Perceptions Of Choral Diction Curricula, Caitlyn Dixon

Dissertations

This study proposed to provide in-depth insights into the current status of the efficacy of diction curricula, as well as to seek ways for enhancing the curricula to better support a culturally diverse musical experience. 21st century choral music encompasses languages and music from all over the world. While this diversity is crucial to the idea of a global choral community, it necessitates choral conductors to be scholars of diction, which includes creating the appropriate sounds for a given language. For a conductor to confidently perform in global languages requires skills, resources, and tools. This study examined the diction coursework …

White Supremacy In Music Theory Academia, Tristan Gianelli

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper explores the history of music theory academia in the West, and examines the hierarchical power structures from which music theory pedagogy was constructed.

Heartbeat Of The Heartland: Sonic Engagement With Hip-Hop In The American Midwest, Lauren R. Millhorn

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This project analyzes Hip-Hop artists from the American Midwest through the context of the Midwest’s construction as a nostalgic, peaceful area where conflict seems nonexistent. This study applies Adam Ochonicky’s concept of nostalgic spatiality, or “instances in which nostalgia is projected onto a physical environment, thereby altering the perception, understanding, and/or experience of that space and its accompanying cultural sphere” (Ochonicky 29) to close readings on Midwest Hip-Hop texts. In the case of the Midwest, projected nostalgia is rooted in whiteness and propels the narrative that the Midwest is predominantly occupied by white people who maintain its peace and serenity …

Creed And Variations: Tracing The Divergence Of Christian Traditions In Select Piano Works Of Arvo Pärt, Olivier Messiaen, And J. S. Bach, Rebekah E. Stiles

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Within the classical music universe, the works of J. S. Bach, Olivier Messiaen, and Arvo Pärt stand apart as particularly evocative of the divine. Much has been written on these three men’s integration of faith with musical practice, exploring how their music is not only spiritual in nature but distinctly Christian. But in comparing the three, one encounters deeply rooted distinctions between their religious worldviews, a distinction not only found in their personal testimonies but actually heard in their music. Their compositional languages reflect three traditions: Protestantism (specifically Lutheranism), represented by Bach; Roman Catholicism, represented by Messiaen; and Eastern Orthodoxy, …

A Study Of Rachel Galinne’S Dybbuk For Solo Clarinet: A Classical Work With Klezmer Influences, Rachel S. Levison

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Composer Rachel Galinne self-identifies first and foremost as an Israeli with Swedish roots. She was born and raised in Sweden to Holocaust survivors and always felt a deep connection to Jewish traditions and culture, leading her to immigrate to Israel. Her compositions are derived from her formal education in musicology and composition in contemporary music, as well as from her Jewish community. Her Jewish heritage is represented in her compositions through text, motivic ideas, and specific topics. Dybbuk for solo clarinet is an excellent example.

This solo follows the perspective of Leah, one of the main characters in Solomon Ansky’s …

Mass Of Perpetual Indulgence, Michael Joseph Willette

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Mass of Perpetual Indulgence for chamber orchestra, electronics, soprano solo, and drag performer was written to bridge the gap between queerness and spirituality, to sanctify queer people and celebrate queer lives and communities. Amalgamating musical styles ranging from disco to opera, art song to EDM, this appropriation of the traditional Mass blurs the lines between the sacred and the profane. This work features original text by librettist Caroliena Cabada that responds to the narrative of the Mass Ordinary from a distinctly queer perspective. Ultimately, this work celebrates the queer body as a holy body, queer community as a sacred communion, …

Befitting Bach: Prelude And Fugue Transcribed For Horn Quartet, Caitlin Murphy

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis, titled “Befitting Bach: Prelude and Fugue Transcribed for Horn Quartet,” consists of horn quartet transcriptions of Prelude 1 and Fugue 1 from Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I. The prelude and fugue pair were originally written for harpsichord during the Baroque period, and the pieces remain commonly performed on keyboard instruments. The transcription translates the pieces into four-part horn music while preserving the original musical ideas and accounting for the different technical capabilities between the instruments. The accompanying written component provides a brief history of the original compositions. Further, the report delves into the transcription …

Looking Back While Moving Forward: Four Musical Works That Signify Complex Emotions Regarding The Passage Of Time Through Ambiguous Endings, Bailey Griggs

Music Undergraduate Honors Theses

Defying expectations is a useful and overlooked tool in music composition. Despite all their differences, the final movement of Tchaikovsky’s 6th Symphony, Joe Hisaishi’s score to the 2001 film Spirited Away, Joni Mitchell’s popular song “Both Sides Now,” and electronic artist The Caretaker’s album set Everywhere at the End of Time all share similar programmatic content. Each presents a protagonist who is coming to terms with the passage of time and is conflicted about how they should cope with change. Upon examination of these four works, they all use unexpected and ambiguous endings to signify complex ideas about time through …

Imitation And Text Relationships In Tomás Luis De Victoria's Missa O Magnum Mysterium, Natasha Ann Monroe

Master's Theses

Unusual musical relationships surrounding the compositions of Tomás Luis de Victoria have intrigued scholars for decades, but their purpose remains hidden. Robert Stevenson has suggested that textual connections can be found alongside these musically similar passages. I revisit this suggestion by analyzing an imitation mass by Victoria: Missa O magnum mysterium based on his motet O magnum mysterium. When trying to understand any intentional textual connections, it is necessary to consider the composer's broad perspective. In the case of Missa O magnum mysterium, the logical starting points are Victoria's life-long involvement with the Catholic Church and the feast …

The Sound Of Young America/The Soul Of Young America: A Sonic Rhetoric Inquiry Into 1965 And The Music Defining A Generation In Crisis, Jessica Dyche

All Dissertations

The Sound of Young America/The Soul of Young America: A Sonic Rhetoric Inquiry into 1965 and the Music Defining a Generation In Crisis builds a case for sonic rhetoric theory that sees sonic rhetoric move outside of pedagogy, becoming a valuable tool for rhetorical analysis outside the classroom. To this end, The Sound of Young America/The Soul of Young America employs sonic rhetoric concepts and methodology grounded in cultural rhetorics, social history, and sociomusicology to inquire into the cultural and social relevancy of rock music, specifically to this project, in 1965. Sonic rhetoric sees sound and music as underexplored, but …

Songs Through Statues: The Mask Of Sorrow For Baritone, Accordion, Guitar, Piano & Wind Duo, Alexander T. Schmidt

Graduate Thesis Collection

The Mask of Sorrow is a twelve-minute song written by me, Alexander Schmidt, that utilizes a variety of techniques that I have learned over the course of my study in graduate school. The piece utilizes leitmotives in a unique and interesting way via the usage of set theory to represent the text in musical form, produce a constant development of material, and encourage a musical narrative to supplement the text. This analysis moves through the whole of the form and documents its usage of timbre, motive, harmonic set, and much more, to showcase the means of which all the techniques …

Social Connections: The Role Of Community In Johannes Brahms's Viola Writing, Alex Beauchamp

Graduate Thesis Collection

Despite a negative opinion of the viola held by musicians and audiences alike in the nineteenth century, Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) wrote orchestral, chamber, and solo pieces that highlight the viola. We can trace an affinity for this black sheep of the string instrument family beginning with his Serenade No. 2 in 1859—which uses the viola as the primary melodic voice—and extending through his Clarinet Sonatas in 1894, which Brahms also authorized for viola performance.

Throughout his life, Brahms was close with several violists, three of whom inspired Brahms to write substantial music for the viola. Joseph Joachim (1831–1907), a famous …

Reading Music: An Interdisciplinary Method To Analyzing Songs, Matthew King

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In growing times of hardship for education in the music space, I believe there needs to be a more user-friendly approach to evoking meaning from sonics. Researchers have shared the difficulties in teaching music-analysis skills in recent years, and I argue that, through more accessible means, a meaning-making process in music can be learned, and utilized in analyzing songs. This thesis explores the ways in which music and literature can be intertwined and made meaning through an interdisciplinary analysis of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s song “Flamethrower.” In this thesis, I am arguing that musical works can and should …

Aiming High: A Narrative Inquiry Of Christian Music Educators’ Higher Purpose, William E. Rhoden Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educators in the United States may question music education’s higher purpose, considering high-stakes testing and an emphasis on non-musical subjects. This qualitative narrative study examines three American protestant Christian music educators’ perceptions of music education’s higher purpose and compares them to Martin Luther’s (1483-1546) writings. The researcher conducted interviews with three participants to record the story of how they developed their higher purpose for music education. The data was tabulated and coded for thematic analysis. This study supports a Christian defense of continued music education in America’s schools, distinguishes modern Christian perspectives, and offers a fresh understanding of the historical …

A Love Letter To Puerto Rico: Reggaetón As A Platform For Anti-Colonial Protest And Bad Bunny's Advocacy For Indigenous Sovereignty, Skye L. Gonzalez

Honors College Theses

This study explores the intersections of colonial history, cultural identity, and musical resistance through a rhetorical analysis of Bad Bunny’s 2025 album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos. Grounded in the context of Puerto Rico’s colonial relationship with the United States, I examine how reggaetón — a genre historically rooted in resistance — continues to serve as a platform for political expression and cultural reclamation. As reggaetón moves into the global mainstream, questions arise around the tension between commercial success and cultural authenticity. Focusing on Bad Bunny as both a cultural icon and political figure, this thesis considers how Debí Tirar …

Cavedivers: A Multi-Media Visual And Musical Release, Emily J. Langford

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

For my graduating UNO Honors Program capstone project, I have chosen to undertake a creative project that involves recording and releasing an album with my band, Cavedivers, while also designing the visual media and advertising graphics to accompany the release. The songs we have recorded were all written and developed before the start of this project. Therefore, this project is less of a songwriting endeavor, since most of that process is already complete, and more of an experimentation and workshop in communicating music through recording and identifying effective trends within graphic design.

As an art major and musician, this has …

Human Evolution: A Musical Portrait, Chloe S. Roper

Senior Honors Projects

The story of human evolution has been an elaborate progression entrenched in metamorphic processes and associated trial and error to create the species we are today. While these milestones are primarily explored through an academic lens, intellectual ideas are less often conveyed through a creative or abstract approach, such as through music or other art forms. Similarly, while music is often employed to evoke emotion, inspire reflection, or symbolize experiences, it is underutilized in conveying intellectual ideas. This project explores the juxtaposition of benchmark concepts of what makes our species distinctly human with instrumental musical expression in order to design …

Edouard Reményi And Johannes Brahms: A Lifelong Influence Reconsidered, Katherine Marie Martin

Master's Theses

Edouard Reményi was one of the first important influences in Johannes Brahms’s life and compositional career. Yet, beyond a single biography, much of what is commonly believed about Reményi is based on information provided by the Brahms literature.

By reexamining the accounts of Reményi in the Brahms literature, and comparing them with Mary Kelley and George Upton’s biography of Reményi and Robert Eshbach’s excellent research, the timeline of Reményi’s life and work can be clarified. Analysis of a set of three pieces for violin and piano demonstrates Reményi’s work as a composer and illustrates the style of Hungarian music that …

Sound Canvas: A Tool To Create Personalized And Immersive Soundscapes, Faizan Kazani

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Sound Canvas is a digital application developed to provide sound as a creative outlet, engaging, immersing, and making you feel good about the creative process. A few of the main objectives of this project include maximizing the potential of using sensory stimuli, particularly the sense of hearing, to witness growth in creative thinking and our overall subjective well-being. The tool aims to provide users with an interactive experience that uses sound as a trigger and focal point to increase involvement in the creative process. The outcome of this creative engagement will be a personalized soundscape that a user can resonate …

Black Box Series (May 1-4, 2025), Lindenwood University

Student Music Performance Programs

Event program for the Black Box Series (May 1-4, 2025), Lindenwood University.

Lauryn C. Salazar: A Life History Of Mariachi Leadership, Berta Alicia Guerra

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze Lauryn C. Salazar’s mariachi/educational leadership style by focusing on her contributions to the community of Texas Tech University and Tarleton State University. Leadership styles, as defined by Northouse, 2021, refer to the distinct approaches leaders use to guide, motivate, and influence their teams. After examining Salazar’s background to place her motivations and actions in the proper context, this study analyzed what Salazar did, how she perceived her actions, and how others perceived her actions. The life history written by the researcher was primarily based on data collected through eight interviews; however, …

The Scream Notation System: A Notational System For Screamed Vocals, Matthew Delcambre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Western music notation, there is no specified system of notation for screamed vocals, a style of singing that has become increasingly popular since the late 1970s with the advent of metal music and seen increased interest in screams in other genres since. Screams are a unique and diverse vehicle of delivery that can be differentiated according to timbre, technique, pitch and physiology. This research aims to first identify the anatomical and timbral differences between named screams and create a database of screams to be studied. The next task is to design a notational system appropriate for screams and then …

A Phenomenological Study Of String Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Development At Three Career Stages, Michael James Hanf

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This hermeneutic phenomenological study aims to understand the perceptions of elementary and secondary string teachers’ experiences with quality professional development from early-, middle-, and late-career stages. This study analyzes perceptions of quality professional development for music teachers, including content-related, evidence-based, applicable, relevant, collaborative, providing feedback, actively involving teachers in learning, longitudinal, coherent, and allowing for reflection. It follows a hermeneutic phenomenological research design guided by the theory of human motivation and aims to understand how professional development affects teacher needs. Participants include elementary and secondary string teachers across the United States from early-, middle-, and late-career stages. String teachers sampled …

Making Of A Musical Meme: Wendy Carlos & Hector Berlioz, Alexander Ludwig

Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

The Ballad Of The Wheel, John Kosch

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The Ballad of the Wheel is a piece for voice, percussion, and electronics that examines the cyclical nature of humanity. It draws texts from existential literature that spans almost all of recorded history, from antiquity to present day. In this work, a single narrator poses the same concerns about the nature of existence in different texts, revealing that questions about the meaning of life transcend boundaries of time and space. The prevalence of the theme of reincarnation also suggests that each movement of the piece presents a different manifestation of a single being. The Ballad of the Wheel implies a …

"All The Songs I Stole": Ballad Collection And The Conditions Of Collective-Making In Johnny Cash's Prison Concert-Albums, Camryn J. Bruce

All Theses

In the mid-to-late twentieth century, singer-songwriter Johnny Cash recorded and released three live prison concert-albums composed of many ballads and songs drawing upon a ballad tradition. I question the degree to which these albums, as performed and commercialized ballad collections, create realities of unity between Cash and his audiences. Reviewing three ballads for their aspects of balladry and performance, this thesis finds that Cash’s albums echo and make echoes of isolating conditions and possible collectivities, demonstrating a fragility of “folk” in the shifting scenes of music and prison.

Women Composers’ Music Contributions Equal To Those Of Male Counterparts During The Romantic Era, Chelsea J. Abels

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Though women composers were downplayed and overlooked, they were no less talented than their male counterparts, providing meaningful compositions and contributions to Romantic Era music. This thesis studies three women who made meaningful contributions during the Romantic period. Their names are Clara Schumann, Amy Beach, and Fanny Hensel Mendelssohn. Four aspects about them will be studied: The life and childhood of each woman, the trials and discrimination they faced, the problems they solved, and how their works compare to male composers. These three women were prodigy musicians and skilled composers. They demonstrated a great affinity for music from an early …

Perfecting The Pride Of All Nebraska, David Swotek

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

For my thesis, I completed a creative project focusing on my involvement in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. I created a documentary/YouTube-style video about the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhusker Marching Band and how much work goes into creating their performances. I wanted to see what work happens behind the scenes that their large audiences never get to see.

To get all the information I needed to create an efficient and effective piece, I interviewed 13 band students ranging in years, instruments, ranks, etc. It was very important to get a large range of perspectives on this piece because …

A Survey Of And Performance Guide To Representative Flute Music By Two Twentieth-Century Serbian Composers: Ljubica Marić And Enriko Josif, Sanda Mašić

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Flute pieces by twentieth-century Serbian composers Ljubica Marić and Enriko Josif are little-known gems of modern repertoire that are almost completely unknown outside Serbia. Unique in their styles, these works illustrate the composers’ close relationship to the Serbian culture in which they lived and the religions they practiced. In addition, these works reflect the time they were created in, and are, therefore, modern with a distinctive sound. This document presents a study of seven selected flute works by these two important Serbian composers, places them in historical context, and reveals influences from both Serbian religious music (Orthodox and Jewish) and …

Analytical Perspectives For The Wind Band Conductor: Discovering The Musical Growth Of A Composition Through Focused Observation Using The Elements Of Shmrg From Jan Larue’S Guidelines For Style Analysis, Eric Elker

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Productive score study and analysis is one of the most essential skills conductors need for preparing rehearsals and performances of repertoire. Musical conductors acquire score study skills and tools early in their educations. Much of their attention is given to achieving the composer’s intention by searching for and discovering significant musical moments created by several musical elements such as form, harmony, melody, rhythm, timbre, texture, and dynamics. This analytical approach is necessary for learning a piece of music, but conductors miss musical and creative opportunities if they confine themselves solely to their analytical observations for studying, rehearsing, and performing musical …