Matching Items (5)
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- All Subjects: Trombone
- All Subjects: Band
- Creators: Holbrook, Amy
Description
The ability of musicians to perform well in multiple musical styles is increasingly common and necessary. This paper profiles two trombonists who have gone well beyond the ability to function in multiple genres, and are instead considered significant artists. Tony Baker and Alex Iles were chosen to be profiled for this project because both have achieved recognition as solo artists in the genres of classical music and jazz and have performed on international stages as soloists. They also have significant ensemble experience in both classical and jazz settings and are active teachers as well. Both hold-high profile positions that have helped grow their reputations as performers: Mr. Baker as a professor at one of the largest music schools in the United States, the University of North Texas, and Mr. Iles as a highly in-demand freelance musician in Los Angeles. This paper presents interviews with both trombonists that investigate their development as musicians and soloists in both classical music and jazz. They are asked to describe the benefits and challenges of performing at a high level in both styles, and how these have affected their musical voices. Common traits found in their responses are examined, and recommendations are created for musicians seeking stylistic versatility.
ContributorsLennex, William (Author) / Pilafian, J. Samuel (Thesis advisor) / Bush, Jeffrey (Committee member) / Ericson, John (Committee member) / Hackbarth, Glenn (Committee member) / Holbrook, Amy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
For those familiar with the name of Bohumir Kryl, he may be known simply as a cornetist who regularly utilized the extreme pedal register of his instrument. However, his life was much more complex than that. Born in 1875 near Prague, Kryl was trained by his father as a sculptor, and, for a brief stint in his childhood, he was a circus tumbler. Returning to his family vocation, he traveled with them to America and spent much of the 1890s sculpting the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument and busts on the English Hotel in Indianapolis, as well as the friezes adorning the Lew Wallace study in Crawfordsville, Indiana. In the late 1890s, he left sculpting to become a professional cornet soloist, touring with the bands of John Philip Sousa and Frederick Innes, among others. Kryl soon garnered the title of World’s Greatest Cornetist. He formed his own band in 1906 and continued to solo and conduct well into the 1930s, eventually becoming known as one of the five greatest bandmasters in the world. He stopped soloing in the 1930s, but continued to conduct various orchestras until the late 1940s, gaining notoriety for his women’s orchestra. He also became infamous in the way he chose to parent his two daughters. He was financially successful, spending a short time as a bank president in the 1920s and amassing a significant art collection over the span of his life. When he died in 1961, he was worth nearly $2,000,000. This document is the first comprehensive biography of the extraordinary life of Bohumir Kryl.
Many documents were reviewed in preparation for this biography, including thousands of newspaper articles, telegrams, and letters. Much of Kryl’s personal correspondence used for this study was acquired through the Redpath Chautauqua Collection, located in the University of Iowa Library in Iowa City. Because there are few secondary sources, this biography of Kryl is based on these primary sources, which were carefully organized, reviewed, and documented. Their wealth of information has allowed this study to offer a complete and multifaceted picture of the life and times of Bohumir Kryl.
Many documents were reviewed in preparation for this biography, including thousands of newspaper articles, telegrams, and letters. Much of Kryl’s personal correspondence used for this study was acquired through the Redpath Chautauqua Collection, located in the University of Iowa Library in Iowa City. Because there are few secondary sources, this biography of Kryl is based on these primary sources, which were carefully organized, reviewed, and documented. Their wealth of information has allowed this study to offer a complete and multifaceted picture of the life and times of Bohumir Kryl.
ContributorsHaake, Joshua Lee (Author) / Hickman, David R (Thesis advisor) / Holbrook, Amy (Committee member) / Swoboda, Deanna (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
Vaclav Nelhybel (1919-1996) composed over 600 works, a significant number of which were never published. The trombone is included in more than 200 of Nelhybel’s compositions, some featuring the instrument in a solo role and also as a key contributor in many of his chamber and large ensemble works. The goal of this project is to bring this significant body of trombone literature into the light by examining his seventeen compositions that feature the trombone in solos and trombone ensembles; this paper also includes a select listing of other works by Nelhybel that include the trombone. The seventeen highlighted pieces include nine works for solo trombone and eight for trombone ensemble. This paper also contains background information on the composer and a brief discussion of his overall compositional history, focusing on the last thirty years of his life when he was most active as a composer and became one of the most prominent figures in the wind band movement in the United States. The central portion of the paper describes each of Nelhybel’s compositions that feature the trombone and is divided into three sections: the trombone as solo instrument in published works, an unpublished Concerto for bass trombone, and chamber works for two or more trombones alone. Discussions of key pedagogical aspects, recurring features and techniques, each piece’s difficulty level, and suggestions for performance are included for added depth.
ContributorsHaas, Garrett (Author) / Yeo, Douglas (Thesis advisor) / Ericson, John (Committee member) / Holbrook, Amy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
The number of compositions that use electronics alongside the wind ensemble has gradually increased in the 21st century, yet these compositions are infrequently programmed past their premieres. Explanations include lack of access to necessary resources, unfamiliarity with the repertoire, and inexperience with the technology they require. While there are other barriers to performance, this document focuses on familiarizing the repertoire and providing foundational knowledge necessary to overcome inexperience.
As the number of technology-native composers, audience members, and performers continues to increase, electronics in the ensemble are likely to become more standard. Without knowledge of the technology electronics require, these works will remain inaccessible. Composers attempt to bridge the technological knowledge gap by providing technical instructions for individual pieces, but this does not help people recognize the broader concepts that make all of these works more accessible. This document guides ensemble directors and performers to an understanding of these base concepts by developing a grading system for technology difficulty, assessing pedagogical and performance issues, and providing an annotated list of works currently available for electronics and winds.
As the number of technology-native composers, audience members, and performers continues to increase, electronics in the ensemble are likely to become more standard. Without knowledge of the technology electronics require, these works will remain inaccessible. Composers attempt to bridge the technological knowledge gap by providing technical instructions for individual pieces, but this does not help people recognize the broader concepts that make all of these works more accessible. This document guides ensemble directors and performers to an understanding of these base concepts by developing a grading system for technology difficulty, assessing pedagogical and performance issues, and providing an annotated list of works currently available for electronics and winds.
ContributorsHubbard, Justin (Author) / Caslor, Jason (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua (Committee member) / Holbrook, Amy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
Literature is an important source for children to learn about many aspects of life, including music, and, more specifically, the trombone as a special type of musical instrument. The project at hand seeks to encourage the introduction of the trombone to young children through books and stories in which the instrument is featured prominently. Seven such books by various authors are identified and analyzed, and a study guide for each is presented. In addition, a brief history of children’s literature and a discussion of its use in the music classroom provide context for these seven books as well as any music-themed literature. Finally, the centerpiece of this project is the creation of a new book intended for children and featuring the trombone, written and illustrated by the present author.
ContributorsRozanski, Emily Marie (Author) / Yeo, Douglas (Thesis advisor) / Holbrook, Amy (Committee member) / Schmidt, Margaret (Committee member) / Swoboda, Deanna (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016