Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of North Texas, 2005. / System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-87).

In 1995 Charles Timothy Sivils completed his study, "Notable Percussion Excerpts of the Twentieth Century Wind-Band Literature." Sivils' intention was to create a formal list of percussion excerpts from substantial, originally composed wind-band literature that could supplement the study of orchestral excerpts. However, because of the continuingly increasing amount of literature being written and published for wind-bands, Sivils' original list no longer reflects recent or current trends in percussion writing for the wind-band. The objective of this study is to expand upon Sivils' excerpt list.The parameters outlined in Sivils' document have been adopted for this study with only minor adjustments. This paper will examine only the following wind-band compositions: (1) Compositions written between 1980 and 2005; (2) Compositions generally considered part of the standard wind-band repertoire; (3) Compositions originally conceived for the wind-band; (4) Compositions which do not feature a soloist in a concerto format; (5) compositions that are considered "concert marches" or movements entitled "March" from a multi-movement work.To provide the author with a body of information from which to start the research, a survey was sent to approximately forty wind-band conductors and percussionists throughout the United States asking them to list pieces, following the parameters previously outlined, from the wind-band repertoire that they feel contain the most significant percussion excerpts. Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed responded. Twenty-four of the suggested works were included in this study, creating a combined list of seventy-six excerpts from this and Sivils' document.Through the use of music notation software, a portion of each part has been reproduced as it appears in the original score. No attempt has been made to correct misprints or improve upon the composer's original notation. The excerpts have been formatted to create a single practicable part that contains all of the concerns discussed in the preceding pages. As with Sivils' study, a major component of this project has been to make the performer aware of these excerpts and to give insights into their performance. / School of Music

Concerto for Solo Percussion and Concert Band was commissioned by Staff Sergeant Rone Sparrow, a percussionist with the West Point Military Academy Band. Funding for the project was provided by the Barlow Foundation. The piece was premiered April 13, 2005 in the Eisenhower Hall Theater at West Point, New York. Rone Sparrow performed with the USMA band, and Colonel Thomas Rotondi Jr., Commander/Conductor, conducted the piece. The concerto consists of three movements, and each movement features a different instrument: the first features marimba, the second, vibraphone, and the third movement features the drum kit together with a rhythm section (piano, bass, and drums). In addition to the piece, the dissertation paper discusses important technical detail related to the piece, including: harmony, form, rhythm, programmatic ideas as they relate to motivic strands, and the process of generating and discarding material. The paper also focuses on a number of factors that were influential to the piece, such as postmodern philosophy.

John Mackey is an influential and prolific composer of wind band literature. His focus on and exploration of the percussion section are defining characteristics of his compositional voice. Mackey's concerto for percussion and wind band, "Drum Music," is a perfect example of his exploitation of the myriad timbres available within the percussion family, and also serves to showcase the versatility required of a modern percussionist. This dissertation and accompanying lecture recital provide a comprehensive guide for performers of the work. Major aspects of Mackey's compositional approach are discussed with emphasis placed on his use of percussion throughout his works. Analysis and performance concerns are discussed for each of the concertos three movements, and information is provided on the reduced version of the work prepared as part of this study.