In the late 19th century, Georg Schumann (1866-1952) composed an attractive sonata for the cello that remains largely unknown today. By presenting a performer's analysis, this dissertation aims to position Georg Schumann's Sonata for Cello and Piano in E minor, Op. 19 (1898) amongst other more commonly performed sonatas of the era. This paper provides a detailed analysis of each movement of the sonata, an overview of the history and development of the cello sonata and an overview of Georg Schumann's biography leading up to the composition of his cello sonata.

Antonio María Valencia (1902-1952) was one of the leading Colombian composers, pianists, and educators of his generation. His Dúo en forma de sonata (1926) for violin and piano serves as an early example of the composer's aesthetic. According to the programmatic description he sent to his mother, the Dúo depicts Valencia's "indelible impressions" of his homeland. Through structural and harmonic analysis, I examine the piece in relation to the composer's informal programmatic description. The analysis argues that the work poetically re-creates the landscape of Valencia's birthplace region through an international language, devoid of Colombian folk rhythms and melodies. Valencia proposes a different perspective on Colombian music as an alternative to the use of folk-based music elements that were predominant to Colombian music during his lifetime.

This dissertation considers Gervais-François Couperin (1759-1826) and his offertories, providing a performance guide relevant to French organ literature of the beginning of the nineteenth century. To fulfill this purpose, the research is divided into five chapters and a conclusion. Chapter 1 is an introduction explaining the purpose of the research and significance of the research. Chapter 2 presents the Couperin Dynasty and their lineage at Saint-Gervais, as well as the evolution of the musical market in the middle of the eighteenth century in Paris, which influenced Gervais-François Couperin's Offertories. Chapter 3 to Chapter 6 present the performance guide to playing Gervais-François Couperin's offertories: Chapter 3 focuses on the significant development of the French organ building in the 1800s and the registration of Grand-Jeu. Chapter 4 deals with the addition of the pedal, and Chapter 5 focuses on embellishment using tremendo (tremolo) and arpegio (arpeggio). Lastly, Chapter 6 offers a guide for adding manual indications where the score did not include them or in places where ambiguities remained. Synthesizing these elements, a newly edited full score of Gervais-François Couperin's Offertory in G Minor is provided in Chapter 7 to exemplify this dissertation's conclusion.

John Mayer (1929-2004) was a British Indian composer and violinist. Despite his contributions to bringing Indian music to the West and his large output of works, the majority of his compositions remain largely unknown. This document focuses on Mayer's only oboe concerto, Shanai Awaz, which translates to "Sound of the Shanai" in Hindi. It is representative of his fusion of Indian and Western techniques. The performance guide helps the oboist navigate the fusion elements of the piece. Because no piano reduction of the score was made by the composer, the piece has likely not been performed since 1983. A piano reduction of the score was created as part of this dissertation to make it more accessible to oboists.

Zou Xiangping is one of the most significant Chinese composers who writes music for the saxophone. These works, however, are not well-known in the classical saxophone repertoire. The purpose of this dissertation is to help international saxophonists develop an enlightened understanding and ultimately, performance of two selected pieces by Chinese composer Zou Xiangping (邹向平) (b. 1951), Images of Yalong River for Alto Saxophone and Piano (雅砻江印：为中音萨克斯管和钢琴) and Song of Chuanjiang River Boatman for Saxophone Quartet (川江纤夫之歌: 为萨克斯管四重奏) (2022). The compositional background, the relevant introduction about Chinese culture, the manner in which the composer combined this with Western compositional techniques, and comprehensive performance advice of each piece are provided.

Award winning composer Kevin Walczyk's describes himself as a "musical storyteller," using all musical elements of structure, melody, harmony, and counterpoint to convey programmatic content. A variety of subjects are conveyed that include historical events, people, physical objects or locations, and literary texts. Deeper matters, such as spiritual themes, are also often incorporated in his music that enhance the musical program. The technical procedures employed—pertaining particularly to the expression of programmatic content—has produced a unique musical language that stands out in the modern compositional landscape. What are these inherent idiomatic features, and how are they exhibited? The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a detailed examination of Walczyk's distinct musical language. A critical analysis of the technical procedures used to convey his programmatic content, as well as insights into his influences and writing process, illuminate the attributes of this a posteriori musical language. The two works selected for this study to demonstrate this are Symphony No. 2: Epitaphs Unwritten and Talking Winds, both written for wind band.

Quan Ji-Hao is a Chinese contemporary composer who has created significant musical works of different genres. His work includes symphonies, chamber music, and piano pieces. His style combines Chinese ethnic music with Western composition techniques, with unique results. This thesis aims to give a pedagogical perspective by analyzing the musical and technical challenges of Quan Ji-Hao's piano suite Long and Short (1984), offering a practical practice method and introducing the fusion of Eastern and Western musical elements. This piece offers pianists an opportunity to explore diverse cultures and deepen musical understanding. Chapter 2 provides a brief biography of the composer, his music style, and the origin of the title of the piano suite Long and Short (1984). Chapter 3 offers a structural analysis of the suite to give an overall impression to the reader. Chapter 4 explains the musical challenges of contemporary harmonies in this suite, comparing them to similar ideas in works of Western composers and offering suggestions for teaching them. Chapter 5 analyses the technical challenges in the work as well as offering teaching suggestions. Chapter 6 includes practice methods to improve accuracy in performance and maintain a stable tempo.

The purpose of this dissertation is to introduce Violin Concerto No. 2, "Scherben der Stille" (2021) by Unsuk Chin (b. 1961), a South Korean composer based in Berlin. This violin concerto creates a sonic drama. The sound material of this work resembles a "shard," as the subtitle of the work suggests: Shards of Silence. Through this work, Chin shows how music can deliver her dreams and fantasies through unconventional use of instruments and sounds. The dissertation includes a brief biography, observations on the composer's significant works and compositional style, and an overview and analysis of the work. Despite the increasing popularity of Violin Concerto No. 2, the piece has never gained scholarly attention. This writing should also contribute to the available sources about the composer Unsuk Chin and to the study of complex contemporary music that may seem resistant to formal analysis by analyzing its constituent fragments.

Despite its relatively short history, classical singing training in South Korean music colleges has shown quantitative and qualitative growth. Korean undergraduate voice programs have been graduating an abundance of eminent singers who are achieving success in the global music world. The purpose of this research is to examine the evolution of Western classical voice programs in South Korean undergraduate music institutions. By analyzing the strengths and challenges of their voice curricula, comparing them with leading music colleges and universities in the United States, this document will offer suggestions for curricular changes which will train excellent singers while offering practical courses that encourage other career opportunities that will support their long-term financial security.

This dissertation provides a performance guide of Códigos Secretos for flute and electroacoustic sounds (2004) written by Gabriela Ortiz and commissioned by Mexican flutist Alejandro Escuer. Ortiz's compositional language reflects the influence of her teachers in Mexico and London, and the exposure to the evolving musical landscape during her formative years. Her decision to explore the electroacoustic realm stemmed from her fascination with the unlimited possibilities offered by working with a variety of acoustic sources and technological equipment that allowed her to experiment with different musical ideas, compositional processes and unique soundscapes. Códigos Secretos presents various challenges due to the absence of a preface or guide and several elements that may be unfamiliar to flutists, making it challenging or inaccessible to understand and perform the piece. The performance guide includes detailed explanations of the flute and computer scores, addresses discrepancies between different versions of the piece, and provides guidance on improvisatory sections and the execution of extended techniques. These elements enhance the performer's understanding of the piece and facilitate effective engagement and synchronization with the computer, enabling an artistic performance. The purpose of this dissertation is to inform performers and researchers about Gabriela Ortiz's compositional language, raise awareness about the diversity of Mexican music, and bring Ortiz's compositions to a broader audience, making her works more accessible.