Music Commons^™

Stephanie Thomas: Jazz Piano, Stephanie Thomas

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Jazz keyboard is a relatively young genre. The piano has been around for hundreds of years, and before that other keyboard instruments were used in music making. The classical piano nomenclature has been codified through the years so that there is a unified system and approach to teaching it. There are endless method books out there on how to teach it, but by and large the material is the same. In teaching Jazz piano there are many different pedagogical approaches that have not yet been unified into a single system. The notation of chords varies greatly among different pedagogues. For …

Samoa Stories Of Faith, Thomas Powell, Dr. Jeremy Grimshaw

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Samoan Islands are home to a rich and fascinating history and culture which is slowly disappearing as other world influences continue to have an impact on them. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it is our responsibility to seek to preserve our heritage, both for our own enlightenment and for the benefit of future generations. Having served my mission in Samoa I have been able to experience firsthand the wonder and beauty of their culture and also to see the many changes it is undergoing.

Melos-V Database: Melodic Organization, Structure And Variant Database, Ryan Seamons, Dr. Jerry L. Laccard

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the last century, a new discipline developed around the scientific analysis of musical microstructures found in authentic or “deep-layer” folksong. Ilmari Krohn of Finland was the first to publish in this field (Suomen kansan sävelmiä—Volumes I–IV, 1904–1928). This publication came into the hands of two young Hungarian university students who later became world-class composers, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, who had already been collecting peasant tunes in remote rural villages. Krohn’s analysis and classification paradigm was just what Bartók and Kodály needed to make sense of the rich musical structures they were finding in the ancient layers of the …

"Take A Sad Song And Make It Better": Exploring Rewards Related To Liking Unfamiliar Sad Music, John Hogue

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis tested some of Levinson's (1997) ideas on why people like music that makes them sad. A path model of this effect was interpreted from Levinson's theory, and 5 of the paths were tested. These paths were that music would directly create a communion with the song, that happiness and sadness would mediate this effect, that absorption would moderate the direct path, that absorption would moderate the songs' ability to evoke the emotions, and that satisfaction would moderate the emotions' influence on liking the songs.

A pilot study was conducted to determine if the songs evoked their intended emotions. …

A Comparative Study Of Stylistic Influences Of Three Twentieth-Century Piano Etudes, Karen L. Rogers, Dr. Jeffrey L. Shumway

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nineteenth-century composers changed the piano etude from a relatively dry technical exercise to a concert piece that explored new possibilities of technique and musicality. In the twentiethcentury, composers of the piano etude invented new ways of approaching the piano, integrated a variety of unusual artistic influences and introduced new challenges and twists to traditional piano technique. The changes made to the piano etude in the nineteenth century are fairly well known. However, the piano etudes of the twentieth century are less often played or researched.

Using Genetic Algorithms To Harmonize A Melody: An Application In Computer Music, Weston Cann, Dr. David Michael Cottle

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Currently, there is a wide variety of computer applications available for aiding musicians. Most common are applications whose purpose is to help render the performance of a piece (sequencers) or help the user prepare the score of a piece. Less common are applications designed to aid the composer in exploring musical possibilities. This project is an attempt to add to this second body of applications.

Expanding Horizons In Late 20th Century Music Composition, Todd Colemana, Stephen Jones

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Art music composition in the 20th century has been characterized by rapid development and change in theory and practice. With the resultant diversity of concurrent stylistic traits, personal philosophies on the purpose of music, harmonic languages, and aesthetic approaches, it is difficult to make any broad generalizations about composition of serious music in our time and the direction it is going.

Ua51/1 Collections & Connections, Jennifer Wilson

Collections & Connections

This spring/summer 2013 issue features Al and Jeane Baker honored for their in-kind gift to the libraries' centennial mural as well as Dr. Nicholson who won this year's Kentucky Literary Award for his book about Derby. The issue also highlights the 2013 SOKY Book Fest that brought in 130 authors. It reports the newly renovated Commons at Cravens and the just installed web-based service StackMap, which can visually guide users to the stacks of books in Cravens Library using their smart phones. As usual, all of the Libraries’ literary events have been mentioned in the issue, particularly the new grant-supported …

The Organ Reform Movement—A Revitalization Of The 17th Century North German Organ, Benjamin J. Crandall, Dr. Douglas E. Bush

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries comprised the so-called “golden age” of the organ due to the remarkable instruments built then and because of the extraordinary repertoire which spawned from these organs. Reaching a pinnacle of tonal expertise and craftsmanship in the organs of Arp Schnitger (1648-1719) and his North German contemporaries, these organs inspired a 20th- century “organ reform movement” in which American organ builders began to construct organs modeled after the historic organs. This in turn has affected 20th-century compositional practice and has changed many views and concepts of performance.

Benjamin Britten’S War Requiem In Context Of The Historical Requiem Tradition, Bonnie Ashby, Dr. E. Harrison Powley

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The focus of this project has changed as I have researched and analyzed Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem, studied the history of the Requiem mass, and compared other major historical Requiems. Britten=s contribution to the Requiem tradition is unique in its contemporary sound and the insertion of Wilfred Owen’s poetry into the liturgical text. Yet, the War Requiem is strongly rooted in the historical tradition of Requiem settings. The first section of my paper describes that tradition: its origins in Gregorian chant, the ways it changed through the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras, and the major Requiem settings of each era. …

The Development Of Musical Thought, Melissa J. Clayton, Jerry L. Jaccard

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The task at hand, at the beginning of my research, was to discover the process of musical thought development in a child. Piaget’s similar research in mathematical thinking started with first discovering the content of children’s thought in mathematics, through clinical observation. Then he analyzed this content. He noticed changes at various points in a child’s growth. His observations and conclusions laid the foundation for a widely accepted theory. This theory is that children go through different stages of development as they learn (1). To discover the stages a child progresses through in attaining musical knowledge, I proposed to do …

From Silver To Bamboo, Nicole Okeson, Dr. Kirt Saville

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The flute is one of the oldest musical instruments in history. Flutes can be found in civilizations across the globe throughout time. While basic similarities exist between all flutes, including similar fingerings and embouchure, musical style and notation differ widely. China is one of the oldest continuous civilizations on earth. Much of traditional Chinese music dates back to the time of Confucius and much earlier.

Nats 51st National Conference Salt Lake City, Emily Bateman, Lawrence Vincent

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I am a Music Performance major with emphasis in the Vocal area. It is a generally understood rule that most music performers spend time teaching in order to supplement the meager income that can be expected from a career in the performing arts. So, recently I have undertaken to find out more about teaching. I actually do have a private voice studio at my home in Tacoma, Washington during the summer months. I teach young students, ages ranging from seven to fifteen. Teaching has brought me so much joy.

Becoming True Guitar Heroes, Justin Aiken, Lawrence Green

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Guitar Hero and Rock Band are two of the most successful video game franchises of all time – Guitar Hero alone has topped $2 billion in the first quarter of last year. In these games, a player mashes plastic buttons on a guitar shaped controller in time to notes scrolling across the screen. Rock Band added virtual drums to the game, letting would-be Ringos play with a handful of drum pads and a kick drum. Although you couldn’t learn to play the drums from playing the video game alone, people discovered that you could learn enough of the fundamentals to …

Understanding William Primrose: The Transcription Of Technique Is Memory, Noelle Rader, Dr. Claudine Bigelow

Journal of Undergraduate Research

I received my ORCA grant to transpose and transcribe for viola the out-of-print violin method book Technique is Memory, written by the famous violist William Primrose. BYU is home to the largest viola music archive in the world, the William Primrose International Viola Archive (PIVA). William Primrose was the first modern viola virtuoso. We only have a few sources that reveal the great mind of this distinguished artist and teacher. Technique is Memory, one of these sources, unfortunately, has been out of print for 50 years. Regrettably, when Primrose wrote Technique is Memory he believed it only needed to be …

The Organs Of Historic Lds Tabernacles, Mark Campbell, Dr. Douglas Bush

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In colonizing the intermountain west, many early Latter-day Saints would construct houses of worship at the center of their communities called “tabernacles.” The last of these structures was built in the 1950s. Many tabernacles still exist and stand as a beautiful architectural legacy of LDS pioneers. As tabernacles would often seat a large number of people, reed or pipe organs were typically purchased to accompany congregational singing. The most famous LDS tabernacle is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. The world-famous Tabernacle Organ it houses has received ample attention in sound recordings, photography and other documentation and …

Meaningful Collaboration: Revitalizing Small Colleges With Mooc Hybrids, Jessica Mahoney, Kevin R. Burke

Arts and Communication Faculty Publications

When MOOCs went viral in 2012, traditional small colleges reached an identity crossroads, a midlife crisis where idealism and wisdom collide. Although the main concerns of future viability have been present for years — the fate of the humanities, the rise in student debt, and the sluggish economy, among others — MOOCs have summoned a sense of urgency. “Get online, or get an identity,” as Patrick J. Deneen recently expressed, illustrates the high stakes for institutions deciding whether to assimilate or differentiate. Along with the rapid adoption at large, elite institutions and flagship state schools is the growing myth that …

Private Guitar And String Lessons Offered At Iwu, Hannah Dhue

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.

Haile, Hascal B., 1906-1986 (Sc 1098), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scans (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 1098. Four labels used for guitars made and sold by Hascal B. Haile in his shop in Tompkinsville (Monroe County), Kentucky. One label is inscribed to noted guitarist Chet Atkins; the others have not been used. Includes one of Haile’s business cards and a 1998 newspaper article.

Usu Summer Alumni Band: 50th Anniversary Celebration, Nicholas Morrison, Arnald D. Gabriel

All Music Department Programs

Founded in 1963 by Dr. Max Foreman Dalby, the Utah State University Summer Alumni Band, made up of talented and dedicated alumni from USU’s Music Department, has entertained generations of audience members on the beautiful USU campus for fifty consecutive years. Alumni Band Music Director Nicholas Morrison and the Caine College of the Arts are very pleased to welcome Col. Arnald D. Gabriel, longtime American Bandmasters Association colleague of Dr. Dalby, to conduct tonight’s very special 50th Anniversary celebration.

School Of Music Recital Programs From 2013 To 2014, Wright State University School Of Music

School of Music Printed Programs

This is a collection of programs from a variety concerts, recitals, and other performances previously held at Wright State University during the 2013 to 2014 school year.

Revising Music Theory Curricula In Response To Varied Student Backgrounds: A Survey, Anna Barbara Vezza

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

This study examines the relationship between undergraduate music theory curricula and the widely varied backgrounds in written theory and aural skills brought to post-secondary institutions by entering students. A survey of Midwestern, large, public universities that offer a bachelor’s degree in music forms the basis for my discussion of how the curricula meet students’ needs. This analysis gives rise to specific proposals for music theory programs and curricula at these schools which, if implemented, can increase success rates of students.

Advisor: Stanley V. Kleppinger

Redesigning A Performance Practice: Synergising Woodwind Improvisation With Bespoke Software Technology., Seán Mac Erlaine

Doctoral

This research examines how the designing of a new performance practice based on the incorporation of custom digital signal processing software impacts on solo improvised woodwind performance. Through the development of bespoke software, I investigate how these new technologies can be integrated into solo woodwind performance practice. This research presents a new improvised music practice as well as a suite of new software tools and performance techniques. Through a workshop and performance-­‐based research process, a suite of software processors are developed which respond, and are complementary, to a personalised style of improvised performance. This electronic augmentation of the woodwind instrument …

Performing Jonathan Newman's "Symphony No. 1: My Hands Are A City", Joseph Corey Francis

Dissertations

The purpose of this document is to provide analysis for interpretation of and rehearsal suggestions for Jonathan Newman’s Symphony No. 1: My Hands Are a City (2009). This document serves as the first significant scholarly work on the entire composition and is intended to be a resource for musicians seeking to gain information about the work. Included in the document is a biography of Jonathan Newman, as well as history concerning the commissioning of Symphony No. 1, a formal analysis of the work, and insight to conducting concerns. Information was gathered through formal interviews with Jonathan Newman, Jeff Gershman (Associate …

Side Show: The Musical Direction, Morgan D. Hurd

Music

No abstract provided.

Study Of The Acquisition Of Development Of Melodic Notation In First- To Third-Grade Children, Kaylan Rose Wells

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive development in music of first- to third-grade children, with particular interest in the mean level of development for each age and the role that gender may play. Participants included 224 students (115 girls and 109 boys) from grades 1-3. Using a developed research protocol, a trained committee of music educators rated children’s drawings for cognitive development with respect to melodic line. The study found significant difference among grade levels with F= 6.9702, df= 2, 222, p = .0012 at the .01 level using a three-group ANOVA. However, there were no …

U.S. Jazz In The 1950s, Amanda Canales

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

I have examined jazz music in the United States during the 1950s and argue that its popularity in various demographics illustrates that despite social and racial tensions jazz unified them. By explaining this we learn that Jazz’s popularity with different groups reflects not only jazz’s ever present flexibility but how societal values and issues are shown respectively. A brief background of the U.S during the 1950s, three key definitions for the nonconformist, conformist and purist as well as a brief history of jazz during the 1950s can be found in the introduction. Chapter II through IV deals with the specific …

A Comparison Of The Perceptions Of Music Educators And School Administrators Regarding Trends In Secondary Curricular Offerings And Implications On Student Body Participation, Leigh Falconer

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand the perceptions of music educators and school administrators regarding current practices in curricular offerings as they pertain to music education. These included experienced and anticipated changes to the music curriculum, music education participation rates, barriers to music participation, and school and music course ethnic composition. From a regional perspective, music teachers and administrators were surveyed to determine if perceptions regarding any of the above items varied significantly between the groups. Total potential subjects were selected through random stratified sampling (in Washington) or all music educators (Oregon and Idaho) (n = 922). …

Influences Of Music Genre And Components On Food Perception And Acceptance, Alexandra Jean Fiegel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Managers of consumer goods companies (i.e., restaurants, grocery stores, and bars) have the potential to effectively utilize environmental factors to stimulate desired consumer behaviors. Background music has been identified as one of the most readily manipulated and influential elements to which a shopper or consumer may be exposed to in a service setting. Nevertheless, little is known about the effect of background sound on food perception and acceptance. This research sought whether background music genre and musical components can alter food perception and acceptance, but also to determine how the effect can vary as a function of food type (i.e., …

Preparation And Performance Of A Twentieth Century Operatic Monologue, Danielle L. Adams

Honors Theses

Celebrated as having written “songs for the ages”, twentieth century American composer Lee Hoiby is known for having composed tonal, lyrical music in a time when his peers were exploring serialism and atonality. Now regarded as a monumental contributor to American music, he composed songs, operas, and choral works as well as instrumental and chamber music. Hoiby’s compositions are especially revered by singers, many of whom state that Hoiby was gifted at writing highly crafted songs because he “knew the voice”. Although his works did not achieve as much fame in his lifetime as the atonal works of his contemporaries, …