liberation, agency, and ownership for this population. Although there is a plethora of trauma-informed songwriting methods in music therapy literature focusing on young populations, there is sparse research about using narrative songwriting with this population. In this thesis, literature from both music therapy and narrative therapy with young populations experiencing ACEs was located and analyzed using a qualitative …

Influences Of Musical Experience On Absolute Pitch Memory, Mia A. Guzman

Music Honors Projects

Absolute pitch (AP), colloquially known as “perfect pitch,” is the ability to identify or recreate any musical note without an external reference tone. While many believe AP is an exceptional, innate musical talent, I argue that AP is a continuous ability influenced by experience. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined behavioral tasks with interviews, I examined AP memory in AP possessors and non-possessors with varying musical backgrounds to understand how experience-based factors, such as language, primary instrument, and the onset and style of musical training, might influence individual performance on established AP measures.

Spring Recital Community School For The Arts: May 3, 2026, Illinois State University School Of Music

School of Music Programs

This is the two hundred and seventh program of the 2025-2026 season.

Kemp Recital Hall

May 3, 2026

Sunday Afternoon

2:00 p.m.

The Business Of Music: Where Planning And Performing Meet, Mac Heelein

Honors Capstones

This project explores the intersection of business and music through the planning and execution of a collaborative recital featuring the NIU Viola Studio. In this process, I served as both the organizer and a performer, applying project management principles to handle logistics such as scheduling, venue coordination, and event promotion. The project required managing multiple moving parts while keeping both the artistic and organizational aspects aligned.

Through this experience, I found that while project management provides a strong structure, artistic settings require flexibility when unexpected challenges arise. This project also highlighted the importance of balancing organization with creativity to ensure …

Voices From The Noise: Experiments And Considerations On Radio As Musical Instrument, Justin Taveras

Student Theses

One of my primary goals in entering the Sonic Arts program was to familiarize myself with the tools and processes necessary for creating electronic music. My initial expectation was to learn how to use synthesizers, microphones, and effects processors to expand the timbral palette of my compositional practice. Coming from a background in contemporary classical music, I independently practiced working within the DAW timeline, and I was attracted to the level of compositional detail and control that a studio environment could offer. While these tools proved universal enough to become essential components of my current work, I did not expect …

Isu String Project Spring Concert: May 2, 2026, Dr. Samuel Chen, Dr. Cora Swenson Lee, Dr. Katherine Lewis, Katelynn Lesinski

School of Music Programs

This is the two hundred and sixth program of the 2025-2026 season.

Center for the Performing Arts

May 2, 2026

Saturday Afternoon

11:00 a.m.

The Invisible Hand: Narrating Wildlife Through Hybrid Scoring, Weiyi Li

Composition/Recording Projects

This paper explores the creative and theoretical processes involved in composing the original score and sound design for "Ningxia Yellow River: The Home for the Avian," a wildlife documentary centered on the Ningxia wetlands in China. The research addresses the challenge of creating a "sonic bridge" between silent natural imagery and a human audience by balancing documentary realism with musical persuasion. The methodology utilizes a hybrid scoring approach that integrates Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) orchestration with organic sound elements, guided by three core pillars: cultural semiotics, acoustic ecology, and technical synchronization. By applying traditional Chinese pentatonic modes alongside Western orchestral …

To Speak In Your Voice: An Exploration In Improvisational Technique, Ezekiel E. Meyer

Composition/Recording Projects

Many iconic musicians have their own unique musical voices, which are found and developed in a variety of ways. Many musicians have a goal of developing their own voice, but struggle to understand how this process occurs. This production paper explores several techniques through the process of recording the album To Speak in One's Voice, providing guidance on how a musician's voice can be identified and nurtured. Improvisational techniques such as pentatonic substitution and harmonic superimposition are discussed, as well as compositional and technological techniques, all within the context of developing a musician's voice. Through this paper, a musician can …

Evaluating The Use Of Extended Reality Technology To Improve Marching Band Conducting Patterns, Nathan R. Fuhrman

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Conducting pattern consistency is an essential skill for marching band drum

majors, yet developing this consistency through individual practice remains diffi-

cult without real-time feedback. This thesis investigates if the use of extended

reality technologies can be used to enhance the conducting skills of novice drum

majors. Using the Meta Quest 3’s passthrough capability, the system overlays vi-

sual feedback elements — including a 3D pattern guide, path visualization, tempo

cues, and a real-time score — onto the user’s physical environment. A within-

subjects study with seven participants evaluated eight combinations of three binary

feedback variables: pattern guide visibility, tempo …

Where Springs Not Fail, Hannah Guo

Graduate Thesis Collection

Where Springs Not Fail is a 23-minute multimovement work for mixed choir, mezzo-soprano and baritone soloists, and a chamber instrumental ensemble. Drawing texts from Gerard Manley Hopkins and Rabindranath Tagore, the composition explores themes of spiritual darkness, anxiety, and a profound yearning for hope—shared human experiences that are often under-acknowledged. The work aims to reside between sacred and secular expressions, offering a space of vulnerability, reflection, and honesty for performers and listeners alike.

The composition engages a wide range of stylistic influences, including serial and minimalist techniques, chant-like melodic writing, modal language, and motivic symbolism. Structured as an arch form, …

What Better Means: A Full-Length Album By Fake Baseball, Maggie Heeren

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Playful Music Learning In Piano Lessons: Implications For Intrinsic Motivation And Sustained Engagement, Cora Lynne Hart

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Within the field of piano pedagogy, there is a great need to adapt teaching strategies to a new generation of learners. Traditional pedagogical methods are not always conducive to student-directed, process-based, and most importantly, joyful learning. The beginning elementary level is the most critical time to start a student’s musical journey with positivity and encouragement, and is a time when these teaching strategies make a profound impact. This thesis explores how play activities can facilitate engaging musical experiences that are more aligned with children’s natural way of learning. Through a literature review, the thesis synthesizes existing research on child learning …

The Tones And Frequencies Of A Glockenspiel, Edward Czudak

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In this thesis, I will analyze the tones and frequencies of a glockenspiel based on the results of Warburton’s 1954 article, “The Vibration Of Rectangular Plates,” [12]. I will be measuring and modeling the frequencies of a glockenspiel and connect them with the analytical and expected numerical solutions. The solutions will be based on the plate equation along with the boundary conditions of a rectangle free on all edges. I will look at the high modes of vibration for the bars and their corresponding overtones in the acoustic spectrum.

Expanding The Vocabulary Of Staff Notation By Notating The Vocal Instrument, Ryan J. Berry

Honors Theses

The aspects of vocal music performance that are often the most engaging, expressive, and creative cannot be conveyed with the established vocabulary of staff notation. Consequently, discussion of artistic choices is limited to oral or written-word formats that are neither internationally interpretable or widely shared. This research proposes a remedy by creating notation symbols for the larynx, tongue, and formants so the movements of a singer's instrument can be described in staff notation. These symbols, along with the International Phonetic Alphabet, were applied to four performances to highlight specific artistic choices. Additionally, this paper discusses the history of vocal sheet …

Proud To Be Lao: Examining Lao American Identity Through Transnational Music And Performance, Zechary Phouthavong

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For some time, Lao popular music has not received the same global recognition as other genres emerging out of Asia, such as K-Pop and Bollywood. In recent years, however, Lao-pop artists like Thinlamphone and Zamio P have broken onto the global stage, with music that showcases a unique blend of traditional Lao instrumentation with hip-hop, pop, and R&B styles. This emerging trend is particularly poignant for Lao Americans, as Lao-pop allows for Lao Americans to negotiate their experiences of being both Lao and American, further signifying its importance to constructing identity. This thesis explores the unique process of Lao Americans …

Compositional Techniques For Horror Film Soundtracks, Malia L. Hernandez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

With this paper, I aim to explore the history of horror film soundtracks and discover the various compositional techniques that are used to trigger physical responses from a viewer. I also intend to describe how horror scores have adapted and changed over time as our social and political climate continues to evolve by examining several different kinds of sources including academic studies, articles, and film reviews. While every viewer is different, a film scorer can properly build suspense by using specific compositional methodologies to briefly alter responses of the human mind and body.  This type of research would provide useful …

The History And Legacy Of The Monterey Jazz Festival, Ana Mendez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Monterey Jazz Festival holds a strong legacy in the world of jazz. Nestled in the Monterey Bay area, the festival's musical lineups entertain locals and travelers from around the world each year. Topics that are discussed within this paper are the inception of the festival, Monterey before the festival, Monterey Jazz Festival co-founders, Jimmy Lyons and Ralph Gleason, major works of art debuts at the festival including The Real Ambassadors, the international influence at the festival, the educational endeavors of the Monterey Jazz Education Team, and the 2025 rebranding of "Monterey Jazz".

2025-2026 Performance Forum - May 1, 2026, Chase Hogan, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Peter Pao, Manuela Wanumen Jiménez, Sarah Conley, Pablo Camacho, Amanda Rearden

Performance Forum

No abstract provided.

Subzero: Original Music For Piano And Live Electronics, Frank Newton

Honors College Theses

Subzero is a set of three compositions for piano and live electronics inspired by themes of nature and human perception. The term “live electronics” in a musical context refers to the use of technology to generate or trigger sounds in real time during a performance. These pieces were written specifically for use with a computer music program I designed using Max/MSP to respond to and accompany the performer. Subzero combines acoustic and synthesized sounds to examine three subjects of the natural world and how we, as humans, react to them. The compositional process of the set was informed in part …

Developing The Ability To Arrange For Jazz Ensembles, Cameron Jordan

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone consists of six jazz arrangement projects of increasing complexity that were done in the spring semester of 2024 by myself. The six arrangements have been attached via pdf in the sequential order they were created throughout the semester. Each attached arrangement includes a word schematic detailing what each section of the song is specifically doing from an arranging perspective, a score that lines up each instrumental part acting as a roadmap for the songs, and individual parts for each instrument so that the songs can be played by ensembles equipped with the proper instrumentation. The first two projects …

The Beat Behind The Bark: Investigating The Effects Of Music Tempo On Canine Physiological And Psychological States, Marley Lanier

Poster Presentations

Music is a universal component of human culture that has been demonstrated influencing emotional, cognitive, and physiological responses, specifically heart rate and hormonal responses (Mehr et al., 2019; Trappe, 2012). Recently, this research has expended to explore how music may affect non-human animals, particularly dogs, due to their roles as therapy animals, service animals, and human companions (Lindig et al., 2020; Gee et al., 2021). Being able to understand how music influences canine stress and relaxation hold important applications in environments such as shelters, veterinary clinics, and at home. One important feature of music is tempo, or beats per minute …

Fugues, Their History, And Their Status In The Twenty-First Century, William Sulliban

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines fugues from its first inception in the Renaissance to the twentieth century in order to contextualize fugal writing seen in the twenty-first century. The evolution of fugue through the twentieth century is the primary focus for the first chapter. For this, various music scores and academic scholarship are consulted to provide a foundational understanding of fugue. The second chapter examines contemporary fugue writing and explores how composers are approaching this very old compositional technique after several hundred years. Multiple twenty-first century compositions are discussed, as well as an interview I conducted with a composer to gain firsthand …

That Song Sounds Familiar: An Analysis Of U.S. Copyright Considerations In Popular Music, Jessica Johnson

Honors Theses

Much of popular music has started to bear resemblance to songs of the past as artists rely on techniques, including sampling and interpolations, to ensure their song is a guaranteed hit. But what are the legal implications behind that, and is the line between inspiration and copying getting blurred? This thesis aims to consider the precedent of copyright law as applied to modern musical works and how the landscape of popular music has evolved over time to raise more copyright concerns. It also looks at two modern case studies of musical inspiration that have resulted in legal claims: the song …

Lecture Recital: Josepha Auernhammer, Bonnie Littlejohn

Honors Theses

This lecture recital highlights the work of the classical Viennese composer and contemporary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Josepha Auernhammer (1758-1820). After an introduction to Auernhammer’s life and a brief overview of her compositional output, her Six Variations on “Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja” [I am the birdcatcher] and Harpsichord Sonata in A Major are discussed, diving into the work’s cultural context and intriguing compositional elements. A performance of the compositions concludes the lecture recital.

Pro Rege Chr. Brass Band: A Century Of Sound, Jonathan T.J. Henneveld

Dissertations

The Christian Brass Band Pro Rege of Heerenveen, The Netherlands, celebrated its one hundredth birthday in 2024. As one of the most prominent community-based brass bands in the region, Pro Rege is part of a Dutch wind ensemble tradition that goes largely undocumented. While they and other bands like them function as cultural and educational institutions, academic literature remains limited, almost ignoring them completely. This dissertation wishes to address this oversight by providing an historical study of the brass band from its establishment in 1924 to the present day.

Starting out in the Dutch ensemble tradition of the Fanfare band, …

Nhạc Vàng And Historical Consciousness: Affect, Memory, And The Vietnamese Diaspora, Bryan L. Le

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines nhạc vàng as a cultural form shaped by war, displacement, and diaspora. It analyzes how the music carries historical experience through lyrics and performance, and how its meanings shift across contexts. The study shows how music shapes memory, identity, and historical understanding beyond fixed political or archival frameworks.

Sentential Structures In Alexander Scriabin's Op. 8 Etudes, John Paul West

Theses and Dissertations

Historically, the sentence has proven to be one of the most versatile and pervasive forms in music, appearing since the mid-sixteenth century with occurrences too frequent to quantify. Sentential musical phrases emerged from music and poetry during the late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth centuries with the same short-short-long rhythmic impulse, originating from poetic and sing-song texts. Although the sentence is most often tied to the Classical period, it is not associated with any single era. Patterns of sentential phrases were already apparent and plentiful before the late eighteenth century, and composers used it as a device to expand musical form throughout the …