Music Commons^™

Behind The Curtain: A Literature Review Of Personal And Ecological Risk Factors And Current Multi-Level Interventions For Performing Artists, Christopher A. Robles

Social Work Theses

Performing artists experience psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, burnout, and substance use disorders, at rates significantly exceeding those of the general population. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (EST) and the Person-in-Environment (PIE) perspective, this structured literature review synthesizes research published between 2010 and 2026 to examine individual personality traits, environmental stressors across meso- and macro-systems, and existing multi-level mental health interventions for performing artists. Findings reveal that while traits such as high openness to experience, sensory processing sensitivity, and perfectionism foster artistic expression, they also heighten vulnerability to occupational stressors, financial precarity, social isolation, and venue-based substance exposure. Current …

A Profile Of Arnold Jacobs, Carolyn M. Totaro, Caedmon Goettel

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Arnold Jacobs including his books and extraordinary tenure with the Chicago Symphony.

A Profile Of Vaslav Nijinsky, Carolyn M. Totaro, Megan Hoggarth

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Vaslav Nijinsky

Guitar Amplifier Directivity, Rachel C. Edelman, Brian E. Anderson, Samuel D. Bellows, Timothy W. Leishman

Directivity

No abstract provided.

Interpretable Repertoire Search For Computer Supported Aural Skills Teaching: A Searchable Sia Based Digital Companion, Peter G. Fielding

Bailey School of Music Faculty Publications

Aural skills teaching depends heavily on repertoire selection, yet many large print and heritage song collections remain difficult to search in pedagogically meaningful ways. Teachers may need melodies with limited pitch collections for early solfège, modal examples for comparative listening, or repertory with controlled chromatic complexity, but such features are rarely indexed in printed sources. This paper proposes a computer-supported response to that problem: a searchable, rights-aware digital companion built around tonic-centered successive interval arrays (SIAs). SIAs provide an interpretable representation of pitch space by encoding the cyclic step pattern among the pitch classes present in a melody after tonic …

"Just Let Your Soul Glo": Humorous Music In Black American Comedy Films, Drew Brady

Music Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I inspect ways in which music has been used to create humor and meaning in black American cinema. In doing so, I address gaps in film music scholarship, as music in comedy films and in black cinema are both neglected topics. I suggest that humor in these films arises out of a particular blend of musical irony, parody, and satire, the exact combination of which is contingent on various historical, cultural, and political factors. In order to track this trend, I analyze humorous music in eight films, each representing a unique manifestation of this tradition: Watermelon Man …

Master's Recital: Anna Godtland, Anna Godtland

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The two purposes of this recital are to partially fulfill the requirements for the Master of Music degree in Jazz Pedagogy and to display proficiency on the drum set, piano, and string bass. Anna Godtland presented her graduate recital on April 27, 2026, at 7:30 PM in Bengtson Auditorium. The recital program included two pieces each on piano, drum set, string bass, and four pieces on trombone. These selections showcased an array of styles and required a variety of skills necessary to fulfill the requirements of the Jazz Pedagogy degree. The recital featured personnel from two UNI jazz combos (Cincopatos …

Student Retention In Music Programs: An Analysis Of Relationships Between Selected Student Demographics And Continued Enrollment In Music Programs With The Presence Of School-Provided Supports, Jessica Wiese

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Music education provides significant cognitive, social, and academic benefits; however, elective music programs often face substantial annual attrition. While existing literature has documented material barriers (e.g., instrument costs, transportation, scheduling conflicts), this study investigates the persistence of attrition within a medium-sized suburban district on Long Island that has systematically mitigated these obstacles. The district provides free instruments, flexible scheduling, and dedicated transportation for all students. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to determine whether demographic disparities in music enrollment remain predictive of withdrawal in such a post-barrier environment.

The research used a two-phase explanatory sequential design. In the first …

Book Review: Inside Chinese Theater: Community And Artistry In Nineteenth-Century California And Beyond By Nancy Yunwha Rao, Jiyoon Auo

Asia Pacific Perspectives

No abstract provided.

Formation-Based Analysis In Contemporary Saxophone Practice: A Case Study Of Ziwei Shi's The Blue Lotus Bloms, Jiageng Ren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines contemporary saxophone repertoire through a formation-based analytical approach, using Ziwei Shi’s The Blue Lotus Blooms as a case study. It is organized into three parts. Part I establishes the conceptual and methodological framework by introducing the concept of “formation-based analysis,” positioning the “condition of musical formation” as its core. Further situating the study within scholarship on practice-based research, cross-cultural theory, and modernism/postmodernism. Part II provides a detailed analytical and performance-based investigation of the work, including the collaborative commissioning process, the application of Thaat as a pitch resource, the role of extended techniques and embodied endurance, and contrasting …

Striving For Greater Equity And Access For Neurodivergent College Music Students, Rhoda Bernard

Faculty Works

An increasing number of neurodivergent individuals are enrolling in colleges and universities, where they often encounter a wide range of challenges, such as ableist attitudes, policies, and practices, emotional distress, and academic struggles. This Commentary examines issues of equity and access for neurodivergent higher education music students through discussion and analysis of two initiatives at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The recommendations of neurodivergent researchers and neurodivergent higher education community members are employed as a critical lens for these initiatives, and as a framework for the field.

An Analysis Of Gustav Mahler’S Use Of The Timpani With Reference To Historical Performance Practice And Contemporary Performances Of His Works., Stephen Kelly

Research Theses

Gustav Mahler (1860–1911) held important positions in Europe and America in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century as a conductor of operatic and symphonic repertoire. As a composer, his output spans a significant transitional period in classical music, from Romanticism to early Modernism. His life and work represents a revolutionary period of change in many developmental aspects of the modern orchestra. Changing social norms, larger concert halls, and technical developments in instrument-making all combined to alter the presentation and, as a consequence, the reception of classical music during this time. As conductor of some of the finest orchestras …

Development And Validation Of A Music Teacher Candidate Assessment, Phillip Hash

Faculty Publications - Music

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Music Teacher Candidate Assessment (MTCA), a rubric-based tool for evaluating student teachers in music classrooms. Factor analyses of scores issued by university supervisors (USs), cooperating teachers (CTs), and student teachers (STs) supported construct validity, explained 53.5% of the variance, and revealed two subscales: Pedagogy (I) and Professionalism (II). Concurrent validity resulted from a strong correlation (r_s = .83) between evaluators’ rubric averages and holistic ratings of performance. Inter-factor correlation (r = .65) confirmed discriminant validity. All groups exceeded the α ≥ .80 threshold for acceptable internal …

A Study Of Ionisation By Edgard Varese, Carolyn M. Totaro, Mason Weintz

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of Ionisation by Edgard Varese discussing the instrumentation and significance.

A Study Of The Makrokosmos By George Crumb, Carolyn M. Totaro, Hampton Turner

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the Makrokosmos by George Crumb covering its inspiration, innovative composing, and significance.

A Profile Of Trevor Pinnock, Carolyn M. Totaro, Connor Skelly

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Trevor Pinnock covering his youth, education, and extensive performing career.

A Study Of The Airs For The Seasons By James Oswald, Carolyn M. Totaro, Sophie Nicholls

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the Airs for the Seasons by James Oswald discussing the programmatic qualities of the works, their organization, their instrumentation, and significance.

A Study Of The Octet For Winds By Igor Stravinsky, Carolyn M. Totaro, Andres Montes

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the Octet for winds by Igor Stravinsky including a brief biography of the composer and a discussion of the instrumentation, form, and significance.

A Study Of The Ballet The Firebird By Igor Stravinsky, Carolyn M. Totaro, Lia Juan

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the ballet The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky covering the original conception of the music, its evolution, and significance.

A Profile Of Isaac Stern, Carolyn M. Totaro, Hailee Howard

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Isaac Stern covering his amazing performance career.

A Profile Of Jeanne Baxtresser, Carolyn M. Totaro, Simone Gore

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Jeanne Baxtresser discussing her education, tenure with the New York Philharmonic, publications, and teaching.

A Profile Of Pablo Casals, Carolyn M. Totaro, Thomas Canas

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of the legendary cellist Pablo Casals including his education, performing, and activism.

A Profile Of Richard Stoltzman, Carolyn M. Totaro, Ted Bielecki

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Richard Stoltzman including his education, mentors, and career.

A Study Of Finlandia By Jean Sibelius, Carolyn M. Totaro, Aidan Aycock

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of Finlandia by Jean Sibelius covering its composition, instrumentation, and significance.

A Study Of The Sinfonietta By Leoš Janáček, Carolyn M. Totaro, Ezra Vorvick

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the Sinfonietta by Leoš Janáček discussing its form, instrumentation, and significance.

A Profile Of Alice Chalifoux Of The Cleveland Orchestra, Carolyn M. Totaro, Sage Talamanco

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Alice Chalifoux of the Cleveland Orchestra covering her remarkable tenure and teaching career.

A Profile Of The Partch Ensemble, Carolyn M. Totaro, Grant Stanley

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of the Partch Ensemble discussing its formation, repertoire, and performances.

A Study Of The Opera Tales Of Hoffman By Jacques Offenbach, Carolyn M. Totaro, Ellie Sawyer

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Study of the opera Tales of Hoffman by Jacques Offenbach discussing the unique libretto, roles, and music.

A Profile Of Jacqueline Du Pre, Carolyn M. Totaro, Macie Moon

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Jacqueline Du Pre covering her childhood, early career, and untimely death.

A Profile Of Thomas Andrew Lehrer, Carolyn M. Totaro, Lilli Korakis

SPARK Symposium Presentations

A Profile of Thomas Andrew Lehrer including his university career and "side job" of musical parody.