The creative process of an artistic work is a space, figuratively, in which every facet of our personal lives has an effect and, in turn, can be explored and altered. One of the most fundamental aspects of life, be it human or not, is the way in which one relates...
Since Ottorino Respighi included the recording of a nightingale in his Pini di Roma (1924), composers have used prerecorded nature sounds, or field recordings, to help establish a specific sense of place. The purpose of this project is to examine how modern composers utilize field recordings to create natural-world settings,...
The primary purpose of this study was to describe what comprises an undergraduate compositional identity. Building upon recent research investigating musical identities with a social psychological framework (Macdonald, Hargreaves, & Miell, 2002), I examined the confluence of socially based experiences that shaped four undergraduate composers' lives. Specifically, this study investigated...
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of applied improvisation and composition assignments that were related to and reinforcing of curriculum content on fifth-grade students' ability to sight-read traditional music notation, ability to learn to play the soprano recorder, and understanding of music theory. Specifically, the research...
Characterization is the musical creation of fictional characters, and it is particularly important for creating multi-dimensional, nuanced characters in opera. However, how do composers characterize roles if the opera does not feature a traditionally linear plot or story? Does opera need a narrative to create characterization? Some may view narrative...