Submitted in fulfilment or partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Music in the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 1993. / A big question for the researcher is whether the current school choir competitions have positive or negative effects on the choristers and the rest of the community. Therefore the aim of this study is to look for the possibilities of enriching this choral practice or drawing everyone's realisation to the effects that exist in choral competitions. The procedure of interviews and questionnaires has been employed because not much information about this study has been investigated and preserved. The habit of competitions is retraced back from the Zulu culture, where there exists a non-musical competition. Speech and melody, harmony and rhythm is cited with the nature and African tendencies in mind. The NATAL AFRICAN TEACHERS' UNION is an organisation that has made and kept school competitions going. Four regions of NATAL have been used as a field of study. This is because each of these regions has a college, and colleges also serve as a source of information. Questions used during research have been justified with an intention of making it possible for the researcher to get information related to attitude, experience, amount of participation and the level of literacy.

Until the recent publication of twelve choral compositions, Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979) was known solely as a professional violist and composer of chamber music and art songs. Clarke composed choral music throughout her active period from 1906 to 1944. In 2004, the first study of Clarke's complete compositional output provided an introduction to the choral music, but only covered selected works. The present study traces the development of Clarke's compositional style through chronological analysis of all twelve choral compositions and an incomplete fragment. Clarke's choral music reveals the selection of high quality, expressive texts; exploration of the timbral, registral, and textural potential of unaccompanied choral music; changes in the treatment of all musical elements; the persistent acquisition of new techniques; and reliance on English choral genres including the madrigal, glee, carol, part song and motet. Chapter one establishes Clarke's importance through a survey of publication, criticism, and scholarship. The chapter also examines the society in which Clarke lived and the issues women composers encountered. A biography then reveals that despite obstacles, Clarke tenaciously pursued compositional study, eagerly acquired new techniques, and expressed enthusiasm for each compositional project. Her skill was confirmed by success in competitions and festivals. Throughout her active period, Clarke supported herself as a professional violist who specialized in chamber music, and a busy performing schedule limited her compositional work. Chapter two documents Clarke's formative vocal- and chamber-music experiences and suggests that her thorough knowledge of chamber music influenced her approach to choral composition. The chapter continues with analysis of Clarke's first seven choral works. The first three are well-crafted part songs that demonstrate Clarke's assimilation of basic compositional techniques. The next four show the increasing complexity of Clarke's style that culminates in her mature masterpiece, "He That Dwelleth in the Secret Place of the Most High." Chapter three presents analysis of three choral arrangements, two works for women's voices, and a choral fragment for mixed voices. The last five complete choral compositions confirm elements of Clarke's mature style and demonstrate her interest in exploring the new challenges of choral arranging and writing for women's voices. While Clarke's choral arrangements of her own songs are idiomatic adaptations for unaccompanied, mixed voices, the last three compositions display the diversity of styles Clarke employed in her late works. Chapter four summarizes changes in Clarke's choral style from 1906 to 1944, examines reasons for her obscurity, and raises questions that merit further research. The appendix which follows clarifies Clarke's intentions and illustrates common editorial issues and solutions through comparison of choral manuscripts and published editions.

Dominick Argento (b. 1927) occupies an important position among American composers. This thesis discusses his 1980 choral work Peter Quince at the Clavier: Sonatina for Mixed Chorus and Piano Concertante. On the surface, the choral and piano parts of this four movement work often sound dissimilar. To create unity within this composition, Argento utilizes a small number of generative elements that govern the pitch, intervallic, and rhythmic dimensions of the composition. This thesis also discusses the relationship between the music and the text, a poem by Wallace Stevens (1879-1955).

Robert Eugene Ward's impressive body of work encompasses almost every genre of music. He has composed symphonies, operas, large orchestral pieces, chamber works, solo instrumental pieces, extended choral works, short choral pieces, ceremonial works, a ballet, theatre pieces, and even jazz and swing band pieces. Ward's name is recognized in most musical circles but usually only for his opera The Crucible, a work for which he earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1962. In fact, a survey of all the dissertations, articles, interviews, and books written about Robert Ward shows that the vast majority of these studies focus on his most famous opera. His choral works, though they comprise some of Ward's most expressive work, have received little attention. Ward's works show a deliberate use of symbols and allusions. While this use is far from an innovative concept in composition, Ward distinguishes himself with a consistent and purposeful application of these devices establishing an unmistakable interweaving of text, composition, and context. This study examines several of Ward's short choral compositions as they relate to the composer's use of symbols and allusions. Comparisons are made to Ward's use of these devices in his operatic works as a means of determining the consistency of their use throughout his vocal works. Chapter 1 looks at the composer's background, influence, and experience as to their impact on his approach to composition. Chapter 2 lays the groundwork for the discussion of symbols and allusions in music by establishing their basis and function in literary arts in general. The final chapter explores Ward's use of symbols and allusions in four of his choral works.

Examined in this hermeneutic phenomenological study is a transformation in the researcher's choral music teaching in which students' abilities to construct self emerged organically from interactions, or dialogues, that took place among and between the students, the teacher, and the music being studied. To allow for such interaction to emerge organically and meaningfully, students and teacher both shared in the power needed to construct a classroom environment in which the localized issues of the classroom and the specific contexts of students' lived histories were maintained and encouraged. This process of interaction, based upon dialogue among and between equal agents in the classroom, is described in the study as dialogic interactionism. In order to examine the concept of dialogic interactionism, three constructs upon which dialogic interactionism is based were developed and philosophically analyzed. They include the construction of self through the construction of self-knowledge; the localized reference system of the classroom, and the issue of power. Each construct is considered within the context of extant writings both in general education and music education philosophy. Following the analysis, a theoretical description of the dialogic interactive choral classroom is given as well a description of how such ideas might be realized in practice. The study concludes with issues for further study.

Die wese van Christelike sending is nie die oorwegende faktor in die waarneming van die histories-diakrone nie. Christelike sending, maar ook die ontstaande transkontinentale inheemse sending-onafhanklike Kerke – die begin van die Christelike geloof en om uit dié geloof te lewe –, behels die uitbreiding en begrensdheid in die Sendingteologie van die 20ste eeu. Die globale fenomeen van Christelike sending is omvangryk, vertoon diversiteit en werk met lang tydsverlope in sending-historiese navorsing. Die verhouding en uitdaging tussen Christelike sending en die Kerk in die 20ste eeu berus op twee vlakke, naamlik die institusionele integrasie van Kerke, Sendingkerke en Sendinggenootskappe in die Christenraad van Suid-Afrika – as ‘n voorbeeld – en die integrasie van die Internasionale Sendingraad in die Ekumeniese Raad van Kerke. Christelike sending word uitgedaag om op verskillende kontekste, konfessionele, nasionale en kontinentale perspektiewe te reageer, maar word ook gekonfronteer met verskillende sendingteologiese modelle of insigte. Enersyds substitueer die bewussyn en opkoms van kultuurprotestantisme die ouer paradigmas van kerkvestiging en Christelike godsdiens met missionêre handelinge van die kulturele en die sosiale. Andersyds gee die teleurstelling in die eerste ontwikkelingsdekade tot die besef aanleiding dat die geskiedenis nie evolusionêr, maar konfliktief verloop. Die ontwikkelingsmodel is met ‘n bevrydingsmodel vervang, terwyl nieteologiese faktore of kontekstuele sake ‘n bepalende invloed op ekumeniese prosesse en teologie uitoefen. Wanneer die Christelike sendingbeweging tot die ontstaan van die aanvanklike Ekumeniese beweging bydra, fokus die strewe van die moderne Ekumeniese beweging – met haar drie groot formasies, naamlik die Wêreldsendingkonferensies, die “Beweging vir Geloof en Kerkkonstitusie” en die “Beweging vir die Praktiese Christendom” – op die eenheid van die Kerk, in terme van organisatoriese eenheid en die teologiese begronding van eenheid. Hierdie ekklesiologies-ekumeniese strewe na eenheid bly steeds ‘n onherkenbaar gesig, ondanks die ouer program van “versoende verskeidenheid” en die nuwe konvergensie studie: The Church: Towards a common Vision. Die breë doelstelling van hierdie studie is om komplekse, uiteenlopende en teologieshermeneutiese insigte, handelinge en kontekstuele perspektiewe in die sending en die ekumene uit te lig. Die volgende temas kry o.a. aandag: historiese aktualiteit, sendingteologiese program en model, Sendingwetenskap, Konvivenz, die Evangelikale beweging, Evangelisasie, bekering, barmhartigheid, geloof, heil, vryheid, lewe, getuienis, (sosiale / on) geregtigheid en verantwoordelikheid, etiek, menswaardigheid, nie-teologiese faktore soos byvoorbeeld taal, Swart Teologie, kulturele en religieuse pluralisme, dialoog, entologie, identiteit, opvoeding, skepping, ontwikkelingshulp, sang, vreemdheid, armoede, interkulturele samehange, Christenraad van Suid-Afrika, Internasionale Sendingraad, Wêreld Sendingkonferensie, Afrika Onafhanklike Kerke, die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap, die Suid- Afrikaanse Raad van Kerke, Ekumeniese beweging, die Ekumeniese Raad van Kerke, Kommissie vir Wêreldsending en Evangelisasie, die ERK voltallige vergadering en die PCRprogram. Hierdie studie probeer om ‘n bydrae tot die kennisontsluiting in verstaande Christelike sending, Sendinggeskiedenis en Interkulturele Teologie, asook die Suid-Afrikaanse Kerkgeskiedenis te lewer. / English: The nature of Christian mission is not the predominant constituent when observing the historical diachronic approach. Not only Christian mission but also the genesis of the transcontinental missionary enterprise in die fortification of indigenous Mission independent Churches – the acceptance of Christian faith and living by faith –, imply both expansion and limitation in the Theology of Mission in the 20th century. The extensive global phenomenon of Christian mission is diverse and encompasses long periods of time in the historical research of mission. The relationship between and challenge for Christian mission and the Church in the 20th century have two different levels of requirements, namely the institutional integration of, for example Churches, Church Missions and Missionary Society’s into the Christian Council of South Africa and the integration of the International Missionary Council with the World Council of Churches. The challenge for Christian Mission is to react to the result of different contextual, confessional, national and continental perspectives, besides various models and insights in the Theology of Mission. On the one hand, consciousness and the rising of cultural Protestantism substitutes the older paradigms regarding the establishment of Churches and Christian religion with missionary actions, in a socio-cultural framework, while on the other hand sensing the disappointment in the first decade of development, the realization ignites the idea that the course of history was not an evolutionary progression, but elapsed in a conflictual manner. The liberation model was called on to substitute the model of development. Non-theological factors or contextual issues had an determining influence on ecumenical processes and theology. While the Christian missionary movement contributed to the initial Ecumenical movement, the focus was on the pursuit of the modern Ecumenical movement with her three main formations, namely the World Mission Conference, Faith and Order and Life and Work of which the focus point is the unity of the Church in terms of the organizational unity and the theological justification for unity. This ecclesiastic, ecumenical pursuit towards unity, still remains unrecognizable, notwithstanding the older program, Reconciled Diversity and the new convergence study, The Church: Towards a common Vision. The broad objective in this study is to highlight the complexity, the diverse and theological hermeneutical insight, as well as the action and contextual perspectives in mission and ecumenism. It was necessary to study the following themes, among others historical actuality, program and model on the Theology of Mission, Missiology, Konvivenz, the Evangelical movement, Evangelism, conversion, mercy, faith, salvation, liberty / freedom, life, witness, (social / in) justice and responsibility, ethics, human dignity, non-theological factors for example language, Black Theology, cultural and religious pluralism, dialogue, ethnology, identity, education, creation, development aid, choral music, foreignness, poverty, intercultural coherences, the Christian Council of South Africa, International Mission Council, World Missionary Conference, African Independent Churches, the Berlin Missionary Society, the South African Council of Churches, Ecumenical Movement, the World Council of Churches, Commission in World Mission and Evangelism, the Assembly of the World Council of Churches and the PCR-programme. This research seeks to contribute towards knowledge production, within the framework in the understanding of Christian Mission, Mission History and Intercultural Theology, in addition to South African Church History. / Dissertation (MTh)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Science of Religion and Missiology / MTh / Unrestricted

Among native Korean choral composers, Hyowon Woo has emerged as one of the most significant representatives of choral genre, both in Korea and internationally. She has created a new style of choral music that combines traditional Korean musical elements with contemporary Western compositional techniques, in a synthesis that generates new sonorities and effects. Her choral music falls into three basic categories: music employing direct quotation of Korean folk tunes or other elements, which produce typical Korean sonorities; music using Western practices, which produce modern and Western flavors; and music combining Korean traditional methods with modern Western concepts. Hyowon Woo’s unique contribution to contemporary Korean choral music is ideally represented by her Gloria, which will form the basis for this study. Because traditional Korean music culture has such a strong presence and influence on her choral compositions, detailed knowledge of these elements are essential for the study and performance of her work. The combination of traditional Korean music and Western contemporary techniques lies at the core of her compositional style, and is the principal focus of this study. A detailed understanding of these stylistic elements, both Korean and Western, and how they work together to achieve the composer’s purpose and vision, is vital to achieving an informed performance of this work.  This study is intended to supply the conductor these needed tools and to add to the small but growing body of literature related to the performance practice not only of Woo’s significant body of choral compositions, but of Korean choral music in general.

Recent Berlioz studies tend to stress the significance of the French tradition for a balanced understanding of Berlioz's music. Such is necessary because the customary emphasis on purely musical structure inclines to stress the influence of German masters to the neglect of vocal and therefore rhetorical character of this tradition. The present study, through a fresh examination of Berlioz's vocal-orchestral scores, sets forth the various orchestrational patterns and the rationales that lay behind them.

Group singing is associated with numerous benefits to human health and wellbeing, including increased social ties and improvements in mental health (Ascenso et al., 2017; Clift & Hancox, 2001, 2010; Clift et al., 2010; Dingle et al., 2012; Grocke et al., 2009; Liebowitz et al., 2015; Livesey et al., 2012). In school ensembles, choral educators can significantly influence students’ experiences of connection, encouraging wellbeing, enjoyment, and continued participation in choir (Arasi, 2006, 2008; Morgan, 1992; Pentikäinen et al., 2021). Extant literature indicates that during group singing, individuals experience connection in three forms, as drawing singers together, also called togetherness; as synchrony among singers; and as singers’ sense of oneness with the world. These three forms of connection served as the conceptual lens for this study. The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to examine choral educators’ experiences of creating connection during group singing in the forms of togetherness, synchrony, and oneness. Four research questions guided this study: (a) How do choral educators describe the experience they create during group singing? (b) During group singing, how do choral educators facilitate singers’ connection in the form of togetherness, synchrony, or oneness? (c) What benefits and challenges exist for choral educators as they create connection? (d) Why do choral educators choose to prioritize connection? I used a phenomenological case study approach to investigate each participant’s experience as its own unique case, then used cross-case analysis and phenomenological reduction to reveal commonalities and differences that further illuminated the essence of creating connection during group singing (Merriam, 2009; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016; Moustakas, 1994). Using purposive, reputational, and maximum variation sampling, I selected five secondary school choral music educator participants who prioritized facilitation of connection in their work with students and who represented a variety of teaching contexts, professional, and personal characteristics. Data collection included interviews, field observations of rehearsals and performances, and classroom artifacts. Data analysis occurred cyclically and emergently (Creswell & Poth, 2018), following phenomenological procedures (Moustakas, 1994) to first analyze each participant’s experiences as a bounded case then to engage in cross-case analysis to uncover commonalities and tensions across cases (Stake, 2005; Yin, 2018). For each case, data analysis revealed conditions that created connection, barriers to connection, and an essence; cross-case analysis revealed a collective essence representing experiences of creating connection for all participants. Conditions that created connection involved using opening procedures, dissipating stress, releasing inhibitions, thoughtfully choosing repertoire, exploring choral texts, and fostering student ownership. Barriers included students’ inhibitions, teachers’ preoccupations, formal music education, school context, socioeconomic challenges, and COVID-19. The essence of each participant’s experience involved fostering student ownership and collaboration; uncovering students’ organic experiences of togetherness; “I gotchu,” an expression of unwavering support; impacting students’ mindsets; and vibrational alignment that can heal. Cross-case analysis through imaginative variation (Moustakas, 1994) revealed that for all participants, the essence of creating connection involved participants communicating care for students’ experience of life. The study’s findings offer implications for how choral leaders might facilitate experiences of connection during group singing. Findings suggest that choral educators seeking to create connection might help singers dissipate stress and anxiety, engage students in the creative process, reexamine traditional choral curricula, and use their personal strengths to communicate care for singers’ life experiences. Findings suggest ways choral educators might help create experiences of connection that can have a positive impact on students’ wellbeing. / Music Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived impact of critical reflection on my cultural competence and practice of culturally responsive caring as a high school choral director. Caring educators establish trusting relationships with students that support them as teachers in identifying their strengths and interests, then employ that knowledge to develop student-centric curricula that generate opportunities for student success (Gay, 2018; Hendricks, 2018; Noddings, 2012). This practice is what Geneva Gay (2018) termed culturally responsive teaching. Gay (2018) also asserted, however, that a teacher cannot not claim to nurture caring relationships without accompanying cultural awareness. Considering ongoing and increasing social and political tensions that lead to societal divides in the United States, educators could benefit from practicing awareness so they can facilitate learning environments in which students are challenged, courageous, and inspired to explore their identities in caring environments. The pursuit of such cultural awareness, competence, and humility demands ongoing, authentic critical reflection—a vulnerable and arduous practice (Howard, 2003). This autoethnographic study considers literature positing that caring relationships in education demand profound and intentional cultural competence. It explores critical reflection as a means for developing such competence. This is an in-depth investigation into my pursuit of a culturally responsive caring practice as a high school choral director and product of the community in which I teach. The implications of this study describe my “cultural experience as it is particularly—not generally—lived” (Adams, et al., 2015, p. 41). The resulting narrative may encourage further research and empower educators and teacher educators to commit to a similar critically reflective practice that can lead to an authentic practice of culturally responsive caring.