Master of Music / Department of Music / Julie Yu / This report contains an extensive technical and historical analysis of tenor repertoire. It contains modern technical approaches to “Every Valley” and “Thou Shalt Break Them” from Messiah by George Frederic Handel. The report also reviews the history, music theory, and performance techniques of several late Romantic and Neoromantic art songs and arias from Italy, France, and England. The pieces reviewed are the following: “Ouvre tes yeux bleus” by Jules Massenet, “En fermant les yeux” from Manon by Jules Massenet, Three Pastoral Songs by Roger Quilter, Nell by Gabriel Fauré, “Quando ti rivedró” from 36 Arie De Stile Antico by Stefano Donaudy, and “O del mio amato ben” from 36 Arie De Stile Antico by Stefano Donaudy. Finally, this report reviews the popular Spanish art song Granada by Agustin Lara.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Kurt R. Gartner / This is a report intended to assist in educating musicians planning to perform or study any number of the following compositions: Black Sphinx by Leander Kaiser, To the Gods of Rhythm by Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic, Regresar a Nuestra by Stephanie Sasscer, Wave, How Insensitive, Agua de Beber by A.C. Jobim, Concerto for Vibraphone, movement I by Emmanuel Sejourne, 6 & 8 by Tobias Brostrom, Suomineito by Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic, and Convergences by Steve Fitch. Each composition has been analyzed in accordance with Jan LaRue’s method of style analysis. For some compositions, analysis of harmony has been omitted. For all compositions, the author has analyzed essential technical and interpretive performance considerations according to LaRue’s analytical method. LaRue’s method includes analysis of Sound, Harmony, Melody, Rhythm, Growth and Performance.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Gary C. Mortenson / This Master’s report contains biographical, historical, and theoretical analysis as well as stylistic and technical considerations for the four works performed for the author’s Master’s recital on April 29th, 2009. The works are Handel’s aria “Let the Bright Seraphim” from Samson, Franz Joseph Haydn’s Concerto for Trumpet in E Flat Major, Karl Jenkins’ Salm o Dewi Sant, and Erik Morales’ Concerto for Trumpet in C and Piano.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Kurt Gartner / This is a report for anyone playing or teaching any one of the following pieces: Concerto for Vibraphone and Orchestra by Ney Rosauro, Surface Tension by Dave Hollinden, Urban Sketches for Percussion Trio by Lon W. Chaffin, Take Five by Paul Desmond, or DT Supreme by Austin Barnes. The repertoire is analyzed by the method given in Jan Larue’s book Guidelines for Style and Analysis. The report includes interpretive decisions, technical considerations, harmonic analysis, and form.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Julie Yu / Matthew and Mark both conclude their Gospel accounts of the first Mass, the last supper, the same way: “while singing a hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Since the beginning of the Christian tradition the Mass has been accompanied by religious song. The structure of the Roman Mass grew, changed, and took its present form over the course of many years from the Ordo romanus I of ad 700 to the modern rite. The movements of the Mass Ordinary were all present in the Roman Mass as early as the 8th century, while the sections of the Mass Proper took longer to develop. Though early settings of the Ordinary were sung to modal chants, the introduction of organum and polyphony in the 14th century gave rise to inventions in compositions that continue to influence music history. Numerous composers have composed Mass settings for liturgical use. Through their work, these composers shaped compositional techniques and paved the way for additional settings of the Mass. Many other composers’ works have outgrown their liturgical use. Composers have used every form from a cappella missa brevis’, large-scale cori spezatti compositions, to orchestral works rarely intended for liturgical use. Following the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) the liturgy could be spoken and set musically in the vernacular creating a new collection of compositions in a variety of languages. Movements from five compositions are the subject of this paper. Each piece was selected to for its compositional techniques from its respective time period and region of the world. The composers represent England, Brazil, Germany, France, and the United States.

Master of Music / Department of Music / Julie Yu / University choral music education programs commonly focus on training music educators in the Western Classical tradition, however, the evolving landscape of popular music requires an additional set of skills and experiences that are not a part of the standard curriculum. A cappella groups with vocal percussion and show choirs are increasing in demand due to the popularity of modern vocal music entertainment with television shows such as “Glee” and “The Sing-off” and performing groups such as “Pentatonix” and “Straight No Chaser.” With limited available literature and training, current and future musical educators face the problem of having to acquire these skills on their own. While ensembles dedicated to singing popular music are nothing new, the technical aspects of developing an ensemble that meets the high performance expectations of modern audiences can be intimidating. This report intends to cover the requisite techniques, skills, and resources that modern a cappella pop choirs and show choirs utilize to be successful. The report covers these topics: 1) a brief survey of the historical origins of choral vocal pop and show choir ensembles 2) defining the purpose, intent, and nature of such ensembles 3) show choirs, pop a cappella choirs, and hybrids 4) roles, responsibilities, and personnel assignment 5) music selection, arrangement, and programming 6) the decision to perform live, with a pre-recorded track, or a combination 7) use of audio and recording equipment in performance 8) rehearsal techniques 9) artistic and stylistic decisions

Master of Music / Department of Music / Gary Mortenson / This report is an in-depth analysis of selected music written for the trumpet during the 20th century, including composer biographies and theoretical analysis for each piece. The pieces included in this report are Joseph Turrin’s Caprice, Vincent Persichetti’s The Hollow Men, Alexander Goedicke’s Concert Etude, and Eric Ewazen’s Sonata for Trumpet and Piano as well as his Concert Fanfare for Six Trumpets.

Master of Music / Department of Music, Theater, and Dance / Virginia Houser / Folk songs are songs of unknown authorship passed down orally generation to generation, and often found in variants of words and tunes in different parts of a country or in different countries. They often represent the culture, the tradition, the life style and the music style in their era. Although there are many folk songs are still popular, they are rarely played during the piano lessons in Taiwan. In today’s piano lessons, the teaching mainly focuses on Western music and theory, like the major-minor system. The student begins to learn piano by the methods such as John Thompson or Nancy & Faber Piano Adventures. These methods build the foundation of their playing technique and the music theory. As their level goes up, they might have some opportunities to play the folk songs that are sung in different countries, such as the Hungarian folk music arranged by Bela Bartok. In the meantime, the piano teacher in Taiwan should not forget that they may have the responsibility to help the next generation to preserve the folk songs which present their culture. My research consists of an examination and performance of sixteen Chinese and Taiwanese folk songs in two collections: Piano Pieces on Chinese Folk Tunes for Children by Shui-Long Ma and Piano Pieces on Taiwanese Folk Tunes by Ching-Yi Lin. Each piece will be carefully graded into five levels: Elementary; Late Elementary/Early Intermediate; Intermediate; Upper-Intermediate; and Advanced. The features of each level will be discussed as well as the historical background and pedagogical aspects in particular piece of each level.

Master of Music / Department of Music / David Littrell / An aspect of instrument choice that has not been studied in such abundance as the topics of timbre and gender associations of instruments are the influences of external factors, such as ensemble director, parent and family, friends, academic diversity, travel opportunities, and medical reasons as examples; however, these factors have been briefly addressed in word alone in many of the studies completed for related examinations. This study is integral in defining how music educators can better identify supplementary factors in addition to the timbre and gender association studies that will further influence students to choose to play an instrument and more specifically a string instrument. The findings can be applied to band, choir, theater, ROTC, and any other student organization as these factors are contributions and experiences from the student’s life previous to the presentation of the new activity. The current study focuses primarily on string instrument choice as gathered from a pilot survey using a string youth symphony ensemble from the Midwest as subjects and then high school students from three different but similar districts also in the Midwest. The information provided by the students was in agreement with previously performed studies; however, it also featured truths specifically unique to the ensemble and communities in which they were gathered. The researcher will seek to answer the following research questions: 1) What are the three most influential external factors that contributed to the student’s choice to begin string instruction? 2) How are these factors related to the musical culture of the student including opportunities for participation as well as observations? 3) Are family influences stronger than teacher/friend influences? 4) How does the strength of the string community (school and community) affect the beginning string student based on student perceptions of the two communities? Using descriptive statistics, the three most influential external factors contributing to the student’s string instrument choice in the pilot study were Parents, Private lesson teacher, and Other family. The three most influential external factors for the high school students were Parents, Live performance, and Friends. The three most influential external factors for High School #1 were Parents, Live performance, and Elementary Orchestra Teacher. For High School #2, the top three were Parents, High School Orchestra Teacher, and Friends. In High School #3, Parents, Live Performance, and Private Lesson Teacher were shown to be the student’s most influential external factors. In each case, Parents were reported as the most influential external factor for string instrument choice among the populations of students surveyed. When teachers determine recruitment activities, they must recruit the parent, which begins the moment the public school teacher is hired in the orchestra teaching position. Overall, parental influences trump all other external factors in the list examined by this population, which was slightly dissimilar than the review of the literature suggested.

This dissertation proposes an educational model for use by praise and worship leaders and those who endeavor to guide them in becoming skillful musicians and spiritually mature leaders of contemporary praise and worship. Primarily aimed toward the singer as praise and worship leader, the model centers on dimensions of instruction that help singers to know the meaning and purposes of worship and principles of leading worship, the nature of spirituality and vocal leadership in worship, and context-specific applications of vocal leadership in worship. The model is interdisciplinary in orientation and builds on foundational biblical, theological, historical, and ethical ideas and principles contained in normative literature; socio-psychological material found in empirical literature, and practice of ministry guides appearing in operational literature. The final diagram of a holistic instructional model results from the development, implementation and evaluation of a course at Beulah Heights Bible College, from interviews with selected Atlanta area praise and worship leaders representing six denominations, and from reflections on the roles of the praise and worship leader as observed in the praise and worship ministry of Babbie Mason. The diagrammatic representation of the educational model identifies the important relational worship environment about which the praise and worship leader must be aware. The model is inclusive of prophetic, priestly, and revivalist roles of praise and worship leaders and specific activities of guiding and mediating a congregation's experience of and closer relationship with God. It also includes the ethicist role with the specific activity of perpetuating biblical principles, values, and images of justice, inclusivity, and non-violence; the role of the change agent with the specific activity of drawing attention to a vision and activity toward societal transformation; the role of pastoral agent who brings the healing qualities of music to bear on a congregation; the role of the clear communicator of the messages of God; the role of administrator; the role of the worshipper who is familiar with the nature of worship; and the cultural leader who is familiar with the culture of the setting and ensures that the music and style of worship is relevant to the worshippers. And finally, the diagrammatic representation highlights important qualities which the praise and worship leader must develop and exhibit in the conduct of worship including pastoral sensitivities to the congregation's cognitive, affective, psychomotor, and kinesthetic needs, involvement in the spiritual disciplines, and cultural understanding and receptivity.