Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Conductor's Analysis Of Selected Latin-Texted Compositions Of Joan Szymko, Hyunjin Kwak

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Joan Szymko (born in 1957) stands out as a notable female composer in the history of American Choral Music. Her extensive contributions to the choral music genre have left a profound impact. Szymko distinctively showcases her individual style in compositions, and for this study, five unaccompanied settings with Latin text have been chosen. These compositions include Ave Maria (1999), Ubi Caritas (1999), Hodie (2000), O Lux Beatissima (2011), and Et in Terra Pax(2002). The analysis of these selected pieces will focus on two main subjects. Firstly, it aims to identify consistent aspects of Szymko’s compositional style, exploring five key …

The Trombone In Wind Band: An Analysis Of Excerpts From Seminal Works By Dr. David R. Holsinger, Kyle Aaron Davidson

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The preparation of excerpts from the orchestral canon is a standard part of musical pedagogy. For trombones, the “standard, first-round” excerpts come from a selection of orchestral masterworks, including works such as Mozart’s Requiem, Ravel’s Bolero, Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries, and Saint-Saëns’ Third Symphony. Such excerpts are often used for wind band auditions despite being rarely, if ever, performed in a wind band setting. Rather than only learning excerpts written for an orchestral setting, the author proposes that excerpts from music written for wind band be used as well.

Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive overview of …

How Spirituals Influenced Both Resistance To Nazis And Civil Rights Protests, Chandi Plummer

Theses and Dissertations--Music

How have American Negro Spirituals inspired later generations of oppressed and marginalized people? Which songs of suffering and hope were particularly poignant in providing courage and inspiration? Questions such as these sparked my research journey, reaching a crescendo during a lecture recital on November 10, 2023, and now culminating in a dissertation.

Spirituals inspired Albert Franklin Fisher and Dietrich Bonhoeffer in New York City in 1930 during the Harlem Renaissance and traveled (via phonograph and music books) with Bonhoeffer to Nazi Germany during World War II. In America, spirituals influenced Myles and Zilphia Horton, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King, …

Expert Perceptions Of Needs Of Pregnant Individuals With Substance Use Disorder In Kentucky: A Qualitative Multiple Case Study, Emma Foret Latham

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Substance misuse is a pandemic with far reaching effects on those personally affected, their families, and their communities. Kentucky has one of the highest rates of substance use disorder (SUD) in the country, and most research has focused on how to help men in recovery. There is very little research regarding how to support pregnant individuals with SUD. The purpose of this qualitative thesis was to identify the perceived needs of pregnant individuals with SUD, define characteristics of effective care, and learn how music therapists can support this population in substance use rehabilitation settings from the perspectives of experienced professionals. …

Ecuadorian Vocal Anthology In Four Rhythms, Wagner Mauricio Pástor Pazmiño Dr.

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Ecuador is a pluricultural and multilingual territory with four natural regions, several musical genres, and interpretations. Amazon, Galápagos, Mountain Range, and Coastal region. In the following dissertation, the author develops concepts of four traditional rhythms, their composers, and harmonic and phonetic characteristics from the mountain range region of his homeland, Ecuador.

The present document is a descriptive study of vocal Andean music and the application of the operatic style in classical vocal technique for performance practice.

The dissertation will support a lecture recital to fulfill the doctoral program's requirement in voice performance from the University of Kentucky.

Blending European And Latin Sounds: A Study Of French Horn Repertoire In Mexico, Aj Bernal

Theses and Dissertations--Music

As a first generation Mexican-American, it is crucial that I advocate and promote music of the culture I grew up in. This project aims to unearth Mexican compositional techniques that derive from the fusion of European and Indigenous roots in an effort to promote diversity within the realm of Western Classical music. Music in Mexico is characterized by a unique blend of indigenous rhythms, European classical structures, and regional folk influences. This project will discuss how the bold timbre of the French horn intertwines with traditional Mexican and indigenous melodies, rhythms, and forms that create a unique style. The horn’s …

Sculpting Time: A Performance Guide To Four Fragments Of Time By Marcus Siqueira, Luis Felipe Vargas Magdaleno De Moraes

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This dissertation investigates the musical and phenomenological aspects of Four Fragments of Time by Marcus Siqueira (b. 1974) and provides a performance guide for this work. Furthermore, this dissertation analyzes previous guitar works by the composer, seeking to understand Siqueira’s compositional idiosyncrasies and to provide context for the interpretation of Four Fragments of Time. This dissertation includes a biography of the composer, an analysis of the compositional process of Four Fragments of Time, an analysis of the recurrent idiomatic procedures in Siqueira’s guitar works, and an overview of the collaborative process between the composer and the author. Additionally, an analysis …

Conceptual Blending: A Singer’S Analysis Of Libby Larsen’S Try Me, Good King: Last Words Of The Wives Of Henry Viii And A Conversation With The Composer, Kelsey Paige Ann Loeslie

Theses and Dissertations--Music

American composer Libby Larsen is celebrated for her versatility and expertise in crafting intricate text-music relationships, notably exemplified in her song cycle Try Me Good King: Last Words of the Wives of Henry VIII. This research explores Larsen's innovative compositional techniques in this cycle using Cross-Domain Mapping and Conceptual Blending Theory. Drawing from Lawrence Zbikowski's work, the study employs Conceptual Integration Networks to analyze Larsen's music, revealing the intricate interplay between text and music. By synthesizing these methodologies, the research comprehensively examines Larsen's song cycle, enhancing our understanding of her composition both from a music theory perspective and from a …

Border Bones – Between Borders: A Performer’S Guide To The Formation Of A Music Ensemble, Commissioning, And Recording, Juan Saldivar Jr

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Border Bones, a trombone duo formed in 2023, is committed to encouraging marginalized and underrepresented composers from Mexico and the United States. In its first project, Border Bones commissioned ten new works for the trombone repertoire. The focus and representation of this projected included Mexican, female, and LGBTQ+ composers. Once commissioned, Border Bones recorded these works through New Branch Records and released them as an album titled, Between Borders.

This dissertation is a performer’s guide to forming an ensemble, commissioning new works, and recording an album. It also includes interviews with well-known individuals from the music industry that have commissioned, …

The Early String Chamber Music Of Agnes Zimmermann, Miranda Dyskin

Theses : Honours

This dissertation focusses on the early string chamber music of German-English composer and pianist Agnes Zimmermann (1847-1925), written whilst she was a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Whilst almost unknown today, Zimmermann was one of the finest pianists of the late[1]Nineteenth Century, appearing throughout Europe both as a concerto soloist and as a distinguished chamber music collaborator. She was also an accomplished composer, writing piano pieces, songs, music for the church and, especially, chamber music. Her models were the great Germanic figures of the Nineteenth Century, especially Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Brahms.

This dissertation examines two …

Chatgpt Use In A Mental Health Context: Associations With Mental Health Literacy, Stigma, Help-Seeking Intentions, And Perceived Effectiveness Among Undergraduate Students And Community Members, Scott Hannah

Theses : Honours

As the mental health treatment gap widens and artificial intelligence (AI) gains global popularity, individuals are increasingly using the AI chatbot, ChatGPT, to seek conversational support for their personal mental health difficulties. This study investigated the use of ChatGPT for these purposes in an Australian context. A cross-sectional quasi-experimental group design investigated the association between self-reported mental health literacy (MHL), mental health stigma, and help-seeking intentions by adults who used ChatGPT for their mental health difficulties (User-Group) versus those who did not use ChatGPT for this purpose (Non-User Group). Mediation analyses investigated the potential associations between ChatGPT use, MHL, stigma, …

New York City’S Health Governance And Activism From The 1950s To The 1970s, Andres Valcarcel

Theses and Dissertations

New York City's expansive network of hospitals and preventative health services has an intense history outside of the popular narratives of biomedical and technological advancement. This thesis will discuss the period between the 1950s and 1970s and the various movements and parties that shaped the city's health and hospital system. During this period, New York City's healthcare delivery system became increasingly privatized and commercialized; processes that improved the quality of healthcare yet simultaneously barred the poorest from accessing it. Communities, healthcare workers, and civil rights organizations worked to address perceived faults and extend their agency in health and hospital policy; …

Subverting Gendered Destiny: Willa Cather's Revision Of The Bildungsroman In The Great Plains Trilogy, Lauren Marler

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores the question: How does Cather employ the Bildungsroman genre in My Ántonia, and what are the implications of this? I argue that Cather engages with the traditionally male Bildungsroman in order to expose the genre’s narrow ideas of success, specifically in its focus on social integration. As Cather transgresses the traditional Bildungsroman, she also revises female archetypes, such as those found in the Seduction Plot and the Marriage Plot, which present female coming-of-age stories as downward spirals: with protagonists ending up unhappy or dead. Instead, Cather imagines a hopeful ending for Ántonia which disrupts generic expectations …

Stage Clutter: An Interactive Journey Following A Theater’S Existential Ponderings, Taylor Tsiamas

Scripps Senior Theses

“Stage Clutter” is a devised, interactive theater piece that focuses on accessibility in theater, as well as questioning what theater is by deconstructing the divide between the “audience” and “performer”. The event consisted of audience participation and exploration, as well as solo performance and puppetry, along with other accessibility features. It aims to center community and joy and subvert Western theatrical “norms” in order to help decolonize theater spaces.

Reimagining The Costume: The Role Of Fashion In Adaptations Of Euripides’ "Bacchae", Clementine Farnum

Scripps Senior Theses

Euripides’ Bacchae and its reception embody the subversion of identity that codifies my 21st-century understanding of fashion. This project is interested in this subversion and examines how characters’ identities have been portrayed through the costume choices for Dionysus in ’69, The Bacchantes, and The Backanterna. Specifically, I scrutinize the transition of compliance as a physical representation of how this play is a constant struggle of excess vs. modesty, gender binaries vs. gender fluidity, and worship vs. condemnation.

My interpretations of the costumes for Dionysus, Pentheus, and the Maenads demonstrate the vital role costumes play. The costumes I …

Reddening, Amelia Rae Gross

Scripps Senior Theses

This collection of poems examines the author's shift into womanhood in four sections.

Narratives In Ink: A Journey Through Lineage And Land, Natasha Sethia

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis explores the convergence of personal heritage and artistic expression through a series of pen-and-ink portraits, deeply rooted in the familial stories and cultural tapestry of Rajasthan. The project, initially envisioned as a broader exploration of underrepresented narratives, evolves into a more intimate journey of self-discovery and cultural reclamation, guided by ethical considerations and feedback from peers and professors. Drawing theoretical inspiration from figures like Richard Meyer and Edward Said the work delves into themes of cultural representation, appropriation, and the power dynamics of artistic creation. The shift towards personal narratives allows for a respectful, authentic portrayal of my …

Costuming The Californian Apocalypse: Sartorial Speculations Of Los Angeles's Future, Isabel Kramer

Scripps Senior Theses

With this project, I use fashion design as a medium to visually speculate a range of futures that exist in relation to different temporal apocalypses and dystopian world endings under the current capitalist structure. Three questions guided my thinking and creation of this project: What will people be wearing in 100 years in Los Angeles if we continue down our current path of late capitalism-induced climate change? How will this look differently for people who exist alongside different axes of oppression and who are affected by environmental racisms that manifest in the built environment of Los Angeles? How do dystopian …

"Her Best Teacher, Comforter, And Friend": The Gendered Politics Of Labor In Louisa May Alcott's Work: A Story Of Experience, Mena Bova

Scripps Senior Theses

"I only ask for a chance to be a useful, happy woman," exclaims main character Christie Devon in the opening pages of Louisa May Alcott's Work: A Story of Experience. Unsurprisingly, much of Work is focused on labor: over the book's span of twenty years, Christie participates in many forms of work, from waged labor to domestic labor to religious labor. While much of the existing scholarship about Work focuses on Christie's experiences in the world of external, waged labor, this thesis contends that Christie's experiences with domestic labor has been a historically overlooked area. Using a social reproduction …

Resilience Amidst Barriers: Understanding The Plight Of Undocumented Filipino Tnts Navigating Restrictive Us Immigration Laws From 1986 To The Present, Eileen Linchangco

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines the plight of undocumented Filipino immigrants, referred to as “TNT” or “tago nang tago” (hiding and hiding), within the context of an increasingly restrictive US immigration system. I argue that two key factors have driven more Filipinos to pursue unauthorized entry into the US since the 1980s despite heightened risks. First, US immigration policy changes enacted in the 1980s and 1990s implemented stricter numerical caps that severely limited available visas for Filipino immigrants to use legal immigration pathways into the United States. Second, enduring sociocultural constructs propagate the notion that Filipinos represent immigrant desirability for US citizenship. …

Improving American Men's Quality Of Life By Economically Empowering American Women, Margot Rosenblatt

Scripps Senior Theses

In this paper, I explore the relationship between women’s economic empowerment and men’s quality of life in the United States. I created an index of women’s economic empowerment based on county-level data on labor force participation rates, rates of pay, teen birth rates, and families in which a woman is the primary income earner. I then created an index of men’s quality of life based on financial, physical, and mental health indicators. Adjusting for income, dominant industry type, age, population density, race variables, and environmental factors, I found a statistically significant positive correlation between women’s economic empowerment and men’s quality …

She's More Than Just A Pretty Face: Redefining, Reimagining, And Retelling The Femme Fatale's Story In A Concert Dance Setting, Loren Mello

Scripps Senior Theses

The femme fatale remains a staple icon in the media zeitgeist – a power-hungry woman unafraid to wield her sexuality as a weapon against unsuspecting men. While this character has usually represented a socially unacceptable version of womanhood, this narrative feels particularly relevant within our current sociopolitical context – one in which repressive, “traditional” notions of womanhood and, more specifically, female sexuality are being promoted on the national stage. This thesis seeks to further develop the femme fatale character by offering insight into her personal experience of pursuing empowerment within a patriarchal structure that seeks to violently silence her, exposing …

Living In A Land East Of Eden: Non-Teleological Thinking And Steinbeck's Last Theory Of Man, Erika Schwerdfeger

Scripps Senior Theses

This essay undertakes a critical reevaluation of John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel East of Eden, the author’s longest, most ambitious and potentially most misunderstood work of fiction. Drawing on excerpts from the eclectic nonfiction volume The Log from the Sea of Cortez, as well as the writer’s personal correspondence and journal entries, this thesis traces the influence of what Steinbeck called “non-teleological thinking” on this novel and on its peculiar brand of humanism, natural philosophy, religiosity and morality. East of Eden is best understood in light of Steinbeck’s abiding interest in and commitment to the natural sciences, particularly marine biology, and …

Redefined Influence: An Exploration Of Social Media And User Agency, Sydney Ghobadian

Scripps Senior Theses

In recent decades we have seen the expansion of media to realms unimagined- where human interaction comes with the touch of your finger. With this accessibility comes uncharted territory and persisting questions: How do we engage with the media? How does it dictate our actions? What is true and who do I trust? In this exploration, I weave the relationship between social media and emotions with the long-standing marriage between media and capitalist agenda to understand the power of media and how we as a society can use it to evoke change and reclaim control over our actions.

Change Is Tradition: An Analysis Of The Passover Seder, Aviva Miller

Scripps Senior Theses

Through an examination of the origins of the Passover Seder and the Seder’s section on the four children, I argue that change and adaptation are essential components of the Passover traditions. These traditions have previously had to adapt, and must continue to adapt to the demands of changing historical circumstances. Creative adaptation that maintains roots in past iterations of the tradition will ensure that each generation feels the desire to continue passing down the Passover traditions.

Comedy Is Manipulative And I Can Prove It: Laugh, Now!, Eleanor Henderson

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper examines whether comedy is a manipulative form of interaction. Through defining manipulation and establishing a practical definition of how jokes function, it applies the definition of manipulation to the performance and experience of comedy by assessing a joke's deliberate and powerful verbal structure. It closes with a brief discussion of the ethics of comedy, within context of it being a manipulative influence.

Interrogando El Espejo Distorsionado: La Tipificación, La Estereotipificación, Y La Interseccionalidad En Representaciones Ficticias Del Trujillato, Meadow Jones

Scripps Senior Theses

Un estudio sobre la historia y literatura de la República Dominicana sería incompleto sin considerar los impactos de la dictadura de Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, 1930-1961. Como nota Ana Gallego Cuiñas en su tesis doctoral sobre el dictador, “Trujillo sigue vivo en la sociedad y en la literatura dominicana dentro y fuera de sus fronteras” (1). Los trabajos sobre las representaciones literarias del Trujillato se tratan de temas como la mitificación de Trujillo, el feminismo, revoluciones y resistencias individuales, y las construcciones del poder del régimen. Además de los temas mencionados, mi tesis considera las maneras en que cinco fuentes …

Her Monstrous Body: The Creation And Reclamation Of Female Monsters In Visual Culture, Sarah Teske

Scripps Senior Theses

Voracious, wicked, all-consuming. The image of the female monster has captivated audiences with its unique brand of horror. She brings chaos to her surroundings while we watch from behind the safety of a screen or the pages of a book. However terrifying, viewers can take comfort in the fact that by the time the credits roll, she will be defeated.

This trope has been used time and time again to center feminine bodies and female sexuality as monstrous, while justifying the existing patriarchal order. And this is no surprise being that her features are imbued with the threat of power …

The People Are The Practice: Latine Communtiy Organizing And Gente Organizada, Destiny Rivera-Gomez

Scripps Senior Theses

This research thesis critically analyzes the influence of culture and ethnic identity in the community organizing practices and values of the non-profit, Gente Oraganizada. Gente is based in the City of Pomona whose population is predominately Hispanic and Latine identifying residents. Gente works to support and advocate for youth and immigrant family rights through civic engagement and social action. Looking a the context of community organizing and the characteristics of Gentes formation of their values and strategic frameworks in organizing, it is important to question how their organizing resonates and empowers a community with cultural and ethnic specifics needs, interests …

“Even The Hardest Stone Can Fracture:” Racialization, Reproductive Control, And The Wake Of Slavery In N.K. Jemisin’S The Fifth Season, Elsbeth Sanders

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

When the science fiction and fantasy novel The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin won the Hugo Award in 2016, Jemisin became the first Black author to win the prestigious literary science fiction award. A departure from similar novels at the time, The Fifth Season has a strong understanding of systems of oppression and how they are built and upheld. This thesis argues that The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin follows the conventions of the neo-slave/meta-slave narrative to explore themes of racialization and reproductive control under enslavement and oppression. I conduct a feminist literary of the novel, focusing on these themes, …