Music Pedagogy Commons^™

Perceptions Of Guitar Use And Training In Music Therapy: A Survey Of Clinicians, Joshua Robert Keller

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine music therapists' perceptions of guitar use and training in clinical practice. Three major research questions dealt with guitar use, guitar training, and clinicians' confidence using the guitar in clinical practice. A quasi-random sample of 1000 board-certified music therapists were invited to complete an online questionnaire with 27 questions in the areas of guitar use, guitar training and experience, and the importance of 28 specific skills. One hundred fifty music therapists (n = 150) responded.

Major findings include: (1) clinicians appear to use the guitar frequently and, on average, see guitar skills as …

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 …

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 …

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.

Editorial, Michael E. Ruhling

HAYDN: Online Journal of the Haydn Society of North America

No abstract provided.

Utilizing Mental Practice To Combat Performance Anxiety In Performing Musicians, Stephanie M. Quist

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Performance anxiety is a crippling problem for many performing musicians. Success in dealing with such a problem can make or break a performance; therefore, it becomes necessary for musicians to learn ways to cope with debilitating nerves. As a performing pianist myself, I am interested in investigating ways current performance anxiety research can be best applied to ease musicians’ stage fright. As there is a gap between current academic research on this subject and pedagogical practice, many teachers lack good advice to give students suffering stage fright. My thesis paper incorporates my personal experiences in mental practice with current academic …

Overcoming Initial Hurdles: Strategies For Developing A University Free Improvisation Ensemble, Rui Li

Theses and Dissertations--Music

New free improvisers may come across six major problems as they learn to improvise: imbalance between technique and music, incorrect perception of limitation, imbalance between rationality and emotion, lack of enthusiasm, inability to view criticism as a source of creativity, and misunderstanding of mistakes and risks. In this thesis, I propose a set of effective pedagogical tools as possible solutions for students and groups interested in exploring the beauty of free improvisation.

An Exploration Of The French And American Schools Of Classical Saxophone, Sarah E. Miracle

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project is an exploration of the relatively short history of the classical saxophone genre. It will focus mainly on the styles created by Marcel Mule, the second professor of saxophone at the Paris Conservatory, and Larry Teal, the first full-time professor of saxophone in America. Mule and Teal’s contrasting ideas of playing and teaching created distinct French and American schools of classical saxophone playing. This project explores the similarities and differences between these two schools of thought, and places them each in historical and cultural contexts. In addition, it traces the subsequent lineage of prominent saxophone performers and pedagogues, …

Understanding And Implementing Extended Saxophone Techniques, Tyler R. Bokman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Contemporary classical music often pushes the boundaries of how instruments should be played and what kinds of sounds they should produce. A great deal of contemporary music requires the player to utilize playing techniques that may seem very strange and difficult to those who are unfamiliar with them. These unusual practices, known as extended techniques, can include playing in extreme ranges, manipulating pitches in particular ways, and applying abnormal articulations. While once seen as a sort of novelty, these extended techniques are becoming increasingly essential to the contemporary musician. This is especially true of the saxophonist.

While nearly every other …

The Variety Show: Why Classical String Musicians Are Exploring A Multistyle Approach To Teaching, Kelly C. Wiedemann

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The Variety Show: Why Classical String Musicians are

Exploring a Multistyle Approach to Music

Kelly C. Wiedemann

This case study examines the experiences of five classically trained string teachers who now include alternative styles in their teaching. The research questions are: (1) What factors inspire a classically trained string educator to begin teaching alternative styles to their students? (2) Why is it important to keep classical music in string pedagogy? (3) How have these teachers, their peers, students, and community reacted to multistylism? The interviews revealed four major points of motivation: Opportunities for developing creativity and finding a personal voice …

About This Issue, Nancy November

HAYDN: Online Journal of the Haydn Society of North America

No abstract provided.

About This Issue, Michael E. Ruhling

HAYDN: Online Journal of the Haydn Society of North America

No abstract provided.

The Art Song Of Edmundo Villani-Côrtes: A Performance Guide Of Selected Works, Irailda Eneli Barros Silva Rodrigues

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The purpose of this study is to present a performance guide for singers on twelve selected songs in Brazilian Portuguese for voice and piano by Brazilian composer, pianist, and arranger Edmundo Villani-Côrtes (b.1930). Since 1949, Villani-Côrtes has been active in the musical scene of Brazil. He has a unique compositional style that seamlessly combines elements of both art music and popular music. Villani-Côrtes’s body of works includes over two hundred compositions for solo instrumental music, orchestral music, choral music, and art song. He has written over sixty songs in Brazilian Portuguese, including the Ciclo Cecília Meireles (1987), winner of the …

Folk/Traditional Music Of West Virginia Arranged For Classical Guitar Ensemble, Júlio Ribeiro Alves

Music Faculty Research

My motivation for writing this book grew from my desire to better understand the people and the music heritage of West Virginia and to share the findings of my experience, with the guitar community, in the form of guitar ensemble arrangements.

Developing Depth And Dimension: Instructional Tools And Practices To Facilitate And Encourage The Growth Of Young Jazz Musicians, Shauna E. Mcfaul

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Developing Depth and Dimension: A step-by-step, comprehensive introduction to the world of jazz for young musicians. This work begins with a philosophical discussion of the educational methods that are incorporated into the following games, lesson plans and writings. The project is directed toward students who have little to no experience playing jazz or improvising. It is meant to provide a foundation for continued success and development throughout their musical lives.

Sing Solo Pirate: Songs In The Key Of Arrr! A Literature Guide For The Singer And Vocal Pedagogue, Michael S. Tully

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

Pirates have always been mysterious figures. They came out of nowhere, attacked their victims, plundered their goods, and vanished. Reason tells us that pirates were no more than common criminals, but over the centuries, history has come to portray them as romantic and even heroic figures. This stereotype of piracy has long been a fascination of authors, poets, and composers, and it is evident in our cultural landscape.

This document examines an area of pirate literature that has been neglected, if ever discussed: the published pirate song for solo voice and piano accompaniment. Over the past two centuries many such …

The 10,000-Hour Threshold: Interviews With Successful Percussionists, Colin J. Hill

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Musicians are universally reliant on practice to improve and perfect their craft and there is substantial evidence that suggests mastery can only be achieved after 10,000 hours of practice early in life. This dissertation explores the validity of this theory as it pertains to master percussionists and examines their discoveries and recommendations as to how those 10,000 hours should best be spent. Research sources include selected published literature and personal interviews with thirty-six percussionists, conducted between 2010- 2013. The research is summarized in the following six sections: the 10,000-hour threshold; planning a practice session; warming up; learning new music; problem …

Johannes Brahms, Vierzehn Deutsche Volkslieder, Woo 34, Nos. 1-14, An Arrangement, Transcription And Pedagogical Rationale For Wind Band, Robert Logan Biles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This document illustrates how specific educational objectives can be met in the wind band rehearsal through the selection, transcription, and arrangement of the Vierzehn Deutsche Volkslieder, WoO 34, Nos. 1-14 by Johannes Brahms. It further defines the pedagogical appropriateness of these works and their transcriptions by outlining the educational goals that they accomplish.

The resulting wind band transcriptions and arrangements, for use at the secondary and post-secondary levels, are presented in two formats. The first is a convertible transcription where each instrumental part contains transpositions of all of the original vocal parts making it adaptable for various combinations of instruments. …

Hollingsworth, Teresa L. (Fa 39), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 39. [Singing schools] Interview with Zilpha Amanda Hume concerning her husband’s (Archie Hume’s) singing schools where he acted as a singing school instructor. Interview was conducted by Teresa Hollingsworth for an oral history project at WesternKentucky University. Includes index, tape summary, transcription, handwritten fieldwork notes and a cassette tape.

Expression In Technical Exercises For The Cello: An Artistic Approach To Teaching And Learning The Caprices Of Piatti And Etudes Of Popper, Leah Hagel

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The Caprices of Piatti and Etudes of Popper are considered by most cellists to be fundamental components of the cello literature designed to provide a solid technical basis for the student. This document will provide an alternative approach to teaching and learning these works by focusing on the qualities of expression that can be developed during the process of integrating these studies into one's repertoire. After providing contextual information for the both composers and the works, I will examine how this concept of "artistry through technique" has been adopted by other art forms, used in training students on different instruments, …

Strategies For Music Learning, George Palton

Music Faculty Research

Article provides strategies on how to take a new and fresh piece of literature from being completely unknown to performance ready.

Piano Study And Gender Associations: A Query Into The Perceptions Of Children Ages Five To Fourteen, Richard C. Winfree

Music Theses & Dissertations

From its inception, male composers and performers such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Cliburn, and Kempffhad dominated piano performance. Recent research suggests, however, that the piano has been designated with a feminine gender stereotype. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of public school children ages five to fourteen years old relative to gender association and piano study to determine if a gender stereotype existed and at what age, if any, the stereotype stabilized.

To achieve this purpose, two surveys were created and implemented by the researcher. The first survey was administered to 879 students in …

The History Of The Marimba, Daniel Rager

Music Faculty Publications

The author presents an international and historical history of one of the earliest melodic percussion instruments made by man. His research suggests the instrument was widespread throughout Asia and Africa, although many other regions claim it to have originated in their country.

Known by many names and created from an endless array of materials, this paper reflects the marimbas evolution from the fourteenth century to present day. The writer’s research encompasses the marimbas social roles, musical functions, timbres and styles across many countries as well as its evolution into the twenty-first century.

A Study Of Charles-Auguste De Beriot And His Contributions To The Violin, Leigh P. Mackintosh

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to gain information about Charles-Auguste de Beriot (1802-1870) and his contributions to the violin. The specific problems of the study were as follows: 1.) to identify what influenced the compositions of Charles-Auguste de Beriot; 2.) to outline important developments in his writing that contributed to violin technique and Romanticism; and 3.) to analyze Concerto IX in A minor for Violin, Op. 104 in terms of melody, harmony, tonality, texture, and form. The intention of this research is to investigate Beriot’s compositions for violin and examines the Romantic aspects that appear in his Concerto IX. …

A Conductor’S Guide To Wind Instrument Deficiencies: A Practical Addendum To The Undergraduate Conducting Text, Donald Bradley Snow

Dissertations

commonly used undergraduate conducting texts that teach the correction of wind intonation deficiencies. Research has indicated that conductors must be aware of and be trained to recognize and correct intonation deficiencies of wind instruments. Music teachers must understand acoustical differences among just, Pythagorean, and tempered tuning systems. Nonetheless, existing pedagogical materials for undergraduate conductors in training are of little or no help. The supplemental text addresses intonation deficiencies and provides musical examples and exercises to help the young conductor gain an understanding of the factors that adversely affect the intonation of wind instruments. The body of literature on the subject …

A Survey Of Daily Routines, George Palton

Music Faculty Research

Survey of professional tuba and euphonium players in the United States consisting of current college professors, prominent freelance musicians, and musicians in professional ensembles such as military bands and orchestras.

Consumer Test, Michael Stroeher

Music Faculty Research

Three players and about 30 listeners took part in a Trombone Consumer Test in the University of North Texas Concert Hall. The consumer test was inspired and based on a 1994 British Trombone study.

A Tonal Approach To The Slide Trombone Slide Postitions, Michael Stroeher

Music Faculty Research

Questions of choice and appropriateness of alternate positions have always been problematic for trombonists. Students hear conflicting opinions from teachers, and many of the method books seem quite arbitrary in their suggestions.

Singing Schools In Southcentral Kentucky, Donald Beisswenger

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Singing school teachers, who teach rural church congregations to sing from shape-note gospel songbooks, are still working in southcentral Kentucky, but the demand for them is smaller than it was in the first half of the twentieth century. The interdependence network in which singing school teachers, songbook publishers, and community singing events were key parts began to weaken in the 1940s as a result of the growth in popularity of professional gospel quartet concerts and gospel record albums. Many gospel music enthusiasts who once looked to songbooks as a major source for new material and for developing singing skills turned …