Music Commons^™

Leading Unconducted Chamber Vocal Ensembles: A Case Study Of The University Of Northern Iowa Varsity Men's Glee Club Camerata, David Hoobler

Honors Program Theses

Recently, unconducted chamber vocal ensembles have emerged as one of, if not the most popular forms of vocal performing groups. TV shows such as "The Sing Off' and "Glee" showcase the musical abilities of this type of ensemble. Barbershop quartets enjoy high levels of popularity. Professional groups such as Voces8 and other groups on many college campuses are constantly in demand for performances. In addition, educators find it necessary to learn how to lead these groups especially in the state of Iowa where quartets are used for All-State auditions, and the popularity of Show Choir necessitates an unconducted vocal ensemble …

Differences In Depression Levels Among Tenors, Baritones, And Basses, Rhiannon Jane Talbot

Honors Program Theses

Music and speech are closely related to one another. Both have specific elements, such as average fundamental frequency, pitch variation, and speed, to accurately communicate emotion. Some emotions have characteristic speech patterns; in the case of sadness, a low mean fundamental frequency, slow speed of speech, and minimal pitch variation are common. Both music and speech also utilize physical metaphors (up/down, high/low, etc.) to express positivity and negativity. The study was intended to determine whether male vocal register correlated with levels of depressive symptoms. Specifically, tenors were expected to have lower levels of depression than baritones and basses. Participants (16 …

Musical Eating And Culinary Listening: Composing With Sounds And Flavors, Isaac Brockshus

Honors Program Theses

My interests in music are wide-ranging. While the majority of my energies as a student are invested in the mastery of music that is more or less conventional, I also find myself obsessing over ideas intended to clear new avenues of expression while establishing new perspectives on the familiar. My experimental side thrives in a vast playground of extant musical constructs, free to be exploded, reassembled, and reexamined. Within these constructs come certain audience expectations for the music. The presence of these expectations and the practical issues resulting from a clash of expectations served as instigators of creative thought throughout …

Bad Reputations: A Discussion Of Gender Norms And Personas Created And Performed In Courtly (And Not So Courtly) Lyrics, Rebecca Ann Bohnet

Honors Program Theses

From 1000 CE to 1250 CE in Occitan, a literary tradition developed in the culture of the nobility and the courts. The courtly lyric tradition grew out of a unique cultural setting that allowed for the growth of a group of poets known as troubadours to write their courtly love lyrics in praise of the idealized lover. These were performed at the courts for the nobility as a source of entertainment and dealt with themes of angst, jealousy, and of course, love, among others. These troubadours produced a large number of works, in a wide range of genres, such as …

Time Out Of Mind As Distant Past Beyond Memory; Bob Dylan And His "Late Style", Koji Matsudo

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Respectability And The Modern Jazz Quartet; Some Cultural Aspects Of Its Image And Legacy As Seen Through The Press, Carla Marie Rupp

Dissertations and Theses

"The Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) was a noted jazz ensemble whose original members—John Lewis (piano and director), Milt “Bags” Jackson (vibraphone), Ray Brown (bass) and Kenny “Klook” Clarke (drums)—first performed together in Dizzy Gillespie’s big band in 1946.1 Lewis (1920-2005), Jackson (1923-1999), Brown (1926- 2002), and Clarke (1914-1985) first recorded as a group, calling themselves the Milt Jackson Quartet, in 1951-2. By the time the first recordings of the group under the name Modern Jazz Quartet were released in 1952, Percy Heath (1923-2005) had already replaced Brown as bassist. By 1954, the group had begun performing regularly in nightclubs and …

The Mexican Hydra: How Calderón's Pursuit Of Peace Led To The Bloodiest War In Mexican History? Will The Mexican People Inherit A Failed State In 2012?, Marco A. Pinon-Farah

CMC Senior Theses

THE MEXICAN HYDRA: HOW CALDERÓN’S PURSUIT OF PEACE LED TO THE BLOODIEST WAR IN MEXICAN HISTORY. WILL THE MEXICAN PEOPLE INHERIT A FAILED STATE IN 2012?

Abstract

Marco Antonio Pinon-Farah

The drug-war in Mexico (2006-present) has accelerated at a chilling rate, claiming the lives of 35,000 Mexican people. Since President Felipe Calderón assumed office, Mexico has been battling an internal beast unlike any it has known, the Mexican Hydra. Like the mythical creature, the Mexican cartels have proven capable of not only combating the government forces, but also of regenerating and strengthening themselves in the face of increasing government scrutiny …

Levels-Of-Processing Effects On "Remember" Responses In Recognition For Familiar And Unfamiliar Tunes, Esra Mungan, Zehra F. Peynircioğlu, Andrea R. Halpern

Faculty Journal Articles

We investigated the effect of level-of-processing manipulations on "remember" and "know" responses in episodic melody recognition (Experiments 1 and 2) and how this effect is modulated by item familiarity (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, participants performed 2 conceptual and 2 perceptual orienting tasks while listening to familiar melodies: judging the mood, continuing the tune, tracing the pitch contour, and counting long notes. The conceptual mood task led to higher d' rates for "remember" but not "know" responses. In Experiment 2, participants either judged the mood or counted long notes of tunes with high and low familiarity. A level-of-processing effect emerged …

Big Ten Marching Bands, Dustin Krause

A with Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Vocal Toning And Bio Acoustics Assessment On Pain And Bio Acoustics Vocal Profile, Crista Marie Orefice

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The objective of this research study was to investigate the effects of vocal toning interventions informed by a BioAcoustics assessment tool on the perceived pain and the vocal profile in a participant diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The study employed a single case study design. The participant (N=l) was a woman diagnosed with fibromyalgia, who underwent a series of ten 25-minute music therapy treatments of vocal toning, twice a week, for five weeks. Vocal profile was recorded and measured with the BioAcoustics nano Voice program for each session, pre- and post-treatment. Perceived pain was measured using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) questionnaire …

Influence Of Rap And Hip-Hop Lyrics On Male Body Image And Attitudes Toward Wwomen, Lorena Munoz

McNair Poster Presentations

Rap and hip-hop music are a widely popular and accessible genre of media. Its popularity and controversial lyrics raise questions as to the effects it may have on its audience. This study proposes to investigate the influence of rap and hip-hop music will be correlated with higher mean levels of thin-ideal appearance internalization (INT-GEN), negative attitudes towards women, and cultural expectations of masculinity compared to published normative data. Participants will complete online measures addressing questions about their body image (e.g. drive for muscularity) and attitudes toward women (e.g. objectification and misogyny). Future research should compare the influence of rap and …

Ethnomusicology [And Aesthetics], Peter L. Manuel

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Selected Band Works With Composer Perspective, Christopher Lawrence Mroczek

Masters Theses

Concentration in Conducting

This project contains the detailed study of three works for wind band. Each study includes direct input by the composers whose pieces are represented. The author interviewed all the composers by e-mail.

The pieces analyzed are:

• At Morning's First Light by David Gillingham
• Hebrides Suite by Clare Grundman
• Undertow by John Mackey

Questions asked in the interviews were unique to the particular musical elements present in the works. Each piece was analyzed with the same criteria using the following elements:

1. Composer Information
2. Composition Background Information
3. Score Description / Instrumentation
4. Form Analysis
5. Melodic Analysis
6. Harmonic Analysis
7. Meter/Tempo/Rhythm
8. Texture/Dynamics …

Concert Recording 2011-08-29, Janice Yoes, Kristine Mezines, Nophachai Cholthitchanta

Concert Recordings & Programs

Sing ye a joyful song / Antonín Dvořák -- Gesegnet sei / Hugo Wolf -- Gesang Weylas ; Mignon / Hugo Wolf -- Intorno al idol mio / Marc Antonio Cesti -- Ich liebe dich / Ludwig van Beethoven -- Strike the viol / Henry Purcell -- An die musik / Franz Schubert -- L'Enfant prodigue. Lia's aria / Claude Debussy -- Three songs of Innocence. Piping down the valleys wild ; The shepherd ; The echoing green / Arnold Cooke -- Das leben ist ein traum / Joseph Haydn -- Après un rêve / Gabriel Fauré -- Ein traum …

Concert Recording 2011-10-10, Michael Burritt, Emily Mcpherson, Andy Rowan, Sean Sweeden, Dallas Tucker, Tim Clifford, Taylor Zielke, Kelby Ferguson, Michael Fletcher, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Percussion Ensemble

Concert Recordings & Programs

Rounders (2009) / Michael Burritt -- Sonata for solo violin in g minor. Adagio / J.S. Bach -- Khan variations (2001) / Alejandro Vinao -- Toward the sea (1981). The night ; Moby Dick ; Cape Cod / Toru Takemitsu -- Shadow chasers (1994) / Michael Burritt

Concert Recording 2011-05-19a, Dallas Tucker, Jesse Austin, C. J. Morris, Nick Ryan, A. J. Miller, Tim Clifford, Kelby Ferguson, Michael Fletcher, Mary Beth Martin, Taylor Zielke

Concert Recordings & Programs

Prelude and fugue in B♭ major / Johann Sebastian Bach -- Doomsday machine / Michael Burritt -- Football! The great moment / Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen -- Cello suite no. 1 in G Major / Johann Sebastian Bach -- Eight pieces for four timpani / Elliott Carter -- Concert for marimba and percussion ensemble / Eckhard Kopetzki ; arr. Dallas Tucker

Concert Recording 2011-05-26, Ronda Mains, Catalina Ortega, Er-Gene Kahng, Ji-Yun Jeong, Sarah Houk, Andrew Thompson, Stephen Gates, Michael R. Montgomery, Robert Mueller

Concert Recordings & Programs

Brandenburg concerto no. 4, BWV 1049 / Johann Sebastian Bach -- String quartet in e minor, op. 59 no. 2 / Ludwig van Beethoven -- String quartet in E♭ Major, KV 428 / Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Concert Recording 2011-03-01, Michael R. Montgomery, Kristine Mezines, Ronda Mains, Theresa Delaplain, Nophachai Cholthitchanta, Timothy Thompson, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Lyrique Quintette

Concert Recordings & Programs

Septetto, op. 79 / George Onslow -- Trio no. 1 / Warren Wernick -- Sextet / Francis Poulenc

Concert Recording 2011-03-10, Brandon Hults, Theresa Delaplain, Devon Johnston, Nophachai Cholthitchanta, Sarah Manasreh, Amy Mayes, Amber Cooper, Timothy Thompson, Megan Mills, Anna Resnick Henson, Carissa Porter, Michael R. Montgomery, Ronda Mains, Catalina Ortega, Michael Olefsky, Kristine Mezines, C. J. Morris, Nick Ryan, Nathan Mcleod, Richard Rulli, Timothy Dailey, Amy Goodnow, Sarah Houk, Bettyanne Gottlieb, Jesse Austin

Concert Recordings & Programs

No abstract provided.

Rhythmic And Metric Structure In Alberto Ginastera's Piano Sonatas, Rachel Hammond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) was one of the leading South American composers of the twentieth century. Born in Argentina at a time when his country was striving to achieve a national identity and culture, Ginastera was recognized for combining the techniques of Western European art music with elements of Argentine folk music. His piano sonatas, composed during both his early and late periods, serve as excellent examples of this cultural synthesis throughout the course of his career. The Sonata No. 1 for Piano Op. 22 (1954), Sonata No. 2 for Piano Op. 53 (1981), and Sonata No. 3 for Piano Op. …

Professional Success For Music Majors : Understanding The Experiences Of Those Who Have Achieved, Jonathan Lucas Hess

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

his case study seeks to understand how the college experiences of successful professional musicians can be mapped onto their eventual professional success. Three highly accomplished professional musicians were interviewed about their college experience and musical careers. It was found that participants were highly motivated and had college experiences including collaborative learning, experiential learning, and needs-focused instruction. These conditions all resemble a student-centered learning experience that might be used as a model for effective pedagogical practice. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are offered.

The Choral Works Of Augusta Read Thomas: An Examination Of Ring Out, Wild Bells, To The Wild Sky And An Annotated Survey Of Her Complete Works, Melinda Sue Doyle

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This document presents a brief biographical sketch of Augusta Read Thomas, an examination of Ring Out Wild Bells, To The Wild Sky, an extended work for chorus and orchestra, and an annotated survey of her choral works. By examining the choral works, exploring her life and the context from which the music originated, and interacting with the composer, one can gain an understanding of the practical and musical issues of performing Ring Out Wild Bells, to the Wild Sky. Despite Augusta Read Thomas’s significant standing in American music, there has been surprisingly little written about her choral compositions. Thomas (b. …

The A Cappella Motets Of Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling: A Resource Guide, Brian J. Kittredge

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This document serves as a resource guide to the sacred a cappella motets of Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling, including background information and a structural analysis of each work. Also included in this document is a guide to the compositional techniques of Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling and background information on the life and works of the composer. Though largely unknown by most choral musicians, Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling’s sacred a cappella motets represent some of the finest and well crafted of all contemporary German composers. The German composer Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling (1904-1985) began to explore his musical interests in composition and performance at the age of fourteen. The …

The Effect Of In-School Opera Performance And Related Curriculum On Music Cognition And Attitude, Sara Harris Baker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to compare knowledge about and attitude toward opera in three groups of fifth-graders with various levels of involvement with an in-school opera. One group watched the live performance, a second group watched the performance preceded by three pre-performance lessons that encompassed common opera vocabulary and voice types, and a third group experienced the lessons, the performance, and a five-lesson creative project in which they constructed their own opera. All students completed cognitive and attitude pretests and post-tests. ANCOVA analyses accounted for differences in scores on the pretests. Significant differences (p < .05) on the multiple-choice portion of the cognitive exam were found between the performance-only group and the performance plus instruction groups. Significant differences were found between the groups on the concept map portion of the cognitive measure, with the differences coming between the performance only group and the performance plus lessons group. Significant differences were found between each of the groups for a Likert-scale attitude measure, with the performance and lessons group posting the largest increases. In addition, a significant correlation was found between cognitive scores and attitude scores. Responses to semi-structured interviews suggested that students’ opinions of Opera were influenced by factors related to music, factors related to production, and factors related to personal perceptions.

Exploring The French Flute School In North America: An Examination Of The Pedagogical Materials Of Georges Barrère, Marcel Moyse, And René Le Roy, Sarah Kate Gearheart

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The discussions that surround the topic of the French flute school and its approach to flute playing have yielded many conflicting assessments. Specifically, different opinions regarding who carried on the French school’s tradition of flute playing have produced different ideas about its lasting influence. At the center of this topic is a lack of clarity as to what constitutes the pedagogical approach that Paul Taffanel initiated and passed on to his flute students at the Paris Conservatory. In order to determine what this approach consists of as well as who passed it on, this study presents an examination of the …

A Performer's Guide To Gene Scheer's Voices From World War Ii, Brandon Paul Hendrickson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Though primarily known as a lyricist and librettist, Gene Scheer is beginning to emerge as an important composer of American art and popular song. This document presents Scheer’s song cycle for baritone, entitled Voices from World War II (Holding Each Other, The German U-Boat, At Howard Hawks’ House, Omaha Beach, and Morrison Shelter). The document includes biographical information about the composer and arranger, an overview of the song cycle, and a performer’s guide to each song. A conclusion of Voices from World War II follows the analysis of the songs. Appendices include the texts from Voices from World War II, …

A Performer's Guide To Gwyneth Walker's Settings Of Poetry By Lucille Clifton- No Ordinary Woman! And Three Songs For Lucille, Ebony Darshay Preston

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

No Ordinary Woman! is atypical of Walker’s style in that the composer employs jazz elements as the building blocks for this composition. From ballads to scat singing, each song is representative of a different style of jazz. The cycle, consisting of five songs, explores the poet’s journey of contemplation regarding various aspects of her life, predominantly her physical appearance. In No Ordinary Woman! and Three Songs for Lucille, the poet reflects on and ultimately celebrates her physical appearance. This document contains information about the lives and works of composer Gwyneth Walker and poet Lucille Clifton, the commissions, premieres, compositional processes, …

Polyfocal Structures In Franz Schubert's Lieder, Matthew Steinbron

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Before the later nineteenth century, the principle governing nearly all earlier tonal composition was monotonality. Monotonality explains the structure of most tonal compositions, but there are numerous examples for which monotonal analysis is inadequate, especially in music of the later nineteenth century. Deformations of monotonality often arise from off-tonic openings, but some compositions may be understood in terms of two or more co-equal tonics, making monotonal models insufficient. Such compositions exhibit polyfocal tonality, also known as directional tonality. In order to adequately address polyfocal structures, I propose a new method of analysis that combines Schenkerian analysis with interpretive approaches derived …

The Performance Production Process Of An Outstanding High School Choir, Kathy K. Rolsten

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite the interest in and importance of producing high quality choral performance, the question "How is superior performance produced?" has not been addressed in a holistic and naturalistic way. A synthesis of previous research findings suggests that a combination of actions, interactions, relationships, and conditions produce superior choral performance. Yet a holistic examination of this multi-faceted production process has not been conducted. In order to identify all factors contributing to the production of superior performance and how these factors work together, I comprehensively examined an extreme case of superior performance. This extreme case of superior performance was one high school, …

Self-Efficacy In Music Performance: Measuring The Sources Among Secondary School Music Students, Michael S. Zelenak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a greater understanding of self-efficacy in music performance. I sought to (a) contribute to fundamental knowledge of self-efficacy in music performance, (b) determine whether scores from the Music Performance Self-Efficacy Scale (MPSES) were valid and reliable, and (c) provide insights for developing self-efficacy among secondary school music students. Participants (N = 290) were middle and high school students in band, chorus, and string orchestra ensembles from 10 schools in the southeast and western regions of the United States. Participants completed four online questionnaires: (a) Music Performance Self-Efficacy Scale, (b) Sources of Middle …