D.M.A. final project--Department of Music, Stanford University, June 2002. / For voice, instrumental ensemble, electronics, dance ensemble, video projection, and theatrical staging. Includes abstract, notes on instrumentation and performance requirements, instructions for performance, and formal overviews of each act. Accompanying sound and video discs contain component materials for performance. Duration: ca. 90 min.

D.M.A. final project--Department of Music, Stanford University, 2002. / Introductory materials in English include program notes, performance instructions, technical requirements, staging diagrams, and video image examples. Duration: ca. 14:30.

Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of California, San Diego, 2009. / Title from 1st page of PDF file (viewed Sept. 16, 2009). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references: P. 45-46.

This research examines two pieces composed by me: Drop, for string octet, strobe lights, and electronic sounds (2015), and Decoder, for MIDI drums, holographic projections, and electronic sounds (2017). Both works interrogate a particular manifestation of digital technology: in the case of Drop, strobe lights, and in Decoder, digital screens. This process involves unpacking the character, language, and associations of a particular technology, and exploring how human performance complements, opposes, and negotiates with these elements. My analysis highlights the influence of Post-Digitalism in my work and aims to show how mixed-media performance technologies function metaphorically, and how their influence can be traced from their physical presence on stage to notated gestures in performance.

This portfolio consists of eight works (five choral, one multi-media, one string quartet and one symphonic orchestra) written during my doctoral candidacy from 2011-2015. They are arranged according to genre - from choral works to instrumental, sorted according to the ensemble size and chronologically thereafter. In these works, there are some common traits – the application of interval of second is found in all pieces with distinctive purposes; the emphasis of poetic image in the aesthetic of Chinese music is observed in some pieces. Furthermore, characteristics of choral music such as homophonic progression among parts and cantabile melodic writing can be traced in the instrumental pieces, particularly in the slow section of the String Quartet. / A substantial part of this portfolio is allocated to choral music. Before admitting to the DMus program, I had been establishing myself as a choral composer and conductor in the local choral communities. The last five years I spent at CUHK inspired me not only on the possibility of new sound and harmonic approaches to this genre, but also, and most importantly, the structure and form of music. The diverse manners to develop a musical piece based on simple motives certainly contribute to consistency and coherence. This is inevitably a major breakthrough in my composition career. / The diverse inspirations are channeled into music compositions through different operations of the interval of a second, which contribute to the formation of individual character of each piece: In Wo Jiang, the permeating taste of primordiality is brought by the continuous repetition of the second interval as a driving agent in the bass part, giving origin to the music developed; where vertically there is overtone singing in the upper part, which combines to create a sense of remoteness. The highest notes in the tone cluster passages are sometimes dissonance of second interval that enables a more ringing sound in the high register, whereas in Huan Hun Cao the vertically aligned second interval appears in the inner voices, specially in soprano two and alto, giving way to the emphasis of the highest note sung by soprano one. On the other hand, the horizontal employment of second interval typifies the opening and ending sections of this piece when the moving line shows some descending half step against the long drones sung by the lower parts. This effectively depicts an eerie but yet spacious sensation with regard to the select texts. The usages of second interval are two-folded in Yi Nian – vertical and ornamental – the pitched water glasses are tuned to A, G and F; the humming passages of the chorus feature a descending step in the first tenor to function as an appoggiatura. These altogether enrich the harmonic progression of the chordal harmonies. Encircled begins with irregular subdivisions of beat on C# within the common time by both first and second sopranos though the first soprano repeatedly drives to a semitone higher on the last note of each phrase. Such metallic sound yet sometimes dissonant connects to the imaginary sword fight. The interval of second in the style of ornaments fits well the flute part in the third movement of Chun Hen – The Reunion to orientalize it into Dizi. Wintry sketches also includes interval of second, especially over long notes in the woodwind section, to make depiction of a uncomfortable and piercing scenery atop of a bare mountain. / 此作品集由八首作品組成，包括五首合唱，一項多媒體創作，一首弦樂四重奏及一首管弦。它們都是於二零一一至二零一五年間，本人為博士研究生時創作。作品集裡的作品都有以下共通點：有目的地運用二度音程及展現中國音樂藝術美學的氛圍與詩意。此外，作品集中的器樂作品，都會帶有一點合唱音樂的特徵。 / 本人入讀香港中文大學音樂博士課程前，已致力發展合唱指揮及創作事業，所以合唱音樂佔整個作品集不少篇幅。於在學五年間，本人於聲音及和聲處理上得到很大的啟發；及於樂曲發展、結構與曲式上，更獲資深的指導，創作中更能強調藝術作品的連貫與統一性，乃本人一大突破。 / 於創作上，透過靈活運用二度音程，此作品集中每首作品皆展現獨特性。《我將》的低音聲部，由橫向重複二度音程句組成，豐富了樂曲的推進性。縱向角度，男高音一使用的泛音唱法，則為音樂營造出遙遠感。於多高音和弦（四個音以上的和弦），最高的兩個音也會出現二度音程。透過產生此類不協調和聲，高音聲部較亮麗的音色會更為突出。而於《還魂草》，縱向二度音程則發生於內聲部，見於女高二音及女低音，並停留於中音區，讓女高音一的旋律性能明顯地呈現。另外，樂曲首尾兩段均應用了橫向二度音程。此手法與其他聲部的持續長音同時發生，使兩個聲部產生渺小卻奇異的音程變化，有效地塑造歌詞表達的空間感。《一念》中，二度音程運用大致見於兩段落：已定音的盛水玻璃杯及合唱部份的哼唱段落。後者的二度音程出現於男高音一的倚音，為和聲發展加添色彩。此種把二度音程應用於裝飾音的技巧，亦出現於《春痕》第三樂章《再遇》。為強調東方感，長笛演奏一系列上、下行的倚音，模仿笛子的加花演奏。《圍》除了強調開首女高音一、二於升C音的重複對唱、不規則的四・四拍分拍外，首段樂句均以二度音程作結，產生一種金屬性的聲音，模仿古代的刀光劍影。《冬之素描》亦包括了二度音程與和聲的運用，尤其於木管組的長音上，描繪於空曠高山上不安及寒風刺骨的感覺。 / Chan, Ka Hei. / Thesis D.Mus. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2015. / Abstracts also in Chinese; includes Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 06, October, 2016). / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only.

In/Retrospection is an audiovisual composition employing audio and video in an interactive form, written for a ten-piece orchestra, electronically generated audio, and video that interact with each other in a variety of ways. Not only is the use of overall interaction employed, but each element of the composition is given its own space to develop and take its place in the forefront of the listeners/viewers focus, thus shifting attention to various aspects of the composition. In this way, the composition is neither a video with accompanying audio or audio with accompanying video, but a combination of both forms. On top of this, the electroacoustic portion of the piece, employing both traditional orchestral instruments as well as electronically manipulated sounds and music, adds yet another level of interaction and attention-shifting mechanics to the composition. The constant shifting of the listener's/viewer's focus is the fundamental idea explored in In/Retrospection. / School of Music

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / School of Music

The following thesis documents the collaboration process behind Idle Flux, a collaboration between Samuel A. Montgomery, a graduate composer at University of North Texas, and Emily Jensen, a graduate choreographer at Texas Woman's University. Comprising an 18-minute stereo fixed media composition and choreography for seven dancers, Idle Flux seeks to challenge the traditional spatial relationship between audience members and performers through restructuring seating and stage arrangements while featuring immersive sound design in multiple venues. This thesis considers multiple sources of inspiration, including Immersive Van Gogh® Exhibit Dallas, John Jasperse's Canyon, Zoe | Juniper's BeginAgain, Francisco López's installations, Alexander Ekman's A Swan Lake, Imagine Dragons' "Enemy," Son Lux's "Dream State (Dark Day)," and Ryan Lott's dance compositions. This thesis also examines the interdependent collaborative relationship between composer and choreographer by considering the issues of autonomy and creative control, examining previous collaborative models proposed or implemented by Van Stiefel, José Limón and Norman Lloyd, John Cage and Merce Cunningham, Doris Humphrey and Norman Lloyd. In addition, this thesis discusses the creative process and foundational concepts behind the fixed media composition, including the use of sound samples, exploration of timbre through synthesizers, development of motives and musical language, and the spatialization of sound in multiple venues. This thesis further considers the advantages and challenges associated with creating an immersive experience at each venue as well as an interdependent collaborative process that facilitates the autonomy and creative independence for both the composer and choreographer.

This portfolio of compositions investigates the adaptation of state-space models, frequently used in engineering control theory, to the electroacoustic composition context. These models are mathematical descriptions of physical systems that provide several variables representing the system’s behaviours. The composer adapts a set of state-space models of either abstract, mechanical or electrical systems to a music creation environment. She uses them in eight compositions: five mixed media multi-channel pieces and three mixed media pieces. In the portfolio, the composer investigates multiple ways of meaningfully mapping these system’s behaviours into music parameters. This is done either by exploring and creating timbre in synthetic sound, or by transforming existing sounds. The research also involves the process of incorporating state-space models as a real-time software tool using Max and SuperCollider. As real-time models offer several variables of continuous evolutions, the composer mapped them to different dimensions of sound simultaneously. The composer represented the model’s evolutions with either short/interrupted, long or indefinitely evolving sounds. The evolution implies changes in timbre, length and dynamic range. The composer creates gestures, textures and spaces based on the model’s behaviours. The composer explores how the model’s nature influences the musical language and the integration of these with other music sources such as recordings or musical instruments. As the models represent physical processes, the composer observes that the resulting sounds evolve in organic ways. Moreover, the composer not only sonifies the real-time models, but actually excites them to cause changes. The composer develops a compositional methodology which involves interacting with the models while observing/designing changes in sound. In that sense, the composer regards real-time state-space models as her own instruments to create music. The models are regarded as additional forces and as sound transforming agents in mixed media pieces. In fixed media pieces, the composer additionally exploits their linearity to create space through sound de-correlation.

Pleroma is a digital drama: a work composed of digital animation combined with electroacoustic music, presenting an original dramatic narrative. Pleroma's dramatic elements evoke both the classical form of tragedy and the concept of perceptual paradox. A structural overview of the drama and its characters and a plot synopsis are given to provide context for the critical discussion. Analytical descriptions of Beethoven's Coriolan Overture Op.62 and Mahler's Symphony No. 9 are provided to give background on tragic form and Platonic allegory in music. An investigation into the elements discussed in the analysis of the instrumental works reveals several layers of possible interpretation in Pleroma. Dramatic elements allow for tragic narratives to be constructed, but they are complemented by character associations formed by pitch relationships, stylistic juxtapositions, and instrumentation. A copy of the dramatic text is included to supplement the multimedia production.