School of Music
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Open Access A PROGRESSION OF PERSPECTIVE(East Carolina University, 2020-06-22) Mrakovcich, Dominic; Alford, TravisThis document consists of three components. The first two components are paired: an original analysis on Pierre Boulez' Dérive 2, and a transcript of the student's conversation with conductor, Nicholas DeMaison. The original analysis breaks down a brief section of Dérive 2 (rehearsal 114-125) into the parameters of texture, rhythm, and pitch. Through this analysis it is discovered that the music follows a highly organized procedure governed by duration series and pitch series. The conversation with DeMaison delves into aspects of programming, perceiving, and preparing Dérive 2. This discussion was integral to the analysis. The third component is the Master's Composition Portfolio which includes a 2018- 2020 summation of the student's compositions, along with selected poems and scores.Item Open Access MUSICAL ALGORITHMS AND FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURES(East Carolina University) Meehan, Eric; Rey, Mario, 1961-By writing algorithms to complete counterpoint exercises in the style of Johann Joseph Fux's Gradus ad Parnassum, a hierarchy of preferences between the given rules can be determined by testing different prioritizations of those rules. While conducting the study, it was found that strict adherence to any prioritization of rules led to deterministic or near-deterministic results, indicating the possibility of a "fundamental structure of counterpoint" similar to the fundamental structures described by Heinrich Schenker. The study was conducted using four iterations of an algorithm capable of completing counterpoint exercises in the first species. Subsequently, implications of the findings are discussed along with recommendations for future iterations of algorithmic design.Item Open Access COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF MOVEMENT ONE OF JENNIFER HIGDON’S VIOLIN CONCERTO(East Carolina University, 2018-07-20) Green, Brittany; Richardson, Mark Douglas,1962-; School of MusicJennifer Higdon (b. 1962) is quickly becoming one of the most performed and sought after American composers of our time. Her works have been played by all major American orchestras, along with several major European orchestras. As a Pulitzer Prize and multiple Grammy winner, she writes exclusively for commissions and her music is an audience favorite among concertgoers. The primary focus of this research is to investigate the first movement of Jennifer Higdon's Violin Concerto, addressing concerns of linear and contrapuntal development, along with the harmonic language employed in this movement, to prove that these traits are at the heart of Higdon's compositional voice and are what make her works accessible, yet engaging. The thesis will then provide a formal analysis of the complete work, noting key elements of each movement and notable connections between the three movements. A formal analysis of the first movement will then be provided. Following these formal analyses, a discussion of pitch collection, voice-leading, motivic development, linear unfoldings and contrapuntal devices utilized in the first movement will be explored, including parallels between the movement's title, 1726, and the pitch and intervallic content exploited throughout the movement. Next, Higdon's harmonic language will be examined, with discourse regarding the use of triadic figures, polychords, and planing.Item Open Access AN ANALYSIS OF ALFRED SCHNITTKE'S POLYSTYLISM IN HIS STRING QUARTET NO. 3 (1983)(East Carolina University, 2018-07-30) Herndon, Dallas J; Richardson, Mark Douglas, 1962-; School of MusicThe study of polystylism and its role in the history of music is a relatively new idea; Alfred Schnittke is often regarded as the first true proponent of the term, and the bulk of his compositional output did not begin until the latter half of the twentieth century. My interest in the music of Schnittke began from an extension in my research of the music of Shostakovich, who, as an earlier composer of the Soviet orbit, was quite influential on Schnittke's early style. Many of Schnittke's early works exemplify an apparent Romantic syntax, often regained within dramatic chromaticisms that Shostakovich is well known for. Perhaps some of the most notable of these is Schnittke's Symphony No. 0 (1953), and his Violin Concerto No. 1 (1957, later revised in 1963). This thesis will provide an in-depth theoretical analysis of Schnittke's String Quartet No. 3, as one of the major works within the idea of polystylism. Further examinations will include Schnittke's use of motivic connections in relation to polystylism, such as the BACH and DSCH motives of Bach and Shostakovich, Orlando di Lasso's "Stabat Mater," as well as Beethoven's Great Fugue Op. 133, and how these connections are used to intertwine highly disjunct, abruptly contrasting styles and musical periods.Item Open Access SYMPHONY NO. 2 “SYMPHONY OF CHORALES” BY LUKAS FOSS: A STUDY IN COLLAGE AND MUSICAL BORROWING(East Carolina University, 2018-07-20) Powers, Alec; Richardson, Mark Douglas, 1962-In his second symphony, the Symphony of Chorales (1958), Foss seems to be struggling to merge two identities, his Stravinskian Neoclassicism and his improvisation-influenced experimentalism. The mature Foss is first able to blend these two disparate styles with the premiere of American Cantata in 1976, while his third (1991) and fourth (1995) symphonies show a mastery of this sort of collage. The second symphony is significant because it shows one of the composer's first attempts to reconcile two very disparate compositional approaches - yet this same process of eclectic reconciliation would fascinate Foss throughout the rest of his life, and impact other major works, such as Baroque Variations, American Cantata, Renaissance Concerto and many others. In this thesis, the tonal language of Foss's Symphony of Chorales will be examined within the context of his earlier and later styles, and the impact of collaged source material (Bach's chorale harmonizations) on the motivic and formal structure of the symphony will be discussed.Item Open Access Ty Matson: Senior Recital, Trombone(East Carolina University, 2018-05-24) Matson, Ty Christian; Ivany, Stephen; MusicThis Senior Honors Project is entitled “Ty Matson: Senior Recital, Trombone.” The author of the project is Ty Matson. The Senior Honors Project was the preparation and performance of my senior trombone recital, with program notes to accompany the traditional program list of pieces. The trombone recital was comprised of seven pieces of varied styles, musical eras, and composers. The program notes that were distributed in addition to the program consisted of background information on the composers as well as the compositions themselves. The recital, not including intermission, lasted approximately 47 minutes.Item Open Access THE FOUNDATION OF MUSIC(East Carolina University, 2018-05-01) Castillo, Jean; Frank, Elliot; MusicMusic is a powerful tool that can be heard all over the world. It is used as a means of expressing emotions, overcoming obstacles, and establishing an identity as an individual and as a culture. I plan to create a program that includes music from different areas of the world along with music that was written over a range of a few hundred years. This program will be unique and with the pieces I select I will demonstrate to the audience how although all the pieces are different they share a very common foundation. This presentation will be beneficial primarily to people who are not expert in the field of music. These people will learn that although music may come from different places and even different times they all share a common foundation or sets of rules.Item Open Access Flute Music Throughout the Years(East Carolina University, 2018-05-03) Koloustroubis, Katerina Elizabeth; Gustafson, Chtistine; MusicTo fulfill the Senior Honors Project requirements, I have chosen to partake in a senior recital performance of flute works from a range of eras, genres, and styles. As I began my musical journey at the mere age of three, music has played a vital role in shaping my cognitive and emotional status. Not only did piano and ultimately flute studies enhance my overall academic performance through nurturing a hierarchical understanding of notated rhythmic sequences (“Music and Spatial Task Performance” 611), but was a personal means of emotional expression. Thus, for my Senior Honors Project, I have decided to share this passion with an audience through performing a compilation of flute repertoire from a wide range of styles. Not only will this signify a milestone in my 18 years of musical studies, but will provide an enjoyable, emotional experience for the audience members. After all, sharing the soul of a work is the foremost purpose of creating music. This Senior Capstone performance will require me to access my toolbox of skills accumulated through countless lessons, rehearsals, master classes, auditions, competitions, and performances. Not only will this apply to the actual production of flute music, but also performance practices such as etiquette, stage presence, and wearing proper attire. By including works from multiple eras of music, from Classical to Modern, I will exemplify the progression and application of the flute throughout time. On top of this, I will provide myself and listeners proper understanding of the works performed through conducting prior research to be summarized on program notes. Through this, I will be able to provide a stylistically and historically accurate performance with an informed audience.Item Open Access Florestan and Eusebius: A Look into the Critical and Creative Mindset of Robert Schumann Through the Study of Selected Writings and Fantasiestücke op. 73 für Klavier und Klarinette(East Carolina University, 2018-05-24) Lewis, Lauren B; Monroe, Douglas; MusicRobert Schumann was an extremely influential composer and music critic during the Romantic era. Recognized for his strong connection between literature and music, musicians remember Schumann as one of the great composers of the nineteenth century. As the editor of Neue Zeitschift für Musik (New Periodical for Music) for ten years, Schumann wrote various articles critiquing distinguished and rising composers based on both technical and expressive elements in their music. Often, Schumann offered his critique through three separate characters: Eusebius, Florestan, and Master Raro. Entertaining and story-like, these character portrayals envelope aspects of Schumann’s personality and compositional style. For example, Florestan’s character is passionate, exuberant, and sometimes impulsive. On the other hand, Eusebius represents a thoughtful and reflective approach to criticism. He acts as a dreamer or romantic, and usually leaves some positive remark. These two contrasting characters are both used to describe music composed in the mid to late 1800’s. Florestan and Eusebius address separate issues and contribute to a rich understanding of the music through Schumann’s critique. Master Raro often synthesizes these conclusions into one digestible object, combining the technical and expressive elements of music. This paper will attempt to discover the technical and expressive aspects of Robert Schumann’s compositional process through the study of these characters and some of his selected works. Through an examination of Schumann’s biography, writings from Neue Zeitschift für Musik, other selected writings, and the composition Fantasiestücke op. 73 für Klavier und Klarinette, this paper will debate the division and connection of Schumann’s critical and creative mindset as exemplified through Florestan, Eusebius, and consolidated through Master Raro.Item Open Access A Presentation of World Musical Styles of the Western Boehm Flute(East Carolina University, 2017-05-03) Lueck, Amanda; Gustafson, Christine; MusicLong prior to planning my senior recital I mentioned to my flute professor, who would become my mentor for the Senior Honors Project, that I was interested in the music of other cultures. She mentioned the term ‘ethnomusicology’ to me, but at the time I wasn’t familiar with that field. This became the central point upon which I built my project. My goal was to introduce to the audience music that did not meet their expectations of Western flute repertoire, and to challenge their preconceptions about flute music.Item Open Access Thoughts on Temporal Perception's Relativity in Grisey's Vortex Temporum and Voss's Perspectives(East Carolina University, 2017-07-21) Voss, Emerson; Jacobs, Edward; School of MusicThis thesis centers around a comparative analysis between an instrumental work, Vortex Temporum (1995), by Gérard Grisey (1946-98), and a mixed media work by Emerson Voss (b. 1991), Perspectives (2017). This essay articulates an interest in musical temporal perception, and serves as a precursor to a larger, ensuing research project concerning musical temporal perception. The comparative analysis stems from a question. How does temporal perception relate to a musical object's artistic expression? Offered through the lens of the comparative analysis is an experience of these works as complementary, poetic discourses on temporal perception's relativity and its ability to further the realization of a musical object's artistic expression. Temporal perception is the subjective measurement of objects in motion. Quantitative and qualitative time are a two-part definition of temporal perception that show how our spatial orientation and movement through space (or speed) is linked to our perception of time's passing. Our temporal perception of everything is relative to our spatial orientation and our movement through space--our qualitative and quantitative time respectively. This notion is temporal perception's relativity. The comparative analysis shows how the frameworks of Vortex Temporum and Perspectives each uniquely describe temporal perception's relativity. Each work could be perceived as a composer's figurative moving of either his audience or his musical object around one another enhancing the realization of each musical object's artistic expression. Vortex's musical object is a repeated stream of an arpeggio motive from a flute solo in Ravel's Daphnis and Chloé. Perspectives's musical object is Johannes Brahms's Intermezzo Op. 118, No. 2 in A major. The analysis of these works compares each composers' methods for articulating their poetic discourse on temporal perception's relativity. Specific techniques used by each composer are analyzed. First, Vortex's use of varying density of "perceptual events" in the first movement's piano solo and Perspectives's use of synchronization of mediums' times in acceleration is analyzed. Second, Vortex's use of condensed, harmonic spectra and Perspectives's use of staging is analyzed. Finally, Vortex's use of recurring opening material from the first movement and Perspectives's use of nine-shot split screen is analyzed. The concluding section contains three possible paths for research stemming from the comparative analysis. First, research could be conducted by continuing to apply temporal perception's relativity as a framework for analysis to other pieces. Second, research could be conducted by applying classifications of durational arrangements in Grisey's table to vastly differing styles of music in a way similar to the creation of a "perceived events" chart in the comparative analysis's first part. Finally, research could be conducted by examining similarities between vastly differing styles of music and their artistic interpretations by performers of varying skill levels and artistic backgrounds.Item Open Access A Presentation of World Musical Styles of the Western Boehm Flute(East Carolina University, 2017-05-03) Lueck, Amanda; Gustafson, Christine; MusicLong prior to planning my senior recital I mentioned to my flute professor, who would become my mentor for the Senior Honors Project, that I was interested in the music of other cultures. She mentioned the term 'ethnomusicology' to me, but at the time I wasn't familiar with that field. This became the central point upon which I built my project. My goal was to introduce to the audience music that did not meet their expectations of Western flute repertoire, and to challenge their preconceptions about flute music.Item Open Access A STUDY ON THE MUSIC EDUCATOR’S VIEW OF MENTORSHIP IN NORTH CAROLINA(East Carolina University, 2017-05-03) Martel, Jenna L; Wagoner, Cynthia L; School of MusicThe purpose of this study was to investigate the overall perception of the mentorship-training program in the state of North Carolina through the music educator lens. Four main questions guided this study: (1) What are the overall demographics of the NCMEA members who are mentoring beginning teachers? (2) What are NCMEA members' perceptions of their mentor training through the state of North Carolina? (3) What are the NCMEA members' perceptions of their mentor training through the participant's LEA? and (4) Whom are the NCMEA members mentoring? The researcher constructed the Mentorship Perception Survey using a six-point Likert-type scale, ranking scale, and open-ended response. The 48-item questionnaire was shared with all registered PK-12 North Carolina Music Educator Association (NCMEA) members of which 1.77% completed the survey (N = 33). Overall, most participants were satisfied with the training they received through the state of North Carolina and their Local Education Agency (LEA). Furthermore, the majority of participants (n = 20) have acquired a master's degree, and taught anywhere from 4 years to 43 years across all grade levels and specialty content areas.Item Open Access A PHENOMONOLOGICAL APPROACH TO FOUR PIECES(East Carolina University, 2016-05-03) Wells, Timothy; Guberman, Daniel; School of MusicThis paper explores the use of phenomenological analysis as prescribed by Lawrence Ferrara. After a brief explanation of some of the questions and issues leading to a phenomenological approach, four pieces are analyzed in order to better understand and test Ferrara's technique.Item Open Access Music Discovery Requirements Document(2012-02-24) Newcomer, Nara L.The world of discovery in general and of library discovery in particular is changing rapidly today. FRBR, RDA, discovery tools, and faceted browsing are key factors related to these changes in the way our users encounter library data. There are so many options for library discovery, beyond the OPAC, but still including OPACs; a few of the current options are shown on this slide The Music Discovery Requirements document addresses discovery interfaces of all kinds. As libraries and vendors develop and implement new and existing tools, the specialized discovery needs arising from music materials are often lost in the shuffle.Item Open Access Vyvirian Folk Tale (The Merry Trickster)(2016-03-31) Guthrie, Michelle; Ward, JulianPremiere performance of a composition for violin by ECU student composer Julian Ward. Performed by Michelle Guthrie. Recorded at A.J. Fletcher Recital Hall on 31 March 2016.Item Open Access Cavern(2015-04-20) Ward, Julian; Ward, JulianPremiere performance of a composition for electronic media by ECU student composer Julian Ward. Recorded at A.J. Fletcher Recital Hall on April 20th, 2015Item Open Access Skyward(2015-04-20) Rose, PatrickPremiere performance of a composition for violin and piano by ECU student composer Patrick Rose. Recorded at A.J. Fletcher Recital Hall on April 20th, 2015Item Open Access An Eclectic Collection of Jewish-Inspired Viola Music: An Informed Performance(2015) Logan, Madaline; Kim, Hye-Jin; School of MusicMusic performance in a recital setting involves the integration of numerous elements and tools rigorously studied and refined over a substantial number of years. These components include: the physical playing of the instrument, rhythm, melodies, harmonies, dynamics, musical characters, composers, music history, styles of music, and a variety of others. A musician must assimilate musical components learned from dedicated teachers into a cohesive, performable entity, especially when preparing for a recital. For this research project and subsequent performance, I combined all the various elements learned in my years of studying music (that include the above listed elements), selected the theme of Jewish-inspired viola music for my recital program, learned the actual notes of the pieces, studied Jewish music in general, and researched the specific composers’ various backgrounds and how their own experiences affected and shaped their music. I then put my part playing the viola together with the pianist’s part through the collaborative effort of playing chamber music, in order to produce a unified, performable program. The various aspects of this program’s music and the process of synchronizing the parts culminated in the performance of the music in the form of a lecture recital that provided the audience with details about the specific pieces and their composers in order to give them a context in which to better understand the music.Item Open Access Light Beneath a Canopy (First Movement)(2015-04-20) Ward, IsaacPremiere performance of a composition for brass ensemble by ECU student composer Isaac Ward. Recorded at A.J. Fletcher Recital Hall on April 20th, 2015