There exists a need to explore the music of living composers--to acknowledge and advocate the merit of his or her own culture as evidenced in musical composition. Richard Bruce Faith is a living American composer who served a tenured position at The University of Arizona from 1961-1988, in the School of Music. The merit of Faith's music has been established through discussion of his compositions in professional music journals, bibliographical reviews, newspaper reviews, and graduate research documents. Many of his songs, piano works and orchestral compositions have been published. His operas have been and are continuing to be performed. Publication of Faith's compositions has historically been achieved after continuing discussion in professional journals and after regular performances have created a demand for his product. The choral works of Richard Faith are not published at this time. The choral compositions are an interesting and varied group. Their quality is consistent within the composer's compositional whole. Seventeen of the eighteen choral works were commissioned by or composed with a specific performing choir in mind. The suitability of these compositions for distinct types of choral forces is an obvious result of Faith's pre-defined compositional strictures. For instance, the four anthems for church choir are less demanding than the Three Songs for Male Chorus, which were written for a semi-professional community chorus. The compositional tools which define Faith's unique style also characterize the musical requirements necessary for a successful performance of the individual works. This measure of requisite musicianship is clear in the choral works. In fact, their origin as commissioned works and the intention of specific musicians to perform the works, determined how Faith would use his compositional tools. The search for new music suited to the abilities of singers and accompanists is an ongoing challenge for many choral conductors. Publication of Richard Faith's choral works would answer the need for new music among the great diversity of choirs. Publication of this interesting compositional body would also acknowledge a fine American composer.

The purpose of this dissertation is to organize, summarize, and present the choral works of Robert A. Hobby in an annotated bibliography. These annotations, along with seven appendices, serve as a reference tool with church musicians and other choir directors in mind. Robert A. Hobby is a native Indiana composer who now resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and has over seventy choral works in publication. A biographical chapter about Robert A. Hobby, including his musical education and influences; and a chapter about his style characteristics, including analyses of selected choral works, precedes the annotations. Much of the information obtained for this study came directly through interviews and meetings with Mr. Hobby. The annotations themselves are detailed entries that address a variety of criteria including, but not limited to, year of composition, voicing, instrumentation, meter, key, difficulty, and a general description of the work. Much of this information is included concisely in six of the appendices, in a variety of quick reference formats. / School of Music

This study is a practical tool for all conductors of women’s voices, in the form of an annotated and indexed bibliography of repertoire. This resource will specifically present literature by women composers, with texts by women authors, written intentionally for women’s choral ensembles. I invite the reader to become an informed consumer of music by and for women. We owe it to our women performers to find works that meet the collective musical, social, intellectual, spiritual, and emotional needs of the ensemble members. Making music is a personal and emotional experience, thus, our performers deserve to sing music that represents, in part, what they believe in, and embodies who they are. This document contains annotated entries for more than 150 musical compositions of choral music for women’s voices. Each annotation is intended to inform and educate readers as to the specific characteristics of a given piece. Annotation entries include: title of work, composer name and dates, author name and dates, date of the composition, voicing, accompaniment, duration, subject matter, and publisher’s information, as well as detailed commentary related to the textual and musical aspects of the piece. All compositions are also given ratings for level of difficulty in each of six categories: Range and Tessitura, Vocal line and Melody, Harmony, Rhythm and Meter, Text setting and Language, and Expression. By the very nature of this topic, a fully comprehensive list of all available choral repertoire written by women for women will never truly exist. It will always be a work in progress. However, it is my hope that the information contained within this study will assist conductors of women’s choral ensembles in the continuing search for material that best suits the voices and interests of their singers. Women’s ensemble conductors must be familiar with the literature in the ‘by women, for women’ category, so that each individual may make an informed choice regarding repertoire for his or her own ensemble. The literal and figurative voices of women deserve to be heard. As conductors of women’s choral ensembles, it is our responsibility to let those voices sing. / School of Music

The history of music education in America shows that a variety of activities have been, and still are, included in the public school music program. The emphasis which has been placed on the various media of music in the schools has shifted from time to time, just has the concepts of general education have changed. At one time the important thing in teaching music was teaching singing; the music class became, in fact, a "singing class." A little later orchestras became a prominent part of the music education program. Still later a great emphasis was placed upon brass bands. As the instrumental program became stronger and more active the vocal program seemed to be forced somewhat into the background. Just at the time the proponents of vocal music were beginning to bewail their fate, a new interest began to develop in the music education program, that being an interest in "a capella" choirs. Today our schools have been able to coordinate the work of the various media into a well balanced program of music education-- one which affords opportunities in both instrumental and vocal music. / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education." / "May, 1955." / Typescript. / Advisor: W. L. Housewright, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references. Includes annotated list of works for band or orchestra with chorus (leaves 24-39).