Music Commons^™

Graduate Recital In Viola, Isaak Walter Sund

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Isaak Walter Sund performed his Master of Music Recital in viola on March 29th, 2017, at 8:00 pm in the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center’s Davis Hall. He was assisted by pianist Serena Hou. The program selected included Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor BWV 1011 by Johann Sebastian Bach, Sonata op. 120 for Clarinet and Piano (Version for Viola) by Johannes Brahms, and Viola Concerto by William Walton. This program’s repertoire was chosen for the variety of different styles and to explore the subtleties between characters, stylistic elements and core technical development of the viola.

An Exploration Of Musical Theatre Vocal Technique And Style 1950 - Present, Emily Slomovits

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

My Honors Thesis Recital is the culmination of my study of how singing techniques and styles have changed in musical theatre since its Golden Age in the 1940's and 50's from a semi-classical, operatic style and technique, to a sound much more infused with jazz, pop, rock, and other contemporary music styles. This recital explores works by some of the greatest musical theatre composers and lyricists, starting with giants like Rodgers and Hammerstein and Leonard Bernstein, and working up to present day with modern greats like Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, and Jason Robert Brown. I will demonstrate the evolution of …

Music Education For Future "Mathews": Down Syndrome In General Music Education, Amber Alicia Colberg

Theses and Dissertations

This paper will begin with the history of special education and how legislation has shaped its implementation in the school system. The definitions and types of Down syndrome will then be discussed. Next, modifications for individuals with Down syndrome in the regular classroom and music classroom will be examined. Additionally, music therapy strategies will be included as it relates to music education. The paper will conclude with a description of curriculum adaptations for individuals with Down syndrome in the general music classroom. Following the paper, practical applications of research strategies are provided through four lesson plans. The purpose of this …

Finding Home: Creating A Video Game Soundtrack, Samantha Chase

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this lecture recital was to reflect on the characteristics of video game music, how those characteristics were shaped through technological advancements in the industry, and how to apply them to composition. Due to the limitations of early video game technology and memory space, video game composers were extremely limited. Composers worked through these limitations by composing with limited range and timbres, looping, and extensive use of ostinato. Even though modern day composers are not faced with this challenge, many still rely heavily on these techniques as they have become iconic of video game music. Video game composers …

A Poetic And Musical Analysis Of Fiancailles Pour Rire By Francis Poulenc With Poems By Louise De Vilmorin, Mary Elizabeth Gasson

Theses and Dissertations

Francis Poulenc is known for setting text of lesser-known poets. He set six of Louise de Vilmorin’s poems from Fiancailles pour rire to music. The style in which Vilmorin writes is quite intriguing, while Poulenc’s method of setting the text brings the mysteries of her poems to life. Their collaboration produced a charming work. The author will provide an in-depth poetic and musical analysis of Poulenc’s set Fiancailles pour rire. This study of Fiancailles pour rire may be used as a performance guide.

An Exploration And Application Of Lieder Performance Practices And Compositional Techniques Towards The Poetic And Musical Structures Of Robert Schumann's Mignon Lieder, Clarissa Noel Lewandowski

Theses and Dissertations

The author has explored the poetic elements and musical settings of “Mignon Lieder” composed by Robert Schumann based on the text from Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship. The author has compared the poetic and musical structures of each song from the “Mignon Lieder”, in order to capture the essence of Schumann’s compositional style as well as the performance practice needed specifically for his lieder. These topics are directly linked to the close relationship between text and music and the ability to blend the two for a meaningful performance. Also, an analysis of Mignon, the character of which the “Mignon …

Experience In Action: Incorporating Somatic Education Into The General Music Classroom, Amy N. Melton

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis seeks to introduce principles of somatic education to children grades kindergarten through grade five in order to prevent future music-related injury and to promote free, wholebody movement. To do so, the principals of somatic education, specifically those of the Alexander Technique and Body Mapping, were combined with the current general music pedagogies by altering pre-existing lesson plans. Alterations include a variety of methods of integration, including, but not limited to: teaching about and exploring the different parts of the body, understanding the relationships between seemingly unrelated body parts, and engaging in student-led constructive rest in the semi-supine position. …

Painted Faces & Printed Music: Women And Music In The Paintings Of Bartolomeo Veneto And Sebastiano Florigerio, Lauren N. Rosenblatt

Theses and Dissertations

The cultural views surrounding musical performances by women rapidly changed during the sixteenth century. The ideal of the preceding century advised ladies of the court to avoid displaying the frivolous and sinful ways of music-making, but the new notion of the female courtier praised women for performing music, for it could only serve to enhance their beauty and virtue. These two opposing concepts can be seen simultaneously in treatises, correspondences, and artwork of this era. Artists’ depictions of courtesans included music to convey what was considered sensual and immoral; yet other works displayed music instruments as representations of women’s nobility …

A Reflective Analysis Of The Practice And Performance Of A Degree Tuba Recital, Taylor Hicks

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this thesis document is to review and assess using research the practice and performance techniques that were utilized and developed in preparing and presenting a full length degree recital. This thesis will also provide historical, cultural, and etymological context and examine the stylistic characteristics and playing techniques necessary in order to successfully prepare and perform the chosen repertoire in recital. Material from this thesis will act as the program notes for the recital itself on April 4 2017, while portions of the discussion on practice techniques and the challenges that each of the pieces presented will be …

Gender And Music: Can We Hear A Difference Between Female And Male Composers And Performers?, Arianna Edvenson

Honors Program Theses

This research investigates whether or not gender is perceptible in classical music. In order to test this hypothesis, different ideas such as the history of women in music, the various roles they have or have not played, and different characteristics of music that are considered “masculine” or “feminine” were examined. A survey was used to determine if these characteristics were audible. Specifically, participants were asked to try to identify the gender of the composer and performer of five different audio clips. This data was then broken down into categories that include the participant’s gender, age, and amount of musical experience. …

Trying To Fit In With The Weird Parts Of The Internet: Online Subcultures And Content Creation, Isak Fedeler Knivsland

Honors Program Theses

Creating my thesis project has been quite a journey - perhaps a longer and more tedious journey than I anticipated, but rewarding nonetheless. Starting this project in the fall, I simply had the goal of making cool music, producing videos to accompany it, and getting some people to watch it. This is much easier said than done, however.

In my head, this was to be a pretty straightforward project. I had made electronic music before and had been improving at it. I had edited some videos, though not for a few years. And I had experimented with marketing content. The …

Graduate Recital In Saxophone, Cehuai Zhang

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Cehuai Zhang performed his graduate recital on Thursday, March 2, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. in Davis Hall at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. This recital was given in partial fulfillment of the requirement for his Master of Music degree, with an emphasis in saxophone performance. The recital program consisted of Concertino da Camera for alto saxophone and eleven instruments (transcribed for piano) by Jacques Ibert, Mai for alto saxophone solo by Ryo Noda, Fantaisie Sur un Theme Original for alto saxophone and piano by Jules Demersseman, and Buku for saxophone solo …

A Master's Recital In Conducting, Lucas Harry Petersen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Lucas Harry Petersen conducted in two recitals which took place on the evenings of Tuesday, April 4, 2017 and Wednesday, April 26, 2017 in the Great Hall at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. The recitals were presented in partial fulfillment of a Master of Music in conducting. The full program consisted of three contrasting pieces: Dana Wilson’s Shortcut Home for wind band, Charles Gounod’s Petite Symphony for wind octet and flute, and Gordon Jacob’s Symphony AD 78 for wind band. The performing ensembles were the University of Northern Iowa Symphonic Band, and a chamber group comprised of undergraduate and …

A Master's Recital In Voice, Haley L. Steele

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Haley Steele presented a graduate voice recital on March 30th, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. in Davis Hall of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa. The recital was presented in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Music degree in voice performance. The program included selections by Hugo Wolf, Joaquín Rodrigo, and early songs by Claude Debussy, in addition to a chamber piece for horn and soprano by Otto Nicolai and selections from a contemporary song cycle titled The Wild Iris by Forrest Pierce. This recital abstract surveys this repertoire with regard to relevant, …

A Graduate's Recital In Piano, Huajun Zhang

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

On March 22, 2017, Huajun Zhang presented a full graduate piano recital in completion of her Master’s degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. The recital was held at 8 p.m. in Davis Hall of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa. Pieces on the program included: Sonatas in F minor, K. 466 and F minor, K. 239 by Domenico Scarlatti; Sonata in A Major, K. 331 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Rondo Capriccioso in E Major, Opus 14 by Felix Mendelssohn; and Piano Concerto in A minor, Opus 16 by Edvard Grieg. This abstract contains further discussion …

Master's Recital In Jazz Pedagogy: A Demonstration Of Proficiency On Rhythm Section Instruments, Compositions, And Arrangements By Sam Stranz, Sam Stranz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this recital is to demonstrate a practical competency in playing techniques on the rhythm section instruments piano, bass, and drum set in addition to presenting arrangements and compositions by the performer. The study of rhythm section instruments provides the solid understanding of jazz rhythm and harmony necessary for any jazz educator endeavoring to provide adequate instruction for his or her students. The study of jazz arranging and composition also aids in instructing students of jazz at any level of proficiency. Although not a complete representation of the studies required of a student studying jazz pedagogy, this recital …

Graduate Voice Recital: Rachel Storlie, Soprano & Robin Guy, Piano, Rachel Storlie

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

At 6:00 p.m. on April 14, 2017, soprano Rachel Storlie and pianist Dr. Robin Guy presented a recital of song literature in Davis Hall at the University of Northern Iowa, in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Voice Performance degree. Selections performed included songs from Grieg’s Haugtussa, Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder, selections from Pâque’s Sept mélodies pour Chant et Piano, and Rorem’s Ariel with faculty artist/clarinetist Dr. Amanda McCandless. This document serves as a guide for the recital program through: exploration of poetic meaning and text setting style, observation of musical texture and melody, and illumination of …

Graduate Recital In Violin, Hannah Rae Howland

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Hannah Howland performed a graduate recital on March 23, 2017 in Graham Chamber Hall. She was assisted by pianist Polina Khatsko. The program included Sonata No. 3 in C major, BWV 1005 by Johann Sebastian Bach, Sonata No. 3, Op. 27, “Ballade,” by Eugène Ysayë, and Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op. 13 by Gabriel Fauré. These three pieces were selected for this performance because they are seminal works of the violin repertoire that represent three distinct styles and require a wide variety of technical and expressive elements for performance.

A Graduate Recital In Piano, Jennifer Regina Legarde

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This recital abstract examines the program that was performed by Jennifer R. LeGarde on Friday, February 24, 2017 at eight o’clock in the evening, in the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center’s Davis Hall. This recital was performed in partial fulfillment of the degree of Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. The pieces that were performed on this program were selected by Ms. LeGarde because of their representation of four general stylistic periods of music. The program was presented in two parts and in chronological order. While each piece showcases stylistic features unique to each time period, they also are …

Seth Nordin In Recital, Matthew Seth Nordin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This recital was prepared in collaboration with Dr. Polina Khatsko, Brent Mead, Nathaniel Welshons, and Tom Rauch. It was presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the University of Northern Iowa's Master of Music degree. The works presented were carefully chosen to showcase the performer's instrumental proficiency and understanding of a variety of solo tenor and alto trombone literature and chamber music. They are, in order, Concerto for Alto Trombone and Piano by Georg Christoph Wagenseil, selections from Dichterliebe by Robert Schumann, Improvisation No. 1 by Enrique Crespo, Fantasy for Trombone by Sigismond Stojowski, Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra …

An Investigation Of The Assessment Practices Of Elementary General Music Teachers In Iowa, Michelle Linn Hyde Swanson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Assessment, leading to informed decisions, is an integral part of music education and may be a means to justify the importance of music as a valued content subject (Brophy, 2000). The purpose of this study was to describe the elementary general music assessment practices in Iowa. The study was framed using Stiggins’ (2005) categorical definition of assessment as gathering, organizing, summarizing, and reporting data. Mixed methodologies were utilized to gather data regarding these four categories through survey questions (N=211) and two focus group discussions. The participants were from a variety of school district sizes as well as teachers with varying …

A Master's Recital In Horn, Casey M. Chlapek

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Casey Chlapek performed his graduate horn recital on November 9, 2017 at 6:00 pm in Davis Hall of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. He was assisted by pianist Natia Shioshvili. This recital represents the partial fulfillment of obtaining a Master of Music degree in Horn Performance. The program included works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jan Koetsier Sigurd Berge, Carl Nielsen, and Jean Françaix. This abstract examines each piece in the context of its composer’s total musical output, explores the purpose and circumstances of composition, and provides brief comments regarding the …

A Master's Recital In Flute, Azeem Zakiyy Ward

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Azeem Zakiyy Ward performed a graduate flute recital at six o’clock in the evening of Thursday, April 20, 2017 in Davis Hall in the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Collaborating with Mr. Ward on selected works were pianist Mariya Akhadjanova, trumpeter Ryan Garmoe, and guitarist Tanner O’Connor. The recital was presented in partial fulfillment of a Master of Music in flute performance. The program opened with the Sonata in A Minor for solo flute by Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, followed by three movements of Astor Piazzolla’s Historie du Tango for flute and guitar. The first portion of the program concluded …

"Contrasts": Differences And Similarities In Choral Settings Of Christina Rossetti's Poems, Coren Hucke

Honors Program Theses

Choral music is a unique art form because it combines text with music. This juxtaposition allows the two elements to enhance each other, working together to create a clearer product. Composers of choral music must make carefully informed decisions when selecting a text and deciding how to set it to music. The characteristics of the text can have observable effects on the choices a composer makes in their setting. These effects are the subject of this thesis. I wanted to study musical settings of one poet to determine whether certain characteristics of the poetry had noticeable effects when set by …