The Student Performer's Guide To Creating A Consortium, Jaycee Swan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Among advanced musicians who advocate for increasing diversity in classically oriented repertoire, music commissioning is a common practice. Funding a composer to write original music, however, seems out of reach for student musicians or those without the financial means and know-how. A more affordable and therefore accessible alternative to the stand-alone commission is the consortium-based commission for new music. In this lecture portion of a “lecture-recital with written document,” I (a) document my experience in spearheading a new music consortium and, from that experience, (b) present a guide for facilitating a new music consortium.

The project was the impetus for …

From Osbcurity To The Stage: A Stylistic And Pedagogical Exploration Of The Four Concert Etudes By Mikhail Bukinik, Luis Bernardo Castro

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research examines Mikhail Bukinik’s 4 Konzertetüden (concert etudes) for solo cello through both a stylistic performance and pedagogical approach. Despite Bukinik’s historical presence as a cellist and composer, these specific works have fallen into obscurity and remain largely absent from the standard pedagogical and performance canon. The research has two primary objectives. The first is to reintroduce these works to the modern repertoire, focusing on dissemination and performance practice. This involves a stylistic analysis of the four etudes, culminating in a recorded live performance during the lecture recital and the creation of a professional studio recording to serve as …

Teaching Through Sound: Approaches To The Use Of Fixed Media In Pedagogical Viola Etudes, Roberto C. Mochetti Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the pedagogical possibilities of fixed media in newly composed viola etudes. While fixed media is commonly treated as accompaniment or as a performance medium, this project argues that it can also serve as an active component of technical and musical training. By providing stable and repeatable sonic environments, fixed media can support forms of listening, intonation, sound production, and performer awareness that are difficult to cultivate through traditional etudes alone. This argument responds to a broader pedagogical gap in string training, where long-established etudes and models of technical development remain central even as contemporary viola performance increasingly …

Counted In: Including Female Composers In Orchestral Horn Audition Repertoire, Hope K. Ayers

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Institute of Composer Diversity and the Boulanger Initiative focus on music written by composers who have been historically excluded from the profession. The focal point of the Institute of Composer Diversity is discovery, study, and programming of such composers through its database and reports, while The Boulanger Initiative advocates for women and all gender-marginalized composers. Because of limited exposure, incomplete records, difficulty of procuring music, and identified bias, female composers’ orchestral works are underrepresented in orchestral programming. Professional orchestral horn audition repertoire is no different, with professional orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic, only very recently including a …

An Analytical And Performance Guide To Jake Heggie's Of Gods And Cats And Thought Unspoken For Baritone And Piano, Wenxin Sha

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation provides a comprehensive performance guide to two song cycles by Jake Heggie: Of Gods and Cats and Thoughts Unspoken for baritone and piano. This study aims to assist singers in preparing these cycles to achieve an expressive performance that is word driven and, just as Mr. Heggie says “Words first, then music.”

Chapter 1 introduces Heggie’s biography and compositional style, emphasizing his text-driven approach, lyrical melodic writing, and close collaboration with poets and performers. Chapter 2 introduces the poets John Hall and Gavin Geoffrey Dillard, and highlights how their texts shape the dramatic and emotional content of the …

A Pedagogical Exploration Of Haydn's Early Keyboard Sonatas: No.7 In C Major, No.8 In G Major, And No.11 In G Major, Chun Ka Lam

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the pedagogical exploration of Joseph Haydn’s early keyboard sonatas, Sonata No. 7 in C Major (Hob. XVI:7), Sonata No. 8 in G Major (Hob. XVI:8), and Sonata No. 11 in G Major (Hob. XVI:11). These Sonatas target intermediate-level piano students. In this study, I am going to explore Classical-era techniques, including articulation, phrasing, dynamic contrast, and ornamentation, which mainly focus on technical and musical challenges. This study highlights the development of important skills for more advanced repertoire.

An Analysis Of The Extended Techniques In The Timpani Works Of Christopher Deane, Chase D. Gillett

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The timpani were first introduced to the orchestra in the 1700s, and composers immediately used the instruments in unique ways. To this day, timpani literature continues to experiment with new techniques to create diverse sounds. One such composer who created unique sounds for the instrument was Christopher Deane. Deane is one of the most influential composers of percussion literature whose works are frequently programmed on concerts and recitals. Throughout his career, he has received many commissions from across the United States, won awards for his compositions, and had numerous world premieres at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. His use …

Bridging Traditions: A Study And Performance Of Chen Yi's Chamber And Vocal Works, Oufeifei Hu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Chinese-American composer Chen Yi (b. 1953) is widely recognized for her distinctive integration of Chinese musical traditions and Western classical compositional techniques. Her music frequently incorporates elements of Chinese folk melodies, traditional musical idioms, and cultural aesthetics within a contemporary art-music framework. Despite her growing international reputation, detailed analytical studies of many of her individual works remain limited.

This study examines four selected works by Chen Yi—Chinese Ancient Dance, Meditation, Fisherman’s Song, and From Old Peking Folklore—from both analytical and performance perspectives. Through musical analysis, the study explores how Chen Yi incorporates Chinese musical elements and transforms them within modern …

Exploring Sequential Technical Practices Towards Skill Development And Musical Expression In Violin Performance And String Pedagogy Methods, Erin Kim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation proposes the Erin Kim System, a pedagogical framework designed to support sequential technical development and musical expression in beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of violin performance. This system examines how structured technical progression, guided repertoire sequencing, and a nurturing learning environment with the teacher and parents can foster skill acquisition and long-term musical engagement among violin students. Musical enjoyment and inspiration serve as primary motivators for learning, particularly when students are encouraged to work toward performing aspirational repertoire such as the Sibelius Violin Concerto. By organizing repertoire and supplemental exercises in a clear step-by-step process, this system enables …

The History, Development, And Continual Evolution Of The Percussion Theatre Genre, Steven L. Wimberley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

During the twentieth century, artists in every discipline sought to create new, original art that would both challenge societal norms and expand their respective art to new extremes. This expansion in contemporary music saw the emergence of electronics, chance elements, “found sounds,” speaking, acting, and physical gestures. As we continue through the twentieth century, we also see the onset of the percussionist as an independent musical artist and a desire for original music for percussion. The intersection of these new developments created what is known as percussion theatre.

Percussion theatre can be broadly defined as a genre of musical composition …

Teaching And Performing Ginastera: A Stylistic And Pedagogical Exploration Of Ginastera’S Pampeana No. 1, Paula Toral Navarro

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This project examines Alberto Ginastera’s Pampeana No. 1 for violin and piano through both stylistic performance and pedagogy approach. The research has two primary objectives: (1) to propose a performance perspective that draws on traditional Argentine musical idioms alongside Western classical practice, and (2) to create a pedagogical guide that supports the development of the technical and stylistic skills required for the work, including a sequence of preparatory pieces. The written document provides an overview of Ginastera’s life, including cultural and political context and an examination of his compositional style within his nationalist period. It also examines selected elements of …

Transcribing Shakuhachi Honkyoku For Bassoon: Notation, Orality, And Perfomance Practice, Adrian Fonseca Tellez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This project consists of transcriptions of two pieces from the shakuhachi honkyoku (“original pieces”) repertoire, Kumoi Jishi (Cloud Lion) and Sanya Sugagaki (Three Valleys), with the aim of extending the bassoon’s repertoire outside of the Western canon while exploring the capabilities of the bassoon to emulate the performance practices of the shakuhachi, which include both extended techniques found in current bassoon literature as well as techniques unique to shakuhachi performance. Included in the written document is a brief overview of the shakuhachi and its applications in traditional Japanese music, a description of honkyoku and its characteristics, and the Japanese concept …

In The Realm Of Dreams: The Feminine Imagination In Music, Katie Scarlett Ellender

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This project examines selected works by Clara Schumann, Rebecca Clarke, and Lili Boulanger that contain representations of night, dream, and mythology. These composers were influenced by the prevailing artistic movements during their lives, including German Romanticism, Impressionism, and Symbolism, which emphasized nocturnal landscapes, supernatural beings, and liminal states. Descriptive analysis and performance recommendations are provided for selected Lieder by Clara Schumann, Rebecca Clarke’s Morpheus, and Lili Boulanger’s Nocturne. Particular emphasis is given to how each composer uses night, dream, and myth imagery as expressive frameworks that inform decisions on harmonic language, level of cadential resolution, motivic repetition and transformation, texture, …

An Analysis And Performer's Guide Of Boulder Canyon, Hoover Dam By Clark Hubbard, Tyler Hawk

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Clark Hubbard is currently the Assistant Director of the Vanderbilt Marching and Athletic Bands. He is active as an American percussionist, composer, artist, and educator. His compositions have been performed throughout the United States and overseas, including solo, chamber, percussion, and electronic compositions. This document aims to analyze Boulder Canyon, Hoover Dam, discussing how the fixed media influences musical decisions. This document is also a performer’s guide for the piece.

Percussion with fixed media has been composed for since the early to middle 1900s. Inspiration from the techniques and early pieces of fixed media composition can be found in …

Expanding Access To Latin American Art Song: A Study Of Theodoro Valcárcel's Andean-Influenced Art Songs, Douglas E. Perez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

EXPANDING ACCESS TO LATIN AMERICAN ART SONG: A STUDY OF THEODORO VALCÁRCEL’S ANDEAN-INFLUENCED ART SONGS advocates for the exploration and performance of underrepresented Latin American composers. Multiple methods of increasing access are discussed, including the creation of a central source for IPA, literal, and poetic translations of Latin American art songs; the study of seldom-performed composers, their output, and influences; and the application of these elements through informed performance. This document centers on the Peruvian composer Theodoro Valcárcel and analyzes the intersection of his indigenous heritage with his Latin American and European musical training as reflected in his compositional style …

Let It Ring! And A Red, Red, Rose: Transcriptions Of Brian Nabors’ Orchestral And Chamber Works For Wind Band, Lawrence Williams

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of this project is to create a wind band transcription of the orchestral work “Let It Ring!” and chamber work “A Red, Red, Rose” by Brian Raphael Nabors. Nabors' music has been described as music that elicits joy and draws deeply from his roots in Birmingham, Alabama, and the rich cultural tapestry of Black musical traditions such as gospel, R&B/neo-soul, funk, and marching band culture. He describes himself as a “fuser of worlds” and “boundary destroyer,” intent on crafting a space where listeners can meet themselves, reflect on deeper questions of humanity, and feel grace.^[1] His compositional …

Bomba E: Tradition And Eclecticism In Selected Choral Works Of Ángel "Cucco" Peña, Luis F. Gonzalez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This monograph presents a musical analysis of three choral works by Puerto Rican composer Ángel “Cucco” Peña: Negra Majestad, Bomba E, and Aleluya Criollo. Although Peña is widely recognized for his contributions to popular music and production, these pieces highlight a lesser-known side of his creative output in the choral realm. Each work draws from traditional Puerto Rican genres—bomba, plena, and aguinaldo—while incorporating modern compositional techniques that reflect Peña’s eclectic style and his engagement with both popular and classical traditions.

The study situates these pieces within their historical and cultural contexts, particularly the African diaspora’s …

A Performance Guide To Christos Hatzis’ Songs On Poems By Sappho, Maria E. Thomas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Christos Hatzis’ Three Songs of Poems by Sappho (1999) represents a compelling yet understudied contribution to contemporary art song repertoire. This study examines Hatzis’ settings of Sappho’s Fragments 1, 16, and 44, offering both scholarly analysis and practical performance guidance to make the cycle more accessible to singers and scholars. Through musical and textual analysis, this project reveals how Hatzis bridges ancient Greek lyric poetry with modern compositional techniques. The study demonstrates his innovative approach to word painting, rhythmic flexibility, and extended tonality, showing how these elements honor Sappho’s intimate first-person voice while creating a distinctive 20th-century art song …

The Oboe Thread: Tracing The Evolution Of Viet Cuong's Compositional Voice, Devin Gilbreath

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Viet Cuong is an emerging and highly regarded American composer currently serving on the faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he teaches composition, orchestration, and music theory. Cuong's academic credentials include degrees from prestigious institutions such as the Curtis Institute of Music, Princeton University, and the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Over the years, his compositional portfolio has expanded significantly, encompassing a diverse range of genres and mediums, including vocal, orchestral, wind band, and chamber music. His chamber works, in particular, stand out for their fusion of diverse genres and instrumentation. One area in which Cuong has made …

Kevin Bobo's Boboland: A Performer's Guide, Tyler D. Whitehead

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Kevin Bobo is an active American percussionist, educator, and performer that continues to leave a lasting influence in the percussion community. His works for chamber percussion ensemble and solo marimba continue to push the limitations for percussionists in terms of technical ability, new compositional methods and techniques for expanded timbral effects. Bobo’s compositions such as Boboland, a marimba solo with percussion quartet, present technical and musical challenges that are generally unaligned with traditional performance practices in percussion and especially the marimba. This document aims to provide detailed guidance and instruction for the performance of Boboland and will cover all aspects …

The Application Of Syncopated Rhythms In The Development Of Sight-Reading Skills For Non-Keyboard Music Majors, Ronald David Rodriguez Herrera

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of integrating syncopated rhythms into the group piano curriculum for undergraduate music students with varied levels of piano proficiency. Participants (N=76) enrolled in Group Piano II and IV were assigned control and experimental groups across multiple class sections. Three research questions guided the study: (1) How does the introduction of syncopated rhythm patterns affect group piano students’ sight-reading performance? (2) How does consistent practice of syncopated rhythms influence students' ability to sustain a steady pulse? (3) Do students consider exposure to syncopated rhythms a valuable component in their future careers as music educators …

The Legacy Of Auguste Franchomme: Pedagogical Analysis And Performance Practice For The “Twelve Caprices Opus 7 For Cello Solo”, Zi-Yun Luo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This written document focuses on a personal pedagogical analysis of the Twelve Caprices composed by the French cellist and pedagogue, Auguste Franchomme. His works have served as significant cello studies for young cellists, comparable in importance to the Twelve Caprices by Carlo Alfredo Piatti and the High School of Cello Playing by David Popper. Each of these caprices is written in different key signatures, tempi, include a variety of bowing styles and techniques, express melodies over a wide range of the cello register, and present unique and ubiquitous issues that cellists may encounter in the canon of cello literature.

In …

A Comprehensive Guide To A Trumpet Embouchure Change, Megan E. George

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to expand the literature related to the subject of trumpet embouchure change and provide a comprehensive resource that will assist both student and teacher in navigating a trumpet embouchure change. This resource will not only help them determine whether to go through with the process but will present them with multiple options regarding embouchure change starting methods. It can be used for a variety of ages but primarily intended for use with students high school age or older.

In current method books, one trumpet embouchure is usually presented and is often a “one-size-fits-all” …

Voices Of Heritage And Resilience: A Performance Guide To Soprano Arias Celebrating The Black Experience In Opera, Imani S. Francis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Voices of Heritage and Resilience: A Performance Guide for Soprano Arias Celebrating the Black Experience explores a selection of soprano arias that illuminate the depth, complexity, and resilience of Black identity through opera. This study provides historical context, musical style, and vocal performance strategies for works that center around the African American experience, spanning both traditional and contemporary repertoire.

By examining the relations between text, music, and historical significance, this dissertation highlights how these arias convey themes of struggle, conflict, oppression, love, and perseverance. It also supplies guidance to the singer through the use of vocal methods, interpretation, and stylistic …

Exploring Pedagogical Approaches And Discussion For Young Beginner Double Bass Players, Jiaying Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In recent years, early childhood education for the double bass has gained increasing attention and plays a crucial role in shaping the future development of the instrument. However, compared to other instruments, research on early childhood education for the double bass remains relatively underdeveloped, with a lack of written materials on the subject. This thesis introduces the formation of early childhood teaching concepts and explains why parents play an irreplaceable role in a child’s initial exposure to music learning. By collecting and analyzing traditional double bass teaching methods and integrating common principles from other string instrument teaching approaches, this study …

“San Antonio, ¡De Cabeza!”: An Opera By Marcelo Beltrán Using A Fusion Of Ecuadorian Musical Traditions And Various Musical Genres, Lucía Berenice Carrera Troya

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study explores the opera San Antonio, ¡de cabeza! (Saint Anthony, upside down!), examining its cultural and musical significance in Ecuadorian folklore and its integration of traditional Ecuadorian genres to create a nationalist opera that is also grounded in operatic traditions. The figure of Saint Anthony of Padua is explored, tracing the origins of his legend and its influence on Ecuadorian folklore, with a focus on how these elements are represented in the opera. The life and career of the composer are discussed, emphasizing academic background, and the development of San Antonio, ¡de cabeza! within the context of his broader …

An Interdisciplinary Analysis Framework For Found Object Experimental Music, Erin Demastes

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Found object experimental music consists of compositions and performances created with objects not intended for musical performance. Found objects can range from appliances and household items to power tools and consumer products to souvenirs and heirlooms. Although these objects are used with the intent of creating musical compositions, new characteristics that are not found in traditional music emerge. One major characteristic that differentiates found object music from traditional music is that the objects have inherent cultural associations and meaning outside of their use in the composition. While an analysis of the sonic structures and scores of found object experimental music …

A Case For The Original Setting Of Rachmaninoff’S Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 36, Alexias L. Ferrer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This document aims to examine both the original 1913 and revised 1931 settings of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Sonata No. 2 Op. 36, and to present a case in favor of the lesser-known 1913 rendition of the piece as the more definitive setting of the work. The study begins with historical background information on the work and shows how the piece originated from a mature composer at the most productive period in his life and contrasts this to the historical background of the work’s revision. In a deeper analysis of form and content, the positives and negative qualities of each version …

Beyond Surrealism: The Developing Keyboard Style Of André Souris, Melanie T. Mallard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

André Souris (1899-1970) is perhaps best known as a musical contributor to the Belgian surrealist group founded by Paul Nougé, but he assumed many roles throughout his life, including composer, writer, director, and promoter of modern music. His various interests influenced the style of his compositions, which remain largely unpublished and have received little scholarly attention beyond researchers of surrealism. Through this survey of many of Souris’ works for keyboard, I attempt to lay the groundwork for further discussion about Souris’ musical contributions not only through the lens of surrealism but also throughout his compositional career. This descriptive analysis of …

Redefining The Art Songs Of Maude Valérie White, Sarah C. Rees

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Maude Valérie White (1866-1937) was an English composer during the Victorian Era. Her main output was in the genre of art song, of which she wrote more than two hundred during her life. Her music was very popular at the height of her career around 1880-1890, but fell out of favor with the general public in line with the general reaction against Victorian art and ideals. This written document focuses on the life of Maude Valérie White contextualized within the ideals of Victorian womanhood. It will explore the development of her musical style through eight song analyses: The Devout Lover, …