Music Commons^™

Future Frames: Ai Tools In Music And The Value Of Human Composers, Jeff Wragg

Staff Scholarship - New Zealand

This presentation examines the pros and cons of using AI within a film composition practice. It identifies some of the roles of music in film and provides advice on how to collaborate with human composers and how to engage effectively with AI when a human composer is not an option.

Patriotism, Philia, And Stereotyping During World War Ii: Correspondence Between Black Composers, Selise Phillips, Joi Carr

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

The 20th century was a monumental time for Black composers, especially for those in the UK. Rudolph Dunbar was the first black musician to perform at Royal Albert Hall in London, England. During this time, correspondence between him and William Grant Still, a famous black composer based in America, exists. Still’s rhetorical choices in these letters demonstrate the attitudes of these composers, specifically Still, and how these choices reflect the success of Dunbar’s career. Still, whose compositions started gaining traction in the 1930s, often praised Dunbar for his achievements. These letters all take place during World War II and during …

The Art Of Selection - Telling Stories Through Sound, Alexander Foley

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

The presentation set out to educate novice and intermediate DJs the importance of track selection in a DJ set.  This is a skill that elevates a good DJ to a great DJ. It addresses issues that some DJs have when trying to read a crowd or curate a pre planned set.  The presentation was given at SAE Dubai's annual DJ symposium to a live audience using slides and audio examples.  The presentation was well received and many of the audience had questions and seemed to take away a better understanding of an often underrated element of being a successful DJ. …

Exploration Of College Students’ Use Of The Occupation Of Music Listening To Support Engagement And Well-Being, Beverly Murphy, Morgan Breen, Jenna Breseman, Jailine Gonzalez, Tiesha Henley, Julianne Sta.Ana

Occupational Therapy Annual Research Colloquium

Heightened feelings of stress or anxiety can often accompany the transition to college, secondary to changes to an existing routine. These changes can potentially lead to occupational disruption or imbalances impacting students’ well-being and performance. This descriptive, exploratory research investigates whether college students are utilizing music as a means to support or enhance their occupational well-being. At this point, little is known about the extent of utilizing music listening as an occupational therapy intervention on college campuses to manage the allostatic load among students. To address this, a quantitative survey with close-ended questions was distributed virtually to college students within …

Some (Deliberately Un)Answered Questions.., Colin N. Webber Dr

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

The presentation explores the use of artificial intelligence singing software in the compositional exploration of spiritual concepts. Synthesiser V is used as a "virtual singer" throughout the composition. This technology represents a shift in resources akin to the availability of sampled orchestral instruments, with the added factors of presenting the "composer's voice". This is significant as the author is autistic and has alexithymia, so the questions around the link between the compiser's emotion and the expression of a synthetic voice are relevant.

Hearing Voice In Henryk Górecki's "Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs", Jason Jedlicka

Faculty Scholarship Symposium

Classical composer Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3, subtitled ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs,’ interweaves his devout Catholicism and interest in Polish folk music with three texts that deal with motherhood and loss of a child. Written for solo soprano voice and orchestra, the piece’s expressive clarity provides optimal space for the voice—in the many literal and figurative senses of the word—to illuminate the text.

Though much has been written about this symphony’s emotional impact on listeners, little has been written about the piece from an analytical, interpretive point of view. In this talk, I perform a close analysis of the …

Plane Of Existence: A Composition By An Sfa Percussionist, For The Sfa Percussion Ensemble, Carson Chlup

Undergraduate Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Weber's Clarinet Concertino Opus 26, Cadence A. Graves

ATU Scholars Symposium

As a professional musician, it is important that one does not simply learn the notes and rhythms in a piece of music, but also the history surrounding it and its composer. There is much to learn about a piece of music and how it may be performed from original scores, performance history, and knowledge of the composer and the time period in which it was written. This lecture recital aims to open eyes to the amount of relevant knowledge one can gain from researching a piece of music’s composer, setting, and the importance of doing this research. This presentation will …

Visualizing The Spread Of Western Music Throughout The World Using Big Data, Dakota C. Cookenmaster

Campus Research Month

Music, perhaps the most prevailing form of art throughout the ages, has impacted the world in countless ways. Due to the vast magnitude of published musical compositions, it is difficult to comprehend the full extent of how Western music has spread from Europe to the rest of the world. Our contribution is a presentation of the history of music throughout the ages, highlighting the countries of publication by year since the 15th century. Our visualization also exhibits the top 10 most prevalent composers within the British Library, with additional information such as the composers’ number of works and lifespan.

Making American Opera After Einstein, Ryan Ebright Dr.

ICS Fellow Lectures

In the wake of the avant-garde opera Einstein on the Beach in 1976, opera in the United States experienced a renaissance, one which has continued to the present. My book project, Making American Opera after Einstein, centers on contemporary attempts to remake opera in an American image. In it, I detail how American opera—as a genre, a sphere of cultural institutions, an expression of national identity—has transformed significantly over the past four decades. Whereas many composers embrace operatic convention, tailoring their operas to audiences through adaptations of cherished American stories, others attempt to test the genre’s aesthetic boundaries. By exploring …

Thematic Use Of Non-Conformity In "Changing My Major" (Ft. Gay Panic), Yazmeen Mayes

Symposium of Student Scholars

CW: Presentation includes references to sex and suicide.

This presentation is an in-depth score analysis of “Changing My Major” from the musical Fun Home by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori, which is based on Alison Bechdel’s autobiographical memoir by the same name. The musical examines the similarities and differences between Alison and her father as she attempts to contruct a future without a queer elder to model it. This presentation demonstrates the collaborative, tight structure of thematic messaging in musical theatre. Overall, ““Changing My Major” personifies the show at large and celebrates the process of questioning as its own epic, …

L'Homme Arme: A Tradition Of Contrafactum, Lauren Moseley

Student Scholar Showcase

Contrafactum, the replacement of text in a song, and L’homme Arme impacted music both in the 1450s and today. Although their usage changed and dwindled, musicians never stopped using contrafactum and L’homme Arme in their works. With the intent of improving music pedagogy and performance, the purpose of this research was to investigate L’homme Arme and contrafactum and their usage today. The particular problems of this study were to (1) examine contrafactum and L’homme Arme in medieval and renaissance music; (2) explore the use of contrafactum today; and (3) arrange a piece of music that combines a sacred and a …

From Operetta To Broadway, Katelyn Blue

Student Scholar Showcase

Music compositions transitioned from the performance of operettas to Broadway musicals, as did musical study on a collegiate level. Although Universities did not begin teaching musical theater when the genre originally emerged, Broadway musicals have become a part of “classic” American repertoire. With the intent of improving music pedagogy and performance, the purpose of this research is to investigate the history of the Broadway musical in University settings. The particular problems of this study were to (1) explore the transition from operettas to musicals; (2) trace the development of musical theatere in collegiate study; and (3) to describe the University …

Differentiated Instruction In The Music Classroom, Tina Holmes-Davis

Professional Development Workshops

No abstract provided.

Contemporary Monacan Nation Identity Expression: A Music And Cultural Arts Study, Gretchen Cline, Katherine Morehouse

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Three Minute Thesis

Modeling A Spectrum Of Positive Music On The Circumplex Theory Of Emotion, Joshua Mckinnis, Chanson Lee

Liberty University Research Week

Undergraduate

Applied

The Value Of Music Education For Children In Foster Care, Travis Maslen, Brian Stiffler

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Theoretical Proposal

First Generation College Students' Lived Experiences In An Undergraduate Music Education Program: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Joseph Earp, Susan Quindag

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Applied

Contemporary Monacan Nation Identity Expression: A Music And Cultural Arts Study, Gretchen Cline, Katherine Morehouse

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Applied

Using Music As A Teaching Tool To Teach Social Emotional Learning (Sel), Pat Mcmanus, Christina Jensen

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Music has been known to improve retention of topics and knowledge, and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the foundation for academic achievement. Using music to teach helps students make an emotional connection, making it easier for students to gain knowledge on topics such as empathy, self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. Experience the use of music to teach SEL!

Concert Performance Of The Cwu Horn Ensemble, Jaya Swayam, Cwu Horn Ensemble

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

The Central Washington University Horn Ensemble received an invitation, based on proposal acceptance, to perform at the 2019 Northwest Horn Symposium, held March 29-31, at the University of Montana in Missoula. This symposium, hosted annually by the Northwest Horn Society, a regional professional organization that promotes the (French) horn in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Western Canada, attracted over 120 professional players, university and school teachers, students and amateurs of all ages from throughout the region. Participants heard recitals, presentations, and masterclasses, and had the opportunity to network with peers and potential mentors throughout the weekend. The CWU Horn …

Live Music In Musical Theatre, Kali Abrams

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

My project is about live music in musical theatre, why we are slowly seeing less of it, and what we can do differently to bring them back on stage. Why this is important is because this takes away jobs from musicians who are orchestra players. This is also important because music has a big impact on a lot of people emotionally and there is a difference between hearing music that is prerecorded and music that is being performed live in front of an audience. I want to present my ideas on what changes we can make that can be beneficial …

Bring The Arts Together, Jessica Graham

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

Art is such a huge and impactful part of society, it sparks creativity, joy, and wonder into the lives of everyone. Art is categorized into different groups: Performing, Visual, Music and writing. What if we combined these four to create a beautiful message and work of art? The four genres of art were brought together, to produce one cohesive work of art. With movement and music inspired by a photograph and a poem, the poetry was brought to life. This powerful piece will convey the story behind the poetry in visual manner.

Winner, Outstanding Creative Expression Presentation/Performance, College of Arts …

How I Organized A Music Festival At Cwu: Networking, Budgets, Artistry, Peregrine Spane

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

Through setting up a music festival at Central Washington University I observed a need for independent music in Ellensburg, closer gender parity in regard to event line-ups, and how in-depth research in policy, budgets, networking, and inclusion would make this possible. In this presentation I will be describing my vision, explaining logistics, and reflecting on lessons learned and where to go in the future.

Flexi Discs: The Audio Format That Time Forgot And Remembered Again, Junior R. Tidal

Publications and Research

Flexi discs, also known as phonosheets and Soundsheets, are “flexible” plastic sheets that can be played on turntables. This audio format was used for a wide variety of purposes including promotional materials, giveaways, and inserts into magazines, stemming from their origins in playable chocolate discs in the early 1900s (Parks, 2018). At one point in time it was a $9 million dollar business, with the U.S. government as one of the top users of the technology (Penchansky, 1979). Their disposable nature, weight, ability to print directly on material, and affordable manufacturing made the flexi disc an alternative to vinyl pressings. …

3d Procedural Maze & Cave Generation, Jacob Sharp

Student Scholar Showcase

The goal of this project is to generate a maze or cave procedurally so that a player may be able to explore infinitely without a reoccurring pattern. The project also utilizes Virtual Reality (VR); the user will be able to put on a VR Headset and become more immersed in a procedural environment. One of the challenges that needed to be overcome was simple random number generators did not generate natural looking worlds. Introducing VR to the project created the additional challenge of preventing the user from becoming motion sick. These challenges were both addressed through many hours of research …

Music In Japanese Prisoner Of War Camps, Zerai Thornton

Student Scholar Showcase

During World War II, both the Axis and Allied powers held enemy soldiers and civilians in prisoner of war (POW) camps with little recreational activities. Although some Japanese POW camps did not allow their prisoners to engage in recreational activities, inmates transformed songs into acceptable performance practices. With the intent of improving music pedagogy, the purpose of this research was to investigate music in Japanese POW camps. The particular problems of this study were to (1) examine traditional practices in Japanese POW camps; (2) determine how music developed a Japanese POW camp; and (3) create a POW camp song, entitled …

The Clarinet From Antiquity To Today, Nathaniel Estes

Student Scholar Showcase

The clarinet, coming from simple cane instruments with a slit cut into the cane to create a reed, to the modern clarinet with scientific advancements in the instrument and reed making process, not only shows how the clarinet has evolved, but how technology itself has evolved over hundreds of years. With the intent of improving music pedagogy and performance, the purpose of this research is to investigate how the clarinet evolved to become the modern clarinet. The particular problems of this study were to (1) trace historical development of the clarinet, (2) identify mechanical and stylistic characteristics between the Basset …

National Opera Association: Undergraduate Scene Repertoire, Melissa Comstock, Gina Comstock

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

In January 2018, UNO students Melissa Comstock and Gina Comstock performed in a presentation at the 2018 National Opera Association Conference in New Orleans, LA. The presentation entitled “Beyond Fledermaus: Undergraduate Friendly Opera Scenes from the Golden Age of Operetta” was given by UNO Professor Shelby VanNordstrand and Iowa State University Professor Jodi Goble. The presentation included three live performances featuring the professors’ students. Comstock and Comstock will discuss the preparation and rehearsal processes for the performance and the benefits of inter-university collaboration. Video footage from one of the live performances will be shown.

Electronic Music And The Uno Technology Assisted Performance Ensemble, Nicholas Spencer

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The University of Nebraska at Omaha's Technology Assisted Performance Ensemble (or TAPE) is UNO's first Laptop Orchestra. TAPE focuses on electronic music as well as exploring the boundaries of what we understand to be music. Combining traditional music theory and digital synthesis creates a new genre of academic music that is on the cutting edge of research in both fields of music and technology. TAPE was founded by Dr. Seth Shafer and Nicholas Spencer with initial funding by the University of Nebraska at Omaha's FUSE grant.