Befitting Bach: Prelude And Fugue Transcribed For Horn Quartet, Caitlin Murphy

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis, titled “Befitting Bach: Prelude and Fugue Transcribed for Horn Quartet,” consists of horn quartet transcriptions of Prelude 1 and Fugue 1 from Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I. The prelude and fugue pair were originally written for harpsichord during the Baroque period, and the pieces remain commonly performed on keyboard instruments. The transcription translates the pieces into four-part horn music while preserving the original musical ideas and accounting for the different technical capabilities between the instruments. The accompanying written component provides a brief history of the original compositions. Further, the report delves into the transcription …

Two Case Studies Of American Classical Music Patronage In The 1980s And 1990s, Skyler E. Dykes

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how changes in the composition of classical music institutions’ funding bases in the 1980s and 1990s shaped their programming priorities and institutional behavior. Through two case studies—one focused on the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra’s “In Unison” program and the other focused on Sybil Harrington’s philanthropic support of the Metropolitan Opera—it explores how individual and institutional funders used legal, financial, and symbolic mechanisms to exert influence over the music presented on symphonic and operatic stages. The first chapter argues that the Saint Louis Symphony’s community engagement efforts in the 1990s were shaped by the priorities of its public …

"All The Songs I Stole": Ballad Collection And The Conditions Of Collective-Making In Johnny Cash's Prison Concert-Albums, Camryn J. Bruce

All Theses

In the mid-to-late twentieth century, singer-songwriter Johnny Cash recorded and released three live prison concert-albums composed of many ballads and songs drawing upon a ballad tradition. I question the degree to which these albums, as performed and commercialized ballad collections, create realities of unity between Cash and his audiences. Reviewing three ballads for their aspects of balladry and performance, this thesis finds that Cash’s albums echo and make echoes of isolating conditions and possible collectivities, demonstrating a fragility of “folk” in the shifting scenes of music and prison.

Gastropoda A Song Cycle In 7 Movements For 10 Musicians., Jonathan Krueger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inspired by Gnostic myth, biosemiotic forms and Basilides of Alexandria's Seven Sermons to The Dead, Gastropoda tells a creation myth of the opposite yet complementary processes of birth and consumption. The subject of the myth, an unnamed Gastropod, is thrust from the formless ocean to a land more differentiated; full of boundaries and obstacles which obscure the source from wence it came. Through communion with the darkest and lightest aspects of this world, a worm-like entity known as Abraxas, the Gastropod follows two separate yet simultaneous sequences of events that lead to the same essential outcome. One is the path …

How Mental And Emotional Stress Impacts Vocal Phonation In Adolescent Singers, Samantha M. Thielen Pak

Graduate Thesis Collection

This study examines the relationship between mental/emotional stress and vocal phonation abilities in high school choir students. 17 pairs of General Health Questionnaires and Vocal Screenings were completed by four student participants. These questionnaires and screenings were completed on a weekly basis. Within the General Health Questionnaire, there were several negative correlations with “Concentration” from the General Health Questionnaire results, those being “Loss of Sleep” (r = -0.547, p = 0.023) and “Losing Confidence in Self” (r = 0.575, p = 0.016), as detailed in Table 3. The largest correlations to “Concentration” are “Under Strain” (r = -0.742, p = <.001) and “Feeling Unhappy” (r = -0.746, p = <.001). From the documented screenings, there was very little impact noted on the phonological abilities of the participants. Presence of “Non-Musical Sounds” had a strong correlation with “Tone Quality” (r = 0.683, p = 0.001), showing that there was an increase of non-musical sounds when tone quality had decreased in score.

“Death Leaves A Heartache No One Can Heal:” Musical Subversion In The Irish Caoineadh Tradition, Charissa Joy Garrigus

Graduate Thesis Collection

My thesis details the subversive, inherently feminine nature of Irish caoineadh (keening). This research focuses on how a practice with pagan, druidic roots survived in a culture that was experiencing intense religious and structural upheaval including the arrival of Protestant English settlers, tensions with the Catholic church, and longstanding pagan traditions. I contend that early modern Irish lament (caoineadh/keening) was inherently subversive due to its feminine liminality, its origins from druidic ritual, and its musical, poetic, and lyrical content that was often condemnatory of patriarchal Christian and English power structures. This thesis investigates three main topics occurring from ancient times …

Concerto For Flute, Wind Ensemble, And String Quintet, Catherine A. Hoelscher

Graduate Thesis Collection

Concerto for Flute, Wind Ensemble, and String Quintet is a 15 minute work created to demonstrate the virtuosic abilities of the flute. This thesis contains a 47-page score separated into three movements, along with a list of its instrumentation and statements of gratitude. Alongside the score there is a brief overview of the piece with excerpts from the score and descriptions of its musical themes. The overview compares and contrasts the themes and the three movements.

From The Four Winds: A Suite For Orchestra And Jazz Musicians, Thomas James Johnson

Graduate Thesis Collection

From the Four Winds is a four-movement suite for orchestra and jazz musicians. Work on the first movement started in early 2021, and work on the other three movements began in fall 2023. All of music is based on four pitches, B, C, Db, and Eb, which are usually used as chord roots. The concept of four winds was inspired by Chinese culture, but the relationship between the music and the four compass directions was from the perspective of the Midwestern United States. Two movements have sections for jazz style improvisation, and two were influenced by musical minimalism. The final …

Aiming High: A Narrative Inquiry Of Christian Music Educators’ Higher Purpose, William E. Rhoden Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educators in the United States may question music education’s higher purpose, considering high-stakes testing and an emphasis on non-musical subjects. This qualitative narrative study examines three American protestant Christian music educators’ perceptions of music education’s higher purpose and compares them to Martin Luther’s (1483-1546) writings. The researcher conducted interviews with three participants to record the story of how they developed their higher purpose for music education. The data was tabulated and coded for thematic analysis. This study supports a Christian defense of continued music education in America’s schools, distinguishes modern Christian perspectives, and offers a fresh understanding of the historical …

Utilization And Perception Of Individual Performance Assessments Among Instrumental Music Educators In Northeastern Pennsylvania, Thomas Bassett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative grounded theory study aimed to develop a theory explaining how secondary instrumental music educators in Northeastern Pennsylvania select, implement, and perceive performance assessments. Teachers need actionable data to determine the next steps in the learning process. The study design included twelve semi-structured interviews of Pennsylvania-certified music educators and a content analysis of any scoring tools or rubrics that they provided. The analysis process included open, axial, and thematic coding with the development of the core category and theory. Despite some prior research into performance assessments in music education, the literature lacked research with explanatory power over teachers’ assessment …

The Art Of The Duo And The Value Of Collaboration, Rebecca Farmer

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The Art of the Duo and the Value of Collaboration explores the duo as a laboratory for understanding the collaborative process between musicians and non musicians focusing on three central points. First, this project is a means to showcase and broaden my skills as a composer. Second, this project demonstrates my understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of common and uncommon instrumental pairings. Third, this project explores interdisciplinary collaboration. This project resulted in a public lecture recital featuring six duets I composed for various instruments: violin, bass, percussion, saxophone, voice, and piano.

I studied works by Debussy, Bartók, and Paganini, …

Extended Program Notes On Works By Bach, Beethoven, Dett, And Liszt, Helena J. Rosa

Honors Theses

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Honors Thesis consists of a sixty minute piano recital of advanced repertoire from the Baroque period through the 20th century, prepared over the course of the senior year. The Senior Piano Recital is a culmination of a course of study demonstrating an advanced level of musical proficiency. The thesis also contains extended program notes of the senior recital that occurred on April 3, 2025. The purpose of program notes is to engage the audience’s understanding and listening experience of the pieces to be performed and their composers. A recording of the recital will be …

Women Composers’ Music Contributions Equal To Those Of Male Counterparts During The Romantic Era, Chelsea J. Abels

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Though women composers were downplayed and overlooked, they were no less talented than their male counterparts, providing meaningful compositions and contributions to Romantic Era music. This thesis studies three women who made meaningful contributions during the Romantic period. Their names are Clara Schumann, Amy Beach, and Fanny Hensel Mendelssohn. Four aspects about them will be studied: The life and childhood of each woman, the trials and discrimination they faced, the problems they solved, and how their works compare to male composers. These three women were prodigy musicians and skilled composers. They demonstrated a great affinity for music from an early …

Perfecting The Pride Of All Nebraska, David Swotek

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

For my thesis, I completed a creative project focusing on my involvement in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. I created a documentary/YouTube-style video about the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhusker Marching Band and how much work goes into creating their performances. I wanted to see what work happens behind the scenes that their large audiences never get to see.

To get all the information I needed to create an efficient and effective piece, I interviewed 13 band students ranging in years, instruments, ranks, etc. It was very important to get a large range of perspectives on this piece because …

A Survey Of And Performance Guide To Representative Flute Music By Two Twentieth-Century Serbian Composers: Ljubica Marić And Enriko Josif, Sanda Mašić

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

Flute pieces by twentieth-century Serbian composers Ljubica Marić and Enriko Josif are little-known gems of modern repertoire that are almost completely unknown outside Serbia. Unique in their styles, these works illustrate the composers’ close relationship to the Serbian culture in which they lived and the religions they practiced. In addition, these works reflect the time they were created in, and are, therefore, modern with a distinctive sound. This document presents a study of seven selected flute works by these two important Serbian composers, places them in historical context, and reveals influences from both Serbian religious music (Orthodox and Jewish) and …

Analytical Perspectives For The Wind Band Conductor: Discovering The Musical Growth Of A Composition Through Focused Observation Using The Elements Of Shmrg From Jan Larue’S Guidelines For Style Analysis, Eric Elker

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

Productive score study and analysis is one of the most essential skills conductors need for preparing rehearsals and performances of repertoire. Musical conductors acquire score study skills and tools early in their educations. Much of their attention is given to achieving the composer’s intention by searching for and discovering significant musical moments created by several musical elements such as form, harmony, melody, rhythm, timbre, texture, and dynamics. This analytical approach is necessary for learning a piece of music, but conductors miss musical and creative opportunities if they confine themselves solely to their analytical observations for studying, rehearsing, and performing musical …

Investigating The Influence Of Modern And Traditional Instructional Practices On Creating Lifelong Habits Of Music Engagement In The Prospect Mountain Schools System, Thomas D. Stevens Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of modern and traditional pedagogical approaches on student development of music engagement and learning in the Prospect Mountain Schools system during and after high school. Student retention is critical to maintaining music programs; therefore, educators must discover ways to motivate students to continue participating in general music and ensemble courses. Combining modern and traditional pedagogical approaches creates learning experiences that inspire students to continue playing music throughout their lives, both during and after high school. One of these pedagogical practices is incorporating popular music into the classroom, which can enhance …

A Phenomenological Study Of String Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Development At Three Career Stages, Michael James Hanf

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This hermeneutic phenomenological study aims to understand the perceptions of elementary and secondary string teachers’ experiences with quality professional development from early-, middle-, and late-career stages. This study analyzes perceptions of quality professional development for music teachers, including content-related, evidence-based, applicable, relevant, collaborative, providing feedback, actively involving teachers in learning, longitudinal, coherent, and allowing for reflection. It follows a hermeneutic phenomenological research design guided by the theory of human motivation and aims to understand how professional development affects teacher needs. Participants include elementary and secondary string teachers across the United States from early-, middle-, and late-career stages. String teachers sampled …

Naomi Pelayo Senior Violin Recital, Andrews University

Student Degree Recitals 2024-2025

Naomi Pelayo presents her Senior Recital Añoranza. Featuring works by Brahms, J.S. Bach, Silvestrov, Sarasate, Wieniawski, and José Sabre Marroquín.

Reading Music: An Interdisciplinary Method To Analyzing Songs, Matthew King

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In growing times of hardship for education in the music space, I believe there needs to be a more user-friendly approach to evoking meaning from sonics. Researchers have shared the difficulties in teaching music-analysis skills in recent years, and I argue that, through more accessible means, a meaning-making process in music can be learned, and utilized in analyzing songs. This thesis explores the ways in which music and literature can be intertwined and made meaning through an interdisciplinary analysis of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s song “Flamethrower.” In this thesis, I am arguing that musical works can and should …

2024-2025 Master Of Music Recital - Samuel Dionisio (Viola), Samuel Dionisio, Sheng Yuan Kuan

Master of Music Recitals

No abstract provided.

Calleb Shonk, Bass, In A Senior Recital, April 30, 2025 [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

Program of a music recitals given by faculty, students, or guest artists from the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa.

Morgan Stumpf, French Horn, In A Senior Recital, April 30, 2025 [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

Program of a music recitals given by faculty, students, or guest artists from the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa.

Antimelody, Field Recording, Gerakan Musik Eksperimental, Dan Hantu Baru Yang Menolak Hantu Lama Hauntology, Aris Setyawan

Multikultura

This article challenges the traditional definition of music, limited to seven fixed elements: melody, harmony, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, and texture. The author suggests that all sound can be considered 'sound art,' blurring lines between music and other auditory experiences. In Mark Fisher’s hauntology, modern music is depicted as stagnant, trapped in a neoliberal pastiche that cancels the future by repeating past styles without innovation. However, this article highlights alternatives through experimental music, such as the album ANTIMELODY (2024), which uses field recording to present raw environmental sounds, challenging conventional musical structures. Movements like Jogja Noise Bombing and experimental music …

University Band: April 30, 2025, Mack Wood, Colby Powers, Jenny Gehrke, Charlie Miller, Christopher Bulding, Kendra Chaney, David Lukaszczyk

School of Music Programs

Center for the Performing Arts

April 30, 2025

Wednesday Evening

8:00 p.m.

Carlos Lugo Senior Piano Recital, Andrews University

Student Degree Recitals 2024-2025

Carlos Lugo presents this special recital titled Refreshments of the Soul. Featuring works by Brahms, J.S. Bach, and Chopin.

No Basset Horn? No Problem: Mozart’S Kv 439b And Its Adaptations, Martha Elvira Smith Gomez

ATU Scholars Symposium

Regardless of the ensemble, many musicians see value in honoring the intentions of a composer. The further in time one is removed from the composer, the harder this task can be. This is especially difficult with changes in what instruments are common and available. Mozart’s KV 439b, a collection of five multi-movement divertimentos, is believed to be originally written for a trio of the now-obsolete basset horn. This has led to a variety of arrangements and transcriptions for a wide range of ensembles of different sizes and instrumentations.

In my presentation, I will be analyzing and comparing select movements of …

Choral Concert (April 29, 2025), Lindenwood University

Student Music Performance Programs

Event program for the Choral Concert (April 29, 2025), Lindenwood University.

Lindenwood Wind Ensemble & St. Charles County Symphony (April 28, 2025), Lindenwood University

Student Music Performance Programs

Lindenwood Wind Ensemble & St. Charles County Symphony (April 28, 2025), Lindenwood University.

At The Outset: An Exploration Of Jazz And The Music Video, Riley Kramer

Honors Projects

This project centers around the creation of an original jazz composition and music video for the purpose of filling the gap in visual media used to promote jazz music. The history of music in film is briefly explored, as well as the history of jazz in film and music videos. Jazz is found to have been intertwined with film from the first widely available sound films, but the connection has since dwindled, with only a few modern jazz compositions having widely available music videos.

An original jazz tune, “At the Outset,” was created for this project. The details of the …