Music Pedagogy Commons^™

Performing Methods Of Beethoven’S Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 61, Third Movement: “Rondo: Allegro”, Zike Qi

Dissertations, 2020-current

This document examines the third movement “Rondo: Allegro” of Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 by Ludwig van Beethoven, focusing on how structural relationships in the score are transformed into auditory experience through performance methods. Rather than treating performance as a direct reproduction of the text, this research understands it as a process in which structure becomes perceptible in time.

Combining structural analysis, recording comparison, and self-recording practice, the study interprets the movement within a rondo–sonata framework (A–B–A–C–A–B–A). It demonstrates that the rondo theme assumes different functions—presentation, transition, and development—depending on its structural position.

Through comparison of recordings by …

The High School Piccoloist: A Resource Guide, Rebecca Needham

Dissertations, 2020-current

This project aims to curate a piccolo resource guide for high school music educators and their students. Currently, there are limited pedagogical materials available for beginning piccoloists or their music educators, and these materials are primarily scattered across decades of The Instrumentalist and the now-defunct Flute Talk journals. In addition, future band directors are rarely required to study auxiliary instruments like the piccolo in their collegiate coursework. These two factors combine to create a detrimental situation: frequently, neither teacher nor student in a typical high school setting has appropriate resources to understand the instrument and its essential differences from the …

A Description Of Zhao Zhang’S Nature No. 2 And Xiaoxuan Xu’S An Unusual Feast Of East, Sicheng He

Dissertations, 2020-current

This research presents a new path in the development of Chinese music by aiming to incorporate both modern Western and ancient Chinese influences in form, texture, tonality, topic, and other dimensions of style and structure. Two Chinese composers whose recent compositions for the piano share similar characteristics: Zhao Zhang (b. 1964; Nature no. 2, 2013) and Xiaoxuan Xu (b. 1990; An Unusual Feast of East, 2022). The research will discuss how Zhao Zhang and Xiaoxuan Xu accomplish this fusion of old and new in their recent piano works Nature no. 2, (2013) and An Unusual Feast of East, 2022. …

Corporeality In Choral Sound: Elements Of Consonant Diction Shaping Pre-Expressive Presence, Perceived Clarity, And Expression In English-Language Choral Music, Addison Walton

Dissertations, 2020-current

The genesis of this project stems from a lived experience performing with a professional choir, whose sung physical shaping of the English language—its crystalline clarity, profound expressivity, and the pre-expressive elements inherent in the delivery—was deeply and viscerally compelling. This overwhelming reaction was in response to their bodies; specifically, the sound their bodies produced that evoked a sense of corporeality, or tangible bodily presence. There was beauty to be found in the way their mouths physically formed the language, both within and removed from the semantic context.

This study sought to acknowledge those fleeting, pre-expressive moments in choral music and …

The Sonata For Double Bass And Piano By Ruth Gipps: A New Performer's Edition With Commentary, Nicholas M. Greer-Young

Dissertations, 2020-current

The Sonata for Double Bass and Piano by Ruth Gipps (completed in 1996) presents unique challenges for performers. The piece was previously only available in a published version of the manuscript which lacks many articulation markings, dynamics, and other expressive indicators. This allows performers justification for a wide variety of interpretations but also requires a high level of analytical investment to produce a compelling performance. The new, fully edited, score makes the sonata more easily accessible while the opportunity to engage in in-depth analysis and interpretation offers tremendous pedagogical value to students who would like to start from the first …

A Discussion Of Rodion Shchedrin’S Ten Piano Pieces, Op. 20, Wei Mo

Dissertations, 2020-current

Russian composer and pianist Rodion Shchedrin (b. 1932) is considered one of the most successful contemporary Russian composers. He established his reputation at a young age. This document will discuss Shchedrin’s early musical style as reflected in his Ten Piano Pieces, Op. 20, a collection of ten pieces composed between 1952 and 1961. By analyzing the structure, harmony, and character of these pieces, this document aims to explore the commonalities among them and explore the distinctive appeal of Shchedrin's music.

Elements Of Greek Identity In The Eight Dances From The Greek Islands By Yiannis Constantinidis, Afroditi Mitsopoulou

Dissertations, 2020-current

The purpose of this research is to present elements of Greek style and identity in the composition for solo piano, Eight Dances from the Greek Islands (Οκτώ Νησιώτικοι Ελληνικοί Χοροί, για πιάνο) (1954) by Yiannis Constantinidis. What is regarded as Greek national identity? How was it formed and developed throughout the centuries, and what compositional techniques did Greek composers before Constantinidis use in their works to define Greek identity? A topic examined in this document was the construction and deconstruction of Greek identity, and the question addressed was whether Greek identity can ultimately be defined. Constantinidis (1903-1984) was …

Move It! The Percussionist’S Guide To Developing Performance Skills And Emotional Connection, Shelby N. Shelton

Dissertations, 2020-current

What is this?

The primary goal of this book is to enable students to be more comfortable projecting emotionally to an audience through their body movement and touch while also providing lesson plans and support for the front ensemble instructor. We want this collection to be useful for a student alone in a practice room as well as in a large ensemble setting. There are 10+ activities with examples that encourage the student to dive deeper into the emotion of their piece. Each etude has curated exercises that develop necessary techniques used in the tune. Program/performance notes aid the student …

Minimize Barriers, Maximize Success: Optimizing The Private Trumpet Lesson Experience For Students With Adhd, Stefanie M. Tetzloff

Dissertations, 2020-current

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a high-prevalence neurodevelopmental disability found in an estimated 6% to 16% of children ages 3-17 in the United States. A recent survey showed that 84% of private piano and string lesson instructors have taught students with disabilities and needed to adapt their teaching, but most cited having little to no education in how to appropriately do so. While public school teachers may receive support from specialists and recommended accommodations in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan, private lesson instructors may not be informed of a student’s disability and often lack resources to …

A Survey Of Collegiate Voice Students With Asthma And Allergies And Their Perceived Impact On Singer Health And Performance Experiences – A Pilot Study, Nicole D. Jenkins

Dissertations, 2020-current

An increasing body of research evidence indicates that college students of all majors with asthma and/or allergies represent a vulnerable population due to their inability to experience a consistent and dependable quality of life compared with their healthy collegiate peers. Further, in terms of their impact specifically on collegiate singers, the intricate network of co-morbid conditions associated with asthma and allergies, including pain, wheezing, and discomfort combined with physical symptoms of stress, disturbed sleep, fatigue, diminished concentration, depression, and high-risk behaviors, cannot be underestimated. As such, this study aims to identify and analyze the health impediments caused by asthma and/or …

Pedagogical Tools And Techniques For The Development Of Harmonic Audiation, Ensemble Intonation, And Textual Imagery Through The Choral Music Of Ola Gjeilo, Nikolaos Myrogiannis-Koukos

Dissertations, 2020-current

Aspiring and dedicated choral directors strive to program music that is not only valuable to the growth of their ensembles’ skills in music literacy and choral performance but also institutes opportunities for memorable and meaningful performing experiences. Research in choral pedagogy conducted within the past two decades suggests that choral music is considered pedagogically appropriate, regardless of the musical aptitude of the performers involved, when it showcases elements that are often summarized in three separate yet equally essential qualities: the simultaneous development of multiple technical aspects of singing and a sense of intonation, including the development of sight-singing skills, the …

Etudes For Marimba: An Assessment Of Intermediate And Advanced Techniques With Four New Works, William Alderman

Dissertations, 2020-current

Over the past century, the marimba has experienced rapid growth. From its construction, performance practices, and technical approach, the instrument has been elevated to a well-respected instrument. Since the development of the five-octave marimba in the early 1980s, literature for the marimba has expanded exponentially. Through this expansion, works for the beginning and advanced performer has become widely available. However, a gap in literature exists within intermediate to intermediate-advanced range. Although it is of utmost importance for the progressing performer, this stepping stone literature can be difficult to find. In response, I have written my book, Etudes for Marimba: Four …

Reevaluating Student Engagement: Exploring And Applying Alternative Assignments In Higher Education Undergraduate Applied Saxophone, Anthony S. Cincotta Ii

Dissertations, 2020-current

Undergraduate applied saxophone study revolves around the conservatory model. This inflexible model, often referred to as a master-apprentice relationship, can create an instructor-centric power dynamic which does not address the needs of the modern student. A classroom where the power lies so heavily with the instructor can stifle student engagement and can create a sense of disenfranchisement. In this setting, students have limited input on their assignment selections. While curricula have evolved with regards to being more culturally diverse, relevant, and inclusive, the approach that educators use to deliver the material has remained largely unchanged. There is limited research on …

A Poet's Voice: Music In Service To Poetry: Elements Of Text Painting In Juliana Hall's Song Cycle "How Do I Love Thee?", Hayley Z. Coughin

Dissertations, 2020-current

American composer Juliana Hall has established a reputation as one of the leading composers of contemporary American art songs, having composed over 60 song cycles, totaling over 300 works for the voice. Hall’s song cycle How Do I Love Thee? expresses a narrative arc told through five selections from Victorian-era poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese. The poems selected include Sonnet 3: “Unlike,” Sonnet 43: “How Do I Love Thee?,” Sonnet 37: “Pardon,” Sonnet 21: “Say Over,” and Sonnet 41: “Thank You.” Hall’s cycle describes the relationship between the lover and the object of their love, including …

An Investigation Of The Violin Teaching Method Of Lin Yaoji From A Personal Perspective, Mo Zhou

Dissertations, 2020-current

As a Western musical instrument, the Violin has a history spanning more than three hundred years. Contemporary approaches to its performance and pedagogy have been developed and influenced by the Russian, the Franco-Belgian, and the German Violin Schools. It was not until the 1920s and '30s, that the violin entered the public realm of Chinese society.

From the 1980s until today, several generations of violinists have emerged as Violin Educators in China. Among them, Lin Yaoji was the most famous. This study will research and examine Lin Yaoji’s violin teaching method. Specifically, this document will consist of five chapters discussing …

A Pedagogical Approach To The Technical Aspects Of Eugène Ysaÿe’S Solo Violin Sonatas No. 5 And No. 6, Jianda Bai

Dissertations, 2020-current

Since the completion of Ysaÿe’s Six Sonatas for the Solo Violin in 1923, performances of this important work in the violin literature have continually been well received by the public. This collection is frequently compared with J.S. Bach’s Six Sonatas and Partitas for the Solo Violin, because of the clear connection between these two works. Each of Ysaÿe’s pieces were dedicated to six younger violinist contemporaries and were composed in consideration of the character of the dedicatee, forming a kaleidoscope of musical and technical delights for both the performer and their audience.

While each of Ysaÿe’s six sonatas offer …

Survey And Analysis Of Undergraduate Music Education Percussion Methods Courses In Relation To The Practical Needs Of Secondary Music Educators In American Public Schools, Bryan C. Pickering

Dissertations, 2020-current

The majority of Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education require students to enroll in a series of instrumental methods or techniques courses. These courses cover fundamental techniques and pedagogical approaches that prepare students for their future careers as music educators. Due to the percussion instrument family having a large scope of material that needs to be covered, it is commonly perceived by those who teach the classes, that Percussion Methods classes within an undergraduate Music Education degree operate on time frames that make equal coverage of all instruments and topics a pedagogical challenge within a standard academic semester.

The purpose of …

Shared Dramatic Pacing In Jake Heggie's Three Decembers, Cynthia Wohlschlager

Dissertations, 2020-current

Jake Heggie collaborated with Terrence McNally and Gene Sheer to infuse 21st-century topics into the chamber opera Three Decembers. This document traces the development of the Madeline Mitchell motif, followed by illuminating the concept of shared dramatic pacing through the use of score identifiers. Fueled by research into Heggie's compositional process, via personal interviews with the composer, it defines an effective method for character development, as well as provides suggestions for the successful preparation of a Jake Heggie opera. For this document, the concept of shared dramatic pacing refers to the time on stage during a performance that is …

The Integration Of The Interactive Teaching Method (Itm) Of The Alexander Technique In Vocal Pedagogy, Susan D. Gouthro

Dissertations, 2020-current

Abstract

The work of F.M. Alexander (1869-1955) has become renowned in the realm of bodywork. Instrumental in furthering Alexander’s teachings is the work of Donald Weed, American Alexander Technique (AT) teacher and developer of the Interactive Teaching Method (ITM), his unique method for delivering the Alexander Technique and training teachers.

This study investigates how certified ITM instructors apply the ITM principles into their music teaching pedagogy, with a specific focus on applied voice lessons. Six practitioner interviews, as well as multiple class interviews with Weed were conducted from July 5– 9, 2019, in Darmstadt, Germany during a five-day ITM Workshop. …