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- All Subjects: Music
- Creators: Gardner, Joshua
Description
The primary objective of this research project is to expand the clarinet repertoire with the addition of four new pieces. Each of these new pieces use contemporary clarinet techniques, including electronics, prerecorded sounds, multiphonics, circular breathing, multiple articulation, demi-clarinet, and the clari-flute. The repertoire composed includes Grant Jahn’s Duo for Two Clarinets, Reggie Berg’s Funkalicious for Clarinet and Piano, Rusty Banks’ Star Juice for Clarinet and Fixed Media, and Chris Malloy’s A Celestial Breath for Clarinet and Electronics. In addition to the musical commissions, this project also includes interviews with the composers indicating how they wrote these works and what their influences were, along with any information pertinent to the performer, professional recordings of each piece, as well as performance notes and suggestions.
ContributorsCase-Ruchala, Celeste Ann (Contributor) / Gardner, Joshua (Thesis advisor) / Spring, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Hill, Gary (Committee member) / Rogers, Rodney (Committee member) / Schuring, Martin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
The dearth of young bassoonists in America can be felt at every level of expertise, whether it be at professional levels where there are fewer qualified bassoonists compared to other woodwinds, or in local communities where interested pupils cannot find a teacher to guide them. In order to alleviate this scarcity, we must solve the problem at its root: young bassoonists. There have been many attempts to provide better instructional material for beginner-level bassoonists and to produce better reeds to entice more students to study the bassoon and to sustain their playing beyond the first few years. These attempts, however, fail to address another critical issue: the cost and availability of the bassoon itself.
Most bassoonists in America begin their journey in public school; however, many school music programs cannot afford to purchase bassoons due to their cost. To combat this obstacle, Fox Products produced their first bassoon made of polypropylene—a synthetic material—in 1961 at a relatively low price point. This is an innovation that no other bassoon manufacturer has accomplished. An analysis of sales numbers from major instrument suppliers indicate that these bassoons have been very successful. Their availability has allowed schools to purchase instruments to educate more young bassoonists and, as a result, participant numbers of students in Texas (where public music programs are known for their strength) competing at regional and state competitions have increased over the past fifty years. Fox, through their focus on affordable student bassoons, is revitalizing young students’ interest in playing the bassoon and thus is a major factor in the reversal of the decline of bassoonists in America.
Most bassoonists in America begin their journey in public school; however, many school music programs cannot afford to purchase bassoons due to their cost. To combat this obstacle, Fox Products produced their first bassoon made of polypropylene—a synthetic material—in 1961 at a relatively low price point. This is an innovation that no other bassoon manufacturer has accomplished. An analysis of sales numbers from major instrument suppliers indicate that these bassoons have been very successful. Their availability has allowed schools to purchase instruments to educate more young bassoonists and, as a result, participant numbers of students in Texas (where public music programs are known for their strength) competing at regional and state competitions have increased over the past fifty years. Fox, through their focus on affordable student bassoons, is revitalizing young students’ interest in playing the bassoon and thus is a major factor in the reversal of the decline of bassoonists in America.
ContributorsTran, Toan (Author) / Micklich, Albie (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua (Committee member) / Carpenter, Ellon (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
For my honors thesis, I chose a creative project that would incorporate expertise and skills from both of my undergraduate degrees at Arizona State University: Music Performance and Music Theory and Composition. The main goal for this project was to design and experience an artistic process of musical production and create a professional musical work to release on digital platforms. The musical process included five main components: Listening, Transcribing, Composing, Recording, and Post Production. The final product is a full album, titled This is Jam Music, that consists of eight pieces and a run time of 33 minutes.
ContributorsArora, Vashawn Michael (Author) / Gardner, Joshua (Thesis director) / Knowles, Kristina (Thesis director) / Libman, Jeffrey (Committee member) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor, Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
This project features three new pieces for oboe commissioned from three different composers. Each piece explores styles and/or instrumentations that are less common in the current body of repertoire. These pieces are Scenes for Charlie by Bryan Kennard, Love’s Last Gift by Thomas Juneau, and But Joy Comes in the Morning by William Brusick. A performance guide has been included for each piece, providing tips and suggestions for musicians wanting to perform these pieces in the future. In addition to the performance guide, each composer answered a list of interview questions to provide background information and give insight into their compositional process. Accompanying this document are recordings performed by the author.
ContributorsSummers, Season (Author) / Schuring, Martin (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua (Committee member) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
Clarinet articulation is a process that uses the tongue to create an interruption in sound production either by contacting the reed or disrupting the air stream. This process occurs inside the mouth and is hidden from direct view. As a result, various solutions were developed in clarinet pedagogy to address the issue of teaching with no visual feedback. Clarinet pedagogy literature consists of language that makes it possible for other clarinetists to discuss, teach, and research various aspects of clarinet playing. The interdisciplinary application of theoretical concepts in linguistics and how they map onto the language of clarinet pedagogy offers a new perspective for understanding the teaching methods used for articulation. To provide insight into the relationship of language and clarinet pedagogy, an overview of several linguistic theories and concepts, such as Peircean semiotics, metalanguages, discursive strategies, and articulatory phonetics, is presented. Additionally, a brief explanation of articulation techniques (single, multiple, flutter, and slap articulation) and commonly used teaching strategies is outlined. The language used in clarinet pedagogy literature from resources by prominent clarinet pedagogues, such as the works of John Anderson, Joshua Gardner, Michèle Gingras, Eric C. Hansen, Howard Klug, Phillip Rehfeldt, Thomas Ridenour, Heather Roche, Robert Spring, and Rachel Yoder, is surveyed. Pedagogical insights from a linguistic analysis are used to create resources for teaching and/or correcting articulation. Since the interdisciplinary application of linguistics and clarinet pedagogy is an underexplored topic, this research also aims to serve as a basis for further interdisciplinary studies.
Contributorsde Alba, Francisco Javier (Author) / Spring, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua (Thesis advisor) / Fossum, Dave (Committee member) / Caslor, Jason (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
This document explores the presence of stereotype threat among college students training for careers in music. Beginning in the 1990s, an effort led by Claude M. Steele (social psychologist and professor emeritus at Stanford University) identified stereotype threat as an attribute to the underperformance of minority groups. Continued research has mainly focused on stereotype threat within the following contexts: female performance within science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) fields, African American performance on standardized tests, and European American performance in athletics. This document contains two pilot studies that strive to apply current stereotype threat research to the field of music education and music performance in order to ask the following questions: Does stereotype threat impact the education of underrepresented collegiate music students? Does stereotype threat heighten gender awareness of musicians when they enter the typical auditioning environment? The two pilot studies consist of the following: (1) a survey intended to analyze the possible impact of stereotype threat on music students’ interaction with their colleagues and music instructors and (2) a quantitative study that explores the presence of stereotype threat (among musicians) through the use of a word-fragment completion task administered immediately before a mock audition.
ContributorsLloyd, Abby Lynn (Author) / Spring, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua (Thesis advisor) / Hill, Gary (Committee member) / Schmelz, Peter (Committee member) / Sullivan, Jill (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
The versatility of the bassoon has always been a signature trait, noticeable both inthe diversity of canonic works conceived for the instrument and in transcriptions. While
Russian composer and pianist, Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953), is well-known for his
orchestral and piano compositions, outside from moments in his compositions for
orchestra, most woodwind musicians have been unable to experience his solo repertoire
and writing style. Prokofiev did not write any solo compositions for the bassoon. In fact,
his only solo work for woodwinds is his Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 94. The purpose
of this project is to transcribe Prokofiev’s Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 94 for bassoon
and piano as an addition to the bassoon solo literature. The project begins with an
historical overview of both composer and composition, then turns into a description of
the rationale and process of transcription, followed by the transcription for bassoon and
piano itself as well as a complete recording.
ContributorsJin, Leon (Author) / Micklich, Albie (Thesis advisor) / Schmelz, Peter (Committee member) / Gardner, Joshua (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
For this project, I commissioned and recorded five new works for contrabassclarinet from five different composers. Composition parameters were given to each
composer before they started writing which detailed what needed to be included in each
work. Four of the composers were asked to utilize a single, difficult aspect of playing the
instrument, which included intonation, low note technique and response, phrasing, and
articulation. For the fifth work, the composer was asked to incorporate all parameters of
the project. Because of the differences between contrabass clarinet designs, I recorded
each work three times using the Leblanc Vito, Leblanc “Paperclip”, and Selmer Model 41
contrabass clarinets to demonstrate that the works were adaptable and playable. In this
paper, I will outline the parameters of the project, describe the instruments used for
recording and provide a performance guide for each work. It is my hope that these works
will provide an enjoyable way for future contrabass clarinetists to become more
proficient performers of the instrument.
ContributorsFullerton, Kimberly Irene (Author) / Spring, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua (Thesis advisor) / Micklich, Albie (Committee member) / Wells, Christi Jay (Committee member) / Watts, Sarah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
ABSTRACT
This project features five new pieces for clarinet commissioned from three different composers including:
1. Rasa by Jeffrey Ouper
2. Faerie Tale Dances by Jeffrey Ouper
3. Amalgamated Widget by Tavia Sullens
4. Faerie Suite by Theresa Martin
5. Time Lapse by Theresa Martin
Faerie Suite and Amalgamated Widget are for unaccompanied clarinet; Time Lapse is a trio for clarinet, bass clarinet, and piano; Faerie Tale Dances is a trio for E-flat clarinet, sopranino recorder, and toy piano; and Rasa is a quartet for E-flat clarinet, two A clarinets, and bass clarinet. These pieces challenge the performer in various ways, including complex rhythm, use of extended techniques such as glissando, flutter tongue, and circular breathing, and synthetic and non-traditional scales. The composers were given guidelines prior to the compositional process to create works with a thematic connection to mythology, folklore, or fairy tales, and inspired by dance and non-western or traditional harmonies and idioms. This document offers background information about the composers and the works, and a performance guide is included for each. This guide provides recommendations and suggestions for each piece. Also included are interviews with each of the composers. Accompanying this document are recordings of each of the five pieces, performed by the author.
This project features five new pieces for clarinet commissioned from three different composers including:
1. Rasa by Jeffrey Ouper
2. Faerie Tale Dances by Jeffrey Ouper
3. Amalgamated Widget by Tavia Sullens
4. Faerie Suite by Theresa Martin
5. Time Lapse by Theresa Martin
Faerie Suite and Amalgamated Widget are for unaccompanied clarinet; Time Lapse is a trio for clarinet, bass clarinet, and piano; Faerie Tale Dances is a trio for E-flat clarinet, sopranino recorder, and toy piano; and Rasa is a quartet for E-flat clarinet, two A clarinets, and bass clarinet. These pieces challenge the performer in various ways, including complex rhythm, use of extended techniques such as glissando, flutter tongue, and circular breathing, and synthetic and non-traditional scales. The composers were given guidelines prior to the compositional process to create works with a thematic connection to mythology, folklore, or fairy tales, and inspired by dance and non-western or traditional harmonies and idioms. This document offers background information about the composers and the works, and a performance guide is included for each. This guide provides recommendations and suggestions for each piece. Also included are interviews with each of the composers. Accompanying this document are recordings of each of the five pieces, performed by the author.
ContributorsApplegate, James Patrick (Author) / Spring, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua (Thesis advisor) / Holbrook, Amy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
In an effort to provide greater representation to Latin American musicians, this recording and performance guide provides commentary on three works for clarinet by composers of Mexican ethnicity, commissioned and recorded by the author. The works presented are scored for solo clarinet, clarinet & piano, and clarinet, cello, & piano.
Each piece seeks to communicate and explore current sociopolitical issues related to Mexico, and, like this project as a whole, derive their inspiration from La Onda, a multidisciplinary artistic movement in Mexico, translating as the “wave,” “sound wave,” or “the force” that emerged as part of the 1960s and 1970s North American counterculture. La Onda music emerged as a reflection and consequence of marginalized experiences living in the United States, and is representative of ways the broader public and Latinos have claimed music as their own. As music has historically provided an arena for exploring gender, class, sexuality, and race politics for minority communities, specifically Mexicans in the United States and abroad, music continues to afford a mechanism for communicating the counterfactual in the present day. In this context, this guide synthesizes a broader collaboration with composers to create new, narrative-based repertoire that provides accessibility, greater awareness, and lasting representation to a demographic that has historically been underserved within the classical canon.
Each piece seeks to communicate and explore current sociopolitical issues related to Mexico, and, like this project as a whole, derive their inspiration from La Onda, a multidisciplinary artistic movement in Mexico, translating as the “wave,” “sound wave,” or “the force” that emerged as part of the 1960s and 1970s North American counterculture. La Onda music emerged as a reflection and consequence of marginalized experiences living in the United States, and is representative of ways the broader public and Latinos have claimed music as their own. As music has historically provided an arena for exploring gender, class, sexuality, and race politics for minority communities, specifically Mexicans in the United States and abroad, music continues to afford a mechanism for communicating the counterfactual in the present day. In this context, this guide synthesizes a broader collaboration with composers to create new, narrative-based repertoire that provides accessibility, greater awareness, and lasting representation to a demographic that has historically been underserved within the classical canon.
ContributorsDominguez, Vincent Robert (Author) / Spring, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua (Thesis advisor) / Schuring, Martin (Committee member) / Bolaños, Gabriel J. (Committee member) / Meyer, Jeffery (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020