Music Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2796
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Item 21st CENTURY AMERICAN TRUMPET SONATAS: THE PERFORMANCE PRACTICE AND PEDAGOGICAL INFLUENCES OF FOUR SONATAS(2024) Rudy, Brennan; Gekker, Paul C; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Sonatas for trumpet and piano have played an impactful role in the development of the trumpet as a recital instrument. Thorvald Hansen’s 1903 sonata for cornet and piano was the earliest sonata for our instrument, later leading to the first two sonatas for the Bb trumpet and piano in 1939 by German composer Paul Hindemith and Soviet composer Boris Asafiev. The first American sonata for trumpet and piano was written by Harold Shapero in 1940 and was dedicated to his teacher, Aaron Copland. These early sonatas led to other prominent 20th Century trumpet sonatas that were written by American composers Kent Kennan, Halsey Stevens, and Eric Ewazen. As a modern solo instrument, performance and pedagogical practices for the trumpet are strongly based on compositions of the 20th Century or earlier. As we are now almost 25 years into the 21st Century, trumpet sonatas and their composers have continued to evolve and create a lasting impact on the use of the trumpet and its pedagogy. This dissertation will discuss the pedagogical impacts and musical developments of several 21st Century sonatas for trumpet and piano. Accompanying this dissertation are four recordings of some of the most recently published trumpet sonatas from 2015-2023, each by American composers of diverse backgrounds. The four recorded sonatas previously had very few or no professional recordings and exemplify modern developments on traits originally established by composers of early trumpet sonatas. Through this dissertation and accompanying recordings, I hope to encourage the use of modern trumpet sonatas for application in pedagogical instruction, performances, and college and university juries and entrance auditions.Item A Pedagogical Guide to Chinese Art Song: Diction, Style, and a Selected Survey(2023) Shi, Liangjun; Ziegler, Delores; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)A unique hybrid of poetry and music, art song has been a constant art form attracting musicians to examine, study, and research as a serious genre. Since the 1920s, Chinese composers have been exploring this combination of Chinese poetry and music in various ways. This dissertation aims to provide a pedagogical guide for the study and performance of Chinese art song.The first chapter examines the vocal diction of Standard Chinese. The vowels and consonants in Standard Chinese are categorized into two major groups in 汉语拼音 (hànyǔ pīnyīn, Chinese Phonetic Alphabet): 声母 (shēngmǔ, initial) and 韵母 (yùnmǔ, final). At most, a syllable in Chinese can contain an initial, a medial, a main vowel, a final consonant, and a tone. This chapter presents a new diction alphabetic system based on traditional Chinese vocal practices and the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet, to achieve authentic pronunciation in vocal practices. Chapter Two is a survey of treatises on traditional Chinese voice pedagogy. It examines vocal aesthetics and practical concepts from these scholarships, providing pedagogical explanations and approaches. 字正腔圆 (zìzhèng qiāngyuán), the most important vocal principle, is achieved through the system of “head, belly, and tail” of a character. This chapter offers a detailed discussion on the pedagogy for each part of the articulation of a character and the practice of tones, supported by scholarship on these treatises. The important phenomenon 倒字 (dǎo zì) is illustrated with musical examples. Titled “From Poetry to Song”, Chapter Three traces the development of Chinese poetry and introduces the basic characteristics of each genre. With the exception of Shī-Poetry, which is to be chanted, most traditional poetic forms in Chinese literature are meant to be associated with singing and musical accompaniment, which may be considered a precursor to Chinese art song. This chapter traces the pioneers of Chinese art song and discusses their stylistic features through functional harmony, texture, compositional devices, linguistic inflection techniques, and other elements. It also examines the development of "authentic Chinese flavors" in the art song genre by discussing the tremor of the voice, traditional musical vocabulary, and the reformation of orchestral instrumentation. The final chapter focuses on performance practices and provides an example of the Lyric Diction Phonetic Alphabet System (LPA). It discusses vibrato choices, vowel color, glides, ornamentation, and the use of glottal sound. Additionally, the vocal practices for the pronunciation of certain characters are mentioned. Overall, this dissertation provides a scholarly and comprehensive guide for the study and performance of Chinese art song, encompassing aspects of vocal diction, pedagogy, poetry, musical style, and performance practices.Item "These Songs will Save our Language": Reclaiming Kiowa Language and Music through Kiowa Sound Resurgence(2023) Yamane, Maxwell Hiroshi; Rios, Fernando; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation examines the intersection of Indigenous language reclamation and music, primarily among the Kiowa Tribe. Through multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, music/language analysis, and participatory action research, I show how music plays a key role in the resurgence of Kiowa language and identity. I begin in Washington, D.C. by revealing how Kiowas (and other Indigenous Peoples) strategically use their own modes of storytelling and music making to resist the imposition of settler colonial narratives. Indigenous performers reclaim stories about their language initiatives and challenge problematic congressional language planning and policy. The dissertation then moves towards Oklahoma and examines the language efforts of a community-based institution: the Kiowa Language and Culture Revitalization Program (KLCRP). I show how KLCRP used Kiowa Christian hymns—which are performed in the Kiowa language and musical style— as a pedagogical approach to revive and strengthen forms of Kiowa sound and audibility, including speech, music making, storytelling, and listening. I frame the recovery of these practices as Kiowa sound resurgence. I explore the multiple ways in which Kiowas engaged in Kiowa sound resurgence through traditional and non-traditional pedagogies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This dissertation contributes to interdisciplinary dialogues in ethnomusicology, Native American and Indigenous studies, and linguistic anthropology on Indigenous language reclamation and music scholarship. The case study of Kiowa sound resurgence illuminates how Kiowas creatively reclaim, revive, and resurge sound through Kiowa ways of knowing, doing, and being. The findings of this dissertation have relevance to both academia and Indigenous communities who are actively engaging in efforts of cultural reclamation and resurgence.Item A PEDAGOGICAL STUDY OF MODERN SLIDE TECHNIQUE AND COMMON DEFICIENCIES OR HINDERANCES IN THE NOVICE TROMBONIST(2022) Hanson, Leanne Rae; Gekker, Paul Chris; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation aims to: 1) define the standard for modern slide technique, and 2) develop a new curriculum tested on novice trombonists with the goal of aiding private and classroom instruction of the instrument. Resources surveyed on the topic include dissertations, scholarly articles, websites, pedagogical devices and aids, instrument specific methods, and beginner band methods. The gaps ascertained in the literature and resource review inform the creation of the new curriculum method. The purpose of the curriculum is to teach proper playing position, slide technique, and determine how those skillsets impact tone quality and intonation. The study comprises five lesson plans tested on six trombonists who had fewer than three years of classroom band experience. Students performed an identical assessment at the beginning and conclusion of the study to determine understanding and growth in the areas of proper playing position, slide technique, tone quality, and intonation. Analysis of the assessments determined that students could effectively learn and implement proper playing position and slide technique, and it had an impact on tone quality improvement. Improvement in intonation, however, was inconclusive with half of the students showing improvement and the remaining showing regression. The results indicate that novice trombonists benefit from instrument-specific instruction, and the pedagogy is not too advanced for the novice student to understand and implement. Further research is needed to identify other ways instrument-specific instruction could impact a student’s overall intonation mastery.Item A STUDY OF SELECTED COLLABORATIONS: PREPARING AND COACHING PIANO CHAMBER MUSIC FOR PERFORMANCE(2021) Su, Ying-Shan; Sloan, Rita; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Every devoted musician strives for excellence in performance. In chamber music rehearsals, it is crucially important that this same devoted musician should do more than simply get the music ready for successful performance. The work of rehearsal involves striving to fulfill the intentions of the composer, an effort which will hopefully satisfy both the musicians and the audience. It is equally important for musicians to learn more about shared leadership and collaborative teamwork, which lie at the heart of the chamber music genre as well as at the heart of the rehearsal itself. This entire process requires proper guidance towards the relevant information and knowledge and I feel that the type of learning and development acquired through a successful chamber music experience will benefit music students and encourage them to take ownership of their musical growth and long-term learning. However, a major roadblock to acquiring this knowledge is the lack of written pedagogical material. Therefore, in this dissertation, topics pertaining to music preparation and the rehearsal process involved in the three programs of selected piano chamber music as well as related coaching ideas will be discussed. Hopefully, the performances along with this document will contribute to the information available on how one learns to organize and prepare for piano chamber music performances in a more systematic and group-oriented way. The recital programs were presented on September 30th and December 8th, 2020, and March 30th, 2021. Recordings of these three recitals can be found in the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM).Item The Renaissance Repertoire Challenge: Achieving Authentic Choral Performances through the Application of Dalcroze Techniques(2020) Hylton, Kathryn; Maclary, Edward; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)It is challenging for modern choirs to present aesthetically pleasing and historically authentic performances of Renaissance vocal repertoire due to its complex musical language and interpretive demands. Overcoming these obstacles requires thorough research, score study, and most importantly, a rehearsal approach that elicits engaged, confident, and nuanced responses from the choir. The Jaques-Dalcroze Method, an approach to music education developed by Émile Jaques-Dalcroze (1865-1950), emphasizes the harmony of mental and physical processes in the learner. Through an applied research study with fifteen university students and a conductor (participant-researcher), this study examines the effectiveness and suitability of the Dalcroze approach to the singing of music from the Renaissance era within a choral context. Over the course of nine sessions, participants performed physical exercises to embody the musical language of the Renaissance and integrated their discoveries into the singing of Josquin des Prez’ Ave Maria…virgo serena. They recorded journal entries after each session and completed exit interviews at the conclusion of the study. Findings suggest that exercises rooted in Dalcroze principles not only improve choir members’ overall rhythmic acuity, aural perception, individual and cooperative interpretive decision-making, and musical unity, but also awaken curiosity, enhance enjoyment, and establish grounding in the musical language of Renaissance repertoire. The goal of this project is to provide conductors with a practical “toolkit” and a pedagogical method that empowers their ensembles to produce thoughtful, imaginative, and engaging performances of Renaissance vocal music rooted in historical practice.Item Affecting Eternity: The Pedagogical Influence of Olivier Messiaen(2020) Welch, Andrew; Sloan, Rita; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Olivier Messiaen was among the most prominent and prodigious composer-teachers of the 20th century, teaching scores of students while holding two positions at the Conservatoire de Paris, first as professor of analysis, then as professor of composition. This dissertation explores the connections that can be established through three generations of composers: the composers whose works Messiaen lectured on, his own works, and works by the students of Messiaen. The repertoire considered centers on the piano in various solo and collaborative settings, including operatic reductions, art song, and instrumental chamber music. An effort was made to include students from different periods of Messiaen’s teaching career and representatives of different aesthetic traditions, including serialism, neo-expressionism, European minimalism, and others. Compositions by composers preceding Messiaen were chosen because they were most important to Messiaen and his philosophies. All of these works and composers are assembled here in order to represent the breadth and diversity of Messiaen’s teaching, which enabled his students to find distinct voices in the postwar musical scene. This repertoire was performed over the course of three recitals on November 15th, 2019, March 8th and May 6th, 2020, with the first two recitals held in the Gildenhorn Recital Hall at the University of Maryland, and the third recital streamed live from the living room of the pianist. Recordings of these three recitals can be found in the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM).Item DICTION PEDAGOGY: A SURVEY OF NEW ENGLAND HIGH SCHOOL CHORAL DIRECTORS(2019) Chris, Grace Elizabeth; Elpus, Kenneth; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Diction is unique to choral music due to the distinct attribute of combining text and music. Choral pedagogues, teacher preparation programs, resources, and professional development have historically offered a wide variety of advocations about what practices to employ when teaching diction, though many have gone untested. While choral education research is plentiful, none has been conducted about diction pedagogy practices. The purpose of this study was to describe the current practices New England high school choral teachers use when teaching diction, particularly what methods and materials are most commonly being used. After collecting survey data from directors (n = 121), results indicate a wide array of diction practices being utilized with rote teaching and vocal modeling being the most predominately reported method, and audio recordings being the most reported material. These findings may contribute to a clearer understanding of diction practices and may inspire future research to study most effective practices.Item The Science of Artistic Expression: Intersections of Piano Pedagogy and Human Neuromechanics(2019) Cunningham, Dion; Sloan, Rita; Shim, Jae; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation seeks to illuminate the ways in which the scientific field of neuromechanics can inform and improve piano performance and pedagogy resulting in heightened artistic expression. This work represents a beginning to a long-overdue conversation that needs to happen between various fields of study that intersect in the field of piano performance. Historically, despite over 300 years of treatises and methods, there has been little consensus on the best approaches to the pedagogy of piano performance. Additionally, there seems to be a demonstrable lack of understanding of the impact of physiology, biomechanics and proprioceptive awareness on the pianist as well as the ergonomic considerations of the piano itself. Students having technical or artistic shortcomings are often labeled as untalented without consideration for the efficacy of the pedagogical approaches to which they were exposed. Aspiring and famous pianists continue to accrue injuries. Furthermore, there is the noticeable lack of technological advancement of the instrument itself. In order to point to ways in which these concerns might be addressed in the future, this dissertation explored several significant areas: 1) historical pedagogy that focused on the development of piano technique, which showed not only the lack of consensus but the general lack of scientific authentication within the approaches of respected pedagogues; 2) scientific texts which focused on motor control in instrumental performance and other tasks, revealing the richness of resources potentially available to piano pedagogy; 3) the impacts of piano technology on piano playing, an area shown to be far-reaching in both the advancement of piano technique and injury prevention. Another part of the dissertation included several studies into the current experiences of pianists in the field. One study conveyed a significant gap in knowledge but also a desire for better understanding of and more improvement in piano-playing. Another study, a pilot, proposed a way to study the neuromechanical coordination of the fingers and wrists in piano-playing thereby showing a correlation between lateral wrist movement and individual finger strength, speed and control. Crucially, inquiry into linkages between proprioception and piano-playing showed a missing link which could be explored in the future.Item Re-Examining Viola Transcriptions Through Informed Historical Performance(2018) Mondragon, Eva; Murdock, Katherine; Music; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)In this performance dissertation, I re-examined transcriptions of standard viola literature which were originally written for other instruments, such as the clarinet, voice, string trio, arpeggione, violin, cello and viola da gamba, and performed these works from extant modern editions in three recitals. The composers wrote idiomatically for the original instruments, but many details do not transfer well from the originals to the viola transcriptions. In exploring the unique qualities of these various instruments, as well as in studying the original editions and historical performances practices from the time of the selected repertoire, a new approach to interpretation emerges, one that can richly augment a violist’s interpretation of these pieces. The first recital features the Brahms Clarinet Sonatas and Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise, works that require the breath and vocal elements. In the second recital, works from the eighteenth century were performed, including Beethoven’s Notturno, Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata and the Franck Sonata. The final recital included only works of Bach. New transcriptions of these works done by the author, which incorporate ideas discussed in this dissertation, will be published separately in the near future. The recitals were performed on May 7, 2017, December 11, 2017, and April 26, 2018 in Smith Hall and Gildenhorn Recital Hall at the University of Maryland School of Music. Dr. Hui-Chuan Chen and Josiah Stocker assisted me on piano and harpsichord respectively. The recitals were recorded on CDs, which can be found in the Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM).