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This thesis examines the role of advocacy and social justice in the music of three living American women composers, and the ways their efforts as mentors, patrons, academics, and educators interact with their work as composers. Case studies include Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972), Missy Mazzoli (b. 1980), and Jennifer

This thesis examines the role of advocacy and social justice in the music of three living American women composers, and the ways their efforts as mentors, patrons, academics, and educators interact with their work as composers. Case studies include Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972), Missy Mazzoli (b. 1980), and Jennifer Jolley (b. 1981). My musicological narrative is informed by Kimberly Francis’s concept of women as “cultural mosaics” and Patricia Hill Collins’s theorization of intersectionality, which addresses the junction of variable characteristics (such as race, gender, or class) as they relate to an individual’s identity. I have centered my narrative on social issues these composers address through their activism and their music. Gabriela Lena Frank’s orchestral work, Peregrinos (2009), emphasizes Frank’s value of community outreach and her interdependence on others. Frank uses folklórica traditions and Latin mythology to musically recognize the diverse experiences of Latin American immigrants living in Indianapolis. Missy Mazzoli blends operatic traditions with electronics to convey messages of female empowerment in Song from the Uproar: The Lives and Deaths of Isabelle Eberhardt (2012). Mazzoli’s characterization of the fascinating life of this nineteenth-century woman resonates with modern understandings of intersectionality and agency, and aligns with her work with the Luna Composition Lab. Jennifer Jolley’s approach to musical activism in Prisoner of Conscience (2017) mirrors her philosophical and political messages explored on her blog and e-magazine articles. Juxtaposing punk rock with church motets and madrigals, Jolley comments on the nature of protest and the punishment of Russian feminist punk group, Pussy Riot. I position these composers as cultural agents with diverse concerns and diverse means by which to voice them. Frank, Mazzoli, and Jolley each participate in valuable extra-musical roles outside of their compositions: from Gabriela Lena Frank’s Creative Academy of Music, to Mazzoli’s Luna Composition Lab, to Jolley’s NewMusicBox articles. Each of these composers negotiate agency within traditions that have not always been open to women, and they seek to further remedy race and gender inequities through their prominent positions as educators and composers.
ContributorsMartinac, Caitlin (Author) / Norton, Kay (Thesis advisor) / Saucier, Catherine (Committee member) / Hicks, Glen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
ABSTRACT This project is comprised of two main components, a paper, and audiovisual composition (two-channel audio, single-channel video). The composition takes the beginning thematic elements from the book of Genesis and transitions to a robotic teleology (the transhuman being merged with technology). For the transhumanist, taking control of

ABSTRACT This project is comprised of two main components, a paper, and audiovisual composition (two-channel audio, single-channel video). The composition takes the beginning thematic elements from the book of Genesis and transitions to a robotic teleology (the transhuman being merged with technology). For the transhumanist, taking control of the evolutionary process both in speed and in trajectory is the ultimate goal.The composition, Queue R is narrative and tripartite in structure, having a beginning, middle, and end. However, a more in-depth analysis of the piece will yield smaller parts and extractions. Although the composition is programmatic, many of the visual and aural gestures lean towards an abstract aesthetic. The paper will discuss various tenets of Christianity and Transhumanism, including religious motifs, philosophical aspects, oppositional and congruent features between the two. Ray Kurzweil’s “The Six Epochs of Evolution,” is used as a reference and launching point for Transhuman teleology and is discussed later in the paper. Lastly, the paper will discuss how the artwork engages with Transhumanism and Christianity, and end with a discussion of some aspects the compositional process. Finally, the title of the piece, Queue R, refers to a line, a queue which leads to a Robotic existence, that is, an existence where the human being and technology merge. Also, Queue R refers to the present state of technology, a QR code being a scannable (machine readable) code which contains information about a product or item being scanned. The video may be found at the link to the channel of the composer, and will list all audiovisual compositions. Click (or copy/paste into browser) on the video titled Queue R: Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzOhPCwYGjJud92RLG_UQpQ or direct link: https://youtu.be/7ogR0Vb1-pA .
ContributorsHernandez, Brian (Author) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Thesis advisor) / Temple, Alex (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
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
Description
Temporal Creative Entanglement and the Composer’s Search for a Unique Voice is about some of the creative challenges inherent in the composing process. Creative entanglement is when a composer gets caught up—entangled—in the creative process and it tarnishes their sense of how to appropriately assemble the formal structure of

Temporal Creative Entanglement and the Composer’s Search for a Unique Voice is about some of the creative challenges inherent in the composing process. Creative entanglement is when a composer gets caught up—entangled—in the creative process and it tarnishes their sense of how to appropriately assemble the formal structure of a piece. The word temporal means that I’m focusing on how a lot of creative entanglement happens because of process / product disparities related to time. Process / product disparity is the term I use to describe the enormous differences between the experience of composing and the experience of hearing the premiere of a work. And, I bring up the composer’s search for a unique voice because composers are especially vulnerable to creative entanglement when they are trying to write in a new style. I try to identify some different ways a composer can become entangled by discussing some specific ways that people subconsciously process music (musical expectations and information flow). I draw on the works of David Huron, Fred Lerdahl, and John Sloboda, among others, to paint a picture of the different mental processes that occur during composing and listening. I discuss how schematic, veridical, and dynamic expectations work in the mind of composer and the listener, and how these relate to creative entanglement. I also discuss how the conception of large-scale form fits into this topic. In the conclusion, I offer some thoughts on approaching composing from the perspective of creative entanglement. To close, I offer a perspective about artistic satisfaction and composing.
ContributorsClay, William (Author) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Thesis advisor) / Temple, Alex (Committee member) / Knowles, Kristina (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
Remembered as a virtuoso pianist from the Romantic period, Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894) was well-known for his outstanding piano technique and his series of historic recitals. Rubinstein was also a prolific composer, and piano music constitutes a substantial portion of his output. Scholars and pianists recently have shown interest in Rubinstein’s

Remembered as a virtuoso pianist from the Romantic period, Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894) was well-known for his outstanding piano technique and his series of historic recitals. Rubinstein was also a prolific composer, and piano music constitutes a substantial portion of his output. Scholars and pianists recently have shown interest in Rubinstein’s music, primarily his piano sonatas and études. His Morceaux, however, receive little notice and are seldom performed by pianists today. The project at hand examines four pieces: Impromptu and Serenade from Morceaux, Op. 16, and Ballade and Variations from Morceaux, Op. 104. These works are explored from both compositional and performance perspectives. After a brief introduction about Rubinstein’s life and his piano music, the four pieces from these two sets of Morceaux are described analytically. Performance suggestions follow the description of each piece, concentrating on the technical and expressive challenges for pianists.
ContributorsCai, Jun (Author) / Holbrook, Amy (Thesis advisor) / Meir, Baruch (Thesis advisor) / Creviston, Hannah (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
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Description
When rock music began to appear on Broadway in the 1960s with Bye Bye Birdie and Hair, it opened up the door for new styles to be notated into musical theater scores. Since then, a wide variety of rock and pop genres have been incorporated into Broadway shows. Musical theater

When rock music began to appear on Broadway in the 1960s with Bye Bye Birdie and Hair, it opened up the door for new styles to be notated into musical theater scores. Since then, a wide variety of rock and pop genres have been incorporated into Broadway shows. Musical theater scores are representations of the show structure, and how rhythm and syncopation are notated in musical theater score affects how they are interpreted and performed.The past twenty years have seen a growth in popularity of both revivals and jukebox musicals. A revival is a show that appears on Broadway again after the original production; jukebox musicals take an already produced pop rock album or artist and create a loosely structured narrative around it. By analyzing rhythmic notation and syncopations in revivals and jukebox musicals, this paper demonstrates how popular culture and rhythmic notation interact with each other to create complexity in musical scores and performances. Centering around the musical Godspell as a core example, this paper examines rhythmic notation in pop rock musical theater, investigating how revivals and jukebox musicals can contribute to increased rhythmic complexity in scores. This paper articulates the possibilities of a rhythmic notation system that would simplify the complex and frequent syncopations in pop rock musical scores. Eastman professor David Temperley’s work in rock syncopation and deep structure representation is discussed as it relates to musical theater scores. Expanding on Temperley’s theoretical foundation, the appendices demonstrate a proposed original arrow notation with an original song composed for these research purposes.
ContributorsRudolph, Randi Ellen (Author) / DeMaris, Brian (Thesis advisor) / Meyer, Jeffery (Committee member) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
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Description

Jaime Mendoza-Nava (1925-2005) was an important Bolivian composer. In addition to writing music for the concert stage, he worked as a composer of film music in Los Angeles during the second half of the twentieth century. His life and work remain greatly unstudied, with the majority of his compositions existing

Jaime Mendoza-Nava (1925-2005) was an important Bolivian composer. In addition to writing music for the concert stage, he worked as a composer of film music in Los Angeles during the second half of the twentieth century. His life and work remain greatly unstudied, with the majority of his compositions existing only in manuscript form. The present study surveys the available biographical information on the composer and supplements it with new data collected through interviews with the composer’s family. The information presented here focuses on the composer’s American period as well as his personality traits. The study also examines the development of musical nationalism in Bolivia and other important aspects of Bolivian culture and society, thus creating a historical context through which key influences on the composer are identified. This historical and cultural information also contributes to an examination of Mendoza-Nava’s song cycle País de sombra (1988). A close study of this work reveals Mendoza-Nava’s sensitive setting of the poetry of Ricardo Jaimes Freyre (1868-1933) and his musical references to his Bolivian heritage. A recording of the song cycle by soprano Andrea Ramos and the current author and an edited copy of the musical score conclude the study.

ContributorsSakuma, Masaru (Author) / Ryan, Russell (Thesis advisor) / Holbrook, Amy (Committee member) / Campbell, Andrew (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description

In this paper, I propose that taking an embodied approach to music performance can allow for better gestural control over the live sound produced and greater connection between the performer and their audience. I examine the many possibilities of live electronic manipulation of the voice such as those employed by

In this paper, I propose that taking an embodied approach to music performance can allow for better gestural control over the live sound produced and greater connection between the performer and their audience. I examine the many possibilities of live electronic manipulation of the voice such as those employed by past and current vocalists who specialize in live electronic sound manipulation and improvisation. Through extensive research and instrument design, I have sought to produce something that will benefit me in my performances as a vocalist and help me step out from the boundaries of traditional music performance. I will discuss the techniques used for the creation of my gestural instrument through the lens of my experiences as a performer using these tools. I believe that, through use of movement and gesture in the creation and control of sound, it is more than possible to step away from conventional ideas of live vocal performance and create something new and unique, especially through the inclusion of improvisation.

ContributorsEstes, Isabel (Author) / Hayes, Lauren (Thesis director) / Thorn, Seth (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Arts, Media and Engineering Sch T (Contributor)
Created2021-12
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Description
In 1975 the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) invited John Cage to write a composition for the bicentennial birthday of the United States. The result was Lecture on the Weather, a multi-media work for twelve expatriate vocalists and/or players with independent sound systems, magnetic tape, and film. Cage used texts by

In 1975 the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) invited John Cage to write a composition for the bicentennial birthday of the United States. The result was Lecture on the Weather, a multi-media work for twelve expatriate vocalists and/or players with independent sound systems, magnetic tape, and film. Cage used texts by Henry David Thoreau, recordings of environmental sounds made by American composer Maryanne Amacher and a nature-inspired film by Chilean visual artist Luis Frangella. The composition opens with a spoken Preface and is arguably one of Cage’s most overtly political pieces. A year later the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) and six major United States orchestras commissioned Cage to compose another work commemorating the United States bicentennial of the American Revolution. In response, he created Renga with Apartment House 1776, which follows his concept of a “music circus,” or simply, a musical composition with a multiplicity of events occurring simultaneously. Scored for voices, instrumental soloists and quartets, Renga with Apartment House is a multi-faceted work marked by layers of American hymns and folk tunes.

Cage’s United States Bicentennial compositions – and his other pieces created in the 1970s and 1980s – have received little attention from music scholars. Unique and provocative works within his oeuvre, these compositions raise many questions. Why was Cage commissioned to write these works? How did Cage pay tribute to this celebratory event in American history? What socio–political meanings are implied in these pieces? In this thesis I will provide political, cultural, and biographical contexts of these works. I will further examine their genesis, analyze their scores and selected performances, reflect on their meaning and critical implications and consider the reception of these works. My research draws on unpublished documents housed in the CBC’s archives at McGill University, the archives of C. F. Peters, the New York Public Library and it builds on research of such scholars as David W. Bernstein, William Brooks, Benjamin Piekut, and Christopher Shultis. This thesis offers new information and perspectives on Cage’s creative work in the 1970s and aims at filling a significant gap in Cage scholarship.
ContributorsFinkel, Joseph Christopher (Author) / Feisst, Sabine M (Thesis advisor) / Rogers, Rodney (Committee member) / Solís, Ted (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
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Description
ABSTRACT

Music therapy is a highly effective treatment when used in the care of persons with dementia (PWD) and singing in particular is found to be calming and pleasurable to PWD. Seniorsing.net is a music-based application for use in memory care that provides a fun and interactive sing along activity for

ABSTRACT

Music therapy is a highly effective treatment when used in the care of persons with dementia (PWD) and singing in particular is found to be calming and pleasurable to PWD. Seniorsing.net is a music-based application for use in memory care that provides a fun and interactive sing along activity for PWD. Developed by a music therapist, the application is designed to engage the user in singing along with recorded song performances while lyrics are displayed on the device screen. Seniorsing.net is accessible on any mobile device and is intended to provide a positive musical experience for PWD, whether listening or singing along. This study was conducted to test the design aspects of the application for use with PWD and their caregivers. Eighteen dyads of participants/caregivers were recruited from the senior community. Participants were observed interacting with seniorsing.net by the music therapist to provide an understanding of the usability of seniorsing.net and to collect information on the responses of PWD to seniorsing.net. Caregivers were given the opportunity to evaluate seniorsing.net via survey. The parameters that were measured included visual clarity and appeal, audibility, clarity of directions and usability by PWD and their caregivers. Observations of participants showed positive interactions with the application. Over 64% of participants independently engaged in singing with the application and over 50% of participants were able to activate features of the application with minimal assistance. Caregiver feedback was also positive. Most caregivers strongly agreed or agreed to the effectiveness of the design and its ease of use with PWD. 100% of caregivers found the song performances to be appropriate and comfortable to follow and sing. Caregivers gave suggestions for improvement of seniorsing.net, such as including more song choices and having more written directions on some of the screens. In conclusion, seniorsing.net was found to be enjoyable and easy to use by PWD and their caregivers.

Keywords: Dementia, Music Therapy, Singing, Technology
ContributorsFranklin, Danielle (Author) / Rio, Robin (Thesis advisor) / Crowe, Barbara (Committee member) / Suzuki, Kotoka (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015