Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Roger Voisin Memorial Trumpet Competition 2026, Marc Reese, Gerald Karni, Lynn University Philharmonia

Roger Voisin Memorial Trumpet Competition

Founder and Artistic Director

• Marc Reese

Judges

• Mireia Farrés
• Caleb Hudson
• Robert Sullivan

Composer

• Kenneth Frazelle
• Commissioned work: Blue Ridge Airs IV

Pianists

• Sheng-Yuan Kuan
• Lisa Leonard
• Tatiana Lokhina
• Galen Dean Peiskee, Jr.

Competition Schedule

• January 14, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. - Semi-final round
• January 15, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. - Judge's recital
• January 16, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. - Final round and award ceremony

Livestreaming A Doitocracy: Platform-Jumping Participatory Practices In Modular Synthesis Gear Cultures, Eliot Bates

Publications and Research

Earth Modular Society (EMS) is a cross-platform community dedicated to live hardware modular synthesis, with their primary efforts going into a 24/7 modular “radio station” that livestreams on Twitch and YouTube, and a supporting Discord chat server. Although part of the broader modular synthesis gear culture (a large-scale social formation that coalesces around specific classes of fetishized technical objects), EMS represents a new development in gear cultures as it foregrounds live performance and minimizes the accrual of status via conspicuous consumption. The normative governance structures of platform-specific gear culture communities preclude all but one or a handful of users from …

Vietnam Music Education For Professional Careers In The Music Industry, Dylan Bao Nguyen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia, holds a rich cultural heritage and diverse musical traditions that span more than four thousand years. The country began commercializing its music industry around 1997 and expanded it into a significant national sector by 2015. Even with this expansion, Vietnamese music remains largely unfamiliar to global listeners, creating an urgent need for strong music education programs that support the industry’s development. To understand why Vietnamese music struggles to achieve global visibility in the age of globalization, researchers must examine the current conditions of music education and identify the specific factors that limit its international …

Bridging Traditions: An Exploration Of Orchestral And Contemporary Bass Clarinet Performance Practice, Patrick Burke

Research Theses

This thesis presents a practice-led investigation into bass clarinet performance, examining how orchestral and contemporary traditions may be explored as an integrated artistic practice. Grounded in a reflective, semi-autoethnographic methodology, the research traces the evolution of my performance practice through exploration of repertoire, modes of collaboration and critical reflection. Rather than seeking prescriptive models or definitive outcomes, the study embraces the exploratory nature of artistic research, allowing insights to emerge through practice and experience.

Situated within my ongoing work as a professional clarinettist, the research is informed by active engagement across orchestral, solo, chamber, and collaborative contexts. The thesis demonstrates …

Vocal Strain In General Music Educators: Choral Vs. Instrumental Training, Jennifer Mclean Stadelmeyer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Elementary general music educators are at high risk for vocal strain due to the continuous demands of speaking, singing, and classroom management throughout the school day. Prolonged vocal strain can result in voice loss, vocal cord damage, and hoarseness. While the issue of vocal health in educators is widely acknowledged, limited research examined the specific factors contributing to vocal strain among general music educators, particularly in relation to their training backgrounds. This quantitative, causal-comparative study investigated the difference in vocal strain between choral-trained and instrumental-trained music educators teaching elementary general music. Participants included elementary general music educators (N = 12) …

The Six-Course Guitar In Spain: Some Considerations Of Repertoire And Musical Practice, Thomas Schmitt

Soundboard Scholar

The six-course guitar is still a little-known instrument. One need only look at books on the history of music to verify that claim: there is hardly any mention of it, nor are its composers or repertoire often cited. In fact, researchers have given far more attention to other plucked-string instruments than to the six-course guitar—whether for reasons of tradition or ideology—leading to a major gap in the literature. The repertoire of the Spanish Golden Age, to take one example, has been thoroughly explored, in the domains of both vocal and instrumental music (as in the vihuela). Similarly, there is quite …

A Treasure Hunt: The Interdisciplinary Challenge Of A Digital Humanities Hackathon, Marie Barras, Adélaïde Quenson, Adrien Jeanrenaud, Angela Allemand, Marina Berazategui, Levyn Bürki, Michel Capot, Simon Gabay, Vestin Hategekimana, Pauline Jacsont, Bokar Lamine N'Diaye, Elina Leblanc, Clara May, Anne-Laure Oberson, Margherita Parigini, Lara Pitteloud, Fassaleh Taal, Cédric Viaccoz

Artl@s Bulletin

Abstract: This article tells the story of an interdisciplinary hackathon emphasizing exploration, collaboration, and creative engagement with globalization-related cultural datasets. Participants worked in teams to produce research posters, which were then presented at the opening of the international conference Image Deluge & Globalization in Geneva. The article discusses three projects: one on 19th-century Spanish chapbooks using topic modeling and network analysis; another on leopard motifs in print imagery; and a third on olfactory heritage. The hackathon highlighted both the potential and the limitations of working with digital cultural data, offering insights into interdisciplinary methods.

Résumé: Cet article raconte un hackathon …

Music Therapists' Perceptions On The Use Of Chinese Five-Element Music For Patients With Depression In Shandong Province, China., Zhu Jiaqi

Student Works (2020-2029)

Depression is a common and serious mental health issue that significantly impacts an individual's quality of life and daily functioning. Music therapy, as a low-risk, non-pharmacological intervention, can regulate emotions and psychological states. This study is based on the Chinese Five-Elements theory, exploring the core concepts of Five-Elements music therapy, the challenges faced by music therapists in clinical applications, and its future development potential. This study recruited practitioners who hold registered music therapist qualifications, are familiar with the Five Elements music therapy, and have experience in treating depression and related comorbidities (such as anxiety and insomnia) as participants through purposive …

Juventino Rosas, Sobre Las Olas, And Their Place In Defining Mexican Music In The Porfirian Nineteenth Century, Catherine J. Langevin-Falcon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the life and music of Juventino Rosas (1868–1894), the Mexican composer whose most enduring work is Sobre las olas (1888), a Viennese-style waltz. I ask the question: Why was Sobre las olas so well-known and why does it remain beloved with audiences around the world, even today, while Rosas is hardly known outside his native Mexico? I considered historical, social and cultural factors, as well as musical events of the day, that may have had bearing on the question. I describe the broad outlines of Rosas's life and the challenges he faced as an indigenous person, composer …

Toward A British Guitar Canon: Ernest Shand’S Collected Works, Declan Hickey

Soundboard Scholar

A review of Guitar Music from Late Victorian England: Collected Works, by Ernest Shand, edited by Stanley Yates (Classical Guitar Study Editions, 2022), publisher's website.

Guide To The Edward O. Bland Collection, 1953-2005, Columbia College Chicago

CBMR Collection Guides / Finding Aids

The Edward O. Bland Collection contains his scores and recordings of his compositions; his later works are primarily compositions for larger ensembles with each work listing the instrumentation required to perform the piece.

Neuroaesthetic Frequency Tuning For Neurodivergent Populations: A Network-Informed Theory Of Music For Emotional Memory And Cognitive Regulation, Piper Hutson, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Neuroaesthetic frequency tuning posits that deliberate selection of musical parameters can modulate large-scale neural systems to support emotional memory retrieval and cognitive regulation in neurodivergent populations. Drawing on contemporary evidence from network neuroscience, cognitive musicology, and affective science, the article synthesizes how rhythmic, harmonic, and lyrical structures align with Default Mode (DM), fronto-parietal control, salience, motor, and limbic systems, and how these alignments can be targeted to balance internally oriented mentation with task engagement. The theory further integrates autonomic and cellular mechanisms, describing how tempo and spectral energy shift arousal and heart rate variability, and how astrocytic ensembles contribute to …

Unlearning Tension: How The Alexander Technique Enhances Body Awareness In Performance, Clayton Stoker

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The Alexander Technique assists in identifying, releasing, and redirecting patterns of tension to create new direction. Built on tenets of awareness, inhibition, and direction, this technique can be applied to everyday activities. The Alexander Technique brings awareness to recognize inefficient and unhealthy habits, giving the body a new direction. While working on my music degree at Eastern Michigan University, I initially focused on playing accurately rather than the tension in my playing. Through guided exercises and self-observation, I became aware of inefficient movement, which piqued my curiosity. This thesis draws on tenets of the Alexander Technique that demonstrate how conscious …

A Study Of The Mikrokosmos By Bela Bartok, Carolyn M. Totaro, Cameron Thorne

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the Mikrokosmos by Bela Bartok discussing its organization, focus, and significance.

A Profile Of Jerome Robbins, Carolyn M. Totaro, Victoria Sims

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of the legendary dancer and choreographer Jerome Robbins covering his many collaborations with twentieth century composers.

A Profile Of Placido Domingo, Carolyn M. Totaro, Jadyn Case

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Placido Domingo covering his education, operatic career, and legacy.

A Profile Of Keith Lockhart, Carolyn M. Totaro, Gavin Buhr

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Keith Lockhart and his rise to fame as a young American conductor.

A Study Of The String Quartet By Maurice Ravel, Carolyn M. Totaro, Annie Mcmillion

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the String Quartet by Maurice Ravel discussing its innovation and significance.

A Profile Of Van Cliburn, Carolyn M. Totaro, Ava Kronenberger

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Van Cliburn discussing his background, performing, and legacy.

A Study Of Le Tombeau Du Couperin By Maurice Ravel, Carolyn M. Totaro, Reece Logan

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of Le Tombeau du Couperin by Maurice Ravel discussing its origin, orchestration, and significance.

A Study Of Also Sprach Zarathustra By Richard Strauss, Carolyn M. Totaro, Luke Stephens

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss covering its inception and iconic status.

A Study Of The Opera Trouble In Tahiti By Leonard Bernstein, Carolyn M. Totaro, Skyler Orr-Depner

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the opera Trouble in Tahiti by Leonard Bernstein discussing the libretto, roles, and music.

A Study Of The Opera Tosca By Giacomo Puccini, Carolyn M. Totaro, Natalia Hernandez

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the opera Tosca by Giacomo Puccini covering its libretto, music, and significance.

A Profile Of Beverly Sills, Carolyn M. Totaro, Lily Adams

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A 10-minute presentation on the career of Beverly Sills.

Music, Eeg And Stress: Connections Between Music And Electroencephalographic Patterns And The Mediation Of Physiological And Psychological Stress, Alexa Warren

Behavioral Neuroscience Honors Papers

The interrelation between music and the brain is an evolving interdisciplinary interest within neuroscience research. Relying on the capacity of music to elicit emotional and physical responses, as well as scientific principles like entrainment, this area of research explores the potential for utilizing targeted music as a holistic non-pharmacological therapeutic intervention. This is often executed via musical entrainment, which is the basis for this study. Utilizing a complex, yet elegant design, this research incorporates a cross disciplinary approach into a randomized controlled study bridging science and the arts. The purpose of this study is to expand this body of knowledge …

Chaotic Complexity: Order And Chaos In Works Of Cage, Xenakis And Boulez, Levi Graham

Music Theses

My thesis explores specific applications of chaos theory in contemporary twentieth-century music and analyzes the relationship between order and chaos in their creation. I will do this by referencing the levels of chaos presented by Katherine Hayles and categorized by Judith Lochhead. These levels of chaos include “Expressive Chaos,” “Denotative Chaos,” and “Ontological Chaos,” which provide a framework for grouping expressions of chaos in music.  I will analyze works of John Cage, Iannis Xenakis and Pierre Boulez through the lens of these types of chaos, with a particular focus on “Ontological Chaos,” which describes chaos as both dependent on and …

Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy Through Popular Music And Media In Elementary Music Education, Martina Vasil

Music Faculty Publications

Elementary music teachers in the United States face many challenges today, including an increasing cultural divide between teachers and students, worsening student behavior, and excessive exposure to technology in children’s lives. These challenges are magnified due to the hundreds of students elementary music teachers see weekly, the lack of teaching and planning time, and inadequate teaching resources, making it difficult to fully understand the culture and learning needs of every child. However, music educators may find culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) a useful tool for meeting the needs of a diverse student body. Further, when teachers engage in kid culture, the …

Music Learning And School-Aged Children’S And Adolescents’ Wellbeing: A Scoping Review, Jason Goopy, Stephanie L.R. Macarthur

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

There is compelling evidence that music can support young people’s wellbeing, particularly through music listening to and making. In this article we report a systematic review of music learning and wellbeing literature to offer a new perspective on learning music as a wellbeing strategy. In this review, we investigated (a) what definitions and theories of wellbeing have been used; (b) what methodologies have been employed, particularly measurement tools; (c) what learning contexts and participant demographics have been examined; and (d) what is known about music learning and the wellbeing of school-aged children and adolescents. This review was conducted using the …

Music As A Distraction During Reading: Music Listening Habits Of University Students, Lindsey Cooke, Craig Speelman, Ross Hollett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Recent research indicates high proportions of individuals report they have music playing while they read. This behaviour has implications for effective comprehension, as some scholars suggest the presence of music depletes cognitive resources, resulting in a greater chance of becoming distracted. By contrast, some have claimed that listening to music can improve cognitive performance by increasing physiological arousal and improving mood. This study captured self-reported behaviours of university students regarding whether they chose to listen to music while reading for study purposes. Reasons for listening varied, with reports of increased motivation, enhanced focus, or masking external noise. The most listened …

The Matusiflute: Exploring Intercultural Collaboration Through Timbral Dízi Emulation Within An Australian-Chinese Orchestral Performance Setting, Gabriel Mcmahon

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research investigates how the Matusiflute can potentially promote intercultural Sino Western collaboration within solo, chamber and orchestral settings by consciously applying technical and stylistic codes attributed to the dízi (traverse Chinese bamboo flute). Using an autoethnographic approach, I reflect on my engagement with the dízi, its morphology, timbre and stylistic interpretation, and how my pedagogical flute context impacted this approach. These learnings were then applied to the Matusiflute through two premiere performances of a commissioned intercultural work by Nicholas Ng, The Secret of the Golden Flower (2024) for Matusiflute and Chinese Orchestra. The latter being performed in a solo …