Music Commons^™

Identifying Quality High School Choral Repertoire How Standards Of Composition Affect Long-Term Choral Participation, Jonathan R. Vanderwoude

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A wealth of literature addresses the importance of choral repertoire selection. Yet, few studies examine how choral repertoire and elements of composition correlate with long-term ensemble participation. Exploring principles of quality from a participant perspective may provide choral directors with a paradigm for choosing excellent repertoire. With performance standards comprising the core of many high school music programs, repertoire considerations are often central to the choral curriculum. This qualitative study investigated participant perspectives on choral repertoire standards. The subsequent findings identified trends influencing repertoire selection and correlated perspectives on repertoire quality with long-term participation in choral performance. Participants were selected …

Perceptions Of Students With Visual Impairments On The Current State Of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, And Belonging In Public School Secondary Instrumental Ensembles, Nancy J. Kerner-Durling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research study examines the experiences and perceptions of students with visual impairments on diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and belonging (DEIAB) in secondary instrumental music ensembles. Despite the emergence of DEIAB initiatives in music education, little is known about how these initiatives are implemented for students with visual impairments in secondary instrumental music programs, as this topic has not yet been explored or documented due to the low incidence of this disability. Data was collected through interviews of former students with visual impairments between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two who attended public schools between the ages of twelve …

Awake And Alive: An Investigation Into Content For A Music Course Incorporating The Sciences, Harrison Boraas

Masters Theses

The purpose of this qualitative, instrumental case study was to identify the content for an interdisciplinary course about music and the brain that educates collegiate students about the benefits of lifelong music engagement. Despite increasing awareness of musical relevance to the human brain, many institutions of higher learning continue to teach music as its isolated area of study without connecting it to other fields that could benefit from incorporating it or vice versa. The sample size consisted of four to seven experts that were either community experts or Liberty University faculty in the fields of science, medicine, or music within …

Means Of Evangelization In The Catholic Church Through Music, Patrice Metcalf

Masters Theses

There are numerous resources for Catholic churches today to encourage a congregation’s full involvement in musical participation, but there is little guidance or information on how these practices help with evangelization. The evangelization process is essential to the healthy growth of the church on Earth and for the salvation of believers. Musical resources give an eclectic variety of music, all of which is methodically written by its composers. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many church choirs have struggled to return, with some churches abandoning the use of large choirs and opting for a single soloist to lead the congregation. This leads …

Differentiation In Artistic Expressions Of Worship: A Study Of The Front Royal Church Of The Nazarene, Stephanie L. Blakely

Masters Theses

While music is globally recognized as a common tool for expressing worship in both academia and the evangelical church, it is not the only art form mentioned in the Bible regarding acts of worship. The Council of Arts Accrediting Associations recognizes four main disciplines of fine and performing arts, including Music, Art and Design, Theatre, and Dance; however, in the twenty-first century evangelical church, music takes precedence as the main expression of worship. This qualitative study will gain insight into the pursuit and understanding of utilizing various art forms as expressions of biblical worship in modern-day worship settings within the …

Motivation And Retention In Music Education: A Phenomenological Study On Socioeconomic Status Impact, Bracy C. Martin Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The retention of middle and high school students in music education programs remains a persistent concern, particularly when disparities in motivation are shaped by socioeconomic status (SES). This hermeneutic phenomenological study investigated how intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors such as funding, parental involvement, off-campus performance opportunities, and student engagement are influenced by SES and how these influences affect student retention in school music programs. Grounded in Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory and Vroom’s Expectancy Theory, the study examined how motivation and SES intersect to either support or hinder student persistence in music education.

Eight music educators from urban, suburban, and …

The Impact Of Modeling Music Literacy After English Literacy On Elementary Students’ Music Reading Abilities, Madeline Ann Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although numerous studies have been conducted to determine music’s ability to improve student achievement in other content areas, integrating general education pedagogy practices for the purpose of enhancing music education has not received the same attention. Music and language share one of the strongest and most recognizable connections, yet parallels drawn between music and language do not typically extend to the pedagogy used to teach music literacy acquisition and application. This applied research study compared the music literacy abilities of students instructed using traditional music literacy practices to those instructed using techniques modeled after English literacy practices. To determine the …

Identifying Aspects Of Musical Diversity That Engender Multigenerational Worship In Select Baptist Churches: A Case Study, Megan Scruggs Hollifield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Multigenerational worship through the avenue of musical diversity in the Baptist church is the focus of this case study. This study aims to identify critical components of musical diversity, emphasizing song selection as a key element of liturgy within corporate worship. The research undertakes an observational analysis of the relationship between musical diversity through liturgy and congregational engagement of all generations. Five Baptist churches were selected to be studied to categorize the similarities and differences in the area of multigenerational worship. The case study research model provided a variety of data collection methods through research observations, online questionaries and in-person …

2025-2026 Performance Forum - August 29, 2025, Ziling Wang, Ian Lewis, Adolfo Ferrin Garcia Montañés, Nabil Hetman, Juan Diaz Quijano, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Patrick Hengstler, Kade Gordon, Dj Combs, Devin Foster

Performance Forum

No abstract provided.

N. Lorenzo Mitchell, Myrna J. Layton

Faculty Publications

Nephi Lorenzo Mitchell (May 4, 1889 – November 9, 1968) was a pianist, organist, music teacher and composer, whose life and work took place in three countries: England, Canada and the United States. Mitchell was named the Aaronic Priesthood Music Director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1945, and was the director of the McCune School of Music and Art from 1950-1957. He served on the General Music Committee of the Church from 1938-1968.

Ruth Gatrell, Myrna J. Layton

Faculty Publications

Ruth Josephine Barton was born on December 23, 1921, in Farmington, Utah. Her parents were Lloyd and Edna (Cottrell) Barton. When the Bartons married, Edna already had a five-year-old daughter, Helen, from a previous marriage. Ruth was the first of two children born to Edna’s second marriage. The family was living in Mount Pleasant, Utah, but returned to the home of Edna’s father, Edward Cottrell, for the birth of the baby. She was named Ruth for the biblical heroine, and Josephine because she shared a birthday with the prophet Joseph Smith. A younger sister, Laura Jean, joined the family in …

Peggy Clinger, Myrna J. Layton

Faculty Publications

Catherine Peggy Clinger (January 11, 1949 – August 9, 1975) was an American singer, voice actress and composer.

Vanja Y. Watkins, Myrna J. Layton

Faculty Publications

Vanja Louise Yorgason was born on September 22, 1938 in Ogden, Utah, the daughter of R. Milton and Norma Johns Yorgason. Vanja grew up in a musical home. Her father was a violinist, and her mother a pianist and an organist. Vanja and her four brothers learned to “sing four-part hymns in tune unaccompanied.”1 Their parents felt that music was an important part of their children’s education, and made the necessary sacrifices to provide music lessons.

1. Javier Marín-López, "Singing The Camino Real De Tierra Adentro: Sacred Choral Repertoires And Historical Imagination In ¡Música Del Corazón!"

Chamisa: A Journal of Literary, Performance, and Visual Arts of New Mexico and the Greater Southwest

No abstract provided.

Spiritual Music As A Factor Of Religious Identity In Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Maksym Melnychuk, Sviatoslav Melnychuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This scholarly article explores current challenges and spiritual-cultural trends arising in the context of historical events and civilizational transformations experienced by modern Ukraine. The study focuses on the revival of authentic traditions of sacred musical art within Ukrainian Orthodoxy, regarded as one of the fundamental factors in the formation of national identity. Within an interdisciplinary approach that combines religious studies, philosophy, art history, and cultural studies, the research analyzes the musical sacredness as a phenomenon of numinous experience imbued with transcendental meaning and cathartic energy. It is established that the spiritual music of the Orthodox tradition functions as a form …

Orchestrating Brilliance In The Recording Studio: Mixing Music To Record Music, Adrian Carroll

Imaginings: creative practice and inquiry

This paper is a report on a heuristic inquiry into music recording practice and workflow to arrive at the essence of experience. Through professional reflection on a music recording, we investigated the recording process and student experience; this was used to identify, explore and expose tacit professional practice. The central theme that unfolded revealed benefits in mixing music during a recording session. Other themes of workflow efficiency, and emotional expression, also emerged from the data collection. The research culminated in a creative synthesis in the form of a research question: Can live studio recordings be a viable option for artists, …

Considerations When Exploring One’S Arts-Based Practice As Research, David L. Page

Imaginings: creative practice and inquiry

This article shares insight into some of the knowledge gained on a higher degree research (HDR) study journey, which I wish I had access to prior to my commencement of that journey. I presented this on 8 July 2025 at the SAE University College Week 7 Forum, and trust this insight may be of interest to those SAE faculty who are new to higher education (HE) research, who have an interest in exploring one’s own arts-based practice as part of the Scholarship and Research activities now being encouraged at SAE University College.

The Methodological Approach Of My Emergent Auto-Ethnographical Journey In Arts-Based Practice As Research (Abr): Music & Sound-Making, Meaning-Making, Self-Making, David L. Page

Imaginings: creative practice and inquiry

This article discusses the methodological approach of my professional Doctor of Creative Industries (DCI) Research Project 1 study. The aim of higher degree research (HDR) Project 1 was to investigate my DIY music & sound-making practice and self as a practitioner, in the process of creating and producing a DIY music artefact. Specifically: to investigate why I as the practitioner felt an authentic connection with one form of music & sound-making (acoustic instrument-based), and not a connection with another form of music & sound-making (digital virtual-based).

The Abc's Of Memoir, Sharon K. Ferrett

Trade & Scholarly Monographs

Writing is a way to make sense and find meaning in your journey. Your story explores how you got to where you are and what it all means. It is a way to heal trauma and conflict and honor your inner life. You write to know yourself. Writing will transform you and inspire others in ways you cannot imagine.

Exploring The Meaning Of Moshing: An Ethnographic Study Of The Relationship Between Hardcore/Punk Culture And Catharsis, Clayton Kempf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research looks at “moshing,” an aggressive style of dancing that occurs primarily at hardcore/punk concerts. Moshing involves people at a concert throwing their bodies, swinging their limbs, running into people, and hitting one another. I aim to explore how mosh pits and hardcore/punk culture provide participants with an emotional release through catharsis. Catharsis looks at releasing emotion to help alleviate pent-up stress physically and emotionally. A cathartic release can temporarily offer peace of mind, clarity, and joy that overrides the feelings of negative emotions and stress. I will examine the process people go through to reach this cathartic release …

Putting It Together, Bit By Bit: Partimenti For Guitarists, James Renwick

Soundboard Scholar

A review of Fenaroli's Musicali per i principianti di cembalo [Naples, 1775], edited for guitarists by Nicola Pignatiello, with translations of Fenaroli’s text by Robert Gjerdingen (Independently published, 2023), PDF available online.

Dragon Guitars And Sexy Zombies: Tracing The Meta-Motion Of The Naga Motif In Northeast Thailand, Aaron Michael Stanley

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Abstract

This thesis traces the evolving symbolism of the Naga motif (a mythic water serpent) in Northeast Thailand through a framework I call meta-motion, which maps symbolic persistence of this cultural signifier and boundary marker across four cultural horizons—animist (Z), Hindu–Khmer (B), Buddhist (A), and modern/global (C). Like electrons in quantum super position, symbolic motifs circulate as overlapping “waves” of potential meaning and are concretized into cultural “particles” only when recruited for specific ritual, commercial, or political purposes. I add a bookend extension to Chang’s Hindu-Buddhist (B/A) typology with the addition of Horizons Z and C in order to make …

Capturing Magic: Recording Emily Lubitz’S Two Black Horses At Mix Artist Studio – A Reflective Case Study In Contemporary Recording Practice, Jan Muths

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

This paper reflects on the recording of Emily Lubitz’s album Two Black Horses at Mix Artist Studio in early 2024. It outlines how I applied my core engineering values, technical precision, sensitivity to the musicians’ needs, and anticipatory readiness, to capture the energy of a live band with high acoustic separation. Beyond the technical aspects, it demonstrates how ongoing studio practice directly informs and enhances my teaching, keeping lessons current and relevant. The aim is to connect industry experience with teaching practice, showing how staying active in the field strengthens classroom delivery.

Making A Difference

DePaul Magazine

Tom Mendel (SOM ’78), a veteran Chicago bassist who has plied his trade in musical theatre venues, jazz clubs, recording studios and school classrooms, creates a scholarship for DePaul music performance students pursuing a similar path.

Bob Becker: An Examination Of His Compositional Approach And His Chamber Work Never In Word, Kaipo Lan

Dissertations, 2020-current

In the late twentieth century, the dual role of percussionist-composer became more visible, supported by the growth of percussion ensembles, specialized university training, and musicians who embraced both performance and composition as central to their artistic identity. Bob Becker is such a musician, a world-renowned percussionist and composer notable for the fusion of North Indian classical music and Western music conventions. His chamber pieces are excellent additions to the repertoire and notable for his multicultural music aesthetic, orchestration, range of musical colors, and idiomatic writing for the performers. Moreover, Becker’s ongoing exploration of his interest in poetry has been reflected …

Full Issue: Summer 2025

DePaul Magazine

In DePaul Magazine's summer 2025 issue, we celebrate The Theatre School's centennial by asking past and present faculty and administrators and illustrious alumni to comment on the venerable institution's enduring legacy of hands-on learning, collaboration and critical dialogue. Plus, learn about the remarkable relationship between the School of Music and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra that connects music performance students to world-class musicians, see images of campus life snapped by a new student photo agency, and more.

Harmonic Convergence

DePaul Magazine

Learn about the remarkable relationship between DePaul University's School of Musica and Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), which is anchored by the prevalence of CSO musicians who serve on the school's music performance faculty.

Key Center Workout: Scale Patterns For Trombonists, Ryan M. Heinlein

Sabbatical Projects

No abstract provided.

Jazz Scale Patterns With Abjad And Lilypond, George K. Thiruvathukal

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background

Jazz method books often advise students to “learn it in all keys,” yet most present examples in only one or two keys (if that, as they start from C, the easiest key, and usually stop there). For many "classically-trained" players—especially those who check fingerings, enharmonics, and voice-leading by reading—the absence of complete, notated materials is a barrier. While most scales can be internalized as Whole (W) / Half (H) step patterns, important exceptions (e.g., harmonic and melodic minor, octatonic, whole tone, and blues) are aided by having notated patterns in front of us.

Aims

To generate clear, consistent notation-first …

Ferdinand Rebay And The Sonata Paradigm, Luiz Mantovani

Soundboard Scholar

With an output of over thirty sonatas or sonata-structured works, Viennese composer Ferdinand Rebay (1880–1953) may be considered among the most significant composers of guitar sonatas; as yet, however, little has been written to place Rebay’s sonatas in historical context. Departing from a review of a guitar concert held in Vienna in 1925, which clearly indicates a shift in the perception of the instrument’s role and capabilities among mainstream audiences, I begin this investigation exploring the guitar club environment in German-speaking territories around the turn of the century, with a focus on the activities of the IGV (Internationale Gitarristenverband; International …