Lionel Daunais was an eminent and beloved 20th-century Québécois musician who contributed greatly to the performing arts in Canada. Through his work with the Trio Lyrique, Les Variétés Lyriques, and his numerous compositions, he wielded a potent sphere of influence on the Canadian musical landscape. Lionel Daunais's compositions constitute a significant oeuvre, comprising solo vocal works, song cycles, folksong arrangements, individual choral works, and multi-movement choral works. Marked by irresistible wit, the melodicism of French mélodie, and the absolute eminence of the text, Figures de danse is his most well-known multi-movement choral work. Daunais penned the earliest extant version of Figures de danse in 1947, however, the work emerged into Québec's choral scene in the mid-1970s via the establishment of the Alliance des Chorales du Québec. This set of tragicomic caricatures, which sets beautiful choral and piano writing to clever—and sometimes hilariously nonsensical—texts by Daunais himself, is accessible for performance by youth choirs, community choirs, university choirs, and professional choirs alike. Unfortunately, various factors (e.g. the separation of the choral and piano scores, local references, and score errors) often stymie its performance. The purpose of this dissertation is to ameliorate these challenges via a conductor's guide and to advocate for the performance of Daunais's chef-d'oeuvre.

Dead water : song cycle for tenor and piano -- Shan shui : for string quartet -- Kuang fu : for SSAAATTBB and yangqin -- If life is unknown : for wind quintet -- Symphony II : Marrison for chamber orchestra, male choir, erhu and zheng -- Jazzy illusion of a Chinaman : for clarinet/bass clarinet, piano/electric keyboard, electric guitar, drum set, cello and double bass -- Liao Zhai : Chinese strange tale for recorders , percussions, soprano, tenor and baritone -- A madman's diary : piano solo work. / Tam, Chin Fai. / Thesis (D.Mus.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 391-392). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong , [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese; includes in Chinese.

This submission consists of three parts, found in two volumes. Volume 1 consists of a folio of eight original compositions, composed during the tenure of my PhD candidature at the University of Adelaide. These works cover a range of media, including symphony orchestra with soloist, large chamber ensemble, string quartet with soprano solo, guitar quintet, mixed choir and vocal trio. Volume 2 presents an exegesis that contains commentary on the genesis and analysis of the submitted works, together with an explanation of certain modal processes that have been explored and applied. Volume 2 also contains three minor compositions that were composed during my candidature, presented as an Appendix. These are analysed and referenced within the exegesis discussion. Two CDs of live recordings of some of the submitted works are included as part of Volume 2. The Exegesis, Appendix and Sound Recordings found in Volume 2 act as secondary material to support the primary material presented in Volume 1. Of the eight compositions presented in Volume 1, Skin, Metal, Wood – Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra is the major orchestral work of over 30 minutes, in fulfilment of submission requirements. The musical works contained within this submission offer a personal exploration of certain modal processes. In particular, the tonal principles of modulation and key relationships have been transferred into a modal system that features church, folk and synthetic modes. The exploration of modal processes has been carried out through the works themselves, and the accompanying exegesis acts as a commentary on the genesis of the works. / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium of Music, 2008

This portfolio of compositions and exegesis submitted for the degree of Master of Music in Composition, at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, comprises original creative works supported by a detailed commentary. The creative investigation has focused on ‘Composing for a Choral Spectrum.’ This was investigated through practical experiments in choral composition, designed to test the compositional limitations of the choral spectrum, and resulted in a portfolio of choral works. The portfolio includes: simple choral works for young children in one part; choral works for children in two parts; choral works for children in three parts; a choral work for teenage treble voices; a multimedia choral work for boys with changing voices with a moving image DVD; a choral work for male voices; choral works for adult female voices; a complex choral work for adult choirs of a professional standard; and a larger scale choral and orchestral work. The exegesis provides a commentary on the genesis, composition processes, limitations and solutions, for each original work included in the portfolio. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1345050 / Thesis (M.Mus.) -- University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium of Music, 2008

Title page, table of contents and abstract; v.2: table of contents; v.3: table of contents only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / This doctoral submission comprises three volumes and is entitled Twistonality: A Personal Exploration. Volume One consists of a portfolio of eleven original compositions, Volume Two is an exegesis and Volume Three contains live and/or computer-generated recordings of the music. The works are scored for a variety of instrumental and vocal combinations. The compositions explore the use of tonality as a basis for the creation of a uniquely personal style which incorporates musical gestures encountered in both traditional and contemporary performance practice. The term 'twistonality', devised for this submission, refers to a musical language in which a composer may express original ideas by twisting forms and tonal structures already resident in the conscious or subconscious memory in order to reflect his or her emotional reality as experienced through music. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1283916 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium of Music, 2007

Title page, table of contents and abstract; v.2: table of contents; v.3: table of contents only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / This doctoral submission comprises three volumes and is entitled Twistonality: A Personal Exploration. Volume One consists of a portfolio of eleven original compositions, Volume Two is an exegesis and Volume Three contains live and/or computer-generated recordings of the music. The works are scored for a variety of instrumental and vocal combinations. The compositions explore the use of tonality as a basis for the creation of a uniquely personal style which incorporates musical gestures encountered in both traditional and contemporary performance practice. The term 'twistonality', devised for this submission, refers to a musical language in which a composer may express original ideas by twisting forms and tonal structures already resident in the conscious or subconscious memory in order to reflect his or her emotional reality as experienced through music. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1283916 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium of Music, 2007

Title page, table of contents and abstract; v.2: table of contents; v.3: table of contents only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / This doctoral submission comprises three volumes and is entitled Twistonality: A Personal Exploration. Volume One consists of a portfolio of eleven original compositions, Volume Two is an exegesis and Volume Three contains live and/or computer-generated recordings of the music. The works are scored for a variety of instrumental and vocal combinations. The compositions explore the use of tonality as a basis for the creation of a uniquely personal style which incorporates musical gestures encountered in both traditional and contemporary performance practice. The term 'twistonality', devised for this submission, refers to a musical language in which a composer may express original ideas by twisting forms and tonal structures already resident in the conscious or subconscious memory in order to reflect his or her emotional reality as experienced through music. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1283916 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium of Music, 2007