Music Pedagogy Commons^™

An Alternative Approach To The Singer's Breath: Method And Workshop, Bradley S. Williard

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This research endeavors to stretch the boundaries of vocal training, a field defined by its century-old techniques and teachings, to include the cultivation of a relationship with the breath, body, and Self. The paper reviews the contributions of Ilse Middendorf and Carl Stough’s work with the breath and body and outlines a new method, Unlock Your Breath (UYB) – Performance Breathwork, which integrates the greatest strengths of those methods. UYB Performance Breathwork teaches the singer’s breath as a way towards deeper embodiment of Self (mind-body-voice relationship), while creating a stronger breath-body-voice connection with minimum effort and maximum efficiency. This …

The Art And Science Of Becoming A Successful Studio Teacher, Teresa A. Bellamy

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

For most professional musicians, it is important to possess the skills necessary to be a studio teacher. While it is crucial to be confident in the actual pedagogical technique required of an instrumental teacher, it is imperative that music teachers also have a thorough knowledge of proper business and marketing tools. In this project, a close examination of the methods used to acquire and use such skills has been made. The research for this project was done in the form of interviews. Four professional music teachers were interviewed on the above topics.

Diva Diversity: National Vocal Schools And Qualities, Emma Plotnik

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Hearing the term “opera singer” for many triggers an image of a German dramatic soprano bearing viking horns and powerfully bursting into a high C. Yet, what is it that perpetuates this stereotype that German singers possess weighty instruments with dark timbres? Why are classically trained North American vocal students told by their teachers to sing lightly and delicately when performing French mélodie, and not any other genre?

Research in vocal pedagogy has demonstrated that singers from particular regions have been typified by their vocal qualities in terms of size and color. These qualities by nation mainly stem from contrasting …

2015-2016 Master Class - Nancy Weems (Piano), Nancy Weems, Lirui Xiong, Chen Liang, Munkhshur Enkhbold, Chance Israel, Jiaxian Li, Matthew Calderon, Hikari Nakamura, Yu Lu, Sohyun Park, Trevor Mansell, Sebastian Castellanos

Master Classes

Nancy Weems Performance (December 5, 2015) - Program

The History Of The Guitar, Júlio Ribeiro Alves

Music Faculty Research

Conceived as instructional material for the guitar students at Marshall University (or anyone interested in the subject), it presents the historical process of the guitar in a clear and attainable fashion. Several topics related to the guitar will be discussed in detail throughout the book: the postulates associated with its origins, its evolution through the centuries, its repertoire, composers, performers, techniques, etc., culminating with the achievement of the privileged status of a respected concert instrument which it currently possesses.

Tracing Josef Suk’S Stylistic Development In His Piano Works: A Composer’S Personal Journey From Romanticism To Czech Modernism, Jana K. Manning

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

The purpose of this document is to trace the stylistic development in the piano works of the Czech composer, violinist, and pedagogue, Josef Suk (1874-1935). Suk’s piano music is largely unknown in the United States and, unfortunately, neglected in his homeland. Because the majority of research about Josef Suk is in the Czech language, this work is intended to be the first English language document pertaining to Suk’s piano works. The three chapters synthesize information from both primary and secondary sources, including the composer’s first biography, collection of his letters and speeches, musical scores, dissertations, thematic catalogue of his works, …

The Production Of Sticky Notes And Bible Quotes: Godly Answers For Sticky Situations A Children’S Musical As Directed By Julie Brinkman, Julie Elizabeth Brinkman

Honors College

This thesis reflects upon a director’s experience while directing her first production: Sticky Notes and Bible Quotes: Godly Answers for Sticky Situations by Dennis and Nan Allen. This children’s musical was produced in cooperation with Wylie United Methodist Church of Abilene, TX. Over forty children, with the help of ten adult volunteers, shared the importance of memorizing scripture and looking to God’s Word in times of trouble through song, skits, and the recitation of scripture. While reflecting upon the production process after each rehearsal, the director makes connections between her experiences as director, the content of her music education undergraduate …

2015-2016 Master Class - Elmar Oliveira (Violin), Elmar Oliveira, Junheng Chen, Chen Liang, Vijeta Sathyaraj, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Tinca Belinski, Olesya Rusina, Anastasiya Timofeeva

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

About This Issue, Michael E. Ruhling

HAYDN: Online Journal of the Haydn Society of North America

No abstract provided.

2015-2016 Master Class - James Giles (Piano), James Giles, Chance Israel, Chen Liang, Munkhshur Enkhbold, Matthew Calderon

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

2015-2016 Master Class - Lynn Harrell (Cello), Lynn Harrell, Niki Khabbazvahed, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Elizabeth Lee, Clarissa Viera, Yuliya Kim, Sheng Yuan Kuan

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

2015-2016 Master Class - Nancy Ambrose King (Oboe), Nancy Ambrose King, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Trevor Mansell, John Weisberg, Kendra Hawley, Walker Brandon, Paul Chinen

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

A Jamaican Voice: The Choral Music Of Noel Dexter, Desmond A. Moulton

Dissertations

As we approach the twenty-first century, the world generally is moving away from the dominance of the European aesthetic towards a world music that owes much to the musical resources of the African-American tradition. Jamaica’s social and philosophical music belong mainly to that tradition, which includes the use of rhythms, and timbral and melodic resources that exist independently of harmony. Already in this century, Jamaicans have created two totally new music - Nyabinghi, which performs a philosophical function and Reggae, which performs a social function. The choral music of Noel Dexter is important because it is uniquely Jamaican/Caribbean in its …

Effective Elements Of Conducting: A Study Of High School Orchestra Directors, Matthew J. Brooks

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how effectively current high school orchestra directors demonstrate the elements of conducting. To do this, I first selected what elements of conducting would be evaluated and then defined what is effective for each. From this, I created a conductor evaluation form consisting of a 1-Not Effective to 5-Effective rating scale to score how effectively each element is demonstrated. The results would later address the primary research questions:

1. What elements of conducting do high school orchestra directors demonstrate most effectively?
2. What elements of conducting do high school orchestra directors demonstrate least effectively?

Current …

Use Your Words: A Lyrical Guide To The Opera-Inspired Paraphrases Of Antonino Pasculli (1842-1924), Aaron S. Hill

Dissertations, 2014-2019

There are currently ten available works by Antonino Pasculli (1842-1924) for solo oboe or English horn and accompaniment inspired by themes from nineteenth-century operas by Bellini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer, and Verdi. These pieces are so virtuosic that Pasculli has been dubbed the “Paganini of the Oboe.” The technical demands can be so high that performers can neglect to approach artistic and scholarly interpretation of his lyrical passages. Some editions of his music list the referenced act and scene number from the original source. No existing editions include complete text from the original vocal excerpts or the context from the plots of …

What Do I Assume? An Applied Lesson Approach Integrating Critical Thinking And Student-Directed Learning, Ayn T. Balija

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The applied music lesson remains a revered symbol of Western European tradition in American music education. Very little research exists assessing its continued viability as a method in its current form. This paper examines eight author observed assumptions about applied music lessons which flaw the learning process. Through available research, the assumptions demonstrate that the traditional applied lesson is teacher centered and difficult to assess. Exposing the resultant delusions of the eight assumptions reveals how a holistic approach in a studio can engage students in critical thinking and enhance student self-awareness. These primary goals place the educational emphasis on the …

2014-2015 Master Class - Elmar Oliveira (Violin), Elmar Oliveira, Olesya Rusina, Anastasiya Timofeeva, Mozhu Yan, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Terrence Smith, Yalyen Savignon, Yasa Poletaeva, Darren Matias

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

Psappha By Iannis Xenakis: Developing Multiple Percussion Literacy, Owen Phillip Rockwell

Dissertations

Psappha by Iannis Xenakis was written for a solo percussionist in 1975, and since then has been performed almost exclusively by elite musicians. The work suffers from broad neglect by students and professionals alike, because the structure and notation are difficult to access. Through Psappha, Xenakis created an alternative approach to serialist and chance compositional techniques that enabled him to communicate what he believed was rhythm in its purest form. The notation is unconventional and challenges the performer to approach Psappha in a similar manner. The main thrust of this project was to re-imagine the work in a more …

Considerations For Introducing And Practicing Wellness In Harp Pedagogy And Performance, Alexandra Haile Calvert

Music Theses & Dissertations

Movement, breath, and intense focus are crucial to the playing of any musical instrument. In addition, these are important areas in many wellness methods. Many harpists are prone to injury from playing, moving their harps, sitting with poor posture, and not warming up the body before playing. By considering and incorporating the wellness practices of ergonomics, Alexander Technique, yoga, meditation, and constructing a conducive learning and practicing environment, the risk of injury may be lowered for harpists. The purpose of this study is to research and present various methods in which harpists can prevent injury. This study will assess the …

2014-2015 Master Class - Jonathan Coo (Piano), Jonathan Coo, Hsin Hui Liu, Vladislav Kosminov, Anastasiya Timofeeva, Wynton Grant, Yordan Tenev, Sean Colbert, Trace Johnson, Hikari Nakamura

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

A Choral Conducting Portfolio, Sydney J. Sewell

Honors College Theses

This project is a cumulative portfolio of my work as a conductor during the past two years of undergraduate study. It is designed to prepare me for both graduate school auditions and the graduate level work-load. I have evaluated myself as a conductor, filmed videos of myself conducting rehearsals and performances, attended conducting master classes and completed a comprehensive analysis of choral works that I have studied or conducted. I have also included evaluations by mentors or professors administered throughout the course of the project. The project demonstrates by its very nature my growth as a conductor over the course …

The Budding Musician: A Method For Developing Cognitive And Physical Proficiency At The Piano, Lauren M. Hartburg

Senior Honors Theses

A comprehensive piano curriculum involves physical performance development alongside musicianship training. This thesis will discuss the decline in music literacy alongside research supporting the benefits of a creative, holistic, flexible music education program. These items will then be applied to developing an elementary piano curriculum. A four-volume piano method emphasizing theory and musicianship in the context of performance literature is outlined and level one is presented in detail.

2014-2015 Master Class - Elmar Oliveira (Violin), Elmar Oliveira, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Chen Liang, Kristen Seto, Wynton Grant, Cassidy Moore, Junheng Chen, Anna Tsukervanik

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

2014-2015 Master Class - Boris Slutsky (Piano), Boris Slutsky, Vladislav Kosminov, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Chen Liang, Hsin Hui Liu, Matthew Calderon

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

2014-2015 Master Class - Boris Slutsky (Piano), Boris Slutsky, Chance Israel, Munkhshur Enkhbold, Franz Felkl, Felicia Besan, Roberto Henriquez, Isac Ryu, Akmal Irmatov, Tatiana Lokhina, Aneliya Novikova

Master Classes

Boris Slutsky Performance (March 14, 2015) - Program

Editorial, Michael E. Ruhling

HAYDN: Online Journal of the Haydn Society of North America

No abstract provided.

2014-2015 Master Class - Claire Wachter (Piano), Claire Wachter, Matthew Calderon, Felicia Besan, Anastasiya Timofeeva, Aneliya Novikova, Jie Ren

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

2014-2015 Master Class - Louis Nagel (Piano), Louis Nagel, Heqing Huang, Vladislav Kosminov, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Hikari Nakamura, Yasa Poletaeva, Darren Matias

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

2014-2015 Master Class - Raisa Isaacs (Harpsichord), Raisa Isaacs, Jie Ren, Carina Inoue, Jihee Kim, Yu Lu, Aneliya Novikova

Master Classes

No abstract provided.

2014-2015 Lecture Recital: Fundamentals Of Baroque Phrasing And Articulation - Raisa Isaacs (Harpsichord), Raisa Isaacs

Master Classes

No abstract provided.