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Compositional Practices In The Accompaniment Of Celtic Trad Music, Mason Taylor Apr 2024

Compositional Practices In The Accompaniment Of Celtic Trad Music, Mason Taylor

Composition/Recording Projects

n this research paper, I look at how traditional Irish folk musicians—“Trad” as it is commonly referred to by musicians in the style––approach, think of, and perform accompaniment, specifically the contrapuntal style that is common amongst mandolin and bouzouki players. Trad has evolved greatly over the years. Originally, Trad was performed without any form of accompaniment—no guitar, no piano, no cello. Many solo instruments, such as the flute and the fiddle, would play the same melody with the only harmony occurring at moments where performers would momentarily diverge from the melody with an improvised ornament. Somewhere along its varied history, …


Aardvark: A Solo Guitar Album, Jeffrey W. Buchanan Apr 2024

Aardvark: A Solo Guitar Album, Jeffrey W. Buchanan

Composition/Recording Projects

In this production paper, I discuss the entire process of creating my debut solo guitar album, Aardvark. There are ten songs on the albums, eight of which are originals and two of which are arrangements of existing music for solo guitar. Each chapter focuses on a specific song and dissects all elements that went into its creation, including the composition process, the type of guitar used, theoretical analyses, and any technical roadblocks I had to overcome. Several of my influences for the music on this album include Ted Greene, Bill Evans, Francisco Tárrega, Dream Theater, and music from the video …


Effect Of Selective Memory And Use Of Triangulation To Critique Songwriting, Maxwell A. Ramsey Dec 2023

Effect Of Selective Memory And Use Of Triangulation To Critique Songwriting, Maxwell A. Ramsey

Recital Papers

The cowriting of three successful popular songs is reconstructed through blind interviews with each of the contributors. In addition to insights into the actual compositional aspects, the interview questions were designed to reveal what role music industry executives may have played in arranging, inspiring, or promoting the songs throughout their journey to find success. The process of triangulation was applied to the interview answers in accordance with previous successful qualitative research methods to uncover the decisions and techniques that proved pivotal in best serving the respective song idea. The ultimate success of the songs is examined through chart and sales …


French Nasal Vowels In The Mezzo-Soprano Voice, Jada G. Duff May 2023

French Nasal Vowels In The Mezzo-Soprano Voice, Jada G. Duff

Recital Papers

This paper focuses on the four French nasal vowels in the mezzo-soprano voice. It clearly states how to pronounce the vowel with and without nasality. The paper displays spectrogram images to compare the resonance between the non-nasal and nasal vowels in different registers. It addresses the need for modification of the vowels in different registers of the mezzo-soprano voice. The paper also describes how to apply the results of the information from the spectrogram images to French pieces. The repertoire includes works by Jules Massenet, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Isaac Albéniz, Francis Poulenc, and Erik Satie.


Analogous, Catherine G. Mcdonald Apr 2023

Analogous, Catherine G. Mcdonald

Recital Papers

The recording process and traditional fiddle could be perceived as unrelated; however, the evolution of both in many ways could also be considered analogous. Correspondingly, the culminating recording of this project arranged, recorded, and produced tunes that emulated the evolution of the traditional fiddle and its recorded medium. This process included historically accurate arrangements, instrumentation, performance technique, and locations for recording. The double-sided album compared the usage of analog and digital recording and production methods based on the appropriate era for each composition. The “A” side of this project was recorded entirely with analog recording methods. The musical works for …


Video Game Scores: A Choir's Role In An Orchestral World, Kaitlin Crofford Apr 2023

Video Game Scores: A Choir's Role In An Orchestral World, Kaitlin Crofford

Recital Papers

Video game music is growing in popularity – but what about the choir? Video game music has been developing and adapting with the increasing influence of video games in society. There is much recognition for orchestral aspects of video game music, but there is little research specifically on the choir’s role. This research paper sheds light on the choral aspects of video games for the purpose of bringing awareness to the incredible writing that is now available for choral programming. This research paper was written in conjunction with a conducting recital performed with the Belmont Chorale and includes analysis from …


An Analysis Of Commercial Styles Through The Performances Of Guitar Masters, Stephen R. Perlowski Apr 2023

An Analysis Of Commercial Styles Through The Performances Of Guitar Masters, Stephen R. Perlowski

Recital Papers

The following are extended program notes for my graduate recital. The purpose of this recital is to showcase the many ways the guitar has been used as the focal point in music. This recital covers music made from 1941 to 2006. This recital aims to exhibit the expression, nuance, and musical charisma the guitar is capable of. To do so, I have chosen nine masters of the guitar and will be playing pieces that exemplify each of their styles and voices on the instrument. Another goal of this recital is to show the many different genres and musical contexts for …


Cello In Film And Television Music, Annastasia M. Yoshida Dec 2022

Cello In Film And Television Music, Annastasia M. Yoshida

Composition/Recording Projects

Throughout the ages, the cello has had a specific role in symphonies, operas, musicals, and pop concerts. In the last century, one of the fastest-growing music practices has been soundtracks to film and television shows. String instruments and specifically the cello hold an integral role within this type of music. In this project I present a study on the use of the cello in film and television show music, using eight representative soundtrack cues. In this project, I seek to do an extensive study of the use of cello within film and TV show music. I have chosen a selection …


Co-Writing Nashville Style: A Recital Of Selected Country Songwriters, Joseph H. Wandass Iv Dec 2022

Co-Writing Nashville Style: A Recital Of Selected Country Songwriters, Joseph H. Wandass Iv

Recital Papers

Country music and songwriting have been hallmark features of the Nashville music scene for well over a century. Due to the development of the concept of "the Nashville Dream," the idea that one can "make it" in music by moving to Nashville and writing songs, migratory patterns to Nashville from across the United States have changed the ways in which Nashville-based music is created and disseminated. In the thesis and accompanying recital, these trends are analyzed through the lens of ten selected active Nashville songwriters who have seen these trends. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree …


An Analysis Of Allan Holdsworth’S Techniques And Their Application To Fundamental Melodic Devices, James Dasilva Dec 2022

An Analysis Of Allan Holdsworth’S Techniques And Their Application To Fundamental Melodic Devices, James Dasilva

Recital Papers

This thesis analyzes Allan Holdsworth's improvisational style for the purpose of applying his techniques, such as string skipping and omnidirectional fretboard movement, beyond the jazz-rock idiom and expanding the melodic potential of the guitar.


Live Performance As A Cinematic Experience Within A College Program, James R. Wigginton Aug 2022

Live Performance As A Cinematic Experience Within A College Program, James R. Wigginton

Recital Papers

This paper analyzes six elements of cinematic language (color and lighting, dialogue, timing, sound, performance, and mise-en-scéne) and considers how each can be effectively utilized in live commercial music performances, particularly within a college music program. By learning the science behind color choices and how they affect performance, perception, and mood, student artists and ensemble directors can make more intentional choices with costuming, staging, and lighting to heighten emotional responses from the audience. A thorough discussion of how filmmakers use each of these elements to trigger psychophysiological reactions along with examples of how they can be applied to live performance …


The Nature Of Love And Loss, Grace M. Harrison Aug 2022

The Nature Of Love And Loss, Grace M. Harrison

Recital Papers

Each set in my recital examines themes of love, death, and nature, as well as how these themes interact with each other. Themes are explored from different perspectives including romantic, familial, and cultural love; the inevitability of death; and the effect of nature on each. The composers included in my recital are Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835), Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904), Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), Aaron Copland (1900-1990), and Jake Heggie (b. 1961).


Love Is Complicated: Examining Songs Of Love Lost And Won For Soprano Voice, Margaret Anna Collier Aug 2022

Love Is Complicated: Examining Songs Of Love Lost And Won For Soprano Voice, Margaret Anna Collier

Recital Papers

This vocal recital paper will examine songs about relationships. It will focus on songs that feature various kinds of relationships, from romantic relationships that are either reciprocated or one-sided to the relationship between man and nature. The kinds of relationships featured are complex and require an examination of various other factors for each song to uncover the true nature of the relationship that is sung about. The repertoire represented in this paper was carefully and specifically chosen to represent my technical abilities, strengths, and stamina as the performer. These pieces represent an understanding of repertoire that spans several centuries of …


Whitman War Poetry Settings By Three Composers, Grady Hayden May 2022

Whitman War Poetry Settings By Three Composers, Grady Hayden

Recital Papers

This paper centers around the treatment of Walt Whitman's poetry in Ned Rorem’s War Scenes, Kurt Weill’s Four Walt Whitman Songs, and Ethan McGrath’s Four Whitman Settings. In this paper, these works are explored through formal and textual analysis along with investigating the backgrounds of the works and their composers. Further background information will include wider discussions on form and compositional history. In addition, the technical considerations and challenges of singing the selected songs will be examined.


Culminating Project: Analysis And Challenges Of My Graduate Recital, James Ruffin May 2022

Culminating Project: Analysis And Challenges Of My Graduate Recital, James Ruffin

Recital Papers

This paper displays analysis of the songs I performed for my required graduate recital. The goal was to break down the challenges of the music, which included sets from Johannes Brahms, Francis Poulenc, Samuel Barber, John Musto, and Franz Joseph Haydn. My hopes are for people to see how I performed this recital from both a technical and emotional standpoint.


The Modern Keyboardist In Commercial Music, Cooper R. Thompson May 2022

The Modern Keyboardist In Commercial Music, Cooper R. Thompson

Recital Papers

This paper provides an understanding of the skills and knowledge needed for the modern keyboardist to successfully function in commercial music. An overview of multiple keyboard instruments is presented and includes a brief history of each instrument, performance techniques specific to that instrument, and sound replication options available to the keyboardist. This paper also shows the influence of keyboards in commercial music.


Historical Accuracy In German Lyric Diction: A Study In Era-Appropriate Pronunciation Of German In Classical Literature, Annie S. Chapman May 2022

Historical Accuracy In German Lyric Diction: A Study In Era-Appropriate Pronunciation Of German In Classical Literature, Annie S. Chapman

Recital Papers

In the performance of classical music, great pains are taken to retain the original practices produced by each era. A string quartet might tune their strings differently to produce an authentic Baroque sound, or a soprano might study to find a correct form of ornamentation for a Classical-era aria. As scholars' knowledge of musicology deepens, musicians have greater opportunity to improve authenticity in performance and give modem audiences a glimpse into the past. It is the intent of this culminating paper to take this idea of historical accuracy and apply it to a field in which it has been neglected: …


The Modern Jazz Guitarist's Approach To Standard Repertoire, Stephan T. Wieder Apr 2022

The Modern Jazz Guitarist's Approach To Standard Repertoire, Stephan T. Wieder

Recital Papers

This paper examines Gilad Hekselman, Jonathan Kreisberg, Julian Lage, Lage Lund, Mike Moreno, and Kurt Rosenwinkel through the lens of written transcription. All six musicians are analyzed using standards such as; "Stella By Starlight", "Stablemates", "I'll Be Seeing You", "Sandu", and many more. The study of their transcriptions combined with details about their technique and musical equipment, will reveal a clearer understanding of their methods and style. The analysis of these transcriptions focuses on four main elements: phrasing, rhythmic choices, melodic choices, and overall thematic development.


Women Writing Music: Poets And Composers From Latin America, Kimberly Grez Apr 2022

Women Writing Music: Poets And Composers From Latin America, Kimberly Grez

Recital Papers

The topic of Latin American women poets and composers is not commonly taught in the standard song literature in universities as they are not considered a part of the Western classical music canon. Instead, male poets and composers of German, Italian, French, and British descent are the focus in standard song literature. Although many of these composers have undoubtedly had an impact in music history, the Western classical music canon has neglected entire ethnic and racial groups. Thus, what is left is a predominantly-male European music history that lacks the diversity and richness of other cultures. Considering that we currently …


Creative Practice For Classical String Players With Live Looping, Caleb Yang Apr 2022

Creative Practice For Classical String Players With Live Looping, Caleb Yang

Music Theses

In recent years, string pedagogy discussions have highlighted the greater need for creative practice as classical string players. Since the second half of the nineteenth century, string methods have shifted towards a limited scope of improvisatory techniques, parallelling the decline of improvisation in Western classical music performance practices. This thesis explores live looping as a practice tool to facilitate learning concepts and help string players develop musicianship skills including improvisation, participate in non-classical genres, and explore their creative voices. Examining the results of string educators that incorporate live looping into their own teaching reveals the tool’s effectiveness in bridging curricula …


Exploring The Regional Traditions Of Fiddling, Anna N. Eyink Apr 2022

Exploring The Regional Traditions Of Fiddling, Anna N. Eyink

Music Theses

During the 1600s, the modern violin traveled from Italy to the British Isles and North America. The instrument became a vital piece of each region's musical culture, and distinct fiddling traditions became established in Ireland, Scotland, Cape Breton, and America. This thesis explores the history of the Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, Appalachian, and bluegrass fiddling traditions. Additionally, the performance practices of each style are discussed in depth and are related back to the traditional tunes recorded as a part of this project.


The Evolution Of American Musical Drama And Its Effects On Modern Soprano Repertoire, Toni Richardson Apr 2022

The Evolution Of American Musical Drama And Its Effects On Modern Soprano Repertoire, Toni Richardson

Recital Papers

This paper offers a brief history of opera in the United States and how it influenced the development of musical theatre. This paper also details the logistics of cross-training for the soprano voice type in opera and musical theatre styles.


Grrrls, Grrrls, Grrrls: Incorporating Feminist Theory Into Punk Rock Composition, Bryan M. Waring Apr 2022

Grrrls, Grrrls, Grrrls: Incorporating Feminist Theory Into Punk Rock Composition, Bryan M. Waring

Composition/Recording Projects

This project argues that one can make rock music with anti-sexist values by incorporating feminist criticism and gendered performance into the composition of punk rock music. To test this thesis, the history of feminism and its implementation within musical discourse were examined. Using feminist music theory as a lens for observation, several songs from female artists and mix-gender bands within the punk genre were analyzed. This was done in order to find similarities in compositional practices and to explore punk rock’s symbolic representations of gender. Areas covered were the expression of jouissance by the proto-punks, the use of détournement by …


Vocal Athleticism: An Exploration Of Exercise Physiology Principles In The Voice Studio, Katherine Lawrence Apr 2022

Vocal Athleticism: An Exploration Of Exercise Physiology Principles In The Voice Studio, Katherine Lawrence

Music Theses

Despite the physicality of singing, the application of exercise physiology principles in vocal development has only recently been explored and is not standard practice in training. Due to the correlations between sports and singing, an integration of exercise physiology principles and practices in the voice studio informs training methods and contributes to enhanced performance as well as vocal wellbeing. The purpose of this paper is to explore practical applications of exercise training principles in voice study and their role in fostering optimal production while decreasing the potential for injury.


The Analysis Of Gospel Drumming: Its Influence On Live Performances Of Secular Music, Brandon Prigg Dec 2021

The Analysis Of Gospel Drumming: Its Influence On Live Performances Of Secular Music, Brandon Prigg

Recital Papers

An analysis on the evolution of gospel drumming and its influence on the live performances of secular music.


The Impact Of Motown Drummers In Popular Music, Estevan A. Barrientez Dec 2021

The Impact Of Motown Drummers In Popular Music, Estevan A. Barrientez

Recital Papers

The Impact of Motown Drummers in Popular Music


A Teacher's Companion For The Emerging Electric Orchestra, Rachael Greenman Aug 2021

A Teacher's Companion For The Emerging Electric Orchestra, Rachael Greenman

Recital Papers

Historically orchestral string instruments have been defined as classical instruments. As a result in primary and secondary school programs students have been relegated to playing music by Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart. Those programs and that world is rapidly evolving. A broad range of new electric string instruments and technologies are being introduced into the classroom and everything from pop to rock to show tunes are being played engaging students in new and exciting ways. The challenge for teachers and administrators is how to start such a program in their school. This thesis explores the unique challenges and opportunities that this …


An Analysis Of Commercial Guitar Styles Through The Study Of Notable Los Angeles Session Musicians, Edward Mitchell Aug 2021

An Analysis Of Commercial Guitar Styles Through The Study Of Notable Los Angeles Session Musicians, Edward Mitchell

Recital Papers

An Analysis of Commercial Guitar Styles Through the Study of Notable Los Angeles Session Musicians


Six Recital Pieces For Percussion, Ross Cody Otis Aug 2021

Six Recital Pieces For Percussion, Ross Cody Otis

Recital Papers

This paper provides information on six recital pieces written by some of the leading composers in today's percussion repertoire. Those included are James Campbell's Tangents, Javier Álvarez's Temazcal, Keiko Abe's Prism Rhapsody for Marimba and Orchestra, Michio Kitazume's Side by Side, Christopher Norton's Summer Daybreak, and Chad Floyd's Triptych Boom. Many topics are discussed, including composer biographies, historical significance, theory, analysis, and performance practice.


The French Flute School: A Flute Curriculum, Jessica Benevento Aug 2021

The French Flute School: A Flute Curriculum, Jessica Benevento

Recital Papers

When discussing flute pedagogy, one immediately begins to think of methods created by popular teachers of the French Flute School. Many resources and standards in the flute repertoire are a result of the Paris Conservatory’s teachings and Concours. This thesis explores the history of French pedagogy and how it has evolved throughout time to create a modern flute curriculum. It also investigates the specific contributions the French School made to the concept of flute sound, including tone development and technique. This thesis begins with an exploration of the famous French flutist Marcel Moyse and his various method books. The paper …