▼ This thesis was written in preparation for a lecture recital of George Rochberg’s 1973 composition for solo harp, Ukiyo-e (Pictures of the Floating World). Research was conducted in three streams: a study of the historical context in which the work was composed, an original structural analysis of the composition, and an exploration of the composition’s relationship with the ukiyo-e Japanese art genre. Research of the historical context considered both George Rochberg’s life and writings, drawing from both primary and secondary sources to discern the effect his life’s events had on this particular composition. Particular attention is paid to Rochberg’s reaction to the 1964 death of his son and his subsequent rejection of serialism in favor of his self-coined “new romanticism.” The structural analysis is two-fold: A timbral motivic analysis reveals a three-part structure organized by a recurring timbral motive, while analysis of the pitch organization reveals a binary structure based on two pitch collections, an octatonic collection and a heptatonic non-diatonic mode. As very little research on this composition exists, this thesis poses a great deal of significance for both harpists and music theorists. Advisors/Committee Members: Boge, Claire.

▼ Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) was an early Twentieth Century, British composer, whose talent is most notable in the realm of art song. Seeing as his works so perfectly suit my voice, I have decided to sing a song set of his on my senior recital, entitled Till Earth Outwears, Op. 19a. Through research, I wish to better inform my performance, and the future ones of others, by better acquainting myself with his life and compositional techniques, most assuredly shaped by what has always been a very distinct British aesthetic. His models and colleagues, including composers like Ralph Vaughan Williams, Roger Quilter, and John Ireland, reinvigorated the English musical culture and elevated the British standing on the world music scene at the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth century. By studying this music in such minute detail, the proper method of performance can be decided and musical decisions will be better informed. Issues like breathing, phrasing, and tempo fluctuations or rubato can be addressed. I wish to expand the knowledge of the art song of Gerald Finzi, which, while not unknown, is markedly seldom performed. It is a perplexing reality considering the abundant amount pieces he wrote for male voice. His works, until only recently, have been ignored as unchallenging or pedestrian; this is an assertion that I intend to prove entirely incorrect. By studying this set, his musical and textual influences (most notably Thomas Hardy) and his life, I can be more certain of the world in which his music was written and the message he meant to convey – one I naturally wish to honor. Advisors/Committee Members: Smolder, Benjamin.

▼ Music is a vital part of every person’s overall education. It is an excellent tool for the development of creativity, imagination, expression, sensitivity, and self-understanding. Using multiple learning styles, including aural, visual, and kinesthetic learning, music creates the opportunity for students to experience visible success and achievement. Music exists in a wide variety of styles and forms, from simple American children’s songs or folk songs from other countries to jazz, rock, or classical symphonies. The ability to create and appreciate all music types enriches students by giving them musical tools and ideas they can use to interpret and interact with life. Indeed, every child has a right to a musical education. Music also reinforces key concepts that are applied in other disciplines throughout everyday life, including cognitive skills, discipline, focus, cooperation, and teamwork. Even more, music reflects history and culture in a unique perspective. The Jefferson Academy of Music has based this curriculum on the National Standards for Arts Education developed by the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations in 1994. The lesson plans included are samples, and may be revised as the instructor sees fit, especially after they are tried in an actual classroom setting. Advisors/Committee Members: Edwards, Kay.

▼ This thesis will focus on Henry James's explorations into the ghostly, and on the stylistic traits which set his stories apart from other well-known pieces of American supernatural fiction. There are two halves to the thesis: first, I will show that experience is recreated for the reader, passed on intact and unsorted. Second, I will demonstrate that the supernatural is depicted in a positive light in many of these stories, and discovery is closely linked to desire. In the conclusion, I will make the case that the majority of these stories embrace the supernatural rather than presenting it as something to be dreaded. Advisors/Committee Members: Krafft, John M.