Music Pedagogy Commons^™

Tone Production, Musicianship Training, Repertoire Development, Performance Practice: A Pedagogical Overview Of Selected International Children's Choirs, Janet Hostetter

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Abstract

Directors of children’s choirs benefit greatly from understanding the pedagogical processes used in internationally-recognized children’s choirs. The sharing of ideas and resources among children’s choir directors is especially critical in the United States where diverse populations are the norm. Cross-cultural collaboration produces inspiration for new repertoire and exposes developing singers to the established performance practices upheld in choral communities of other nations. The effort to incorporate musical practices across regions builds meaningful relationships as directors and singers learn to understand, respect, and perform music of other lands. Finally, when children’s choir directors understand the pedagogical practices embraced by global …

String Fundamentals For The Non-String-Playing Conductor, Dianna Fiore, Dianna Marie Fiore

Dissertations, 2014-2019

There are presently few resources on stringed-instrument fundamentals geared specifically toward the conductor who does not have string-playing experience. This paper is designed to fill this void through an explanation of string fundamentals, which the non-string-playing conductor should comprehend before addressing a string section on the podium. In addition to covering string fundamentals, this paper includes options for designing bowings and case studies of W. A. Mozart’s Divertimento in F major, K.138 and Edward Elgar’s Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op. 20.

Selected Folksong Arrangements Of Zoltán Kodály: An Analysis And Performer’S Guide, Sebastian A. Haboczki

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The history of Hungarian music and the Hungarian nation is a long and complicated one. Conquered by many different empires throughout history, Hungary faced challenges in maintaining its unique music and cultural heritage. Despite Hungary’s tumultuous changes of governance, its folksongs have evolved and flourished. Through the efforts of people such as Zoltán Kodály, Béla Bartók, and Lászlo Dobszay, these folksongs have been collected, studied, and categorized. Kodály, an accomplished musician whose research and music education philosophy can sometimes overshadow his compositional prowess, also composed folksong arrangements which embody the true nature of Hungarian music. These arrangements can be used …

A Performer’S Guide To The Role Of Aspasia, Melissa Mccann

Dissertations, 2014-2019

More than fifteen operas based on Jean Racine’s play, Mithridate (1673), were composed in the eighteenth-century. However, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s version, Mitridate, ré di Ponto (1770), is the only one which is remembered and performed today. Mitridate has earned a special place in Mozart’s operatic output because it can be considered the precursor to Idomeneo (1781), and a “prototype” for the Neo-Neapolitan School. Mozart composed Mitridate at the age of fourteen, which has led scholars to question his maturity level and mental capacity to comprehend grand operatic concepts. Through careful consideration of the sources of Mozart’s musical inspiration, some scholars …

A Musical Crusade: Reviving The Music Of Berlioz’S Benvenuto Cellini Through A Comparative Statistical, Pedagogical, And Theoretical Analysis, Jessica R. Spafford

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Abstract

Much of the operatic music of the eccentric French composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) is overlooked, especially from his first full opera Benvenuto Cellini. This is due in part to many misconceptions surrounding Berlioz’s vocal compositional style, which stem from the political atmosphere at the time of the opera’s premiere in 1838 Paris when ill-willed critics renamed it Malvenuto Cellini. A general ignorance of this work and its music pervades the world of vocal pedagogy, having been excluded from the standard repertoire anthologies, where it can ironically be the most useful. The research presented in this project comprises …

The Development Of A Fach System For The Tenor Oratorio Repertoire, Randall C. Ball

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Classical singers learn about the European Fach System early in their career. By determining which Fach a voice type fits, one can then understand which operatic repertoire is suited to study and perform. It is a reliable guide, protecting singers as they grow and function in their workplace. Since oratorio roles are predominantly not included in this system, it can sometimes be challenging for singers and pedagogues to place these roles unambiguously into a Fach. Without the security of a pedagogical system or guide, singers may be miscast in oratorio productions, which can result in a less effective performance, …

The Origins And Development Of The Euphonium Concerto With Brass Band, Joel M. Collier

Dissertations, 2014-2019

Since shortly after its invention, the euphonium has been utilized as a solo instrument, both in chamber music settings with piano, and with large ensembles such as brass bands and wind bands. However, it was not until the composition of Joseph Horovitz’s Euphonium Concerto in 1972 that the euphonium was genuinely regarded as a serious solo instrument in the brass band, capable of performing large-scale, substantial works.

In the following two decades, several composers wrote concerti for euphonium and brass band, each building on the technical demands of their predecessors. Their contributions established the basis of the genre, and also …

The Creation Of A Skills-Based Grading System For Solo Trumpet Repertoire, Charles R. Ahlhorn

Dissertations, 2014-2019

This research organizes a sample of solo trumpet literature, selected from state music educators associations’ repertoire lists, into a bi-level, skills-based grading system. At the first level of classification, each work is assigned an overall difficulty rating of 1, 2, or 3, with the latter being the most demanding category. The second level of classification evaluates the requirements of each work in six particular skill areas: range, rhythm and meter, articulation, flexibility, endurance, and phrasing. The rating scale for these parameters ascends from 1 to 5, where 1 represents beginner-level skills and 5 connotes virtuoso-caliber challenges.

The goal of this …

Finding Jean-Blaise Martin: An Italianate Approach For A Modernized Baryton-Martin Fach, Aaron D. Agulay

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The voice type or ‘fach’ baryton-Martin was named for Nicolas Jean-Blaise Martin (1768–1837), a French baritone celebrated for his agile voice, brilliant timbre, and extensive range. Historical accounts described his voice as having the depth of a bass-baritone with a tenorial upper range. Unfortunately, with the departure of Martin and the evolution of voice types during the bel canto era, this particular voice category fell out of favor. However, there is a voice type that successfully evolved and survived the bel canto era: the modern lyric tenor. The manner in which we have grown accustomed to hearing singers of this …

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 …

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 …

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 …