Other Music Commons^™

Rock On! Examining The Relationship Between Armed Conflict And Rock Protest Music, Dylan Conner Dunn

Senior Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between rock protest music and wars, armed conflicts, and other related events. The purpose of this research is to explore how such specific events, or war and conflict in general, influence rock songwriters. This paper examines a series of nine rock songs ranging across five decades, from the Vietnam War to the 2010s. A variety of artists wrote and recorded these songs, ranging from hard rock to classic rock, to folk rock and beyond. Some are more audially intense, lyrically visceral, and featuring explicit language, whereas others are much more stripped-back and “family-friendly.” Each of …

Examining Stress And Anxiety Levels Among Undergraduate Music Majors At The University Of South Carolina, Elise F. Halbig

Senior Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the stress and anxiety levels among undergraduate music majors at the University of South Carolina (USC) and identify potential stressors that might be unique or more prevalent among that specific population. To evaluate this, a questionnaire consisting of 42 questions was administered to participants. Most of the questions were carefully developed by the researcher; however, the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al, 1983) was used to examine participants' stress levels, and 13 selected questions from the Burns Anxiety Inventory (Burns, 1989) were used to examine their anxiety levels. A total of 45 …

Music In The Catholic Church: An Analysis Of Hymns And Congregational Singing In Roman Catholic Churches In The United States, Andrew T. Medrick

Senior Theses

This thesis examines the musical dilemma in the American Catholic Church, highlighting issues such as inappropriate musical selections for the Mass and a profound lack of congregational singing. Through a literature review of Vatican documents, expert opinions, and hymns, I analyze the criteria for music used in the Mass, identify common failures of musical selections presented in many Catholic churches, and offer practical guidance to improve sacred music in parishes and dioceses. I conclude that music used in the Mass must be sourced primarily from Sacred Scripture, in full conformity to the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and easy …

A Comparative Investigation Of Tonal Memory Improvements With Electronic And Vocal Pitch Stimulus Training, Grayson M. Fletcher

Senior Theses

The study described herein compares improvements in tonal memory for young adults (age 19- 22), specifically retention of pitches, between two groups (n1=8, n2=8) with nearly identical training programs. One group was provided electronic pitch stimuli for the training program, while the other group was given human vocal stimuli. Self-paced computerized training sessions were conducted in a soundproofed testing room and interposed between pre-test and post-test measurements. A pre-test—post-test randomized experimental design allowed for assessment of whether the training was effective for each group in addition to comparing effectiveness of training between groups. Analyses with demographic factors, particularly previous musical …

The Great Transformation: A Recent History Of The Carolina Band, Kylie F. Dolbier

Senior Theses

The marching band of South Carolina’s flagship university was not always the emblem of school spirit and pride that it is today. Only ten years ago, the Carolina Band was seen by some as unsuitable alongside one of the most successful football teams in Gamecock history. Between the 2010 and 2011 seasons, this band seemed to miraculously transform into a true SEC marching band, one that was steeped in school tradition and characterized by engaging and high-caliber performance standards. However, this was no miracle. With the generous financial investment of the university, the legendary leadership of then-Director of Athletic Bands …

The Supply Chain Of Digital Music: Empowering Independent Artists Through Availability And Accessibility, Justin Reed

Senior Theses

The process of creating and sharing digital music can be viewed from the “supply chain” perspective: identifying the resources and value-adding tools that ultimately result in a final audio product. By researching and documenting the steps involved in this process, I identify this supply chain as a series of steps, an itinerary, or process model of digital music creation. Moreover, I found that each step in the process can be assess for its accessibility and usability by independent artists. I conclude by exploring how this democratizes the music industry by affording independent artists the necessary tools and empowerment to create …

An Analysis Of The Compositional Technique And Structures Of Howard Hanson's Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 22 “Nordic”, Eunseok Seo

Theses and Dissertations

Howard Hanson was the first American composer who attained international prominence in the early 20th century. During his time as conductor and director of the Eastman School of Music, he was perhaps one of the greatest promoters of modern musical expression and avant-garde performance techniques. However, Hanson was a composer who preferred composing in a traditional style, and his compositional style was faithful to nuanced Romantic expression and a Classical structure. Hanson’s music career ebbed and flowed with contrasting periods of struggle and success. His music was enormously popular during the 1930s and 40s but quickly entered a period of …

Vladimir Pleshakov: A Historiography And Analysis Of His Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom, Andrew Cameron Pittman

Theses and Dissertations

Vladimir Pleshakov, an accomplished concert pianist, began composing at the age of seventy-five after a struggle with cancer. While awaking from anesthesia after surgery, Pleshakov began hearing spontaneously-composed and completed original Slavonic sacred choral music (in his mind). Over the last decade Dr. Pleshakov has produced nearly sixty compositions. Many of his compositions have found critical acclaim and are published by Musica Russica. This document provides a biography, list of compositions, background information, and a conductor’s analysis of his Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.

Communicative Language In The Compositional Output Of Kirke Mechem, Kirstina Rasmussen Collins

Theses and Dissertations

Kirke Mechem (born 1925) has had a long career, spanning several decades. In looking at his large body of work, it is argued that the role of communicative language is central to his compositional style. This priority, originating from his own background, has influenced his choices of musical and textual language, his preferred genres of composition, and his beliefs about the role of music. The importance of communicative language in Mechem’s music sets him apart in the musical landscape of the late 20th and early 21st century.

From early on both music and the written word held a high importance …

The Effect Of Visual Performance On Music Performance Evaluation In High School Marching Band, Kathryn D. Brimhall

Senior Theses

At marching band contests, bands are usually judged on both their music performance (ensemble, individual, and general effect) and visual performance (ensemble, individual, and general effect). Phenomena such as the McGurk effect (McGurk & MacDonald, 1976) indicate that people often prioritize visual information over aural information; however, until now there have not been empirical investigations of how this phenomenon might affect high school marching band evaluation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of visual performance on the music performance evaluation of high school marching bands. To study this effect, I recruited college students who were randomly …

17 Days: Cross-Country With Social Media, Zachary Alvarado

Senior Theses

"Austin Prescott and Zach Alvarado travel from South Carolina to California using social media to find and communicate with hosts throughout the country..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8k6EQnW5D4

Costs of investment were weighed against capital contributions throughout our campaign. While the film serves to inspire, entertain, and inform, the paper dives deeper into the brand-building, cost-savings, and logistics of the trip. In the end, we more than doubled our initial investment and had an awesome time while doing it.

Translucent Voices: Creating Sound Pedagogy And Safe Spaces For Transgender Singers In The Choral Rehearsal, Gerald Dorsey Gurss

Theses and Dissertations

While transgender rights and issues are gaining an increasing amount of attention in both pop culture and, to some extent, in the education sector, little information is available for the choral conductor that provides pedagogical tools for transitioning voices. This document provides conductor-educators with both a brief look at the transgender experience and also tools to create safe learning environments, from gender-inclusive language to vocal exercises to encourage healthy vocal transitions in transgender singers

Twenty-first century choruses are not the first institutions in the realm of Western art music that have faced visual, aural, and enigmatic conceptualizations of gender and …

Diction For Mandarin/Chinese Singers: A Methodology To Achieve Resonant Tone And Vowel Unification In Western Choral Music, Chien-Yi Li

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding vowel production is vital in order to develop a rich choral tone based on unified vowels, appropriate resonance, and freely produced singing. Likewise, correct articulation of consonants produces understandable text. Enunciating the texts of Western choral repertoire is often challenging for Mandarin singers, and learning English pronunciation requires a significant amount of rehearsal time. Further, amateur and developing singers in Mandarin-speaking countries often employ a bright sound and lowered soft palate when singing, in common with their native speaking position. Therefore, voice placement, resonance, and vowel modification must be carefully addressed and improved upon when they are singing Western …

Tertian Relationships In Three Choral Selections By Dan Forrest: A Conductor’S Analysis, Lindsey Cope

Theses and Dissertations

Dan Forrest is a composer who has gained attention in the choral world. His compositions like Venite Adoremus, Abide, and arrangements like A Mighty Fortress is Our God exhibit representative characteristics of his compositional voice. This document will serve choral conductors as a resource for understanding the compositional aspects of Forrest’s music and application for rehearsing his music. By examining three of his compositions of contrasting styles, this study will illuminate a variety of his compositional traits and examine their use in the three selections. Tertian relationships are pervasive in Forrest’s music in the formal designs, harmonic structure, and key …

The Rise Of The Chinese Concerto: A Look Into The Developments Of Chinese Traditional Instrument Concerti With Western Orchestra, Alex Alex Wise

Theses and Dissertations

The mixing of musical traditions between cultures, philosophies, and religions has been a crucial element of music for centuries. However, a marked rise over the last century has seen rapid development of specific East/West fusions that have become known as “fusion concertos.” These fusions combine Eastern and Western compositional techniques as well as Eastern and Western instruments to create new and interesting works for a multitude of ensembles.

This research takes two early examples written by Chinese composers, the worldfamous works Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto and Yellow River Piano Concerto, and analyzes them regarding form, melodic content, harmonic content, and …

The Tie That Binds: The History, Conductors, And Music Of The Mystic Area Ecumenical Choir Festival, Mark Daniel Merritt

Theses and Dissertations

The Mystic Area Ecumenical Choir Festival, which began in 1968, is now in its 50th year. The festival is sponsored each year by the Mystic Area Ecumenical Council. The festival combines multi-generational choirs from numerous churches in and around the coastal villages of Noank and Mystic in Connecticut. Numerous nationally recognized choral directors, composers, and clinicians have been invited to guest conduct the choirs of the festival. For festival milestones, new choral pieces are commissioned.

This research project explores the history of church choirs in New England, beginning with mandated singing of metrical psalms, the singing schools which started in …

An Exploration Of The Availability And Implementation Of Undergraduate Degrees In Conducting In The United States, Erik Lee Garriott

Theses and Dissertations

The art of conducting musical ensembles has grown since conductors such as Louis Spohr, Carl Maria von Weber, Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Wagner, and Hector Berlioz popularized it in the classical and romantic eras of music history. However, there appear to be discrepancies between the prevalence of conducting throughout music history and the availability of bachelor’s degrees in music performance centered around conducting in the United States. Europe has a strong tradition of training conductors from a young age, and Asia is beginning to develop a strong tradition of its own. The United States is a worldwide leader in many degree …

An Exploration Of Characterizations In Jac Redford’S Oratorio The Martyrdom Of Saint Polycarp, Melanie Cross Buckner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this document is to highlight the fundamental musical features J.A.C. Redford employs to create characterizations within his oratorio The Martyrdom of Saint Polycarp. Analysis of melody, harmony, texture and rhythm demonstrates Redford’s methods of underscoring the principles of good and evil while demonstrating a Christian worldview.

An examination of each character reveals unique music that highlights specific aspects of their individual personalities. Redford employs a variety of techniques to accomplish the diverse personae. These techniques also illuminate elements of his compositional style. Special features include melodies with natural speech rhythms and inflections, extended tertian harmonies, and rhythmic …

The Choral Music Of Keaton Lee Scott With A Conductor’S Analysis Of Requiem, Damion Womack

Theses and Dissertations

In addition to the analysis of Requiem by K. Lee Scott, this document provides biographical information and compositional style characteristics. The study was informed by frequent correspondences and multiple interviews with the composer. It is the author’s desire that this study will inspire and prepare other conductors to program this excellent composition, and encourage greater study of other accessible choral works by K. Lee Scott.

Most Recommended Choral Music: A Survey Of High School State Choral Festival Repertoire Lists, James B. Watson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study is to determine the most frequently listed choral selections on state choral festival repertoire lists and to survey state repertoire directors regarding their opinions of the most important literature for high school choral students. Five questions guided this research: What are the most frequently listed works on state repertoire lists? Which styles do repertoire directors indicate as most important for a vocal music education? Is there any relationship between the compilation of literature and the state repertoire directors’ opinions regarding the importance of specific styles? What is the process for adding works to state …

The Original Wind Band Music Of Ulysses Kay: A Conductor’S Guide, Tremon B. Kizer

Theses and Dissertations

Ulysses S. Kay (1917–1995) was one of the most prolific African American composers in the twentieth century, with over forty orchestral works, five operas, over forty choral compositions, and seven original works for wind band. Notable conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Frederick Fennell, Thor Johnson, Zubin Mehta, and Leopold Stokowski performed his works. Kay earned several prestigious awards for his compositions in genres outside of wind band, including two Prix de Rome selections, a Guggenheim fellowship, and six honorary doctorates. Even with his numerous accolades and a compositional output totaling more than 135 works, Kay has become one of the …