Music Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2796
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Item THE GUQIN IN TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY CHINA: A TRADITION REIMAGINED(2024) Yin, Xiaoshan; Witzleben, J. Lawrence; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation is a musicological and anthropological examination of a Chinese instrument, the qin 琴, or guqin 古琴, a seven-string zither with an unbroken history of more than 2000 years, in its contemporary social context. The instrument, once said to be played exclusively by the elite literati in imperial China, has long been portrayed as the most representative musical icon of traditional Chinese culture. By the 1990s, the qin lost its elite status and public awareness decreased, but in 2003 the guqin and its music were proclaimed by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, later known as Representative of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (ICH). This proclamation and the national safeguarding agenda that comes along with it have evoked great enthusiasm from both the government and the public for revitalizing guqin music and culture. This process of contemporary revitalization is situated in a broader context: a national campaign to bring traditional culture back to life, reclaim the glory of the past, and build pride in Chineseness. However, there has been no detailed ethnographic study—in either English or Chinese—on developments in the qin world since the UNESCO proclamation in 2003, in contrast to the extensive historical and theoretical explorations of the instrument. My research is the first extended ethnographic study that closely examines this process of musical-cultural construction mediated by the national and regional safeguarding agenda and heritage narrative. I examine not only the musical products but also qin practitioners’ conceptualization and behavior, paying attention to the subjectivity of individual and group actors—that is, how they think of, speak about, and practice the guqin, and why. I explore how new communities and identities are being represented and/or constructed through qin performance practice and how the instrument in turn further structures the musical culture. I investigate the role the qin plays in people’s daily lives and in the cultural construction of the society, as well as the political, social, and economic powers that are mediating this musical-cultural process. My research is also in dialogue with a prevailing dichotomy between the “literati’s qin” and the “artists’ qin.” I question the historical and contemporary conceptualization of the literati, and present a new paradigm to view the qin world in China as it is socially and individually conceptualized and experienced, one which challenges essentialist ideas of the instrument being a heritage dating from time immemorial. I examine the dynamics of qin practitioners negotiating tradition and transformation as they continually reimagine and articulate the tradition. I view contemporary qin culture as multi-faceted, and I attempt to give attention and voice to different practitioners rather than labeling them or taking sides in debates. This study integrates historical, ethnographic, and musicological research methods. Historical documents that I investigated include but are not limited to nearly 150 old qin handbooks, mainly from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which contain qin music theories and repertoire, and fiction and non-fiction literature such as novels and encyclopedias. I conducted multiple field visits to mainland China during 2017–19, and intensive fieldwork there during June 2021–May 2022 and the summer of 2023. Cities that I visited include Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Kunming, Nanchang, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Yangzhou, and Zhuhai. I attended dozens of concerts, classes, and recording sessions, among other events related to the qin, and interviewed dozens of musicians and audience members. I analyze the visual and sonic expressions in stage performances and music videos, and conduct musicological studies on notation systems and practices. This dissertation is an example of “bottom-up” research in the area of ICH studies, as opposed to “top-down” research. Many studies on musical ICH in China and East Asia have dealt with top-down processes such as the UNESCO decision-making process, policy making at different levels of government, designation of heritage bearers, preservation actions, and the influence of these factors on the actual tradition and individual practitioners. A bottom-up study examines the situation in the reverse order. I focus on what is happening on the ground among grassroots practitioners and how that shapes the overall situation. My research also contributes broadly to scholarship on traditional Chinese music. Many scholars of Chinese music have written on the modernization of traditional Chinese music. The modernization process of the qin shares similarities with that of other genres, yet also demonstrates its own characteristics because of its rich written records and ICH status. A careful examination of the modernization of the qin is much needed in scholarship. This research offers ethnographic and historical data to musicologists and ethnomusicologists interested in the guqin and Chinese traditional music. Through the lens of the qin, my research deals with many aspects of Chinese cultural and social life, past and present. Therefore, this research also has the potential to be of great interest to social scientists, historians, and other scholars in Chinese and East Asian studies.Item A SLICE OF HOME: MUSIC & CULTURE IN A US-BASED CARIBBEAN STEELBAND COMMUNITY(2024) Francis, Josanne Fiona; Prichard, Stephanie; Grisé, Adam; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of participants in a specific Caribbean steelband community music program in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Using an ethnographic case study design, I focused on the youth-serving community steelband, Caribbean Steel Pulse (CSP). Guided by research questions on teaching and learning, cultural identity, and musical experiences within this context, my methodology was enriched by my insider perspective.I gathered data from observations and in-depth interviews with four participants—a student, two instructors, and two administrative personnel. Through my analysis, I identified four main themes: Family, Service, Cultural Identity and Continuity, and (M/m)usic (E/e)ducation. My findings revealed that teaching and learning in this “informal” Music Education space is a multifaceted process incorporating practical, theoretical, historical, and interpersonal elements. The dichotomy between traditional steelband methods, such as rote learning, and Western music theory in Caribbean Steel Pulse fostered a holistic understanding of music theory and performance while honoring cultural heritage. Participants' narratives highlighted both national and Afro/Caribbean diasporic identities. The steelband community of CSP provided a space for discovering, expressing and affirming these identities, facilitated by the inclusive and supportive environment of the parent organization, Caribbean Cultural Academy (CCA). This study highlights the importance of accessibility and inclusivity in music education, and the important role of youth-serving community music organizations in identity development, and music education. CCA's model, which minimizes financial and bureaucratic barriers to entry, contrasts with traditional school music programs that often inadvertently exclude economically disadvantaged students.Item A MON AMI: DEDICATED WORKS FOR TROMBONE AND PIANO SINCE 1915 THAT BECAME STANDARD LITERATURE.(2024) Cruz, Gilberto Alejandro; Gekker, Chris; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Dedications, and furthermore commissions, have played a vital role in expanding the repertoire for so many instruments but especially for the trombone. From the last over one hundred years we look at five dedicated works for trombone and piano since 1915 that became standard literature. Works include Cavatine for Trombone and Piano by Camille Saint-Saëns (Dedicated to George W. Stewart), Romance for Trombone and Piano by Axel Jørgensen (Dedicated to Anton Hansen), Sonata (Vox Gabrieli) for Trombone and Piano by Stepjan Šulek (Dedicated to William F. Cramer), Sonata for Trombone and Piano by Eric Ewazen (Dedicated to Michael Powell), and Red Dragonfly Sonata for Trombone and Piano by Amy Riebs Mills (Dedicated to Megumi Kanda.) With research on each work, dedicatee, and composer with interviews with Ronald Barron, Per Brevig, Eric Ewazen, and Megumi Kanda.Item TONES IN BLACK: A HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN BASS/BARITONES IN CLASSICAL MUSIC: IN THE ECHOES OF ANCESTORS, A PIONEER’S VOICE(2024) McIlwain-Lightfoot, VaShawn Savoy; Short, Kevin C.; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation project has three major foci: a) to trace the history of classically trained African American Bass/Baritone vocalists through performance, recordings, and narrative; b) to recognize the historical performances of African American Bass/Baritone vocal pioneers and the significant contributions they made to the accessibility of opportunities for other African Americans within these voice types; and c) to discuss how Bass/Baritone community performances can promote social connectedness and DEI in opera. In addressing these foci, the paper will emphasize how the performances of Bass/Baritone vocal artists, past and present, have a) made African Americans, in general, more acceptable to White audiences and b) changed the perceptions of White Americans about who African Americans are and what they are capable of. Methodology involved securing physical/digital historical data from newspapers, journals, and books; collecting photos, programs, and articles from the private library of a former University of Maryland professor; conducted oral history interviews of students and progeny of the first African American Baritone to sing with a major opera company in the U.S. (Todd Duncan); delivered community performances domestically and internationally as a current example of the legacy of African American classical vocal artists, specifically Bass/Baritones. This project’s accounting of historical performances can serve to recognize unknown or forgotten contemporaries and predecessors.Item Creative Placemaking in the Recital Setting(2024) Hornpetrie, Wesley; Kutz, Eric A; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation outlines my three dissertation recitals and recording project, which explored themes of community building and creative placemaking when developing commissions and programs for a classically trained cellist. contains elements that explore the notion that the music we hear is only a fraction of our takeaway when we attend a show. The venue, the collaborators, how it is rehearsed, the score notation, who can participate, and the audience expectations can all have an effect on our experience attending and performing recitals. Curation and programming that aims to inherently strengthen connections between performers and audience, audience and audience, and performers and performers is an exciting path forward for cellists. This examination of hierarchical factors with the existing classical music concert format is a step forward towards more community-oriented recital presentations.Item We All Belong: A Descriptive Analysis of Gender and Sexuality Discourse in Music Education Professional Development(2024) Caithaml, Justin Michael; Prichard, Stephanie; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this study was to understand the state of gender and sexuality discourse presented in the programming of music education professional development in the United States. Research questions that guided this study included the state of gender and sexuality discourse in the field of music education at state and national PD conferences, and how sessions at these PD conferences might vary in frequency or content by year, state, region, or discipline.In this study I employed a descriptive, qualitative design encompassing content and discourse analysis of music education professional development conference programs from the 2018-19 school year through the 2022-23 school year (Fairclough and Fairclough, 2012; Sunderland and Litosseliti, 2002). This design was also informed by the tenets of feminist critical discourse analysis (Lazar, 2005). Findings indicate that the state of gender and sexuality discourse is incredibly varied by context. Various topics—including supporting LGBTQIA+ students, gender/sexuality topics in the music classroom, and the roles of women in music—were addressed at PD conferences across the five-year period, but how topics were addressed seemed to be dependent upon the context of the conference in which they were presented. Topics such as inclusive strategies for LGBTQIA+ students, revisiting gender norms in choral settings, and empowering women conductors were some of the topics that were most common. In addition, the total number of sessions were an incredibly small portion of total sessions offered regardless of the relative size of the organization sponsoring the conference. This study has important implications for PD policy makers: a) how state and national organizations can interact more efficiently, and b) how state organizations can increase access to PD outside of one yearly conference. There are also four implications for music teachers: a) the role of teachers as leaders in presenting and authoring sessions, b) the importance of consistent language choices across contexts, c) a commitment to student safety over personal views, and d) varied impact of state legislation on PD content. Findings also suggest two implications for music teacher education: a) cultivating a critical disposition and b) empowering future leaders. Future research on topics related to this study can focus on three main areas: a) continued, periodic content analysis of conference programs, b) further examining PD presenters’ perspectives, and c) understanding teacher perceptions of LGBTQIA+ inclusive pedagogy and gender expansive classroom practices.Item A REVISIONIST HISTORY OF INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL PERCUSSION SOLOISTS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY(2024) Rocheteau, Robert Alexandre; Votta, Michael; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation examines the marimbists, multi-percussionists, and solo-percussionists who were independent classical soloists in the twentieth century. Traditionally, scholarship has seen the histories of these percussion soloists as separate from one another. By proposing new frameworks and contexts, this revisionist history shows how marimbists, multi-percussionists, and solo-percussionists form a continuum. These frameworks mark pivotal shifts in history and include percussion practices, eras of percussion soloists, and generations. The “percussion practices” framework shows how composers have used percussion in classical music. The “eras of percussion soloists” framework shows what percussionists did and what percussion instruments they performed on. The “generations” framework shows how each particular solo art form evolved.Item LISTENING TO REVOLUTION: A SURVEY OF CULTURAL AND MUSICAL REVOLUTIONS THROUGH THE STUDY OF SELECTED VIOLIN REPERTOIRE(2024) Konkle, Emily Grace; Stern, James; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The written portion of this performance dissertation examines cultural and musical revolutions in relation to the study of selected violin repertoire. The document is divided into two chapters, each of which contain program notes highlighting a specific element relating to revolutions. Chapter one of the document will explore revolutionary composers who charted new compositional pathways by employing novel creative techniques in their writing. Chapter two will survey how cultural and social revolutions—both past and present—have affected the evolution of music throughout history by means of their direct impact on the arts. This document will consider how the selected repertoire reflects revolution and will ultimately provide a tangible way for artists and audience members to connect with repertoire across all genres, from Biber’s Passacaglia to Corigliano’s STOMP.Item SHAPES IN COLLECTIVE SPACE: COMMISSIONING AND RECORDING PROJECT EXPANDING THE VIOLA DUO(2024) Spaulding, Lauren; Kutz, Eric; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this dissertation is to outline a recording project for Tallā Rouge that aims to illuminate the viola duo as a concertizing ensemble through the arranging, commissioning, and recording of new works. In line with the previous work of Tallā Rouge, this dissertation provides program notes to an album titled “Shapes in Collective Space.” This album is comprised of works by living female, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, American folk, and West-Asian composers—all of whom resonate with the philosophies of Tallā Rouge. The commissioned works incorporate elements of ancient West-Asian instruments, gospel, Americana folk sounds, pop culture, and jazz elements, and are designed to enrich and expand the available viola duo repertoire by showcasing the instrument's versatility, color pallet, and ability to embody diverse musical styles and influences. The recordings of these arrangements and commissions will later act as a companion to the release of the commissioned and arranged scores by some of the most intriguing composers of today, further encouraging the genre’s growth while expanding the lexicon of viola duo repertoire. It is my hope that the work of this dissertation will continue to encourage unique ensembles to seek out the creation of compositions by diverse and boundary-pushing living composers.Item Into the Archives: The Founding and Evolution of the College Band Directors National Association as Shown by its Archives at the University Maryland(2024) Higley, Christine Lopez; Votta, Jr., Michael; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In 1941, William D. Revelli, the Director of Bands at the University of Michigan, sent a letter to college band directors throughout the United States encouraging them to attend the first meeting of the University and College Band Conductors Conference (UCBCC) at the Congress Hotel in Chicago on December 22-23, 1941. This letter included the topics that would be discussed at this meeting including Policies and Philosophies of the Marching Band, Band Budgets, Financing the Commencement Band, and more. After this initial meeting, the plan was to meet again the following year, but because of complications due to World War II, the organization did not meet again until 1946. In 1947, it was moved that the UCBCC change its name to the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA). All this information is found in the documents of the National Conference Proceedings of The Performing Arts Special Collections archives at the University of Maryland, which is home to many historical documents. This dissertation is an exploration of the contents of the CBDNA National Conference Proceedings from its foundation in 1941 to 2011. These contents include administrative records, correspondence and information bulletins, membership listings, financial records, committee reports, surveys, questionnaires, publications, articles, conference programs and proceedings, photographs, and oral histories. This document explores the history of the CBDNA and its development according to what is included in these archives. This is not a comprehensive history of the CBDNA, but a compilation and description of the documents stored in the Special Collections at the University of Maryland. The dissertation is organized into decades and discusses the priorities of National Conference Proceedings throughout each decade.