Music Performance Commons^™

The Gĩkũyũ Mũtũrĩrũ: Preserving A Piece Of Kenya's Agrarian Past Through Flute Music, Jennifer Larue

Masters Theses

The Agĩkũyũ people of Kenya are one of the largest people groups in Kenya. However, systematic repression of Gĩkũyũ culture led to many traditional elements being forgotten, put aside, if not lost completely. The mũtũrĩrũ, a bark flute used when herding and in certain ritual dances, was one such element. The mũtũrĩrũ was initially a temporary instrument, which evolved into more permanent bamboo versions. These may have between two and six finger holes. Another version, called a "spider web mũtũrĩrũ" has no finger holes but has a paper membrane over one end to create a buzzing timbre effect. Research was …

Missa Yielu: Music In The Dagara Mass, Karin Rau

Masters Theses

This paper explores the music of Dagara Masses in Ghana. The Dagara people are defined and described according to the geography of their land and linguistic dialects spoken in the region. A discussion of cultural indicators highlights traditional occupations, family structure, and social practices. Dagara musical practices are outlined by function and include descriptions of instruments and how they are played. Examination of indigenous religious beliefs describe the behaviors, values, and symbols that permeate Dagara life. A summary of the Dagara's encounter with Christianity sets the scene for present-day celebrations of the Mass. Through observation and interview, research was conducted …

Chapman University Singers In Concert, Chapman University Singers, Elliott Wulff, Hye-Young Kim

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Childe Roland: String Quartet, Percussion And Electric Guitar, David Blevins

Theses and Dissertations--Music

An original composition in five movements for string quartet, percussion and electric guitar. Majority of the electric guitar parts are marked “quasi-improvisation”, with the intent of allowing the player freedom to explore their own creativity and expand upon the notated guitar parts as desired. The percussion parts, also marked “quasi-improvisation”, allow the player to expand upon the notated rhythms and choose their own combination of muted wood blocks as desired.

The name of this piece and its individual movements pay homage to the author Steven King and his series of books known as the The Dark Tower. Much of …

The Adjudicator Speaks: A Study Of Choral Festival Adjudicators’ Practices, Procedures And Preferences, David L. Hensley

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Choral Festivals, whether competitive or non-competitive, involve preparation, performance, and evaluation. The process of preparing for and performing at a choral festival often leaves the conductor and choir members wondering what the adjudicators (judges) will be listening for and on what basis the choir will receive its critique. Few if any music education publications (including methods textbooks, scholarly publications, and journal articles) have addressed this topic, and those that have addressed it have failed to include the adjudicator’s point of view. This dissertation addresses the point of view of the choral festival adjudicator, giving insight into the standards of performance …

Elliott Carter’S March: An Applicable Analysis, Troy W. Palmer

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This thesis, in summation, can be divided into two parts. The first half focuses on the story of Eight Pieces for Four Timpani, composed by Elliott Carter and published in 1968. Both its compositional and performance history are addressed. The compositional history starts with the writing of the first version of Carter’s music, Six Pieces for Kettledrums, written in 1950; next, the revision process is addressed, including the actual revisions seen in March. The performance history consists of a study done to determine which piece from the Eight Pieces is the most performed piece; to the author’s …

Instrumental Chamber Music: Woodwinds And Brass, Chapman Brass Ensemble, Chapman Woodwind Ensemble

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Keyboard Collaborative Arts Studio Recital, Varsénik Aslanyan, Rachel Danielson, Evangeline Jodjana, Esther Kim, Yi-Jiao Tian, Elliott Wulff, Tony Baek, Hannah Kidwell, Kimberly Levin, Cynthia Navarette, Kathryn Rock, Andrew Schmitt, Chloé Tardif

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Student Pianists In Recital, Brian Clemens, Alexandra Jones, Tyler Johnson, Dahee Jung, Stephanie Caress, Sophia Bui, Ashley Shahbazi, Janice Park, Cole Jackson, Anzhela Kushnirenko, Olivia Gerns, Ariel Chien, Andrew Siles, Michael Seaman, Janice Park

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Prodigies On Youtube: Finding The Genuine Artist In Youth, Priscilla Peraza

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

There seem to be more child prodigies today than ever before. This growth can be attributed to the way society contributes to and facilitates young talent. For instance, shows such as “America’s Got Talent”, “American Idol”, and “The X Factor” cultivate the younger generation to desire fame. Though these children are exceptionally talented, they are also discovered and forgotten at such a rapid pace as well, no doubt due to the amount of social medial accessible in the 21st century. YouTube has become a part of the easily accessible social media trend and is often used as a common source …

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.

In Concert: The Chapman Orchestra And Chapman University Wind Symphony, Chapman Orchestra, Chapman University Wind Symphony

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Chapman Percussion Ensemble, Chapman Percussion Ensemble

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

An Academic Festival Overture, Chapman Orchestra, Chapman Wind Symphony

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

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 …

Student Pianists In Recital, Aaron Grisez, Janice Steininger, Rachel Gossen, Kaelyn Moore, Tony Vallejo, Kyla Mccarrel

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Chamber Music: Strings And Piano, Ethan Reed, Rafael Zepeda, Varsénik Aslanyan, Emy Eddow, Priscilla Peraza, Devin Marcus, Laura Schildbach, Arturo Balmaceda, Stephanie Calascione, Jordan Perez-Lomeli, Sam Ek, Rachelle Schouten, Alicia Correa, Leeyeon Kuen, Nathaniel Cook, Suzanne Haitz, Austin Phillips, Stephanie Anderson, Michael Fleming, Will Parker, Javier Chacon, Connor Bogenreif, Kimberly Levin, Christopher Defazio, Connie Tu, Gabrielle Stetz, Ariel Chien, Chloé Tardif, Nicholas Kaynor

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Instrumental Chamber Music: Winds And Brass, Chapman Woodwind Quintet, Rivera Woodwind Quintet, Chapman Harmoniemusik Ensemble, Chapman University Saxophone Quartet, Chapman Trumpet Ensemble, Greene Brass Quintet, Stetson Brass Quintet, Hall Brass Quintet

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Big Band And Jazz Combos, Chapman Big Band, Chapman Jazz Combo

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Chapman Guitar Ensemble, Chapman Guitar Ensetnble

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Chapman University Wind Symphony, Chapman University Wind Symphony

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Vocal Jazz In Concert, Alexandra Blum, Stephanie Caress, Hannah Fan, Caroline Hawkins, Megan Mandel, Jasmine Rodriguez, Niki Black, Claire French, Ashley Kron, Dina Zangwill, Graeme Aegerter, Austin Devone, Johann Gino Joson, Christopher Traynor, Albert Alva, Estefan Colindres

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Virtuoso Violinist Maud Powell: Enduring Champion For American Women In Professional Music, Sarah Joy Pizzichemi

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

Maud Powell, the first great American virtuoso violinist, sparked a change in the spirit of the advancement of classical music throughout North America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This document addresses gender inequality present in the classical music profession during Powell’s lifetime. It also explores the roles women occupied in the public and private spheres in Western art music of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. More specifically, it investigates the life of virtuoso violinist Maud Powell through her activism and interest in American women in professional music.

The document is divided into three parts. After a …

Opera Chapman Presents: L'Elisir D'Amore (The Elixir Of Love), Opera Chapman, Chapman Orchestra

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

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 …

Music Around Noon, Josh Roberson, Emilia Yanez-Lopez, Sam Ek, Matthew Bond, Sean Atkinson, Nate Brown, Chris Horney, Brandon Miranda, William Meinert, Erin Theodorakis, Paul Floyd

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Senior Recital, Arsen Jamkotchian

Printed Performance Programs (PDF Format)

No abstract provided.

Starships, Gallifrey, Krypton, And Earth: Searching For The Hero Archetype In The Melodies Of Science Fiction And Superhero Films, James Wesley Talbot

Wayne State University Theses

The study of science fiction and superhero melodies is relatively new in the academic world of music theory. Analysis of hero archetypes found in Doctor Who, Star Trek (and its major motion pictures), Star Wars, and Superman provide excellent conduits for all students of music to access the hidden and overt musical meaning assigned to heroes. Realization of this study’s findings will feature interval tension and Schenkerian analysis, score reductions, and topic theory to provide perspective on how heroes are identified and perceived by directors, composers and audiences alike. Deryck Cooke, Leonard Ratner, and V. Kofi Agawu’s approach to thematic …

Gretchen’S Soliloquy “Ach Neige, Du Schmerzenreiche” From Goethe’S Faust: A Vocal Performance Analysis And Set Of Performance Guidelines For Various Solo Voice Settings, Savanna Sokolnicki

Theses and Dissertations--Music

The great novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 – 1832) arguably made his most significant contribution to the artistic world with his literary masterpiece Faust I. Goethe’s love of music and melody is evident throughout all of Faust, particularly in the expressive poetry of the character of Gretchen, whose meaningful words gave inspiration to a variety of musical manifestations, especially in German Lied.

This document serves as a performance guide for vocalists. It provides vital information on the setting and arrangement of the poetry within the musical settings, the background and significance of the composer and …

The Imitation Of Roman Catholic And Byzantine Chant In Ēriks Ešenvalds’S Passion And Resurrection, Patrick J. J. Callaghan

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Ēriks Ešenvalds is an early twenty-first century composer who has been commissioned to write works for some of the most noteworthy ensembles in the world. Having written over 100 compositions to date, 72 of which are choral pieces, Ešenvalds is quickly becoming one of the most prolific and significant composers of his time. He currently works as a full-time composer out of Riga, Latvia.

Ešenvalds’s choral works are primarily unaccompanied, while some include brass band, saxophone quartet, percussion, or orchestral accompaniment. Textures vary from three to twelve voice parts. His oratorio Passion and Resurrection (2005), written for soprano solo, SATB …