The purpose of this study was to use the Psycho-Geometrics™ tool to measure the personality and behavior traits of instrumentalists in the traditional concert band setting in an effort to create a behavior profile for players of each instrument. The specific research questions for this study are as follows: (1) What trait statements within the categories of personality, behaviors, and relating to others are unique to instrumentalists overall? (2) What trait statements within the categories of personality, behavior, and relating to others are unique to each instrument in the concert band? (3) What trait statements within the categories of personality, behavior, and relating to others are unique to first chair players? (4) What trait statements within the categories of personality, behavior, and relating to others are unique to eighth grade, high school, and college students? The participants (N = 260) for this study were wind and percussion instrumentalists from various states across the southern United States. Ages of the participants ranged from eighth grade through graduate level study. Results found that overall the sample saw themselves as dependable, hard workers, and loyal friends. Results from the individual instruments revealed personality and behavioral differences amongst each instrument type. Results from the grade levels revealed differences that were consistent with developmental traits that were appropriate for each age group. The knowledge of the personalities and behaviors of students within an ensemble could help foster stronger student/teacher relationships which, in turn, could lead to stronger acquisition of subject matter, more meaningful musical performances, and create lasting memories for students to carry with them beyond their formal education. A more detailed listing of results is located within the paper. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education. / Spring Semester 2018. / March 20, 2018. / Band Personalities, Concert Band, Instrumental Personality Types, Psycho-Geometrics / Includes bibliographical references. / Kimberly VanWeelden, Professor Directing Thesis; Steve Kelly, Committee Member; William Fredrickson, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to examine the literature being performed by Florida middle school, junior/senior high school, and high school jazz bands at Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) District Jazz Band Music Performance Assessments (MPAs) from 2012-2017. More specifically, this study sought to address: (1) What pieces were played at FBA District Jazz Band MPAs between 2012-2017? (2) What composers were played most frequently at FBA District Jazz Band MPAs between 2012-2017? (3) What arrangers were played most frequently FBA District Jazz Band MPAs between 2012-2017? (4) What percentage of secondary schools in the state of Florida with an FBA classification attended FBA District Jazz Band MPA between the years 2012-2017 and how many ensembles performed each year? and (5) What ratings were earned at FBA District Jazz Band MPAs between 2012-2017? Data from this study came from a pool of pieces performed by middle school, junior/senior high school, and high school bands at FBA District Jazz Band MPA between 2012-2017 (N = 6,076). Due to one of this study’s purposes being to analyze the average ratings that were earned, groups with the classification of “Comments Only” or DNA (Did Not Appear) were not included in this study. Additionally, data from directors who did not enter all of the necessary title and composer information for their program or who left their pieces listed as ‘TBA’ were not included in this study. Of the 6,076 pieces in the pool, 5,664 pieces were able to be used in the literature analysis in this study. The researcher used the FBA website (Florida Bandmasters Association, 2018) to look up concert programs from FBA District Jazz Band MPAs from 2012-2017 from all of the 21 districts in the state of Florida. The following information, found in the concert programs, was entered into the data collection sheet: name of piece, composer, arranger, performing school, performing school’s classification, and the overall rating earned by the performing ensemble. Of the 5,664 pieces performed at FBA District Jazz Band MPA between 2012-2017, there were 1,816 unique compositions played. The compositions of 619 different composers and 249 different arrangers were performed at FBA District Jazz Band MPA. Additionally, 47.78% of schools involved in FBA brought at least one jazz band to perform at FBA District Jazz Band MPA between 2012-2017 and the number of pieces performed and bands that performed at FBA District Jazz Band MPAs increased every year during the five-year span of data analyzed. The vast majority of bands that performed at these FBA District Jazz Band MPAs (93.77%) earned the two highest ratings, Superior or Excellent. Additionally, there were no bands that received the lowest two ratings, Fair or Poor. Overall, findings from this study suggest that secondary school jazz bands in the state of Florida are growing in popularity. Additionally, many of the jazz ensembles performed what are frequently considered jazz standards and works by well-known jazz composers. However, due to the presence of multiple composers knowing for their concert band compositions for younger developing bands at the top of the frequently performed list, it seems that more quality jazz literature and arrangements may be needed for younger, developing bands. Further results and implications are discussed within the paper. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education. / Spring Semester 2018. / March 28, 2018. / Assessment, Jazz Literature, Music Performance / Includes bibliographical references. / Steven N. Kelly, Professor Directing Thesis; Kimberly VanWeelden, Committee Member; Alice Ann Darrow, Committee Member.

The Pesta Paduan Suara Gerejawi (PESPARAWI), an Indonesian Christian choral festival or its predecessor the Pesta Paduan Suara Gerejani (PESPARANI), has become a nationwide celebratory event in Indonesia and has helped Indonesian government create national stability by preserving Indonesian cultures and bringing unity. This study documents the history of PESPARAWI by exploring the following: 1) the events and institutions preceding the establishment of PESPARAWI; 2) the purpose and philosophy of the PESPARAWI; 3) contribution of Indonesian composers; and 4) a list of repertoires performed at PESPARAWI from 1983 to 2015. The national tragic event (G30 S/PKI) in 1965, had brought Indonesia to a troublesome situation. More than millions of lives were killed because of political uprising and instability to maintain its independence. The Indonesian government responded to the tragedy by supporting several religious social activities that focused on building trust, creating unity, and enhancing moral standards in Indonesia. One such religious social activity was the festival PESPARAWI, which became nationwide in 1983. Originally, the festival was for adult choirs, but the festival has grown to include 12 categories. As a result, the festival has influenced choral literature internationally. Through PESPARAWI, Indonesian people maintained the Unity in Diversity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika), and thereof PESPARAWI can be an example of national unification efforts through choral music. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2018. / April 16, 2018. / Bhinneka tunggal Ika, Choir Music, Henry Pranoto, Indonesia, Pesparawi, Unity in Diversity / Includes bibliographical references. / Kevin Fenton, Professor Directing Dissertation; Frank Gunderson, University Representative; Andre Thomas, Committee Member; Kimberly VanWeelden, Committee Member.

The history of the Ithaca College Choral Program spans the history of the college itself. It formed in the late 1890s, briefly associating with the Westminster Choir College in the 1920s and 30s, and finally experienced continuous growth during the tenures of Lawrence Doebler and Janet Galván. This present study will document the history of the Ithaca College Choral Program focusing on (1) the early choirs and the development of the choral department, (2) the directors of the choirs, (3) the origin and history of the Choral Composition Festival and Choir tour, (4) the repertoire of the choirs, (5) and the program under the tenures of Lawrence Doebler and Janet Galván. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2018. / February 6, 2018. / Includes bibliographical references. / Kevin Fenton, Professor Directing Dissertation; Christopher Moore, University Representative; André Thomas, Committee Member; Judy Bowers, Committee Member.

The daily production of overtones is not typically thought of as an elementary exercise for young saxophonists; in fact, the subject of overtones does not appear in most widely used method books designed for children. There are however a handful of books that have been written to help facilitate the student with playing in the altissimo range, and these books do in fact discuss overtones. However, these methods are aimed at the advanced player, not the young child, this is clear in the language that is used. Many collegiate saxophonists will be familiar with a few of these texts; Top Tones (S. Raschèr), Saxophone High Tones (E. Rousseau), and Voicing (D. Sinta). It is true that 80 years ago the altissimo register was thought of by most saxophonists to be an extended technique, but today the idea of playing high on saxophone is generally accepted if not unavoidable. Why is it that 80 years after the composition of some of the saxophone's most notable masterworks such as the concerti by Glazunov and Ibert, works that require 3 and a half to 4 octaves, does one still encounter students of various ages and ability opting to take certain passages down the octave? The student is not to blame here, the underlying issue is one of pedagogy. While saxophonists have come to terms with the altissimo range and its practicality, educators have still not reevaluated the way in which the student is prepared for this particular challenge. Perhaps when this situation is viewed under the gaze of Anthroposophy, educators might glean insight into the importance of early overtone study. This treatise will examine some of the core principles that form the pedagogical philosophy of Waldorf Education as prescribed by the Austrian-born scientific, literary and philosophical scholar Rudolf Steiner as well as their application to modern day saxophone pedagogy. / A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music. / Fall Semester 2018. / November 13, 2018. / anthroposophy, overtones, rascher, saxophone, steiner / Includes bibliographical references. / Patrick J. Meighan, Professor Directing Treatise; Clifton Callender, University Representative; Deborah Bish, Committee Member; Jeffrey Keesecker, Committee Member.

This project investigates Black American string players’ experience of racism, bi-musicality, and multi-musicality in their musical and personal lives within the context of higher education. The project brings into focus the identities and experiences of Black string students leading to the development of nigrescence, racial contextualization, and code-switching in predominantly white institutions. I argue that the bicultural experiences of Black American string musicians at Florida State University generate a bi-musicality that is complicated by marginalization, isolation, and racism in college music programs. Using ethnographic fieldwork, bi-aural analysis, and interviews with students, this project gives voice to Black string musicians who may not have had the courage or awareness to recognize and address this phenomenon. I apply methodologies from music education, ethnomusicology and other disciplines using ethnography, archived materials, visual media, print, and web sources to help professors and students foster a broad sense of Black musical identity. I advocate for a pedagogy that constructs culturally affirming worlds of musical experience–e.g., Old Time, Indian (Hindustani and Carnatic), and Afro-Peruvian musics– for Black string musicians to navigate using their bi-musical Blackness. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music. / Spring Semester 2019. / April 3, 2019. / bi-aurality, bi-musicality, Blackness, identity, Racism / Includes bibliographical references. / Frank Gunderson, Professor Directing Thesis; Michael B. Bakan, Committee Member; Katarzyna Bugai, Committee Member; Melanie Punter, Committee Member.

This paper outlines the history of songs within the American patriotic song canon and their role within society and music education curricula in the public school systems of the past and present. A thorough examination of the functions of the text of patriotic songs includes praising American leaders and heroes, glorifying political ideologies and natural resources, reflecting cultural attitudes and concerns during specific eras and crises, describing military life and aspirations, communicating loyalties, invoking religious imagery, and general rejoicing. Included is an analysis of each patriotic song, including The Star-Spangled Banner, and an examination of its tune, text, and performance practice of the specific circumstances of the time, culture, and environment in which it arose. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of patriotic songs within the context of the United States of America’s history. Through examining the historical contexts of patriotic songs in the United States, this paper seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What role does music education curricula play in shaping American patriotism? 2. In what contexts and for what reasons have American patriotic songs been composed? 3. Is the Star-Spangled Banner the best song to represent an increasingly diverse United States of America? Keywords: PATRIOTIC SONGS, NATIONAL ANTHEM, THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER, MUSIC EDUCATION / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education. / Spring Semester 2019. / April 19, 2019. / music education, national anthem, Patriotic songs, The Star-Spangled Banner / Includes bibliographical references. / Kimberly VanWeelden, Professor Directing Thesis; Katarzyna Bugaj, Committee Member; William Fredrickson, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and perceived effectiveness of mentoring for first year music teachers in the state of Florida. Specifically, the researcher sought to discover what percentage of new music teachers were assigned mentors through their schools or counties, whether or not these mentors were like-content, and how these teachers rated both the support received and overall efficacy of these mentors. Participants (N = 28) were first year music teachers in the state of Florida for the 2018-2019 school year who were asked to complete an online survey created by the researcher. Participants were asked whether or not they had been assigned a mentor through their school or county and were then asked a series of questions designed to describe the nature of their mentor-mentee relationships. At the end of the survey, participants were asked to respond to two open-ended questions regarding the most positive and negative aspects of their relationships with their mentors. Results from the surveys showed that roughly 80% of participants had been assigned a mentor by either their school or county, and of the group who had been assigned a mentor, roughly 64% had mentors who were also music teachers. Teachers in the current study rated their mentors highly with regard to perceptions of support received, with the exception of teachers with non like-content mentors, who rated some issues related to support and efficacy significantly lower. Similarly, the teachers in this study without like-content mentors rated the overall effectiveness of their mentors significantly lower than teachers with like-content mentors. Overall, teachers indicated that they viewed their mentors as sources of experience whom they could turn to for advice on many topics, but wished that in general they had more interaction time with their mentors. / A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education. / Spring Semester 2019. / April 8, 2019. / Induction, Mentoring, Music educator / Includes bibliographical references. / Steven N. Kelly, Professor Directing Thesis; William Fredrickson, Committee Member; Kimberly Van Weelden, Committee Member.

This study details the historical relevance of Thomas Whitfield and his impact on contemporary gospel music. Through musical analysis, the document illustrates Whitfield’s innovations within the genre. Interviews with those who knew him, worked with him, and were influenced by his work assist the investigation in both fleshing out his historical background, as well as support the case for his lasting impact on gospel music. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2019. / April 5, 2019. / Includes bibliographical references. / André J. Thomas, Professor Directing Dissertation; Leon Anderson, University Representative; Kevin Fenton, Committee Member; Katarzyna "Kasia" Bugaj, Committee Member.

Joachim Raff (1822–1882), known mainly for his symphonic works, composed a significant amount of choral music, which includes seventeen choral-orchestral works, fifty part-songs, six a cappella motets, and other incidental choral music. Raff was well respected as a composer in the second half of the nineteenth century, but performances of Raff’s works declined sharply after the turn of the twentieth century. To date, no dissertations or other publications exist that discuss Raff’s contributions to the choral oeuvre. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine Joachim Raff’s life and to provide historical, contextual, stylistic, musical, and idiosyncratic elements of each of Raff’s available choral works. This study divides the analysis of the choral works into two chapters: one chapter for his works for unaccompanied and a cappella chorus, and another chapter that covers his works for chorus and orchestra. In addition to providing a general analysis, the discussion offers insight into the accessibility level of each work. The conclusions of this study are that the choral music of Joachim Raff spans multiple genres and styles, and that it offers accessibility to a variety of choirs. As a resource for those wishing to study or perform choral works by Raff, this document also contains a catalog of his choral works, which provides information on voicing, orchestration, and publication. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2019. / March 12, 2019. / choral, choral-orchestral, choral repertoire, Joachim Raff, oratorio, part-song / Includes bibliographical references. / André J. Thomas, Professor Directing Dissertation; Michelle Stebleton, University Representative; Kevin Fenton, Committee Member; William Fredrickson, Committee Member.