Music Commons^™

A Survey Of Current Music Therapy Practices Addressing Motor Goals In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Matthew Proffitt

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Motor deficits in children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have started to become recognized as an area of concern. The purpose of this study was to examine practices of board-certified music therapists who address motor goals of children with ASD. A total of 168 current board certified music therapists completed an 18-item online survey regarding music therapy practices with children who have ASD, particularly the frequency with which they address motor goals and specific goals and interventions. Respondents reported addressing motor goals with children who have ASD more frequently than suggested by previous research. Motor goals most …

The Effects Of Music Therapy And Its Impact On Sound Levels In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Sarah L. Timmons

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Sound levels in the neonatal intensive care unit often exceed the recommended level of 45 dBA. Various sounds contribute to the extraneous noise that envelops this fragile environment. Increase in noise and high levels of sound can be detrimental to the health of premature infants, which can cause both short and long-term developmental delays and negative physiologic responses. Music therapy interventions in the NICU have addressed numerous needs of this population, with a positive effect on development, physiologic responses, and hospital stay. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of music therapy on decreasing the sound levels …

Gretchen’S Soliloquy “Ach Neige, Du Schmerzenreiche” From Goethe’S Faust: A Vocal Performance Analysis And Set Of Performance Guidelines For Various Solo Voice Settings, Savanna Sokolnicki

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The great novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 – 1832) arguably made his most significant contribution to the artistic world with his literary masterpiece Faust I. Goethe’s love of music and melody is evident throughout all of Faust, particularly in the expressive poetry of the character of Gretchen, whose meaningful words gave inspiration to a variety of musical manifestations, especially in German Lied.

This document serves as a performance guide for vocalists. It provides vital information on the setting and arrangement of the poetry within the musical settings, the background and significance of the composer and …

A Comprehensive Method For Tuning And Pedaling Timpani, Brandon M. Arvay

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Method books are an integral part of the percussion pedagogy. Because of the vast number of instruments a modern percussionist is expected to play, they often look for progressive, concise, and effective resources that can make learning such a variety of instruments more efficient. Instructional books currently exist for many areas of percussion performance, including snare drum, mallet percussion, timpani, World music, accessories, and marching percussion. Included in these books are information and procedures on music reading, rhythm studies, listening skills, part preparation, and technical approach. Focusing on timpani methods specifically, many of these books include tuning and pedaling exercises …

The Effect Of Music Therapy Interaction On Child And Parental Preoperative Anxiety In Parents Of Children Undergoing Day Surgery, Christopher R. Millett

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Young children who experience high levels preoperative anxiety often exhibit distress behaviors, experience more surgical complications, and are at a higher risk for developing a variety of negative postoperative consequences. A significant factor in pediatric preoperative anxiety is the level of anxiety present in their caregivers. Music therapy interventions addressing a variety of procedural outcomes have been met with success. The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative effectiveness of two music therapy interventions on reducing preoperative anxiety in young pediatric surgical patients and their caregivers.

A total of 40 pediatric patient and caregiver dyads were included in …

Creative Treatment Of Folk Melodies In Selected Cirandinhas And Cirandas Of Heitor Villa-Lobos, Eldia Carla Farias

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This study provides a comparative analysis and performance suggestions for three Cirandinhas and three Cirandas for solo piano by Heitor Villa-Lobos in order to demonstrate their aesthetic and pedagogical value. The primary objective is to argue for the significance of the Cirandas as concert works and of the Cirandinhas as didactic ones. To better explore these two sets of pieces and their interconnections, the selected Ciranda-Cirandinhas pairs are all based on the same folksong theme. Thus, the analyses also demonstrate Villa-Lobos’s desire to represent Brazilian culture through his music and the ingenuity with which he treated the same melodic material …

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 …

Interdisciplinary Collaboration With Music Therapy During Routine Pediatric Dental Procedures, Austin S. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The incorporation of integrative medicine into traditional treatment options has steadily increased during the past two decades. This has resulted in a change in the dynamics of interdisciplinary teams creating the need to better understand the roles and responsibilities of team members. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of dental treatment team members regarding the role and responsibilities of music therapy during treatment.

A total of 10 participants were included in this study. Participants completed a pre-music therapy survey to establish prior knowledge, experience with, and perceptions of music therapy. Following an experiential intervention, participants completed …

Music Therapy Students’ Experiences During Pre-Internship Training And The Music Therapy Internship: A Collective Case Study Using Semi-Structured Interviews, Christopher Marvin Nix

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Music therapy students engage in a variety of academic and clinical opportunities within their music therapy education. There are options for students who want to gain the basic training for certification in music therapy, either bachelor’s, or equivalency for students with a bachelor’s degree in a related field. Previous research has been used to analyze the experiences of students and educators throughout education, with no research focusing specifically on the master’s equivalency population. Within this study, semi-structured interviews were used to gain qualitative data analyzing music therapy students’ perceptions of academic and internship curricula and their effects on the transition …

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 …

Overcoming Initial Hurdles: Strategies For Developing A University Free Improvisation Ensemble, Rui Li

Theses and Dissertations--Music

New free improvisers may come across six major problems as they learn to improvise: imbalance between technique and music, incorrect perception of limitation, imbalance between rationality and emotion, lack of enthusiasm, inability to view criticism as a source of creativity, and misunderstanding of mistakes and risks. In this thesis, I propose a set of effective pedagogical tools as possible solutions for students and groups interested in exploring the beauty of free improvisation.

An Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Cooperative Learning As A Rehearsal Technique For Improving High School Band Performance, Karen R. Compton

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of cooperative learning as a rehearsal technique on high school full-band performance compared to traditional rehearsal methods. Two intact high school bands from the same Kentucky Music Educators Association District participated in the study. One band served as the treatment group using cooperative learning rehearsal techniques and the other group served as the control group using traditional rehearsal methods in a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design.

The study spanned six weeks in which both schools prepared the same performance piece, Variants by Jack Bullock. The groups were pre-tested using …

The Effect Of Music Listening On Relaxation Level And Volume Of Breast Milk Pumped By Mothers Of Infants In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Amber A. Colliver

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Breast milk is considered the gold standard for infant nutrition, but many factors can hinder milk production. Mothers of infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are especially prone to stress, which can inhibit volume of breast milk. The purpose of this study was to determine if music listening had an effect on the volume of breast milk pumped and relaxation level of mothers of infants in a NICU.

A total of 28 participants, who were mothers of infants in the NICU, were included in the data analysis of this study, with 14 in the control group and 14 …

Concerto For Viola: A New Work For Solo Viola And Orchestra With Analysis And Commentary, David E. O'Fallon

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This project consists of a new work for solo viola with orchestra and includes an analysis of that work with commentary on the composer's stylistic traits and influences. The analysis comprises not only an examination of the formal and thematic elements of the work, but also an investigation into the problems of projection and balance that are inherent in a work of this type and how various composers have attempted to solve, or at least minimize, these problems.

The Music And Flute Of Joaquim Antonio Callado A Study Of Selected Compositions, Denis Almeida Dos Santos

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a survey of eight selected compositions for flute by the nineteenth-century Brazilian composer and flutist, Joaquim Antonio Callado (1848-1880). The aim of the survey is to identify early structural, melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic elements of the popular Brazilian instrumental genre, called choro, in Callado’s compositions. In addition, this study will investigate the hypothesis of Callado’s use of two different flute models to compose and perform: a nineteenth-century, simple-system, five-keyed wooden flute and the, then, newly invented silver, multi-keyed, Boehm flute. The study will also look for evidence of Callado’s use of …

The Role Of Laryngeal Function In Breathing For Singing, Ellen V. Graham

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Poor breath management is problematic for singing. Voice students and singing teachers typically attribute breath management issues to abdominal-diaphragmatic breathing technique. The present study seeks to determine whether glottal insufficiency may also contribute to singer’s breath management problems. Studies have revealed a relationship between incomplete vocal fold closure and inefficiency in the speaking voice. However, the effect of incomplete vocal fold closure on vocal efficiency in singers has yet to be determined. Since the larynx cannot be observed without the assistance of clinical instrumentation, not readily available in the voice studio, issues at the glottal level may be underappreciated as …

Reconciling Brundibár: Practical Considerations For Producing Hans Krása’S Children’S Opera, Daniel W. Chetel

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Brundibár, the children’s opera by Czech composer Hans Krása (1899–1944), is the story of two children who go to town to seek some milk to help their sick mother. When they arrive the children are bullied by the Brundibár, a mean adult who plays the organ grinder and takes the children’s money. To fight back against the overbearing Brundibár the children seek the help of the town’s young people—along with three fairy-tale animals—to make the town square a safe place again.

The piece was performed in 1942 by the children of Prague’s Jewish orphanage, and then presented with child singers …

A Study Of J.S. Bach’S Sacred And Secular Vocal Works Influenced By Popular Stylized Dance Of The French Baroque Court: A Performer’S Guide, Dione J. Napier

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Among the existing body of literature on J.S. Bach’s massive compositional output, a scarce percentage of this research is dedicated specifically to the study of French Baroque court dances and their influence on Bach’s solo vocal repertoire. This study presents secular and sacred solo vocal works by J.S. Bach that were influenced by popular French court dances of the eighteenth century. The study explores musical and dance traits extracted from some of the most popular French Baroque court dances and incorporated into solo vocal repertoire. The intent of this paper is to provide a resource from a performer’s perspective that …

From Piano Girl To Professional: The Changing Form Of Music Instruction At The Nashville Female Academy, Ward’S Seminary For Young Ladies, And The Ward-Belmont School, 1816-1920, Erica J. Rumbley

Theses and Dissertations--Music

During the nineteenth century middle and upper-class women in Nashville and the surrounding region occupied a clearly defined place within society, and their social and academic education was designed to prepare them for that place. Even as female education gradually became more progressive in the later nineteenth-century, its scope was still limited by gender roles and expectations. Parents wanted their daughters to learn proper social graces, and “ornamental” studies such as music, needlework, and painting were a large part of their education. As the nineteenth gave way to the early twentieth-century, the focus of women’s education began to shift, with …

A Performance Guide To Glenn Kotche's "Monkey Chant", Jonathan Sharp

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Solo percussionist and composer Glenn Kotche has achieved international fame with his experimental percussion-based music, collaborating with and composing for renowned contemporary music ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet, Band on a Can All-Stars, So Percussion, and Eighth Blackbird. One of his most celebrated compositions in recent years is Monkey Chant, which combines acoustic and electronic elements in a solo multiple percussion setting. Written and premiered in 2006, Kotche was inspired to compose Monkey Chant after listening to original field recordings in Bali from the Nonesuch Explorer Series. Found in these recordings is the popular Balinese music and dance …

Italian And Spanish Influence On Selected Works Of Mexican Composers: María Grever, Ignacio Fernández Esperón “Tata Nacho,” And Agustín Lara, Manuel M. Castillo

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The last decades of the 19th Century and the first decades of the 20th Century encompass a revolutionary movement worldwide. The growth and advances throughout all disciplines of study and especially the collaboration across Literature, Music, Performing Arts, Culture and Politics became stronger and more evident than ever before.

As the Mexican Revolution (1910) developed in frightening fights, the country became increasingly insecure and violent. It was the duty of the living artist to create pathways to escape reality, embellishing the surroundings with its music, paintings and poetry. This climate is what paved the way to the bohemian living-style that …

An Examination Of A Conductor’S Performance Preparation Of The Mendelssohn Violin Concerto In E Minor, Robert J. Seebacher

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The music of Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-47) has earned a prominent position in the orchestral repertoire. One of his greatest works, and certainly one of the most performed, is his Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64. The work enjoys much popularity with, and recognition by, soloists, orchestras, and conductors alike. Even with its fame and familiarity, it remains a work that must be carefully studied and prepared by the conductor. This document presents an examination of a conductor’s performance preparation of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. The purpose of this examination is to equip the conductor with a depth of knowledge …

The Effect Of Family Centered Music Therapy Sessions On Relaxation States Of Informal Caregivers Of Hospice And Palliative Care Patients, Adrienne Claire Steiner

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Advances in healthcare and shifts toward patient and family centered care have allowed healthcare professionals to focus on the entirety of a patient and what affects his/her health. In noting such changes, and in consideration of what affects quality of life, findings in the literature address the physiological and physiological differences between those who are caregivers versus those who are not caregivers. This study investigated the relaxation state of those who were considered informal caregivers of hospice and palliative patients in an acute hospitalized setting.

A family centered music therapy session was conducted utilizing a music-­‐ assisted relaxation intervention incorporating …

Re-Thinking Paris At The Fin-De-Siècle: A New Vision Of Parisian Musical Culture From The Perspective Of Gabriel Astruc (1854-1938), Cesar A. Leal

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Gabriel Astruc (1864-1938), a French impresario of Jewish background, is mostly known for his collaborative work as an impresario with Sergei Diaghilev and his Ballets Russes. His role within Parisian musical culture at the fin de siècle, however, was much broader. He was a critic, creator of a leading periodical, producer of musical and circus events, music publisher, and associate of many important cultural figures of his day. Although Astruc has been mentioned in scholarly literature, his multifaceted activities have never been carefully studied.

Following the revisionist initiatives of previous scholars (e.g., Pasler, Huebner, Garafola, Fauser), this project offers …

Beverly, “Music Misses You”: A Biographical And Performance Guide To American Mezzo-Soprano Beverly Wolff’S Career And Her Subsequent Impact On American Opera And Art Song, Sarah C. Downs Trail

Theses and Dissertations--Music

American mezzo-soprano, Beverly Wolff has not received the credit or respect that she deserves in operatic history. Her career began in 1952 and flourished until her retirement from the stage in 1981. Her intense characterizations, innate musicianship, and intelligence made her one of the most sought-after performers from the 1950s to the 1970s. For thirty years, she worked with some of the operatic world’s finest musicians, including Leonard Bernstein, Gian-Carlo Menotti, Samuel Barber, Ned Rorem, Beverly Sills, Norman Triegle, Placido Domingo, among others.

She was represented by Columbia Artists Management Inc (CAMI), one of New York’s oldest and most prestigious …

The Effects Of A Cooperative Learning Environment On Preservice Elementary Teachers' Interest In And The Application Of Music Into Core Academic Subjects, John Okley Egger

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of cooperative learning on preservice elementary teachers’ interest in, and the application of music into, core academic subject lesson plans. Participants (N = 59) were preservice elementary teachers enrolled in four class sections of a music method course designed for elementary education majors at a large southern university. All members participating in the study were placed by section for eight weeks in one of two groups-an individualistic learning group or cooperative learning group.

During the first 6 weeks of the study, participants worked on the Music Integration Project. …

A Performance Guide To Gabriel Fauré’S La Chanson D’Ève, Op. 95, Sarah E. Klopfenstine-Wear

Theses and Dissertations--Music

In this study, background information, International Phonetic Alphabet pronunciations, poetic translations, and musical analyses of the ten songs that comprise Gabriel Fauré’s La Chanson d’Ève, Op. 95 are provided. Included is the relationship between his original poetry and Fauré’s resultant song cycle. Additionally, a portion is dedicated to an overview of the registers of the mezzo-soprano voice, and it specifically addresses who is best suited to perform La Chanson d’Ève. This document looks at the vocal challenges presented for the mezzo-soprano voice within each song, particularly the subject of vowel modification as it relates to the IPA pronunciation …

Zilphia Horton, A Voice For Change, Alicia R. Massie-Legg

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This dissertation examines the role of Zilphia Horton (1910-1956) in helping to establish the use of music as a powerful tool to unify and train groups involved in social reform at seminars led by Highlander Folk School. In engaging in what has been termed the “mobilization of music,” Mrs. Horton was active in labor disputes, training seminars in the United States and Canada, and the formation of women’s union auxiliaries from 1935 until 1956. The study uses correspondence written by Horton to her husband, Myles Horton; business letters to labor union officials and contributors to songsters; and writings revealing her …

Edward Elgar’S Extended Tonal Procedures—An Inquiry Into Elgar’S Chromatic Realm, Higo Henrique Rodrigues

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This study aims to examine the ways in which English composer Edward Elgar (1857–1934) expanded common-practice tonality; it shows how Elgar employed harmonic structures and syntax in an innovative manner through specific extended-tonal techniques such as the use of chromatic-third relations (both harmonically and as a tonal plan), harmonic substitutions, and local ambiguous sonorities that at times lead to tonal ambiguity. The system that Elgar expanded upon has been called “Classical diatonic tonality”, which was extended when late nineteenth-century composers such as Elgar infused their music with chromaticism. Through an investigation of Elgar’s extended tonal techniques one can come to …