Music Commons^™

Musicality, Misophonia Sensitivity, And Responsiveness To Misophonia Videos, Alexis Rice, Jennifer Hsu, Kaela Omengan, Sivan Barashy

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Misophonia sensitivity as measured by the A-MISO-S predicts emotional responses to misophonia trigger videos, but musical sophistication (Gold MSI scores) did not. A measure of real-time responses to videos can capture a meaningful aspect of misophonic experience in the general population. Future research should investigate whether more direct measures of musicality such as perceptual tasks will show a relationship between musicality and misophonic reactions.

Intertribal Band, Lydia Wolfe

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Research Journey: Class Project (1) Read article by Ed Johnson - school band traveling world in early 1900s (2) What happened to the band after this tour? Not much documentation was found on early school band years (3) Oftentimes extracurricular activities are overlooked in research (4) Looking deeper can sometimes lead to bigger revelations of the student body

Emotional Engagement To Music Is Correlated With Enhanced Frisson Experience But Not Misophonia, Sarah Al-Shimary, Nicole Datastanyan, Shelbie Silvers, Sivan Barashy, Solena Mednicoff

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

There is evidence that individuals who are particularly sensitive or intolerant to sounds are also more engaged or fascinated with positive sounds such as music.

The Stability Of The Speech-To-Song Illusion, Jennifer Hsu, Brooke Booth, Jordyn Karns, Rodica R. Constantine

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

The Speech-to-Song (STS) illusion: when a listener is presented with multiple repetitions of a spoken phrase and begins to hear it as increasingly song-like. In the present study, we aim to verify anecdotal evidence that suggests the STS illusion is temporally stable and replicate existing evidence that excerpts transform to song by the third or fourth repetition and perhaps faster upon future encounters.

Ukrainian Violin Sonata: Performance Analysis Of Sonatas For Violin And Piano By Naum Lapynsky And Mykola Silvansky, Oleksiy Hamov

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The history of the development of the genre of chamber and instrumental sonata in Ukraine as a bright and original phenomenon is very rich, but is understudied by researchers around the world. The data for this study was collected through analyzing sonatas for violin and piano written in the 20th century, in particular, the works by Viktor Kosenko (1896-1938), Borys Lyatoshynsky (1895-1968), Naum Lapynsky (1900-1960), Myroslav Skoryk (1938- 2020) and Mykola Silvansky (1916-1985). The fact that the performance features of the sonatas by Naum Lapynsky and Mykola Silvansky are studied for the first time in the Ukrainian musicology allows to …

Study Of Narrative Effects Of Each Instrumental Group In Exemplum: In Memoriam Kwangju By Isang Yun, Jeahyun Jo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Isang Yun (1917–1995) is recognized as one of the most notable avant-garde Korean composers of the twentieth century. His compositions serve as a crucial link between Eastern and Western musical traditions because they contain elements of techniques from both traditions. My intention in this paper is to examine Yun and his symphonic poem Exemplum: in Memoriam Kwangju with the goal of helping the reader comprehend its narrative effects. I will also provide a musical analysis and interpretation based on Yun’s intention in composing Exemplum: in Memoriam Kwangju and examine Yun’s compositional approaches to the three different instrumental groups (strings, wind, …

Addressing Health Disparities Among Musicians In Southern Nevada, Kimberly James, Jay J. Shen

Creative Collaborations

Although the benefits of arts & cultural activities on the general public have been identified in prior research, musicians, as well as other artists, often find themselves distanced from tangible benefits (e.g. stress reduction, increased socialization, increased coping skills, increased happiness & well-being). Artists as both producers and consumers of art have been under-researched and under-served regarding their healthcare needs and access. Therefore, we hypothesize that musical artists suffer from health issues, due to barriers to accessing needed care. This project takes a mixed method approach, with its quantitative component being survey research and its qualitative component based on the …

Texts, Drugs, And Rock 'N' Roll: Easy Rider And The Compilation Soundtrack, Jonathan R. Lee

Creative Collaborations

Of all the New Hollywood films, Easy Rider (1969) perhaps most effectively demonstrates the potential complexity of the rock compilation soundtrack. Drawing on concepts from film studies, film musicology, and literary theory, this article discusses how Easy Rider demonstrates the compilation soundtrack’s potential to generate meanings both inter- and intratextually. The intertextual method of interpreting pop compilation soundtracks looks deeply into the intersection of image, sound, and narrative on a vertical axis, considering the relationship between dialogue/image/plot point and song lyrics/musical style, the ways that the songs on these soundtracks communicate to audiences the thematic or diegetic significance of a …

Oneira: New Music & Animation, Jennifer Bellor, Christine A. Banna

Creative Collaborations

UNLV Composer Dr. Jennifer Bellor collaborated with Christine Banna, animator from the Rochester Institute of Animation to create ONEIRA, a sci-fi animation music video Christine Banna created to pair with Jennifer Bellor’s composition, Oneira. Written for the electronic MalletKAT, vibraphone, and two marimbas, and recorded by the percussion quartet, Clocks in Motion, this 11-minute work is inspired by virtual worlds and dreaming. This track is also featured on Bellor’s most recent album, also titled ONEIRA, which was released by Aerocade Music August 19, 2022.

Bellor first created the music, imagining that this composition will be paired with …

Lawrence T. Odom: Techniques And Commentary On Arranging For The Wind Band, Clinton L. Williams

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Orchestral works transcribed for wind and percussion ensembles have been a standard component of the performance literature throughout the twentieth century to the present. Though an increasing number of composers were beginning to write original works of merit for wind bands during the mid-twentieth century, selections from the orchestral canon remained a staple of secondary school, college, community, and military wind and percussion ensembles.

This study analyzes the textural, rhythmic, and harmonic elements of Lawrence T. Odom’s transcription techniques used arranging masterworks for the United States Air Force Band from 1958 to present day. He transcribed over three hundred orchestral …

Developing Vocal Agility Of Light Lyric Coloratura Soprano Voices Through The Neglected Repertoire Of French Opéra Comique, Valentine Baron

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document explores light lyric coloratura soprano roles in the French opéra comique genre through an analysis of seven arias and their impact on the development of vocal agility. The opéra comique genre was popular at the beginning of the eighteenth century, but declined to disappear from the stage at the end of the nineteenth century. Despite the opéra comique’s influence on many other vocal genres, the genre is today neglected. Opportunities for singers to improve and practice challenging coloratura in this repertoire are limited. The two most famous arias from the genre which are the Doll Aria and Juliette’s …

A Performer’S Guide To Richard Danielpour’S Spirits In The Well: A Cycle Of Four Songs For Soprano And Piano With Lyrics By Toni Morrison, Christina Louise Chenes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Richard Danielpour’s (b.1956) song cycle Spirits in the Well (1998) uses four poems penned by Toni Morrison (1931-2019), specifically for Danielpour’s musical setting. Spirits in the Well remains virtually unknown to the general public and artists, as it has never been professionally recorded, despite having been frequently performed by famed soprano Jessye Norman (1945-2019). This document introduces singers to Spirits in the Well by offering a performance guide to the song cycle; it presents information on the text, musical style, structure, form, technical vocal challenges, and dramatic demands that this work places on a singer. Brief background information is provided …

The Influence Of Volga Tatar Folk Music And Soviet Cultural Policies On The Orchestral Composers Of Kazan, Jane Katherine Brown

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

After a brief historical overview of Volga Tatar history and Soviet political and historical contexts, this document begins with a detailed description of Volga-Tatar folk musical characteristics, including probable influences as described, analyzed, and transcribed by twentieth and twenty-first century Volga Tatar scholars. In this description, the author attempts to give the preferential voice to Tatar perspectives, such as the early ethnographers and Tatar ethnomusicologists from Kazan State Conservatory, the officials from the Union of Composers of the Republic of Tatarstan, and of course, the composers themselves. The author’s detailed discussion of folk music elements and genres is then followed …

Yusef Lateef, Autophysiopsychic Music And Oboe Performance, Ellen Hummel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document intends to explore Yusef Lateef`s expressiveness applied to oboe performance in order to contribute to the expansion of the language of oboe playing and oboe teaching. A thorough review of the literature suggests a lack of studies about the oboe as a principal instrument in genres other than classical music; particularly jazz, blues and popular music. We live in a time that questions the boundaries of all genres. Because improvisation is at the heart of genres like jazz and blues, educators are beginning to stress the importance of teaching improvisation to all musicians. Yusef Lateef’s concept and method …

Jazz Sampling Hip Hop: A View Of The Expanded Rhythm Section And The Musical Interactions Between Musicians And Machines, Molly Kaylynn Redfield

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document presents a study on a musical fusion that I term “jazz/hip hop.” The study presents a historical overview of jazz/hip hop origins beginning with 1960s beat poets to jazz/hip hop artists emerging in the early 2000s. Modeled after Phillip Tagg’s and John Fiske’s semiotic methodology and William C. Banfield’s African American Cultural Theory and Heritage Model, the methodology defines the musical and cultural aesthetics of jazz/hip hop. Interviews from jazz/hip hop artists are presented; justifying the use of hip-hop aesthetics and countering the argument that commercial elements are added for mainstream recognition. I examine that samples musically interact …

A Performance Guide For Four Songs By Francisco Mignone, Amanda Mara Rizzotto Vidal Pessoa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The scope of this document is to demonstrate the richness and diversity to be found in the art song genre from countries outside of the standard repertoire, specifically focusing on the Brazilian composer Francisco Mignone. The purpose of this document is to provide performance practice guidelines for four selected pieces by Francisco Mignone: No Meio do Caminho (1938), Pregão (1947), Si eu sei o que é saudade (1976), and Valsa-Vocalise (1972). They exemplify expressions of Brazilian national identity through the music selected. Furthermore, it provides a brief background on the composer and his compositional style phases, and context for the …

Tracing The Shadows Of Gothic Bach: An Overview Of J.S. Bach’S Keyboard Music In American Horror Films, Siyu Yang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565, and the Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, have been by far the most prominent of J.S. Bach’s works to evoke evil and horror on screen. This “Horror Bach” association remains exclusively a subculture phenomenon in pop culture (almost universally outside of the classical music world). A historical overview of this cultural phenomenon suggests three factors that made these pieces become horror film music: 1) the popularity of the pieces, 2) the choice of instrumentation, and 3) popular cultural factors. This doctoral document also introduces this pop culture phenomenon of Bach to classical …

The Relationship Between Misophonia Sensitivity And Musicality, Mae Ling Catayong, Sarah Uganiza, William Smithers, Aileen Corral, Sivan Barashy, Solena Mednicoff, Destiny Gonzales

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Misophonia is a condition characterized by negative emotional reactions to certain everyday sounds. Musicality involves Active Musical Engagement (AE), Self-reported Perceptual Abilities (PA), Musical Training (MT), Self-reported Singing Abilities (SA), Sophisticated Emotional Engagement with Music (EM), and General musical sophistication (GM). Numerous active musicians have self-reported having misophonia, while anecdotal reports have shown that music can help treat misophonia symptoms.

You Never Walk Alone: How Bts Supports Army Mental Health And Well-Being, Melissa Le

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

BTS is a seven-membered South Korean boyband with a fandom named "ARMY." Music is generally associated with increased mental health, but not all types of music genres have been studied yet. With the current rise of Korean popular music (K-pop), it is important to understand what makes this genre popular and why fans claim it has improved their mental health. As BTS is currently the most popular K-pop group globally, they provide a unique look at how their music can help fans with depression and anxiety.

Misophonia Sensitivity Is Related To Enhanced Responsiveness To Misophonia, Asmr And Musical Frisson, Alexis Rice, Kiara O'Keefe, Kacey Chang, Sivan Barashy, Solena Mednicoff, Destiny Gonzales

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Misophonia: a condition in which specific everyday sounds (e.g., chewing, breathing) trigger an atypical, negative emotional response.

ASMR: a sensory phenomenon triggered by stimuli that induce a state of relaxation, positive feelings, and tinging sensations that spread from the head to the rest of the body.

Musical frisson: typically characterized by positive affect and strong physiological reactions, such as shivering, goosebumps, and teary-eyes in response to highly pleasurable music.

Mural: An Online Space For Co-Creating Meaning And Understanding, Kimberly James

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Building an online community around learning has been challenging throughout the academic and artistic disruptions caused by the COVID 19 pandemic. In order to promote remote interaction and educe student contributions, I utilized MURAL, a virtual, collaborative whiteboard, several times during AY2020-2021 to co-create meaning and understanding of common pedagogic topics that are applied in my studio. This practice allowed all participants to contribute ideas, make revisions, and enjoy new “aha” moments in real-time with far less pressure and concern for feeling “called out” or being “wrong.”

These activities benefitted the students and the overall wellness of the student participants …

Architone•Ics: The Music Of Architecture — Music As An Entry Point For Understanding Architectural Design, Deborah J. Oakley, Diego Vega

Creative Collaborations

Architecture and Music share many fundamental concepts in common. German polymath Goethe famously described architecture as “frozen music.” Numerous renowned architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Kahn among others, were also accomplished musicians and wrote of the connections between the two disciplines. A particularly noteworthy example of overlapping and crossing boundaries is the Greco-French composer Iannas Xenakis. Regarded as an influential figure in late 20th century avant-garde music, his first education and occupation, was actually as a structural engineer for famed architect LeCorbusier. He later practiced architecture himself before focusing on music composition, for which he is better known. …

The Concept Album As Postmodern Literature: A Critical Examination Of Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral, Kelly E. Stith

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With the humanities becoming progressively more open to interdisciplinary studies, there exists a space for music to be part of the discourse surrounding literature. One of the most important developments for music was the rise of the concept album, a medium where the individual tracks are defined by a larger theme or a unifying narrative. The concept album first emerged in the 1960s and became a method for musicians to experiment with expanded storylines and lyrical motifs that overthrew classical models of music albums. One of the most

influential concept albums, Nine Inch Nails’ The Downward Spiral, which came out …

Preparation To Performance: A Conductor’S Journey To The Podium, Geoffrey B. Neuman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The journey to the podium for a successful music educator that conducts performing ensembles requires a strong methodology steeped in score study, rehearsal planning, repertoire selection, musicianship skills, performance skills, and administrative duties. At the beginning of a career, educators often find themselves lacking the high level skills necessary to become a successful educator on the podium. This is often due to the many non-conducting requirements needed to complete the degree. Once a position is secured and professional life begins, these skills are often not fully developed. This then results in the music educator lacking the qualities needed to prepare …

The Archetypal Female Image In Chinese National Opera: A Study Of Xi Shi, Xin Guo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In contrast to traditional Chinese operas, the history of Chinese National Opera1 is only a few decades long. Some scholars believe that many Chinese operas are feminist and female-centered. However, from the aesthetic standard of women’s voice to the female character’s inner world, it is hard to say that one can describe these operas as feminist simply because women play leading roles or the female arias are more than male. This document will explain the observation by analyzing the portrayal of female archetypes in Chinese national opera and discussing how opera Xi Shi complies with or subverts the portrayal. The …

An Orchestral Percussionist's Guide To Instruments Of The Caribbean, Lucas Brust

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sparked by the introduction of Janissary percussion into the works of the First Viennese School, composers have been steadily expanding the musical responsibilities and tonal palette of the orchestral percussion section. Most institutions of higher education extensively address the traditional orchestral percussion instruments and only relatively recently have these institutions begun incorporating the more “exotic” percussion instruments from various indigenous musical traditions. With the resources and proposed performance practices suggested in this document, orchestral percussionists can gain the knowledge and familiarity to identify the instruments by name and construction, demonstrate fluency in technique and sound production, and display basic understanding …

Use Of Conductor Directives In Rehearsals By Conductors Of Professional Music Ensembles, David Coyner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This descriptive study catalogues the auditory directives of eight conductors of professional ensembles and compares their rehearsal time spent on directives and ensemble response. Rehearsals of eight conductors of professional ensembles were observed through commercially available videos through rental or YouTube. The conductors are Leonard Bernstein, Karl Böhm, Frederick Fennell, Valery Gergiev, Herbert von Karajan, Carlos Kleiber, Georg Solti, and Leopold Stokowski. Conductor directives and ensemble responses are marked based on directive type, compiled into an observation log, and timed to track frequency and duration. The directive and ensemble response types are academic, modeling, instruction, nonmusical, approval/disapproval, and performance. Results …

Exploring The Relation Between Musical And Dance Sophistication And Musical Groove Perception, Samantha R. O'Connell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Listening to groovy music is an enjoyable experience and a ubiquitous human behavior in some cultures. Specifically, many listeners agree that high-groove songs are enjoyable, familiar, and likable compared to low-groove songs. While the pleasurable and dance-inducing effects of musical groove listening seem omnipresent, what is less known is how subjective feelings towards music, individual musical or dance experiences, or more objective musical perception abilities are correlated with the way we hear music with groove. Therefore, the present online study aimed to evaluate how musical and dance sophistication relates to musical groove perception. One-hundred and twenty-four participants completed an online …

The Beat Of A Subculture: A Study Of The History And Impact Of Non-Pitched Percussion In Early Hip-Hop, Jeffrey Michael Taylor

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document presents a study of the origins and role of non-pitched, percussion-based samples in the history and development of the hip-hop genre. The survey presents an historical synopsis of hip-hop’s origins including the infrastructure of the genre, the DJ forefathers, and the music and drummers responsible for the subcultural emergence. Emphasis is placed on the specific genres of music that influenced the creation of hip-hop and the drummers responsible for the sounds that were appropriated to create new musical works. Influential drummers are examined, and transcriptions are given to aid the development of relevant drum set performance techniques. A …

The Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto (1959), Ying Zhang

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The study examines the importance of the Butterfly Lovers’ violin concerto (1959) by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang and the related research on its musical and culture context in China, focusing on how students from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music explored the use of Chinese traditional music elements on a western instrument, the violin in the 1950s. The dissertation discusses three aspects: the social and compositional introductory background, composition analysis and the influence of this piece in the eastern and western musical worlds. In the first chapter, I give a brief introduction to the piece. When the new People’s Republic …