Doctor of Musical Arts, The Ohio State University, 2004, Music

The issue of literature selection for performing ensembles is of criticalimportance for band directors in the schools with many authorities agreeing that the repertoire chosen for study is the curriculum for these classes. Preservice professionals and less experienced directors of wind bands may lack skills for determining the quality of materials chosen for study, as well as knowledge of standard literature for these ensembles. For this study, a survey group of collegiate directors of bands was selected on the basis of their expertise in wind literature. Most other studies on repertoire for wind bands have employed random selection methods to choose survey respondents. These selected participants were asked to respond to a survey concerning standard literature for band and the criteria for identifying quality in band literature. They were also asked to nominate high school band directors whose opinions they respect on the topic of repertoire selection. These recommended directors were asked to complete a similar survey. The survey respondents included 83 directors from both the collegiate and high school levels who teach in all six regions of the College Band Directors National Association. The respondents exhibited a wealth of experience in the field with most indicating that they had twelve or more years of teaching experience. The ultimate goal of the project was to construct a syllabus for a course in wind literature that would include the results of this research. The course builds upon the concerns expressed and recommendations derived from the review of literature, as well as the recommendations of the survey respondents. The survey identified 24 grade III-VI works from the standard literature of the wind band that through study and analysis would provide insight for determining criteria of quality in wind literature. In addition, a list of criteria for determining quality in music was substantiated for use as a catalyst for discussion in the class and to se (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Russel Mikkelson (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Music (MM), Bowling Green State University, 2020, Music Composition

Scherzo is a non-programmatic work that develops two main themes. The overall character of the piece is that of a quirky march, with abrupt skips or elongations that keep the theme from settling into predictability. Scherzo consists of three main sections in ABA form. The two A sections are comprised of the scherzo material that gives the piece its name. This theme cycles through variations of orchestration, rhythm, key, accompaniment, and other musical characteristics. The B section contains contrasting material in a much slower tempo. The B theme is lyrical and expressive, with less of the quirky and abrupt character of the A material. The harmonic language in Scherzo is mainly triadic but not functionally tonal. In the A section, various chord extensions and color tones plus an emphasis on the tritone are explored. The B section follows a more typical chord progression as fits its lyrical nature. Rhythmically, Scherzo has a constant pulse like a march, which is continuously interrupted and evaded to contribute to the playfulness of the A sections. Importantly, I drew upon my experience being a member of concert bands for twelve years. My aim is that the piece fit within the performance capabilities (Grade V) of an average collegiate, or very good high school, concert band. Composers who influenced Scherzo include David Maslanka, Igor Stravinsky, Vincent Persichetti, and Paul Hindemith. Among Maslanka's band works, A Child's Garden of Dreams and The Unending Stream of Life have been particularly influential, and I look to his works as ways to develop material in new and interesting ways within an audience-accessible idiom. Hindemith's and Persichetti's band pieces, Konzert fur Blasorchester and Symphony for Band, respectively, were also influential. I tried to emulate their Neo-Classical elements, including their harmonic language and developmental techniques. Several works by Stravinsky provided direct inspiration, especially those that match the whimsical (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christopher Dietz Dr. (Advisor); Elainie Lillios Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Music

PHD, Kent State University, 2017, College of the Arts / School of Music, Hugh A. Glauser

Sight reading is the ability to read and perform music at first sight without preparatory study of the pieces. Each year, high school large group instrumental and choral adjudicated events occur throughout the United States. Evaluation in sight reading is a part of these events in some states, however, the results of the nationwide sight-reading overview by Paul (2010) show fewer than half of the state-sponsored music contests require assessment in sight reading. The purpose of this study was to investigate the state of sight reading in band performance evaluations and classrooms across the nation. This study in sight reading sought to identify baseline knowledge, which explored the traditions and procedures, attitudes of directors, and event experiences in high school large group band performance evaluations. This research specifically focused on large ensemble, band sight reading in both the rehearsal and adjudicated performance room. A mixed methods approach was used, which allowed the strengths of both qualitative and quantitative paradigms to emerge. Utilizing portions of both models aided in the discovery of answers to the research questions in this study. Initially, data regarding sight-reading procedures at large group sight-reading evaluations was gathered from each state. Next, responses to a survey were collected from band directors across the United States. Feedback in the areas of sight-reading participation, director training, student preparation, and director attitude toward adjudication in sight reading was given. Finally, participants were selected for a more in-depth interview. The line of questioning involved a more focused look at their attitudes and experiences surrounding sight-reading adjudication. Results from this study have yielded information that can potentially impact teacher training, professional development, and the organization of the sight-reading adjudication system. The Sight Reading Instruction Training Attitude Survey (SR (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Craig Resta (Advisor) Subjects: Music; Music Education

Master of Music (MM), Ohio University, 2015, Music Composition (Fine Arts)

Pandora is a composition for wind symphony based upon the Greek mythological character, Pandora. In the myth, she is responsible for bringing misery into the world by opening a mysterious wedding gift with the phrase, “do not open” inscribed on it. The composition features elements of a battle between temptation, represented through a demonic fanfare, and willpower, represented through modal lush choral interludes. The choral interludes become overtaken by the dissonant growth of the wind symphony until controlled chaos is released through an explosion of sound. All that remains is a solemn recapitulation of previous themes of the choral interlude.

Committee: Mark Phillips Dr. (Advisor) Subjects: Composition

PHD, Kent State University, 2014, College of the Arts / School of Music, Hugh A. Glauser

Directors of school concert bands continue to program new and emergent works alongside pieces considered to be part of the core and traditional repertoire. The purpose of this dissertation was to discover what criteria directors consider important in their review of new and emergent concert band works for use in rehearsal and performance. A secondary objective examined if director experience and educational background influenced the evaluation of this music used in high school instrumental settings. In order to evaluate this recent repertoire, the Concert Band Repertoire Evaluation Criteria (CBREC) was developed by the researcher, and reviewed by a panel of collegiate directors. The review of the CBREC revealed it to be a reliable tool for the purposes of the study. An independent panel of experts in concert band repertoire selected three works to be reviewed by participants. Invited participants comprised band directors who hold membership in an international band fraternity. The teaching responsibilities of these directors included conducting concert bands at American senior high schools. Participant directors rated each work using the CBREC after viewing an image of the music score and listening to an audio recording of the piece. The participant directors had the option of rating their familiarity with each piece used and answering three open-ended questions regarding repertoire selection. Data collected from the participants indicated favorable mean ratings for the works used in the study. When the participant data were analyzed in sub-groups, several statistically significant findings were reported. Sub-groups including older directors, directors teaching only one ensemble, and directors who answered open-ended questions in the study demonstrated more stability in their ratings of the repertoire used in the study than did younger directors, directors teaching multiple ensembles, and directors who did not respond to open-ended questions. Results suggest (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Craig Resta Dr. (Advisor) Subjects: Music; Music Education

DMA, University of Cincinnati, 2001, College-Conservatory of Music : Conducting, Wind Emphasis

The purpose of this analytical study was to identify the underlying rehearsal philosophies of selected wind band conductors and determine what procedures are employed to reinforce stated philosophical beliefs. Six case study conductors, three each representing public school and postsecondary school respectively, were selected on the basis of their outstanding record of achievement, historically strong programs, and excellent reputations within the profession. One major focus of this study was to determine what makes the rehearsal effective, both in terms of achieving its musical goals, and in its satisfaction for all involved as a meaningful musical experience. A second focus was to develop a thorough analysis of various rehearsal activities in order to create a framework for discussion while comparing the philosophical and procedural approaches used in conducting situations found at different player experience levels. Two key aspects of the rehearsal were examined: the conductor's philosophy, which governs the rehearsal, and the rehearsal procedures, which in a broader sense are the activities employed in support of the conductor's philosophy. Data gathered were initiated by a conductor identification survey which was distributed to three groups of wind band conductors. Upon selection, each conductor was presented with a formal invitation to participate in the project. Each case study solicited a continuous, non-edited videotape recording of a typical rehearsal followed by a conductor questionnaire, which was designed to address issues of rehearsal philosophy, procedural proaches and rehearsal effectiveness. The main vehicle for data collection was the development of a procedural catalogue which included descriptive information and a thorough listing of all rehearsal activity such as procedures, rehearsal segments, and each instructional comment given by the conductor. For the purpose of the study, the term "procedure" was used to describe any particular activity w (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rodney Winther (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Music; Music

DMA, University of Cincinnati, 2011, College-Conservatory of Music: Composition

In many ways, the Concerto for Piano and Wind Ensemble reflects my experiences at the University of Cincinnati. Composed mainly during the first four months of 2011, and originally intended as a summary of the various compositional techniques honed during my doctoral studies, the work also gained a programmatic element, seemingly without any conscious effort on my part. Although the concerto is in one continuous movement, it is divided into three main sections, each alluding to my state of mind during my three years as a full-time student at UC. Approximately 27 minutes in duration, this is my largest composition so far.

Committee: Joel Hoffman DMA (Committee Chair); Douglas Knehans DMA (Committee Member); Mike Fiday PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Music

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2010, Music

From humble beginnings, the concert wind bands at The Ohio State University developed from a utilitarian campus group to a nationally recognized program, serving the artistic, educational, and aesthetic needs of the students for whom it exists. From an educational standpoint, the Ohio State band program is not alone in this development. Across the country, similar wind groups began as makeshift military bands, fashioned loosely in the style of traveling professional groups from the early twentieth century. As these bands became established campus ensembles, eventually serving the academic needs of music departments and schools, directors began to selectively model their programs on the philosophical and educational trends of the day. Reflective of the national progression of the wind band movement, the Ohio State band directors demonstrated a desire to perform original and often contemporary literature, to replicate the instrumentation of other leading university band programs, and to seek performance opportunities that would bring recognition to the ensemble and attract talented prospective students. As opportunities and resources grew for band directors at Ohio State, value-based decisions were made, which resulted from the directors' own philosophical views on performance and education, limited only by the support and funding provided by campus administrators. By the 1960s, wind band advocates could no longer claim a professional disadvantage based on the limitations of repertoire or the curricular acceptance of bands at the post-secondary level. Rather, directors had to choose the path that their programs would take, determining the best balance for their institution, drawing from campus traditions and contemporary methodologies endorsed by leading professionals in their field. During this time at Ohio State, as well as at other institutions, long-established directors would build reputations of excellence and expectations of tradition with their band that wou (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Daryl Kinney PhD (Advisor); Patricia Flowers PhD (Committee Member); Russel Mikkelson PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education History; Music; Music Education; Performing Arts

Master of Music (MM), Bowling Green State University, 2011, Music Composition

SWAT is a seven-minute work for symphonic band. The instrumentation follows the standard symphonic band arrangement, featuring multiple performers per wind part, as well as piano, timpani, and four percussion parts. As the title suggests, SWAT is influenced by my own experience with a SWAT (special weapons and tactics) team raid in the Fall of 2009. The composition follows the general chronological order of events of the raid, featuring the progression from sleep, waking, the raid itself, and finally to the period of reflection and post-event trauma. Furthermore, the music motivically, texturally, rhythmically, and instrumentally reflects the intense physical, mental, and emotional stress of the actual event. As mentioned above, the formal structure of SWAT is loosely influenced by the progression of events that transpired the night of the SWAT team raid. In this respect, the piece unfolds as a three-part form based on the following distinct events from the raid: the period of sleep prior to the raid (Section A), the time in which the SWAT team searched the residence (Section B), and finally the traumatic reflection after the event (Section C). While the inspiration for this structure is narrative in nature the composition itself is not strictly programmatic, but instead features loose musical portraits of each of these events. With this in mind, the intent of SWAT is not to retell the story of the raid, but rather to musically portray the extreme psychological impact of the experience. The harmonic language of SWAT is based on a nine-note set (9-4 [012345789]) derived from an extended tertian sonority that forms the foundation of the pitch-material for the piece. Different subsets of this original set are explored throughout the work, forming an ever-changing yet structurally cohesive harmonic surface. In terms of macro-structure, the original set (T0) is used throughout Section A, the tritone transposition (T6) is used throughout Section B, and their combinatio (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Elainie Lillios DMA (Advisor); Mikel Kuehn PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Music

Bachelor of Music Education, Wittenberg University, 2020, Music

In musical interpretation and the conveyance of performance aspects, instrumental conductors play a fundamental role. Particularly during rehearsal, the conductor is tasked with identifying ensemble errors and unifying the ensemble. While research exists on the generalized rehearsal, little has been done on the actions and techniques the conductor utilizes while the group is playing. Through a survey of 41 questions distributed to various conductors and instrumental players across Ohio, participants were asked to identify which actions were used by their conductor, how often they were used, and how effective they felt the actions were to the performance and improvement of their group. Such actions include modeling by playing an instrument, giving cues during group playing, showing dynamics with pattern size, mirroring, refraining from conducting, and various others. The study breaks down each action and discusses their effectiveness based on the survey results to identify best practices when conducting a group ensemble.

Committee: Brandon Jones (Advisor); Erik Zinter (Committee Member); Erin Hill (Committee Member) Subjects: Music; Music Education

Master of Music, The Ohio State University, 2009, Music

Rhapsody for Flute and Wind Ensemble was written from January until April of 2009. The piece took life as my Masters Thesis, a piece I was required to compose by law of The Ohio State School of Music. Over the beginning few weeks into the compositional process, I wrote various sketches and themes, hoping to find in the air enough material to compose a 10-15 minute work. In addition to being a student at OSU, I am also a Graduate Assistant in the auditorium recording studios where I work with Omar Fadul. While at work, we frequently, constantly discuss music. I mentioned during one of our conversations that I was beginning my masters thesis and Mr. Fadul said, “write a piece for me?” Knowing the talent Omar possesses, I simply said, “definitely!” Rhapsody is an 11-minute work inspired by the late-romantics of Western Europe and the beautiful, simple tone of the flute. I cannot listen to a flute without it conjuring up feelings of romanticism, and I hope while you listen to Rhapsody, you too feel its romanticism.

Committee: Thomas Wells Dr. (Advisor); Jan Radzynski Dr. (Committee Member); Richard Blatti (Committee Member) Subjects: Composition; Literature; Music; Music Education; Psychotherapy; Religion; Wood

Doctor of Musical Arts, The Ohio State University, 2005, Music

Conductor, performer, and educator Dr. Donald E. McGinnis (b. 1917), directed The Ohio State University Concert Band from 1952 to 1979, played principal clarinet and flute in the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and was recognized as a distinguished educator by numerous musical organizations. A native of Barberton, Ohio, McGinnis graduated from Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he studied clarinet with George Waln. He received a Masters of Arts and PhD from the University of Iowa, studying clarinet with Himie Voxman. Flute studies included lessons with Robert Cavally and Maurice Sharp. McGinnis began his career at The Ohio State University in 1941 as Assistant Director of the Concert Band under Manley Whitcomb. He was appointed conductor of the Concert Band in 1952 and developed the program into one of the most recognized bands in the country. He gained prominence as a conductor and was elected to The American Bandmasters Association in 1956. McGinnis served as President in 1978, and was granted Honorary Life Membership in 1999. An accomplished clarinetist and flutist, McGinnis developed a reputation as a woodwind authority, and was a clinician and recording artist for the Selmer Company for thirty years. Considerable research for this document was obtained through oral interviews with McGinnis. Thirty-five colleagues and students of McGinnis contributed to this document through personal interviews and questionnaires. Other research materials were available through McGinnis' personal collection of concert programs and artifacts, The Ohio State University Archives, The Oberlin Archives, The Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and The Ohio State University School of Music. In addition to a complete chronological study of McGinnis' professional activities, pedagogy and philosophies, this document presents an extensive repertoire list from The Ohio State University Concert Band, recording lists, instrumentation information, and pedagogical materials used in clinics and in the cl (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Katherine Jones (Advisor) Subjects: Music

Master of Music (MM), Bowling Green State University, 2008, Music Composition

Reflections of Florence is a composition for concert band in four movements, each representing a musical snapshot of the European city. The first and last movements are scored for full ensemble, while the middle two are scored for woodwinds/ percussion and brass/ percussion, respectively. The first movement depicts the glory of the sunrise over the surrounding Tuscan mountains in an aleatoric musical picture. The harmonic material is based on a synthetic scale derived from the opening pitches of the movement and eventually develops into carefully orchestrated tone clusters. Single pitches pass through the ensemble and create a gradual timbre shift which serves as the directive force for the movement. The second movement reflects the history of the city and looks back to the Renaissance. Entitled Visin, Visin, Visin (15th century, Song of the Chimney Sweeps), it is based on a popular tune that was sung in the streets during Florence's festival season. The contemporary setting presents musical imagery, such as alternating triplet figures to represent the Arno River; the song is finally heard in its entirety at the end of the movement. The third movement departs from the strong modal tonality set forth in the preceding movement and focuses again on shifting colors and timbres rather than strict melody. Based on a whole tone scale, the first section uses sweeping motions orchestrated throughout the entire range of the brass ensemble to represent the massive cathedral which dominates the skyline of the city. The second section moves into a distinct tonal center and is minimalistic in style. The final section of the piece combines aspects from the previous three movements. The music acts as a representation of the festive spirit of Florence and utilizes harmonic and melodic elements that are rooted in gestures from the earlier music. Though alterations in orchestration and context occur, several aleatoric textures return to bring the entire piece to a close.

Committee: Marilyn Shrude (Advisor); Kenneth Thompson (Committee Member) Subjects: Composition; Music