Abstract Background: Musculoskeletal discomfort is common among professional orchestra musicians and according to the literature some anatomical areas, such as the neck, upper back and upper extremities, seem to be more frequently affected than others. There are also suggestions made that general joint hypermobility could be a potential risk factor for musculoskeletal discomfort among musicians. Furthermore, there seems to be a higher perceived feeling of psychosocial demands and stress among musicians in comparison to the general workforce. Aim: Investigate the prevalence of, and associations between, musculoskeletal discomfort, general joint hypermobility, psychosocial factors and stress among Swedish big band musicians. A further aim was to investigate associations between musculoskeletal discomfort, general joint hypermobility, psychosocial factors and stress, respectively. Method & Material: This study was part of a larger national survey on professional orchestra musicians in Sweden. This study focused on professional jazz musicians and included data from all three professional big bands in Sweden. The study presents the prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort, general joint hypermobility, psychosocial factors and stress among professional Swedish big band musicians. 32 musicians completed the survey. Results: The study showed a high prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort and general joint hypermobility. There were no statistically significant relationships between musculoskeletal discomfort and general joint hypermobility but between psychosocial demands and musculoskeletal discomfort in the anatomical subgroup low back/hip, and between negative stress and musculoskeletal discomfort in the anatomical subgroup low back/hip. Conclusion: In accordance with existing studies on classical orchestra musicians, this study found a high prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort and general joint hypermobility among Swedish big band musicians. There was a statistically significant association with the relationship between psychosocial demands and musculoskeletal discomfort in the anatomical subgroup low back/hip and between negative stress and musculoskeletal discomfort in the anatomical subgroup low back/hip. Key words: big band musicians, musculoskeletal discomfort, general joint hypermobility, psychosocial factors, stress.

For his graduation project from the jazz department at KMH, Icelandic trumpeter and composer, Tumi Torfason, put on a big band concert with an original program of music and an alternative instrumentation. In this thesis he describes his research and creative process leading up to the concert with insights into his inspirations, compositional methods and approach to arranging. He explores the relationship between compositions and the instruments they are composed with and composed for. In addition, the thesis explores how those findings can then be applied to both the composing and arranging of this new program of music. He also goes into how the artistic side relates to the logistics behind the concert and finally discusses his findings and arrives at some interesting conclusions.

This master thesis analyses notational and textual methods of composing for improvisation. Ways of integrating space for improvisation, guided at different levels depending on the amount of information given, into a composition. The least guided being a one- or two-words exhortation (e.g., “play free!”) up to a clearly defined progression, with a specific number of bars, chords and rhythm. How the players involved in each compositional project reacted − intuitively, intellectually and with their instruments − to the given information has also been analysed. I have integrated information and space for improvisation in four of the five projects I wrote during my studies. Two original arrangements for big band, one composition for small chamber group, and eleven shorter pieces for sextet performed in my final exam concert. I also mention some compositional aspects and challenges I experienced in writing for wind ensemble, where I decided to not include any space for improvisation. Throughout the thesis I also describe situations, experiences, and anecdotes from my own background as instrumentalist and improviser, and how much they sometimes influenced the next step taken. This serves the purpose of putting the creative process of composing and improvising, the choices made while working, in a broader contest of life experienced.

The purpose of this study is to analyze and codify the basic principles and techniques of composition and arranging as used in ten selected published dance band stock orchestrations of popular ballads.

Denna uppsats har formen av en essä. Syftet var att inom kompositionsprocessen synliggöra och studera viktiga parametrar och utvecklingsområden, samt jämföra resultatet mellan avsikten, slutresultatet av kompositionen och det som hände där emellan. Kompositionerna som har legat till grund för arbetet är två stycken för storband och ett stycke för tenorsaxofon och kammarensemble. Styckena och den kreativa processen analyseras utifrån ett personligt kompositionsperspektiv och resultatet visar att det genom målmedvetet arbete är möjligt att utveckla sin teknik och speciella beståndsdelar. Slutsatsen är att det går att förändra väl rotade vanor om man önskar det men att det kräver tid, mod och engagemang. / This master thesis has been written in the form of an essay. The purpose has been to unfold important parameters within the compositional process and to reflect upon how various parameters developed during this process. Additionally, it has been my aim to evaluate the results with respect to my intentions. Three compositions were analyzed. Two pieces for big band and one piece for tenor saxophone and chamber ensemble. The compositions and the creative process were analyzed from the composer's view. The result shows that it has been possible to develop my own compositional technique and various personal ingredients through deliberate practise of my compositional skills. My conclusion is, that if one wishes to change deep-rooted habits, it is possible to develop new habits, however, these matters require patience, commitment, as well as as fearlessness. / <p>Konserten blev uppskjuten pga coronaviruset (Covid-19)</p><p>Kompositioner för storband, Erika Hammarberg</p><p>Humboldt</p><p>The Crossing</p><p>Paso Doble </p><p>Berget</p><p></p><p></p>

Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur dirigenter för symfoniorkester och storband använder olika tecken i sin kommunikation samt att se om det fanns tydliga likheter och skillnader mellan de olika orkesterformerna. I studien har ett socialsemiotiskt och multimodalt perspektiv använts. Dirigenterna har analyserats utifrån bland annat vilka teckensystem de använder i sin kommunikation med musikerna. Videoobservation har använts som metod och materialet har tagits från siten www.youtube.com Urvalet har bestått i inspelningar av världskända professionella dirigenter som dirigerar professionella orkestrar, några av de bästa inom sitt fält. Resultatet påvisar att dirigenterna ofta använder många teckensystem simultant. Dirigenterna använder en del gemensamma tecken men även många personliga tecken för sin kommunikation. Det framkom vissa skillnader mellan genrerna men då resultaten även skiljde sig mellan dirigenterna inom samma genre krävs mer studier för att ge ett slutgiltigt resultat. Överlag behövs fler studier på dirigering inom storbandsorkester. / The aim of this study was to investigate how conductors representing two different orchestral traditions - the symphony orchestra and big band- use different signs for communication and to explore whether there are any clear differences and similarities between them. Throughout the analysis, a social semiotic and multimodal perspective was applied. The conductors have been analysed by which signs they use when communicating with the musicians. Video observation was used as a method and the material has been retrieved from www.youtube.com. The selection contains recordings of professional and world-famous conductors, working with world renowned orchestras. The result of the study seems to reveal that the conductors utilize and communicate with many sign systems simultaneously and that they use mutual signs as well as personal signs when communicating. There were differences between the two genres but also between conductors within the same genre so further studies are needed to establish a more thorough conclusion. Overall, there is a need for further and larger studies regarding big band orchestras.