Music Commons^™

Adapting Traditional Kentucky Thumbpicking Repertoire For The Classical Guitar, Andrew Rhinehart

Theses and Dissertations--Music

During the first half of the twentieth century, a unique style of guitar playing known as Kentucky thumbpicking was developed by a handful of musicians in the western coal field region of Kentucky. This guitar tradition was elevated to national prominence by country guitar virtuoso Merle Travis. Subsequently, this style became characterized as "Travis Picking."

Kentucky thumbpicking incorporates a steady and muted bass line that alternates between the root, fifth or third of a chord. The bass is also accentuated with the use of a thumbpick worn on the right hand. Simultaneously, the index, occasionally middle and ring fingers, play …

The Imitation Of Roman Catholic And Byzantine Chant In Ēriks Ešenvalds’S Passion And Resurrection, Patrick J. J. Callaghan

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Ēriks Ešenvalds is an early twenty-first century composer who has been commissioned to write works for some of the most noteworthy ensembles in the world. Having written over 100 compositions to date, 72 of which are choral pieces, Ešenvalds is quickly becoming one of the most prolific and significant composers of his time. He currently works as a full-time composer out of Riga, Latvia.

Ešenvalds’s choral works are primarily unaccompanied, while some include brass band, saxophone quartet, percussion, or orchestral accompaniment. Textures vary from three to twelve voice parts. His oratorio Passion and Resurrection (2005), written for soprano solo, SATB …

Performance Practice Of Brass Band Music Of The American Civil War: A Perspective From Saxton's Cornet Band, Joel M. Crawford

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This project examines source materials, methods, and instruments required for creating an informed period performance of military brass band music from the American Civil War. The rapid development of brass bands in America combined with the volatility of the war meant that much of the development of these styles were not formally documented. To compound this problem an instrumentalist trained on modern instruments who plays on an instrument from the period will produce a sound highly colored and influenced by their sound concept on a modern instrument. Experience with the instrument and attention to their idiosyncrasies will offer the closest …

Understanding And Implementing Extended Saxophone Techniques, Tyler R. Bokman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Contemporary classical music often pushes the boundaries of how instruments should be played and what kinds of sounds they should produce. A great deal of contemporary music requires the player to utilize playing techniques that may seem very strange and difficult to those who are unfamiliar with them. These unusual practices, known as extended techniques, can include playing in extreme ranges, manipulating pitches in particular ways, and applying abnormal articulations. While once seen as a sort of novelty, these extended techniques are becoming increasingly essential to the contemporary musician. This is especially true of the saxophonist.

While nearly every other …

Concert Recording 2015-03-17, Theresa Delaplain, Lia Uribe, Andrew Campbell

Concert Recordings & Programs

Oblivion / Astor Piazzola ; arr. José Bragato -- Allegro moderato in G minor from Sonata in D minor for viola / Mikhail Glinka -- Trio for piano, oboe and bassoon. Lively ; Slow ; Jaunty / Andre Previn -- Oboe sonata, op.166. Andantino ; Ad libitum allegretto ad libitum ; Molto allegro / Camille Saint-Saëns -- Trio for oboe, bassoon, and piano. Presto ; Andante ; Rondo / Francis Poulenc -- Primavera Porteña / Astor Piazzola ; arr. José Bragato

Concert Recording 2015-02-25, Amanda Davis, Kristine Mezines, Jennifer Burks, Amanda Brooks, Hayley Steinman, Hannah Mindeman Shuman, Enelia Carrero, Judd Burns, Jordan Brown

Concert Recordings & Programs

Der hölle Rache in kocht in meinem Herzen from Die Zauberflöte / W.A. Mozart -- Ah! Je veux vivre from Roméo et Juliette / Charles Gounod -- Depuis le jour from Louise / Gustave Charpentier -- No flower that blows from Selima and Azor / Thomas Linley -- Vedrai, carino from Don Giovanni / W.A. Mozart -- M'appari tutt amor from Martha / Friedrich von Flotow -- There is a balm in Gilead / spiritual arr. by Mark Hayes

Concert Recording 2015-02-25, Amanda Davis, Kristine Mezines, Jennifer Burks, Amanda Brooks, Hayley Steinman, Hannah Mindeman Shuman, Enelia Carrero, Judd Burns, Jordan Brown

Concert Recordings & Programs

Der hölle Rache in kocht in meinem Herzen from Die Zauberflöte / W.A. Mozart -- Ah! Je veux vivre from Roméo et Juliette / Charles Gounod -- Depuis le jour from Louise / Gustave Charpentier -- No flower that blows from Selima and Azor / Thomas Linley -- Vedrai, carino from Don Giovanni / W.A. Mozart -- M'appari tutt amor from Martha / Friedrich von Flotow -- There is a balm in Gilead / spiritual arr. by Mark Hayes

The Microtonal Guitars Of Harry Partch, John Schneider

Soundboard Scholar

Known as an "American Maverick," Harry Partch (1901–1974) was surely one of the United States's most colorful composers. His dissatisfaction with the scales and instruments of Western music inspired him to design and build an orchestra of over two dozen handcrafted "microtonal" instruments that were tuned to his notorious "monophonic" scale of forty-three tones per octave. Between 1934 and 1952, Partch created four different adapted guitars, using them in fifteen compositions ranging from solo song cycles (Barstow, December 1942, U.S. Highball, Three Intrusions) to chamber music, dances, and four of his five major …

Emil Heerbrugger's Grand Grecian Military March In Facsimile, Robert Ferguson

Soundboard Scholar

Ferguson discusses Emil Heerbrugger's Grand Grecian Military March, composed for one or two guitars and published in the 1830s. It is parlor music for the amateur and displays the traits of so much of that repertoire: foursquare phrasing, strict diatonicism, tonic-dominant harmony, and simple rhythm. The tambour technique was a staple of nineteenth-century martial music on guitar, typically used to evoke drums, and Heerbrugger marks it as such in his score. The composer recommends executing the effect percussively with the right-hand middle finger.

Makerspace: The Future Of Music, Anthony L. Paganelli

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Presentation regarding the use of Makerspace in creating and sharing music.

A Summary And Reflection Of The Percussion Repertoire For My Senior Recital, Christopher Scimecca

Senior Independent Study Theses

No abstract provided.

Concert Recording 2015-04-29, Sydnee Pedigo, Kristine Mezines, Emily Johnson, Brena Lackey, Matthew Hildebrand, Henry Bowen, Vordie Mathis, Schumann Robert, Aaron Bloodworth

Concert Recordings & Programs

Sonate pour flute et piano. Cantilena / Francis Poulenc -- Flute duet no.5. Allegretto vivace / Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -- Caprice / Joseph Turrin -- Aria et polonaise / Joseph Jongen -- Ave Maria / Franz Schubert -- Sonata in B minor, op.40 no.2. Molto adagio e sostenuto / Muzio Clementi -- Gute Nacht / Franz Schubert

Concert Recording 2015-04-15, Ashlyn Berry, David Malis, Helena Aung, Molly Magouyrk, Kristine Mezines, Rosabelle Zhou, Tina Dodson, Miranda Baker, Laura Hart, Sydney Hanna, Brena Lackey, Caleb Evans

Concert Recordings & Programs

Panis Angelicus / Ceasar Frank -- Adelaide's lament from Guys and dolls / Frank Loesser -- Sonata for two clarients. Andante / Francis Poulenc -- Partita three. Prelude / J.S. Bach -- Sonata no.4 in c minor / Georg Phillip Telemann -- Dancing day / Sean Sweeden

A Graduate Recital In Voice, Branden D. S. Haralson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Branden D. S. Haralson, baritone, presented his graduate voice recital on Friday, April 3, 2015, at 6:00 p.m., in Davis Hall of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. The recital was presented in collaboration with pianist Dr. Robin Guy, and included works by Beethoven, Schubert, Mahler, and Duparc. This abstract discusses musical and historical features of the works performed.

The Missing Link: Filling The Gap And Achieving Success In Australian Contrabass Auditions, Giovanni Vinci

Theses : Honours

In Australia, a contrabass player who wishes to win a full-time orchestral position must pass a formal audition. Australian contrabass auditions normally consist of both solo works and a set of orchestral excerpts. In order to be successful in the audition, the aspiring musician must meet the standard expected by the adjudicating panel of musicians. This dissertation explores the keys to success in such auditions, shining light upon why some musicians are successful and others not. A series of interviews have been conducted with string musicians around Australia to assist in discovering optimal strategies and approaches to achieving success. Practising …

Self-Accompaniment And Improvisation In Solo Jazz Piano: Practice-Led Investigations Of Assimilation, Ostinatos And ‘Hand Splitting’, David Dower

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This practice-led project investigates the crafting of approaches to solo jazz piano performance. Through a study and application of assimilation techniques derived from a range of different music styles, a series of self-accompaniments were devised. In addition, the process of developing improvisational facility over these accompaniment patterns was documented.

Although performing solo requires a different approach to ensemble work, jazz pianists are commonly only trained in ensemble practices, rendering the solo setting a potentially overwhelming challenge. In order to move away from ensemble-based methods, the project sought to develop pianistic techniques and exercises that provide an independent approach in solo …

A Stylistic Analysis Of Recess Performed By Charlie Hunter From The Dvd Right Now Live, Joshua De Silva

Theses : Honours

Charlie Hunter is a guitarist who has gained international recognition for his ability to perform guitar parts and bass lines simultaneously on his hybrid guitar. His ability to construct solos within the context of simultaneous bass line and chordal accompaniment, along with methods he employed to create percussive textures, were the central points of discussion for this dissertation. Hunter’s original composition Recess was selected from the Hunter DVD Right Now Live1, which was transcribed and analysed.

This research is significant due to the lack of detailed analysis of Hunter's techniques in an unaccompanied setting, and to the researcher’s knowledge, …

A Graduate Recital In Voice, Marie Sorenson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Marie Sorenson, soprano, presented her graduate voice recital on Friday, November 6, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. in Davis Hall of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. The program consisted of three sets of music by Reynaldo Hahn, Johannes Brahms, and Jake Heggie, in collaboration with pianist Polina Khatsko. This abstract discusses musical and historical features of the recital pieces in the order of the program.

A Master's Recital In Flute, Natalie Mahree Neshyba

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Natalie Neshyba presented a graduate flute recital on Friday, March 6th, 2015 at 6:00 pm in Davis Hall of the Gallagher‐Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa. This recital was given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Music degree in flute performance. Dr. Polina Khatsko, pianist, performed alongside Ms. Neshyba on two selections. The program began with an unaccompanied work, Les Folies d’Espagne, by Marin Marais. Next on the program was Claude Debussy’s Sonata in G minor L140 for flute and piano, which was recently transcribed from the original violin version by Dr. …

Graduate Recital In Viola, Nichelle Probst

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Nichelle Probst performed her graduate recital on Friday, April 24, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. in Davis Hall at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa. This recital was given in partial fulfillment of requirements for her Master of Music degree, with an emphasis in viola performance. The recital program consisted of Suite No. 6 in G Major (transcribed from the original for cello in D major), BWV 1012 by Johann Sebastian Bach; Romanze for viola and piano by Ralph Vaughan Williams; Sonate for viola and piano, Op. 25 No. 4 by Paul Hindemith; and Le Grand …

A Contextual Study Of Boris Asafiev's Musical Form As A Process And And Application Of Concepts To His Sonata For Solo Viola, Kathryn Fiona Mckay

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This dissertation examines the work of Russian composer, critic, and musicologist, Boris Vladimirovich Asafiev (1884-1949) against contemporaneous systems of cultural activity associated with Soviet communism. Over the course of his lifetime, Asafiev designed and developed a unique aesthetic‐philosophical theory on the process of musical formation and perception. This study examines the political and ideological forces that contributed to the appearance of socialist realism, and places Asafiev within this context, evaluating his life and works. Central to this dissertation are two musicological volumes taken from Asafiev’s immense catalogue of works: Musical Form as a Process (1930), and Musical Form as a …

Golliwog's Cakewalk From Children's Corner Arranged For Clarinet Quartet, Elizabeth Johnson

Honors Projects

By demonstrating integrated learning through interdisciplinary connections between music performance and arranging techniques, this honors project was the culmination of a process of using my knowledge of piano and clarinet performance techniques to arrange the piece “Golliwog’s Cakewalk” by Claude Debussy from piano to clarinet quartet. To arrange the piece for clarinet quartet, I utilized my experience in playing piano and clarinet to critically analyze the piano score and decide how it would best aurally transfer to an ensemble of four clarinets. The project also demonstrates critical thinking as I arranged the piece to be at a playing level appropriate …

Honors Recital Presentation, David Rutter

Honors Projects

The purpose of this project was rooted in the belief that the reception of a piece of music can be altered or enhanced when the audience is given a compelling historical or cultural background of each composition. With sometimes hundreds of years between the audience members and the composers, to deliver an emotionally stirring and relevant performance to a modern audience is an incredible feat. In the spirit of making my senior violin recital more accessible and entertaining to my own audience, I devoted my Honors project to gathering information on the philosophies, personalities, successes and tragedies of each of …

Early Music Influences In Paul Hindemith's Compositions For The Viola, Domenico L. Trombetta

Dissertations, 2014-2019

It is widely recognized that several of Paul Hindemith’s compositions display a significant use of early music forms and techniques. Yet, the scholarly literature in English focusing specifically on the influence of early music on Hindemith’s works for the viola is limited. Thus, through a discussion of selected works for solo viola and viola and orchestra, with a concentration on the two finales of the solo viola sonatas op. 11, no. 5, and op. 31, no. 4, the viola concerto Der Schwanendreher, and the Trauermusik for viola and strings, this document investigates the impact of early music on Hindemith’s …

The Variety Show: Why Classical String Musicians Are Exploring A Multistyle Approach To Teaching, Kelly C. Wiedemann

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The Variety Show: Why Classical String Musicians are

Exploring a Multistyle Approach to Music

Kelly C. Wiedemann

This case study examines the experiences of five classically trained string teachers who now include alternative styles in their teaching. The research questions are: (1) What factors inspire a classically trained string educator to begin teaching alternative styles to their students? (2) Why is it important to keep classical music in string pedagogy? (3) How have these teachers, their peers, students, and community reacted to multistylism? The interviews revealed four major points of motivation: Opportunities for developing creativity and finding a personal voice …

Instrumental Chamber Music: Strings, Rachelle Schouten, Nathaniel Cook, Emy Eddow, Priscilla Peraza, Devin Marcus, Ethan Reed, Rafael Zepeda, Suzanne Haitz, Austin Phillips, Christine Anderson, Jordan Lomeli-Perez, Michael Fleming, Will Parker, Javier Chacon, Conner Bogenreif, Gabrielle Stetz, Arturo Balmaceda, Stephanie Calascione, Ariel Chien, Christopher Defazio, Claire Furukawa, Alicia Correa, Leeyeon Kuen, Lizzie Murtough, Chloé Tardif, Kimberly Levin, Nicholas Kaynor

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Vocal Jazz In Concert, Alexandra Blum, Samantha Dominguez, Samira Kasraie, Megan Mandel, Ashley Kron, Tessa Oliaro, Dina Zangwill, Austin Devone, Brett Gray, Graeme Aegerter, Albert Alva, Alicia Storm Marquis, Carlos Hernandez

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Doctoral Recital, Dejan Dasklov

Graduate Student Recitals

List of performers and performances.

Amanda Mccandless, Clarinet, December 1, 2014 [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

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

A Night Of Quintets, Chritin Nance, Quinn Ngo, Sharon Nakama, Alina Eckersley, Brock Norred, Brandon Denman, Dora Ivanov, Miguel Villarreal, Rachel Larance, Nick Guevara

Chamber Music Programs

Program listing performers and works performed.