Music Performance Commons^™

Testimony Coming To Life: Revealing The Lord Through Dance, Rachil L. Reynolds

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This honors project is a choreographic work based on a testimony of a woman named Ashley Abercrombie who went from a journey of excellence, to drug abuse, to salvation. The objective of this project was to create an artistic social action piece based on faith. The final work of choreography was movement that was directly related to the story line of Ashley Abercrombie’s testimony, at seventeen minutes in length, and includes a cast of eleven. The final work was publicly presented at the Paul A. Daum Theater, Kolbe Hall, The University of Akron on April 24-25, 2015 as part of …

A Mechanism For Sensorimotor Translation In Singing: The Multi-Modal Imagery Association (Mmia) Model, Peter Q. Pfordresher, Andrea R. Halpern, Emma B. Greenspon

Faculty Journal Articles

WE PROPOSE A NEW FRAMEWORK TO UNDERSTAND singing accuracy, based on multi-modal imagery associations: the MMIA model. This model is based on recent data suggesting a link between auditory imagery and singing accuracy, evidence for a link between imagery and the functioning of internal models for sensorimotor associations, and the use of imagery in singing pedagogy. By this account, imagery involves automatic associations between different modalities, which in the present context comprise associations between pitch height and the regulation of vocal fold tension. Importantly, these associations are based on probabilistic relationships that may vary with respect to their precision and …

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 …

From The Directors, Linda B. Fairtile, Francesco Izzo

Verdi Forum

No abstract provided.

Concert Recording 2015-09-14, Cory Mixdorf, Miroslava Panayotova

Concert Recordings & Programs

Deux Danses. Danse sacrée ; Dance profane / Jean-Michel Defaye -- Elégie, op.44 / Alexandre Glazounov -- Concerto. Andante et scherzo - valse ; Nocturne ; Tembourin / Henri Tomasi -- Á la manière de Debussy / Jean-Michel Defaye -- Alien loop de loops / Howard J. Buss

Concert Recording 2015-09-20, Peter Collins

Concert Recordings & Programs

Sonata in D major, K.284. Allegro ; Rondeau en polonaise, Andante ; Thema / Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -- Images, Book II. Cloches à travers les feuilles ; Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut ; Poissons d'or / Claude Debussy -- Twenty-four preludes, Op.28 / Frédéric Chopin

Concert Recording 2015-02-17a, Olli Mustonen

Concert Recordings & Programs

Children's album. Morning prayer ; Winter morning ; Mummy ; Hobbyhorse ; The wooden soldier's march ; The new doll ; The doll's illness, The doll's funeral ; Waltz ; Polka ; Mazurka ; Russian song ; Farmer playing on the accordion ; Kamarinskaja ; Italian song ; Old French song ; German song ; Neapolitan song ; Nanny's tale ; Baba-jaga ; Sweet dream ; The lark's song ; The organ-grinder sings ; At church / Peter Illitch Tchaikovsky -- 6 mazurkas. Op. 59/1 ; Op. 59/2 ; Op. 59/3 ; Op. 56/1 ; Op. 56/2 ; Op. 56/3 …

Concert Recording 2015-02-27, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. New Music Ensemble

Concert Recordings & Programs

Salt of the earth / Paul Dooley -- Taking sides. Dysfunction ; Reflection ; Consensus / Matthew Tommasini -- Are you experienced. On being hit on the head ; Dance ; On being hit on the head (reprise) ; On hearing the voice of God ; Drop ; On hearing the siren's song / David Lang

Concert Recording 2015-04-15a, Christine Hsu

Concert Recordings & Programs

Sonata in d minor K.9 -- Sonata in E major K.20 -- Sonata in A minor K.54 -- Sonata in A major K.24 / Domenico Scarlatti -- Sonata in C major / Johannes Brahms -- Sonata in D major op.28 / Ludwig van Beethoven -- Sonata in f minor op.1 / Sergei Prokofiev

A Survey Of The Career Of Baritone, Josef Metternich: Artist And Teacher, Diana Carol Amos

Theses and Dissertations

Joseph Metternich, (1915- 2005) a prominent, internationally acclaimed opera singer of the mid-twentieth century, distinguished himself primarily in Italian baritone bel canto roles. In a career that spanned four decades, he performed in the major opera houses of the world, becoming one of the premiere operatic recording artists while portraying the heroes and villains of the operatic repertoire. At the height of his career, from 1946 to 1952, he was contractually bound to five opera houses at the same time, including theaters in Vienna, Austria as well as in East and West Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich in Germany.

From 1952 …

United States Air Force Band Of Mid-America Proudly Presents Midwest Winds [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

Program of a music recital given by faculty, students, or guest artists from the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa.

Two Pieces For Bassoon By Dan Welcher: A Guide To Performance And Analysis, Including A Survey Of Welcher’S Chamber Music With Bassoon, Reed Aaron Hanna

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a performance guide that traces the compositional style of Dan Welcher, a well-known composer and former principal bassoonist of the Louisville Symphony and professor of bassoon at the University of Texas, through an examination of two works in which the bassoon is a prominent solo instrument: Concerto da Camera (1975) and The Wind Won’t Listen (2002). These works, a concerto and a chamber piece, span a period of almost 30 years in Welcher’s career. The study also includes a survey of other chamber music by Welcher involving the bassoon. It relates the two focal pieces to the …

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 …

This Floating World For Solo Flute By Edie Hill, Donna J. Hangen

Celebration of Undergraduate & Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

Abstract discussing author's choice of solo flute performance, with analysis and explanation of the various pieces.

Concert Recording 2015-09-23, Chase Chamberlain

Concert Recordings & Programs

Tap D major / Chase Chamberlain

Similar But Different: An Analysis Of Differences In Clarinet And Saxophone Pedagogy And Doubler’S Misconceptions, Nicholas Jeremy Carlo

Honors Program Theses

Doubling, or the ability to play one or more secondary instruments, is an extremely important skill for the professional woodwind player to have. For a saxophonist, the ability to play clarinet can sometimes make the difference between winning an audition or not. On a more basic level, many clarinetists learn to play saxophone so they can participate in the school jazz band, while many saxophonists learn to play clarinet both as a double in jazz band or as a new challenge in the concert band setting. Many times a student will pick up an instrument and attempt to figure it …

Concert Recording 2015-02-19, Stephen Caldwell, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Schola Cantorum

Concert Recordings & Programs

[00:00]. Praise the Lord / Florence Price ; Hallelujah / Ludwig van Beethoven -- [06:40]. Gloria à 12 / Giovanni Gabrieli ; O vos omnes / Tomás Luis de Victoria -- [15:12]. Miserere mei, Deus / Gregorio Allegri -- [26:21]. Trois chansons / Claude Debussy -- [32:29]. There is no rose / Kevin Memley -- [36:27]. You have ravished my heart / Stephen Chatman -- [Track 07]. Since we loved / Stephen Caldwell -- [43:14]. A boy and a girl / Eric Whitacre -- [47:36]. Steal away / arranged by Roland Carter -- [51:53]. The battle of Jericho / arranged …

Numuzart: An Original, Multi-Sensory, Creative Experience, Tori Christine Ovel

Honors Program Theses

NuMuzArt grew from a small seed planted in my brain over the summer of 2014, when I attended a few summer composition programs to experience and learn more about my compositional craft. While at the Charlotte Music Festival, I participated in a conversation about the sterile nature of music recitals in the academic and concert music world. This conversation stuck with me and became a no-brainer subject for my honors thesis. I would research the concert music world and construct an alternative which would solve a few of my personal vendettas against the standard recital format, while retaining a “serious …

The American Symphony Orchestra: Factors Affecting Concert Attendance And Predictions For The Millennial Ticketholder, Hayley Graham

Honors Program Theses

This research investigates the perception of live orchestral music performances among members of the American millennial generation, born between 1985 and 1997. Specifically, it describes the most common factors and trends affecting attendance decisions, looking at aspects such as past musical experience, marketing strategies used, and accessibility of performances. Current programming, marketing, and educational trends in several orchestras are also considered. Information for this study was gathered from a survey of University of Northern Iowa students, as well as from case studies of orchestras. This thesis provides predictions and recommendations for how to best reach this demographic as orchestras move …

Concert Recording 2015-04-04, Curtis Simmons, Miroslava Panayotova, Robert Wiser

Concert Recordings & Programs

Horn concerto in Bb major / Reinhold Glière -- Concerto for horn and orchestra no.4 KV 495. Allegro moderato ; Romanza ; Rondo / Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -- Dreams, yearning / Jonathan Craft -- En forêt op.40 / Eugène Bozza

The Adventurous Monk: A Discussion Of Eric Reed’S Improvisational Techniques And The Influence Of Thelonious Monk, Vaughn Beaver

Theses : Honours

This dissertation examines the improvisational style of notable jazz pianist Eric Reed, focusing on select performances from the album The Adventurous Monk. As is common for contemporary artists, Reed has not yet been the focus of academic study, despite the fact that his vast experience – particularly with jazz luminaries such as Wynton Marsalis – warranted such investigation. The endeavour of this research was to discuss the observable influence of Thelonious Monk on Reed’s improvisational style through musical transcription and comparative analysis of the two pianists’ solos on the Monk compositions ‘Work’ and ‘Nutty’. Complete Monk transcriptions were initially analysed …

A Stylistic Analysis Of Recess Performed By Charlie Hunter From The Dvd Right Now Live, Joshua De Silva

Theses : Honours

Charlie Hunter is a guitarist who has gained international recognition for his ability to perform guitar parts and bass lines simultaneously on his hybrid guitar. His ability to construct solos within the context of simultaneous bass line and chordal accompaniment, along with methods he employed to create percussive textures, were the central points of discussion for this dissertation. Hunter’s original composition Recess was selected from the Hunter DVD Right Now Live1, which was transcribed and analysed.

This research is significant due to the lack of detailed analysis of Hunter's techniques in an unaccompanied setting, and to the researcher’s knowledge, …

A Graduate Recital In Voice, Branden D. S. Haralson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Branden D. S. Haralson, baritone, presented his graduate voice recital on Friday, April 3, 2015, at 6:00 p.m., in Davis Hall of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. The recital was presented in collaboration with pianist Dr. Robin Guy, and included works by Beethoven, Schubert, Mahler, and Duparc. This abstract discusses musical and historical features of the works performed.

Self-Accompaniment And Improvisation In Solo Jazz Piano: Practice-Led Investigations Of Assimilation, Ostinatos And ‘Hand Splitting’, David Dower

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This practice-led project investigates the crafting of approaches to solo jazz piano performance. Through a study and application of assimilation techniques derived from a range of different music styles, a series of self-accompaniments were devised. In addition, the process of developing improvisational facility over these accompaniment patterns was documented.

Although performing solo requires a different approach to ensemble work, jazz pianists are commonly only trained in ensemble practices, rendering the solo setting a potentially overwhelming challenge. In order to move away from ensemble-based methods, the project sought to develop pianistic techniques and exercises that provide an independent approach in solo …

Cammarano's Libretto For 'La Battaglia Di Legnano': A New Translation, Douglas L. Ipson

Verdi Forum

No abstract provided.

Concert Recording 2015-03-05, Michael Hernandez, Michael Mortarotti, Diane Hunger, Thomas Giles

Concert Recordings & Programs

[00:00]. Three contrapuncti from The art of fugue BWV 1080. Contrapunctus I ; Contrapunctus IV ; Contrapunctus IX / Johann Sebastian Bach -- [09:53]. Premier quatuor op. 53. Adagio-allegro ; Adagio sostenuto ; Allegro vivace ; Allegretto / Jean Baptiste Singelee -- [25:16]. Saxophone quartet. Molto moderato ; Andantio giovale ; Adagio-allegro molto ; Recitatives ; Presto meccanico / Stephen Dankner.

Concert Recording 2015-02-26, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. New Music Ensemble

Concert Recordings & Programs

Salt of the earth / Paul Dooley -- Taking sides. Dysfunction ; Reflection ; Consensus / Matthew Tommasini -- Are you experienced. On being hit on the head ; Dance ; On being hit on the head (reprise) ; On hearing the voice of God ; Drop ; On hearing the siren's song / David Lang

Concert Recording 2015-04-09, Richard Rulli, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Trumpet Ensemble

Concert Recordings & Programs

Fanfare for an angel / James M. Stephenson -- Essay for six trumpets / Rob Roy McGregor -- Parable for solo trumpet / Vincent Persichetti -- Suite pour 3 trompettes / Henri Tomasi -- Sonoran desert harmonies / Eric Ewazen -- Intrada / Otto Ketting -- Vergine madre / Giuseppe Verdi ; arr. David Turnbull -- Infinite ascent / Erik Morales

Concert Recording 2015-09-05, Liesl Dromi, Hannah Mindeman Shuman

Concert Recordings & Programs

Mörike-Lieder. Er ist's ; Der Knabe und das Immlein ; Nimmersatte Liebe ; Das verlassene Magdlein ; Neue Liebe / Hugo Wolf -- Acht Lieder, op.10. Zueignung ; Nichts ; Die Nacht ; Die Georgine ; Geduld ; Die Verschwiegenen ; Die Zeitlose ; Allerseelen / Richard Strauss -- Ariettes oubliées, L.60. C'est l'extase langoureuse ; Il pleure dans mon Coeur ; L'ombre des arbres ; Paysages belges, chevaux de bois ; Green ; Spleen / Claude Debussy -- The Nantucket songs. Song ; The dance ; Nantucket ; Song ; Up-hill ; Mother, I cannot mind my wheel ; …

Concert Recording 2015-04-09, Richard Rulli, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Trumpet Ensemble

Concert Recordings & Programs

Fanfare for an angel / James M. Stephenson -- Essay for six trumpets / Rob Roy McGregor -- Parable for solo trumpet / Vincent Persichetti -- Suite pour 3 trompettes / Henri Tomasi -- Sonoran desert harmonies / Eric Ewazen -- Intrada / Otto Ketting -- Vergine madre / Giuseppe Verdi ; arr. David Turnbull -- Infinite ascent / Erik Morales