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Comparative Experiences of Chamber Musicians

Description

Using two interviews with local Phoenix professional chamber musicians, this document aims to compare their experiences across musical styles to find common ground and understand the value of chamber music as a professional and educational tool.

ContributorsGrahmann, Robert (Author) / Libman, Jeffrey (Thesis director) / Compitello, Michael (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Music, Dance and Theatre (Contributor)
Created2023-05
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Examining Underutilized Keyboard Percussion Instruments in Contemporary Music Through Collaboration: Commissioning Three New Works for Unaccompanied and Accompanied Xylophone and Glockenspiel

Description
Noting a lack of solo repertoire for two popular keyboard percussion instruments, the glockenspiel and xylophone, I set out to bring the two instruments up to a level where both could be recognized as vehicles for solo performance. I decided to collaborate with three composers who are not percussionists: Nick…

Noting a lack of solo repertoire for two popular keyboard percussion instruments, the glockenspiel and xylophone, I set out to bring the two instruments up to a level where both could be recognized as vehicles for solo performance. I decided to collaborate with three composers who are not percussionists: Nick Bentz (fitful machinery for solo glockenspiel and fixed media), Ashlee Busch (Elements for solo xylophone and crotales), and Hunter Long (We’ve always had time on our side for solo xylophone and percussion ensemble). By collaborating with these three young composers, I hope to elevate the stature of these underutilized percussion instruments. This document provides information about each composer, the commissioning process, and examinations of each work. In addition, I will discuss some of the challenges of working with non-percussionist composers, issues on performance practice, and my solutions to those challenges.
ContributorsKusuma, Egha (Author) / Compitello, Michael (Thesis advisor) / Smith, J.B. (Committee member) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021

Percussion Ensemble Performance Practices and Instrumentation Changes: Comparing New to Old

Description
The percussion ensemble pieces of the 1930s and 1940s have many performance practice and instrumental selection considerations when performed in the modern day. The four pieces of music under consideration for this study are Ionisation (1933) by Edgard Varèse, Ostinato Pianissimo (1934) by Henry Cowell, First Construction (In Metal) (1939),…

The percussion ensemble pieces of the 1930s and 1940s have many performance practice and instrumental selection considerations when performed in the modern day. The four pieces of music under consideration for this study are Ionisation (1933) by Edgard Varèse, Ostinato Pianissimo (1934) by Henry Cowell, First Construction (In Metal) (1939), and Third Construction (1941), both by John Cage. These works have stood the test of time, and are still an important part of today’s percussive literature. As with many historical works, issues such as interpretation and instrument selection arise when performed in the twenty first century. This project aims to provide general considerations and specific solutions when preparing these works for performance. The research conducted in this paper will help percussionists and musicologists alike further understand how to properly replicate the early percussion ensemble music, if the performers objectives are to emulate the composers’ original intentions.
ContributorsWales, Tyler (Author) / Compitello, Michael (Thesis advisor) / Smith, J.B. (Committee member) / Saucier, Catherine (Committee member) / Gardner, Joshua (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021