Music Commons^™

Andrews University Symphony Orchestra - Spring Concert, Andrews University

Concerts and Event Programs 2024-2025

The Andrews University Symphony Orchestra presented its Spring Concert with a varied musical selection under the direction of Dr. Marc Elyseé.

Featuring soloist Dr. Chi Yong Yun and the University Singers under the direction of Prof. Stephen Zork.

El Sonido Del Exotismo: Retratos De España En Carmen, Grace Quasebarth

Vernacular: New Connections in Language, Literature, & Culture

Este artículo examinará la “orientalización” de la identidad nacional de España, que resulta de la creación de estereotipos tanto creados en el extranjero como apropiados por la misma España durante el siglo XIX. Específicamente, voy a examinar la influencia de la ópera francesa Carmen de Georges Bizet (1875) en la creación de la imagen nacional española actual en la “Canción del torero” de dicha la producción de Ana Zamora para el Teatro de la Zarzuela de la zarzuela por el mismo nombre (1887) en 2014. Como obra plenamente romántica, hace hincapié en las características de ese movimiento cultura; por ejemplo, …

Composing The Music For Iphigenia Among The Taurians, Johnathan Hodges

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

This poster session outlines the music composition process for Pepperdine’s production of Iphigenia Among the Taurians, Jan. 28-Feb. 1, Dr. Bradley Griffin, Director. My presentation focuses on the challenges I had to overcome, my goals and objectives, and finding the right sound for the score.

Sounds Of Battle And Battle Of Sounds: Belliphonic In Tolkien, Ali Mirzabayati

Journal of Tolkien Research

This paper explores the concept of the belliphonic—a term denoting the acoustic dimensions of warfare—within the context of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, focusing on the Battle of the Five Armies. While modern war studies have mainly centered on the mechanized soundscapes of twentieth-century conflict, this study engages with recent scholarly efforts to recover the sonic textures of medieval battle. Drawing on theories of wartime acoustics and examples from medieval literature, the paper examines how Tolkien, informed by his expertise in Old and Middle English texts and his lived experience in World War I, crafts a dynamic and psychologically …

"Kol Mekadesh Shevi'i": A Liturgical Melody Sung At Home, Naomi Cohn Zentner

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

This article draws upon the unusual characteristics, origins and prevalence of the melody to the poem "Kol mekadesh shevii" [He who sanctifies the Seventh day] and discusses how it came to be recognized in the past seventy years as a signifier of Ashkenazi pre-Holocaust musical and religious culture and in particular as a sonic marker of liturgical sound, although it was sung at home. The Kol mekadesh melody came over time to represent two vastly different symbolic positions. As a melody adopted from non-Jewish sources bringing new, sometimes controversial sounds into the synagogue, and as a typical synagogal …

Musical Theatre Nyc Industry Showcase -Senior Capstone, Erica Aubrey

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Musical Theatre BFA candidates put together and perform a 35-minute Senior Showcase for New York City Industry Personnel. This culminating performance was presented in NYC on April 8, 2025 for Casting Directors, Agents, Directors, Choreographers and Managers. Post this performance, students are asked to meetings with talent reps, and are are asked to auditions for projects they are right for, further launching them into their professional careers post graduation.

The Fringe Musician, The 360 Deal, And A New Look At Copyright And Competition In Music, Michael L. Menna

Georgia Journal of Law & Technology

This article is guided by two questions: (1) How well does the law actually protect musicians from market exploitation? (2) What new perspectives and legal strategies can better secure their bargaining power and financial wellbeing? Copyright and antitrust are not mutually exclusive in music or in any other industry, yet there are important lessons to be learned from comparing how the musician’s prominence in each doctrine does and doesn’t correlate to what its laws can really do for different members of that creator class. Stakeholders frequently cast copyright as an essential necessity for “everyone in the music industry,” but this …

Genre Or Genre-Less: An Analysis Of Music Classification And Complexities Of Genres And Subgenres, David J. Varela

Selected Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the current problems with music classifications via genres. Specifically, the issues with genres are the boundaries they create or how a genre is defined, and how music fits under that definition. Either genre boundaries are too broad, not truly defining a specific song, album, and/or artist, or genre boundaries are too specific, to the point where the necessity for using genres is questioned. Sub-genres were created as a result of this ambiguity, and their modern-day usage highlights why using genre to define music is complicated. This analysis views how genre outside of music is used and defined, …

Murder On Music Row: A Narrative Analysis Of Mass-Mediated Country Music And Independent Texas Red Dirt Music, Jennifer A. Worley

Communication Theses

This project employs Roland Barthes' narrative codes as a framework for textual analysis to examine the underlying structures and meanings within song lyrics from two contrasting traditions of country music: mass-mediated Nashville country and Texas Red Dirt. With a sample spanning a five-year period, the study explores how narrative forms reflect broader socio-cultural dynamics and economic forces. Drawing upon the critical theory of the Frankfurt School, particularly the works of Theodor Adorno and Karl Marx, the project concentrates on the commodification of cultural products and implications for authenticity and truth in cultural expression. Through a comparative analysis, the research reveals …

Transcrite Par L'Auteur: Analyzing And Performing The Piano-Vocal Scores Of Maurice Ravel's Operas, Jordan Knapp

Theses and Dissertations

The two operas of Maurice Ravel, L’heure espagnole and L’enfant et les sortilèges, are, like most of the composer’s works, known for their innovative orchestrations and instrumental flourishes. However, the piano-vocal scores of the operas have their own unique qualities worthy of study. With the piano writing at times fiendishly difficult—standing toe-to-toe with Ravel’s solo piano music—the score demands simplification, particularly for less experienced performers serving as accompanist or rehearsal pianist for these works. Many sections of the music are impractical or even impossible for a single pianist to perform, but this study offers alternate solutions and simplifications for pianists …

Music And Word Learning In Children Diagnosed With Developmental Language Disorder, Rebekah G. Sweeney

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Purpose: This study investigates whether incorporating music into vocabulary interventions improves rate of learning and retention of words in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). Emerging literature continues to show the plentiful benefits of music as a tool for intervention in many settings, including the world of speech pathology (Levitin, 2024). However, it is also evident that there is a connection between struggling with language, and struggling with musical elements, such as rhythm and pitch perception, particularly in children with DLD (Boorom et al., 2022; Kreidler et al., 2023). This study seeks to tease out if music is an effective …

Music In The Catholic Church: An Analysis Of Hymns And Congregational Singing In Roman Catholic Churches In The United States, Andrew T. Medrick

Senior Theses

This thesis examines the musical dilemma in the American Catholic Church, highlighting issues such as inappropriate musical selections for the Mass and a profound lack of congregational singing. Through a literature review of Vatican documents, expert opinions, and hymns, I analyze the criteria for music used in the Mass, identify common failures of musical selections presented in many Catholic churches, and offer practical guidance to improve sacred music in parishes and dioceses. I conclude that music used in the Mass must be sourced primarily from Sacred Scripture, in full conformity to the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and easy …

Approaches To Teaching Music Reading To Students With Dyslexia: A Guide For Piano Teachers, Olivia Grace Bradstreet Colomaio

Theses and Dissertations

Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in the United States, affecting approximately one in five individuals. According to the DSM-V-TR, the ICD-11, and the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is a Specific Learning Disorder that causes issues with phonological processing, sequencing of information and information processing, word recognition, reading fluency, and other issues. Due to its prevalence, the chances of piano teachers encountering a student with dyslexia in their teaching studios is highly likely. However, there is relatively little research available for piano teachers of students with dyslexia. In the music lesson, common areas of struggle for students with dyslexia …

Documenting Music: Chronicling The Fiesta Jazz Festival At St. Mary’S University, Qiuying Chen

Capstone Projects

“Documenting Music: Chronicling the Fiesta Jazz Festival at St. Mary’s University” records memories of the Fiesta Jazz Festival at St. Mary’s University and provides a detailed history of the festival since 1962. Through archival visits, newspaper articles, photos, as well as oral interviews of the Jazz Studies Directors and the volunteer coordinator, the project shares the history of the festival’s structure and organizing efforts. Moreover, the project highlights the festival’s performance information, guest artists, the preparation process, and organizers’ experiences throughout the decades. This project preserves the history for the Music Department and its student community at St. Mary’s University, …

Wind Ensemble Concert (March 31, 2015), Lindenwood University

Student Music Performance Programs

Event program for the Wind Ensemble Concert (March 31, 2015), Lindenwood University.

A Comparison Of Two Worship Education Programs And The Relative Effectiveness Of Preparing Worship Leaders For The 21st Century Evangelical Church, John Dawson Kinchen Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines and compares the worship leadership programs at Liberty University and Union University, focusing on their curriculum design, development, and effectiveness in preparing worship leaders for the 21st-century modern evangelical church. Utilizing a multiple-case study methodology, the research traces the historical development of these programs, evaluates their curricular frameworks, and analyzes their alignment with the standards set by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The study identifies shared core learning competencies, including music theory, conducting, ensemble participation, and theological understanding, while highlighting unique strengths in each program's approach.

Liberty University’s curriculum emphasizes contemporary worship practices, integrating …

An Interdisciplinary Analysis Framework For Found Object Experimental Music, Erin Demastes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Found object experimental music consists of compositions and performances created with objects not intended for musical performance. Found objects can range from appliances and household items to power tools and consumer products to souvenirs and heirlooms. Although these objects are used with the intent of creating musical compositions, new characteristics that are not found in traditional music emerge. One major characteristic that differentiates found object music from traditional music is that the objects have inherent cultural associations and meaning outside of their use in the composition. While an analysis of the sonic structures and scores of found object experimental music …

Spoken Word Percussion And Its Intersection With Communication, Gwen Leuschen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Music is a form of communication, whether expressing emotion, telling a story, or delivering information. Communication is widely used in music. This communication takes place by conveying ideas through the sound produced by performers. This form of musical communication cues the audience into the messages, information, and emotions the composers intended. However, when text or spoken word is implemented into music, how does this affect the communication, and how can this be analyzed? This paper explores the history of music and spoken word, explains applicable communication theories, and finally applies these theories to music with spoken word, emphasizing percussion.

Exploring Stressors And Coping Mechanisms Among Esperanza Community Residents Seeking Healthcare At The C.D. Doyle Clinic, Kashish Sawant, Alexander Carruth, Lucas Williams, Miriam Yampuler, Krishna Hariprasad, Pranavi Kolli

Research Symposium

Background: The C.D. Doyle Clinic (CDD) is a student-run free clinic that operates as an acute care center in the Esperanza Community (EC), a state sanctioned encampment in Southeast Austin supporting individuals experiencing homelessness. Residents of EC are provided with access to low-cost insurance, employment opportunities, and community support by The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF). However, studies have indicated that home-insecure individuals experience a heightened level of stress, due to causes such as social estrangement, systemic inadequacies in support structures, and financial instability¹. While CDD primarily addresses acute wellness needs, the clinic hopes to establish more collaboration with …

The Economy, Emotions, And Japanese City Pop In The 1980s, Paige Drummond

CAFE Symposium 2025

This project contains research about the topics of economy, emotions, music, urbanization, and Japanese City Pop all during the 1980s. It shows the connections between all of these subjects and how they relate back to the City Pop genre. Common themes of City Pop songs are also explored and delved into by comparing songs and analyzing their lyrics, melodies, and topics.

History And Influence Of The Battle Cry Of Freedom, Sebastian Francis

CAFE Symposium 2025

A study of the history of the song Battle Cry of Freedom. As well as the history and the influence of a recording of the song performed by the Gettysburg College Singers in 1961 of which a copy is held in Gettysburg Special Collections.

Andrews University Symphony Orchestra - Young Artist Concert, Andrews University

Concerts and Event Programs 2024-2025

The Young Artist Concert, alongside the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra, features AU student soloists John Clough (piano), Jonathan Watson (piano), Carlos Lugo(piano), and Collin Cha (cello).

Music Therapy In The Scope Of Psychology: From Asylums To Contemporary Practice, Rachel A. Mirsen

Psychology from the Margins

This paper explores the historical ties between music therapy and psychology, tracing its evolution from its origins in asylums to contemporary practice. By examining historical records and recent case studies, the dynamic interplay between music therapy, psychological practices, and sociocultural factors is highlighted. The paper compares the use of music therapy in the 20th century, particularly in psychiatric asylums, to its modern-day applications, focusing on two healthcare facilities in New Jersey: Overbrook Hospital and Bancroft NeuroRehab. Through this comparison, it becomes evident that music therapy has gained legitimacy and specialization over time, transitioning from recreational activities to evidence-based, individualized interventions …

Sleep’S Impact On Music Processing In The Developing Brain, Rigel Leonard Baron

Theses and Dissertations

Sleep plays a crucial role in human development, particularly in early childhood. While its influence on brain function is well documented, the relationship between sleep and auditory processing in the developing brain remains underexplored. The present study aimed to investigate how sleep duration impacts cortical responses to music, focusing on children aged 5 to 10. Using a six-feature passive listening oddball paradigm, analysis was conducted on event-related potentials (ERPs) across six music conditions: intensity, location, pitch, rhythm, slide, and timbre. Participants were divided into two groups based on average sleep duration (more or less than 10 hours per night). ERP …

“Et Les Filles”: Le Féminisme Subtil De Françoise Hardy, Charlotte Aexel

World Languages and Cultures Senior Capstones

This article focuses on “yéyé” music, in particular the music of Françoise Hardy. I examine the feminist themes in the songs found on her first album, Tous les garçons et les filles. The majority of critics view her first album as immature, but I suggest that it shows a subtle but powerful feminism. For me, Françoise Hardy’s first album shows depth and advanced perception of social dynamics. In particular, Hardy demonstrated an awareness of the experiences of young women in her time. From her first album, Hardy presented herself as independent and intelligent. I cite critics from Hardy’s time and …

Personification: A Short Film, Charles R. Adams

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Personification follows a group of college students as they receive news that mysterious shape-shifting creatures are posing as humans. They quickly turn on each other, realizing there is no one they can trust. In the style of mid-20th - century horror films, notably Don Siegel’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), the short film explores themes of paranoia and the value of human expression in a time when generative AI seeks to replace the creative method. In keeping with this theme, the emphasis for this project was on the act of creation. Pre-production—which included scriptwriting, casting, and various organizational tasks—ran …

2025 Asia-Pacific Symposium For Music Education Research: Conference Proceedings, Jason Goopy, Jason Boron, Emily Wilson, Han Meng, Cynthia Howard, Philippa Chapman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The 2025 Asia-Pacific Symposium for Music Education Research (APSMER) was held from 9 – 11 July at Edith Cowan University in partnership with the School of Education and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). APSMER is the official regional conference of the International Society for Music Education (ISME), and in 2025, it was proudly supported by the Australian Society for Music Education (ASME). The symposium was last held in Australia in Launceston, Tasmania, in 1999. APSMER 2025 welcomed over 300 international delegates to Perth, Western Australia, for scholarly and cultural exchange. The theme, “Being and becoming musical in …

Guide To The Gwendoline Y. Fortune Collection, Columbia College Chicago

CBMR Collection Guides / Finding Aids

The Gwendoline Y. Fortune Collection contains a set of 13 compact discs of classical music recordings curated by Fortune in 1997; each disc has a unique theme. The music was collected and produced for broadcast on local radio stations.

Guide To The William T. Dargan Collection, Columbia College Chicago

CBMR Collection Guides / Finding Aids

William Thomas Dargan is a published ethnomusicologist and an elder in the United Methodist Church, retired from teaching Music at Fisk University and St. Augustine’s College. Dargan grew up listening to Dr. Isaac Watts' hymn singing as well as rhythm and blues. His collection holds audio musical examples that accompany the written text in his book, Lining Out The Word, and field recordings of spirituals and hymns discussed in his work. The term “lining out” is a form of a cappella hymn-singing where a leader sings or chants each line of a hymn before the congregation sings it together.

How Much Glass Can I Break Before They Fire Me? Negotiating Ethically-Constructive Education In A Fractured Political Landscape, Mya Scarlato, Katie Kelly

Faculty Works

Amid the myriad of political disagreements that arise among collective identity groups vying for space within the educational curriculum, we offer in this article a theoretical framework through which we argue that schools are uniquely positioned to serve as spaces in which students can negotiate the ethical and moral selves of their choosing. Drawing upon the work from educational philosopher Maxine Greene (1988) and ethics philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah (2005), we suggest that 1) the development or ‘becoming’ of one’s identity is an ethical endeavour, 2) negotiating identity space in both education and society at large is a moral endeavour, …