▼ William "Bill" Russell (1905-1992) is relatively unknown as a composer of Percussion music, but his oeuvre of eight pieces for percussion ensembles was at the forefront of the avant-garde music movement in the United States of America during the 1930’s. Russell’s works represent the essence of the American Experimental Tradition, a tradition that embraced, furthered, and celebrated the liberation of sound in the early 20th century. In addition, his works represent one of the first true manifestations of a pan-cultural music. Although championed by other well-known modernists, most notably John Cage and Lou Harrison respectively, Russell’s compositions continue to languish in obscurity. The occasional scholarship that makes mention of Russell’s works has been limited to brief introductory comments on their contents. The intention of this study is to present a performer’s/conductor’s guide for performance, while addressing Russell’s compositions within an appropriate historical context as they relate to the evolution of the percussion genre. This document provides a depository of Russell’s personal notes on his compositions, personal correspondence, and excerpts from all of his manuscripts—both original and revised scores. Advisors/Committee Members: Otte, Allen.

▼ The history of purely American musical traditions—those not influenced by European ideals—has been largely unexplored by composers. One of the few composers to have created a new music in the search for a uniquely American identity is Peter Garland. Unlike the Euro- centric approach of George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, or William Grant Still, Garland attempts to create an American identity in music by utilizing the actual resonances—both physical and psychological—of indigenous cultures. The intent of this document is to shed light on Native American influences in the percussion music of Peter Garland and their realization through the most conscientious and sympathetic of performance practices. Three of Garland’s compositions will be analyzed in relation to their abstracted resonances and indigenous percussive influences: Three Songs of Mad Coyote (1973), Hummingbird Songs (1974–6), and Nana and Victorio (1991). Performance practice in Garland’s music is drastically enhanced by an examination and knowledge of the indigenous music and resulting sound universe from which he draws inspiration. In many cases, instruments must be fashioned or found that have the same or similar resonances as the indigenous instruments. Performance practice issues to be addressed include instrument building and selection, choreography and set-up, and acceptable variations in performance strategies or instrument substitutions. Advisors/Committee Members: Otte, Allen.

▼ Although the significance of her achievements has not yet been widely recognized by the musical establishment, the music and aesthetic philosophies of Lucia Dlugoszewski (1931-2000) distinguish her as one of the most original and creative American composers of the twentieth century. Drawing comparisons to Henry Cowell, John Cage, Harry Partch, and her teacher – Edgard Varèse, her music encapsulates the philosophies and developments for which these composers are best known. Her invention of the “timbre piano” in 1951 advanced with greater sophistication the sonic expansions of the piano that were first explored by Cowell and Cage; this and her invention of an orchestra of one hundred new percussion instruments allowed the creation of a highly idiosyncratic music structured primarily on timbral and dynamic contrasts. Collaborating throughout her career with noted choreographer Erick Hawkins, Dlugoszewski sought to create a new mode of artistic expression that was heavily based on the concepts of sensual realism, “Suchness” and “Otherness” (as found in Zen Buddhism and haiku poetry), and other abstract philosophical doctrines in the pursuit of the dialectic compatibility of sound, movement, and theatre; further collaborations with film makers, painters, poets, and the notoriously provocative dramatic company, The Living Theatre, established a deep and profound influence on the whole of the New York avant-garde. Despite her imaginative and unique contributions to experimental music, Dlugoszewski’s professional choices, gender, and her rejection of contemporary trends in modern music (e.g. serial methods, chance operations) largely sheltered her from the attention of the mainstream musical community, and this research represents the first substantial scholarship on her life and music. With a thorough review of available information and the cooperation of performers who knew her as a colleague and friend, this document will provide a complete biographical history, an exploration of her philosophical and aesthetic principles, and the first detailed examination of her invented percussion instruments. Advisors/Committee Members: Otte, Allen.