Music Commons^™

Exploring Orchestration's Influence On Harmonic Analysis: A Conductor's Perspective, Tyron C. Barnes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite emphasizing training and conducting techniques and overall music interpretation, minimal research investigates how orchestration impacts harmonic analysis when studying music scores. Conducting textbooks often emphasize the ability to study a music score; however, they place minimal emphasis on how orchestration influences harmonic analysis. A research gap on the impact of orchestration on harmonic analysis presents potential for professional growth for aspiring and seasoned conductors. By investigating novel methodologies, conductors can enhance their comprehension of the intricate relationships between instrumental components and harmonic frameworks in wind band compositions. Examining the viewpoints of fifteen beginner and experienced band directors from public …

The Black Side Of The Jesus Movement: Contemporary Gospel Music, Edward Daryl Duff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigates the impact of James Cleveland, Andraé Crouch, Edwin Hawkins, and Walter Hawkins on contemporary gospel music following the Jesus Movement revival. Their music emerged concurrently with the birth of contemporary Christian music; however, their significant musical innovations have not been widely recognized as part of the Jesus Movement revival. Figuratively speaking, contemporary gospel music and contemporary Christian music are like “fraternal twins,” yet there has been insufficient research linking them together. The rationale for this study is to uncover the potential social and cultural barriers that contributed to their exclusion and disconnect. This research identifies these barriers …

Diamonds In The Shadow: Hidden Treasures From The 1930s-1970s-African American Female Guitarists In The Blues, Jamisha-Antarae Harris

Masters Theses

Culturally, African American females are recognized as vocalists in American music but are routinely overlooked as guitarists. Writers and scholars of the blues generally ignore African American female guitarists’ creative and innovative contributions to this genre of music. This thesis documents the exploration of African American females playing guitar to define their musical roles in American society. Racial and gender identity, as well as the limitations imposed by the larger society, will be explored through this instrument as an essential element of creative expression. Racism and sexism are two sides of the same coin, rendering their musicianship identities nearly invisible. …

An Ethnodoxological Approach To Developing A Worship Leader Training Program In Infanta, Quezon, Philippines, Lindsay Kay Oakley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although there has been an increase in pastor training programs in the Philippines to fulfill the need created by the steady growth of evangelical church plants, there are few initiatives to create worship leader training programs. Worship is central to the evangelical church, and music plays an important role in the spiritual formation of believers in churches throughout the world. However, because of worship theology constructs and the implications of Filipino culture for worship contextualization, more attention must be given to equipping worship leaders for ministry in the Philippines. This study sought to identify the training and resources needed to …

Balance And Blend: Quality Of Life And Work-Life Balance In Military Reservist Band Directors, Jeremy Ryan White

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the research on work-life balance and stress management in various fields and stages of life, the perspectives of music educators serving in the military as part-time reservist musicians have yet to be explored. Teachers with a desire to serve in the military may find the part-time status appealing, as most duties are performed on weekends or during the summer. While there are many benefits to serving one’s country as a reservist, this second career may place added stress on the service members and their families. This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study will gather data via qualitative surveys collected from Military …

A Comparison Of Sight-Reading Methods For Instrumental Ensembles With The Consideration Of Engagement, Nicholas A. Luchterhand

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the fact that nearly all band programs competing in festivals are evaluated on sight-reading ability, minimal research exists regarding specific pedagogical sight-reading methods and their effectiveness. Traditionally, music educators have used scales, rhythm books, method books, and technical exercises as warm-ups in order to improve overall music reading skills. Employing these methods is also known as the Music Fundamentals Approach. However, researchers have challenged this as the best method for development. To evaluate potential advantages among different approaches, a quantitative study will compare success rates of three sight-reading acquisition methods across separate high school band classes: one employing a …

An Analysis Of The Adequacy Of Preparation For The Totality Of Worship Leadership, Michael Kenneth Geake

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the gradual transition of “music minister” into “worship leader,” preparation and training for the expanded roles may be considered slow in terms of total responsibilities. While degree programs have incorporated in-depth coursework in essential ministry topics – such as theology, discipleship, and evangelism – there has been little recognition of their roles as managers and counselors. Many of these programs prepare students for jobs that no longer exist. This study focuses on the worship leader, both as a student and as one who has already started their career, with responsibilities in the church and to their family. Through qualitative …

Self-Perception, Socioeconomic, And Gender Factors In Third Grade Rhythm Improvisation, Patrick W. Thames

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative causal-comparative research design examines differences in rhythmic improvisational skills and self-perception among third graders from different socioeconomic backgrounds. This study includes participants from two different socioeconomic backgrounds: an affluent private elementary school and an elementary school with low socioeconomic status in Pulaski County, Arkansas. (N=32) This study includes the administration of the Rhythmic Improvisational Readiness Record (RIRR), which includes self-perception components and peer evaluation. Researchers use two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine differences in gender and socioeconomic status and analyze causal comparative data that reveal the relationship between self-perceived ability and the participants' actual improvisational skills. This …

Shaping Music Education: Insights From High School And Collegiate Band Directors On Russell Boone's Influence, Devanon Petallio Fitzgerald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the valuable contributions and impacts that Historically Black Colleges and Universities band directors have made toward collegiate and high school band programs, there is little research on the contributions and implications of Russell Boone, a former band director and pioneer of the marching band program at Mississippi Valley State University. While many secondary school and collegiate band directors employ his techniques, only a few have highlighted his importance. Under the leadership of Russell Boone, the MVSU marching band made history as the first band from an HBCU to participate in the Rose Bowl parade. Additionally, the band participated in …

Transforming The Challenges Of Improvisation For Sacramento Elementary Music Teachers, Monta Monique Saïd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the widespread consensus among music teachers that improvisation is a crucial skill for children to learn, there have been multiple challenges integrating improvisation into daily teaching practice in general elementary music classrooms. This research, conducted across multiple public schools in the Greater Sacramento Area Unified School District, aimed to identify these challenges and provide actionable solutions based on teacher feedback to improve the situation. Using phenomenological research design as explained by Creswell, this study analyzed, synthesized, and identified patterns of experience among general elementary music teachers through observations, interviews, and collected artifacts. The study found that lack of time, …

The Shared Roots And Divergent Paths Of African American Spirituals And Afro-Caribbean Music, Jana Jones

Masters Theses

The resilient perseverance of African culture manifested itself in the music of the diasporic communities of the transatlantic slave trade. This slave trade led slaves to two main areas: North America and the Caribbean. While there were common roots and shared experience of slavery that influenced similar growing musical traditions of African American and Afro-Caribbean music such as rhythmic and melodic elements, over time, their music evolved along distinct paths due to differing social, political and religious contexts. Through a comparative study of lyrical themes, melodic patterns, rhythmic characteristics and cultural functions, this research traces the influence of the African …

A Phenomenological Study On The Effects Of Graded Performance Evaluations On The Longterm Musical Engagement Of Students In Malaysia, Qianxi Lim

Masters Theses

This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study aimed to research the effects of graded examinations, such as the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity, on the musical engagement of students who have taken private music lessons. Graded examinations are widely used in Malaysian private music studios, and most music teachers and students use the examinations as the primary source for music education. Participants shared their demographics, experience with graded examinations and private music lessons, and current musical engagement through an online questionnaire on Google Forms. Eight Malaysians who have taken private music lessons and graded examinations were …

The Evolution Of The Drum Set In American Musical Theater, Andrew M. Wert

Masters Theses

For several decades, American musical theater has been an essential part of the entertainment industry and has provided large-scale employment for musicians. Over the past several decades, composers have produced new works incorporating contemporary music styles and ensembles. This project will explore the changes in music styles in the music of musical theater from vaudeville to the present, analyze the effect that popular music in America has had on the techniques used by composers and orchestrators who write for drum set in musical theater, and examine changes in the function of the drum set player in pit orchestras. Ultimately, this …

Successful Habits Of Small Historically Black College And University Band Programs, William Thomas Brooks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify successful habits associated with the establishment, development, and sustainability of historically black college and university band programs consisting of less than 128 instrumentalists. The success of large Historically Black College and University (HBCU) band programs often highlights and markets the brand of the HBCU experience. Despite the gleaming success of widely popular schools, there is varied success among smaller programs with less visibility. HBCU bands around the country operate with fewer than 128 band instrumentalists, with some demonstrating more successful behaviors than their larger counterparts. Despite their efforts, these programs sometimes …

A Comparison Of Middle To High School Male Retention Rates In Tenor-Bass Choirs And Mixed Choirs In Georgia, Victor Alexander Ubiera

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Documentation quantitatively measuring the effect of tenor-bass ensembles in the recruitment and retention of male singers is limited within the literature. Without data, choral music educators may lack the evidence to justify adjusting their choral program offerings to include all-male ensembles. This quantitative, causal-comparative study compares eighth to ninth grade male student retention between schools in the state of Georgia that offer the all-male or tenor-bass model and those that do not. This study investigates the correlation between the number of male students who continue choral enrollment between eighth and ninth grades and their prior participation in middle school tenor-bass …

Case Study On Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University Marching Band From 1998-2011, Michael E. Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) marching bands have been at the forefront of entertaining crowds at football games for many years, from the innovative techniques in marching and maneuvering to orchestral arrangements of classical to popular music that capture the hearts of all music enthusiasts. The band that exemplifies this is the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) marching band, better known as the incomparable ‘Marching100.’ This world-famous marching band has performed on numerous occasions, such as the Super Bowl, Rose Bowl, and the President's Inaugural parades. A qualitative research case study will examine the halftime pageantry in the …

Societal Gender Norms' Influence On Music Education, Lindsey N. Folsom

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study uses a phenomenological design to answer the question: How do students and educators perceive the influence of gender on instrument choice, ensemble participation, and student socialization opportunities inherent to ensemble participation? The theoretical framework for this study is Lev Vygotsky’s social development theory. Data was collected using interviews and surveys from K-12 teachers and college instructors. The data is analyzed using qualitative methods such as coding and triangulation. The results of this study and its potential to significantly inform and shape music education practices will provide research on teacher and student perspectives on the influence of societal …

The 'It' Factor: The Intersection Of Leadership And Personality And The Music Ensemble Director's Influence On Member Retention, Robbin L. Johnston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This predictive correlational study aims to examine the influence of the leadership style and personality traits of music ensemble directors on the retention of students in their programs. The study explores music ensemble directors' leadership qualities and personalities and their ability to maintain student enrollment in their ensembles over the last five years. Participants completed a demographic survey, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, and the NEO-PI-3 Personality Assessment. A convenience sample of music educators provided the data for the study. The researcher compared these results to the participants' leadership and personality identities determined in the initial surveys to establish potential intersections …

Professional And Personal Perspectives Of Ohio High School Choral Directors About Their Ensembles’ Participation In Large Group Adjudicated Events, Devon Tamara Gess

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored Ohio high school choral directors’ perspectives on participating or not participating in large group adjudicated events. Utilizing a phenomenological research method identified perspectives that have not been investigated or documented concerning the high school choral director’s professional and personal perspectives about their ensembles’ participation in the Ohio Music Education Association’s (OMEA) Large Group Adjudicated Events. This study posed a central research question that explored Ohio high school choral directors’ philosophies of music education, personal experience, and perceived pros and cons of participating or not participating in the Ohio Music Education Association’s Large Group Adjudicated Event. Participants …

Perceived Effective Strategies For Teaching English Language Learners In Secondary Choral Settings, Corrina Guadalupe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As the population of English Learners (ELs) continues to grow in U.S. public schools, secondary music educators must be equipped to provide inclusive and equitable instruction. This study investigates secondary choral directors’ challenges, instructional strategies, and beliefs in supporting EL students. Survey responses from 17 choral educators and follow-up interviews with two participants revealed that language barriers, time constraints, and insufficient training were the most frequently cited obstacles. Educators reported using strategies such as repetition, simplified language, and peer support systems; however, tools like bilingual materials and translation technology were underutilized despite being perceived as effective. Interview data emphasized fostering …

Self-Care As An Indicator Of Success For The Undergraduate Music Education Major, Sonya Lynn Comer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite rising awareness of stress and mental health issues, many undergraduate music education majors struggle to connect self-care to resilience in personal and professional areas of their lives. Students may perceive self-care as an extra luxury, if they have time after their work is completed, but they fail to recognize self-care as a potential source of energy, creativity, and joy for their work. The missing self-care component creates an internal deficit hindering students’ ability to bring their best self to the classroom, their student teaching placements, and interpersonal relationships. Omitting self-care compounds issues caused by their multi-faceted workload leaving students …

Application Of Andragogic Principles To The Study Of Gregorian Chant: A Grounded Theory Study, Norman D. Wakefield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite literature on pedagogies or methodologies for Gregorian chant, there is a lack of research regarding the application of andragogic perspectives to the teaching of Gregorian chant. This grounded theory study seeks to identify the experiences of adult learners and instructors of Gregorian chant active in small to mid-size Roman Catholic parishes in the United States with modest program resources. While pedagogical and philosophical models regarding Gregorian chant have proliferated throughout the Roman Church for over a millennium, instructors and learners, do not have information regarding how to apply andragogic perspectives to the teaching of Gregorian chant to facilitate instruction …

The Effects Of Seesaw On "John Kanaka" Singing Assessment Tracking And Teacher-To-Student Feedback In The Third Grade Elementary Music Classroom, Sarah Elizabeth Gonzalez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Assessments play a vital role for teachers to measure individual student progress and motivate instruction that meets students' needs. Traditional assessments provide a substantive way for teachers to collect data, which they will analyze long after they administer the assessment. Creating substantial evidence for individual performance-based standards poses a challenge. Seesaw serves as an online platform for student engagement, allowing students to share their knowledge while parents can safely monitor it through photos, videos, drawings, text, audio, PDFs, and links. The researchers conducted the study over four weeks in March 2025 in the third-grade music classes at Ray Roberts Elementary. …

Pedagogy In Selected Violin Works Of Frank Bridge And Amy Beach: A Narrative Study, Kristin M. Van Cleve

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Frank Bridge and Amy Beach were well-regarded composers during their lifetimes, which spanned the era of transition from Romanticism to the dawn of twentieth-century modernity. However, their violin works are primarily absent from standard repertoire lists and rarely used as teaching tools. The purpose of this study was to explore the backgrounds and influences of both composers, who share a rich and expressive melodic and harmonic language despite being active on opposite sides of the Atlantic (Bridge in England and Beach in New England), and to examine the viewpoints of educators regarding the efficacy of using the violin repertoire of …

The Impact Of The Mental Health Epidemic On Recruitment And Retention Of High School Male Singers, Trish Gladstone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative methods study examines the impact of the mental health pandemic on the recruitment and retention of male choral members in Pennsylvania high school music choral programs since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enrollment in many choral programs increased since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the number of male enrollment is rising slower than ever. This thesis explores existing literature, personal interviews, and student focus group results to understand how mental health affects male singers quitting or remaining in the choral program. Research and investigations into the impact of the mental health pandemic in choral classrooms …

The Effects Of Modern Band Performance On Enhancing Confidence And Emotional Maturation In Fifth-Grade Students, Julia M. Wetherhold

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current research notes that participation in modern band general music instruction elicits improvements in students’ sense of inclusion in school; however, it is yet to be determined if additional benefits of modern band implementation occur. This applied study aims to investigate the potential for a causal comparison between fifth-grade students’ confidence levels and emotional maturity after exposure to modern band instructional techniques and performance compared to fifth-grade students engaged in music education with an emphasis on vocal instruction. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were implemented. Data were collected and analyzed by surveying thirty-seven fifth-grade students reporting their confidence levels and …

Perceptions Of Congregational Engagement In Evangelical Church Worship Programs, Tim Allums

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite existing research on worship leader training and choosing music for congregational worship, a study on the perceptions of congregational worship engagement from the perspectives of worship leaders and congregants has yet to be examined. Congregational worship is formational and helps believers continue to grow in their faith by singing their praise to God with one voice and declaring the tenets of their shared faith. This study sought to reveal perceptions of worship engagement by surveying nineteen worship leaders and one hundred fifteen congregants from thirty-nine evangelical churches around the United States to identify the musical aspects that either enhance …

Multicultural Worship: How A Korean-Led Multicultural Church In America Works Toward Unity Through Diverse Worship, Kylie Barbara Halter

Masters Theses

This study follows Praise International Ministry (PIM), part of Praise Assembly of God in Springfield, Missouri, United States, for their first year of ministry. The pastor of the ministry is a Korean immigrant, and the ministry has served people from at least ten different nations, including China, Japan, Mexico, and Egypt. The goal of the study was to find out how a congregation made up of multiple cultures could attain unity.

To answer the above question, the researcher observed the congregation by attending services, as well as serving on the worship team and attending leadership meetings. In addition, she conducted …

Aiming High: A Narrative Inquiry Of Christian Music Educators’ Higher Purpose, William E. Rhoden Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educators in the United States may question music education’s higher purpose, considering high-stakes testing and an emphasis on non-musical subjects. This qualitative narrative study examines three American protestant Christian music educators’ perceptions of music education’s higher purpose and compares them to Martin Luther’s (1483-1546) writings. The researcher conducted interviews with three participants to record the story of how they developed their higher purpose for music education. The data was tabulated and coded for thematic analysis. This study supports a Christian defense of continued music education in America’s schools, distinguishes modern Christian perspectives, and offers a fresh understanding of the historical …

Utilization And Perception Of Individual Performance Assessments Among Instrumental Music Educators In Northeastern Pennsylvania, Thomas Bassett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative grounded theory study aimed to develop a theory explaining how secondary instrumental music educators in Northeastern Pennsylvania select, implement, and perceive performance assessments. Teachers need actionable data to determine the next steps in the learning process. The study design included twelve semi-structured interviews of Pennsylvania-certified music educators and a content analysis of any scoring tools or rubrics that they provided. The analysis process included open, axial, and thematic coding with the development of the core category and theory. Despite some prior research into performance assessments in music education, the literature lacked research with explanatory power over teachers’ assessment …