The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Choruses—the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus (ASOC) and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus (ASOCC)—have become exemplars for the performance of choral-orchestral repertoire. Exhibiting the highest professional technique yet infused with the unqualified love and commitment of their volunteer members, the ASO Choruses are an enduring legacy of their founder, Robert Shaw. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine and formally document how the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Choruses were formed, how they grew and flourished, and how they have continued to thrive under new artistic leadership. Robert Shaw founded the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus (ASOCC) in 1967 followed by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus (ASOC) in 1970 to perform choral-orchestral masterworks with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as a core component of its repertory. Shaw and his assistants employed specific organizational and musical systems to form and build the ASO Choruses. Shaw transformed these choruses into world-class ensembles through uncompromising discipline and a firm belief in the power of unison singing. The resulting unanimity—a hallmark of the ASO Choruses—was heard in every aspect of the sound of the ASO Choruses. This sound was characterized by warmth and roundness, exceedingly crisp diction, immaculate dynamic control, precision of pitch and metrics, and the smoothness and transparency of a chamber ensemble. Shaw worked tirelessly to develop a community of musicians and supporters that cared deeply about music and the Arts. The ASO Choruses, while auditioned, were volunteer ensembles in contrast with other notable symphony choruses, such as those of Chicago and San Francisco, which had a paid contingent of singers. The ASO Choruses were unique for having attained an extremely high level of excellence while remaining entirely volunteer. Chorus members committed substantial time and effort in support of their common love of music and excellence. The ASOC made its Carnegie Hall debut in 1976, and the ASO Choruses have returned there over twenty times. The ASOC made history on its international debut tour as part of the largest American performing arts organization to travel to Europe. More recently, the ASOC traveled to Berlin in three different seasons to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic. The ASOC has a significant, award-winning discography of over fifty recordings, including nine Grammy Awards for Best Choral Performance. Today, the ASO Choruses continue to uphold the legacy established by their founder, Robert Shaw. Under the present leadership of Norman Mackenzie (Director of Choruses), Robert Spano (Music Director), and Donald Runnicles (Principal Guest Conductor), the Choruses have engaged in new ventures that combine various art forms in an expanding repertory, which includes numerous commissions and premieres. In so doing, the ASO Choruses honor the vision for which the Atlanta Memorial Arts Center was created. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2017. / June 19, 2017. / Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Norman Mackenzie, Robert Shaw, Symphony Chorus / Includes bibliographical references. / André J. Thomas, Professor Directing Dissertation; Alexander Jiménez, Outside Committee Member; Kevin Fenton, Committee Member; Alice-Ann Darrow, Committee Member.

This treatise explores the historical background of instrumental educational outreach concerts, and provides an overview of current educational outreach programming. The closing section discusses educational outreach concerts presented by a solo violinist, and provides a blueprint for a teaching performance which explores the storytelling power of music. Newly commissioned works for solo violin are included which are especially suited for outreach performances for children. / A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music. / Spring Semester 2018. / April 4, 2018. / Composition, Music, Outreach, Performance, Storytelling, Violin / Includes bibliographical references. / Benjamin Sung, Professor Directing Treatise; William Fredrickson, University Representative; Greg Sauer, Committee Member; Shannon Thomas, Committee Member.

The goal of this treatise is to examine elements of jazz pedagogy that can be applied to improve musicianship in the undergraduate classical lesson setting. I have identified areas of classical pedagogy that would benefit most from these elements and have corroborated them with information from respected classical pedagogues. These concepts are addressed by examining both the classical and jazz pedagogical traditions and determining which approaches from the jazz methodology are conducive to supplementing the undergraduate classical lesson experience. I have provided suggestions for adapting and implementing these methods, with examples of supplemental exercises that may be incorporated by classical teachers included at the end of each section. The aspects of pedagogy that were chosen for this research were aural skills, harmonic awareness and application, and improvisation. More specific topics relevant to each to each of these are discussed within each chapter. All of the above are areas in which jazz musicians typically excel, so I studied their pedagogical methods to see what could be applied to the classical lesson structure for undergraduates. I conducted the research for this project primarily through interviews with pedagogues and performers of each style. Further evidence was gathered through lesson observations and examination of syllabi, articles, dissertations, and books. / A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music. / Summer Semester 2018. / May 1, 2018. / Clarinet, Classical, Jazz, Lessons, Pedagogy / Includes bibliographical references. / Jonathan Holden, Professor Directing Treatise; William Fredrickson, University Representative; Deborah Bish, Committee Member; Jeffrey Keesecker, Committee Member.

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This portfolio comprises of a collection of acousmatic works which investigate the role of source bonding in music – the tendency of listeners to relate sounds to their real-world sources and the signifying implication of such a link – with a particular focus on how spatial design can contribute towards source-bonding in the music’s perception as a holistic spatio-sonic entity. A number of compositional strategies, multichannel formats and spatial audio technologies are investigated, with their merits assessed based on their suitability for shaping the qualities of musical space explored. The discussion in this commentary will show how these holistic spaces can have similar qualities of perceived ‘reality’ and ‘abstraction’ to the individual sounds, and how this is investigated in the musical works. I shall also show how the contrasting environmental qualities of these spaces became a source of of inspiration for structuring the development of my music, and how they might evoke subsequent meaning in their experience based on the listener’s understanding of the spatial source bonds.

The five-course guitar was used as an instrument of accompaniment from the mid-sixteenth to the late-eighteenth century, yet its importance in this role has largely been overlooked in scholarship to date. While there are some isolated studies of individual sources, this is the first comprehensive study of the substantial body of extant guidelines with a view to understanding the styles of accompaniment on the instrument and how their practices developed during this period. This thesis documents the chronological development of the performance practices in such a way that parallels may be drawn between these sources and treatises for other instruments of accompaniment. Guitar accompaniments were, however, also strongly influenced by the performance practices associated with alfabeto chord symbols. Thus, to enable an understanding of the more idiomatic characteristics of guitar accompaniment stemming from alfabeto practices, a detailed evaluation of the true sophistication of the language of alfabeto is provided for the first time. This study provides a complete re-evaluation of the five-course guitar as an instrument of accompaniment; it challenges the past relegation of the instrument to ‘light’ or ‘frivolous’ musical repertoires; and it highlights the various approaches that were adopted in diverse performance contexts.

This research forms part of a performance practice degree and focuses on the performance of British organ music written in the period 1945 to 1970. This period was a turbulent time for all those with an interest in the pipe organ, whether they were performers, consultants, organ builders or listeners. The considerable change in the approach to the design, construction and voicing of pipe organs, influenced by the Organ Reform Movement (Orgelbewegung), resulted in strong feelings both for and against the neo-classic organ, and the consequent tensions tested the typical British reserve of many of those directly involved. The challenge for the performer of today is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of British organs in the period and to connect these instruments with the music written for them. The original contribution this research provides is to focus firstly on the organ's mechanisms, including key actions, registration aids and console design and, secondly, on the tonal designs of the organs of the period. Case studies of music are presented, featuring three composers for the organ in this period, Howells, Leighton and Whitlock, the findings of which inform the associated recital which features contrasting pieces from the period 1945 to 1970.

The current thesis is a portfolio of ten musical works composed during the period of 2011 and 2015, including instrumental, mixed media and acousmatic (stereo and multichannel) compositions. These works were developed and composed at my home studio in Oporto (from 2011) and at the Electroacoustic Music Studios at the University of Birmingham (2014 – 2015). This thesis also features observations and commentaries about technical and aesthetical issues that were objects of study during my creative process, which uses musical elements from my culture as inspiration for new musical works. Hence, it presents a reflection on and the validation of results that came from the exploration of several procedures during my development at the University of Birmingham Electroacoustic Music Studios and a chapter dedicated to the traditional instrument from the Azores – the viola da terra – and the two compositions that focus on this instrument. A USB stick is attached to this thesis, containing the audio performances of all musical works, scores and electronic version of this document.

This thesis presents the librettos, scores and CD recordings of two contemporary operas – The Wings of Daedalus and Alexandros – conceived, composed and, in the case of The Wings of Daedalus staged, by myself, along with detailed analysis of the development phases of various different aspects (such as dramaturgy, libretto, staging and characterisation, and particularly the composition of the vocal line and electronic accompaniment of each opera), following them from the initial idea to the final result. All this is paralleled with the period in the development of Western music four hundred years ago that led to the birth of opera. That transitional phase is correlated with my work and its contemporary context, as seen from various viewpoints. I have chosen The Theory of the Affections as an exemplary connecting point between these chronologically distant eras in music, and used it to identify important links between compositional intention and vocal practice in the years leading up to 1600 and those leading up to 2000. This in turn leads me to explain specifically my own compositional techniques - many of which are radically unusual and correlate them with The Theory of the Affections as approaches to creating opera.

The goal of this treatise is to examine elements of jazz pedagogy that can be applied to improve musicianship in the undergraduate classical lesson setting. I have identified areas of classical pedagogy that would benefit most from these elements and have corroborated them with information from respected classical pedagogues. These concepts are addressed by examining both the classical and jazz pedagogical traditions and determining which approaches from the jazz methodology are conducive to supplementing the undergraduate classical lesson experience. I have provided suggestions for adapting and implementing these methods, with examples of supplemental exercises that may be incorporated by classical teachers included at the end of each section. The aspects of pedagogy that were chosen for this research were aural skills, harmonic awareness and application, and improvisation. More specific topics relevant to each to each of these are discussed within each chapter. All of the above are areas in which jazz musicians typically excel, so I studied their pedagogical methods to see what could be applied to the classical lesson structure for undergraduates. I conducted the research for this project primarily through interviews with pedagogues and performers of each style. Further evidence was gathered through lesson observations and examination of syllabi, articles, dissertations, and books. / A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music. / Summer Semester 2018. / May 1, 2018. / Clarinet, Classical, Jazz, Lessons, Pedagogy / Includes bibliographical references. / Jonathan Holden, Professor Directing Treatise; William Fredrickson, University Representative; Deborah Bish, Committee Member; Jeffrey Keesecker, Committee Member.