Matching Items (9)
Description
Imitation is the genesis of change. One basic principle of human nature is that people imitate what they see and hear. In the professional choral arena, musicians extend the high art of imitation through fine-tuning, and creative reinterpretation. Stimulated by this cycle, the color of the twenty-first-century professional choir shifted compared to that of professional choirs from the 1950s through 1970s, causing an evolution in choral sound. In a series of interviews with iconic composers and conductors of professional choirs, the subjects involved in the study conveyed comprehensive and personal accounts outlining how professional choirs have refined the standard of choral sound. The paper is organized into three sections: (1) where have we been, (2) where are we now and (3) where are we going? It explores various conductors' perceptions of how and why choirs are unique when compared to earlier generations and what they believe caused the shift in choral tone. Paired with this perspective is the role of modern composers, whose progressive compositional techniques helped shape the modern choral sound. The subjects involved in the study further theorize how current inclinations may potentially shape the future of professional choral music. Although the subjects expressed differing opinions about the quality of the twenty-first-century choral tone, many agree that there have been specific transformations since the 1970s. The shift in choral tone occurred due to developments in vocal technique, exploration of contemporary compositional extended techniques, an adherence to historically informed performance practice, imitation of vocal colors from numerous cultures, incorporation of technology and emulation of sound perceived on recordings. Additionally, choral music subtly became prominent in film scores, and innovative conductors created progressive concert programming, and developed novel approaches to entertain audiences. Samplings of contributors involved in this study include: John Rutter, Harry Christophers, Charles Bruffy, Nigel Short, Craig Hella Johnson, Alice Parker, Michael McGlynn, Phillip Brunelle, Craig Jessop, Libby Larsen, Ola Gjeilo, Cecilia McDowall, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi and Stephen Paulus.
ContributorsRugen, Kira Zeeman (Author) / Rugen, Kira Z (Thesis advisor) / Reber, William (Committee member) / Saucier, Catherine (Committee member) / Doan, Jerry (Committee member) / Bailey, Wayne (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
William Levi Dawson (1899-1990), director of the Tuskegee Institute Choir from 1931 to 1956, was one of the most important arrangers of Negro spirituals in the twentieth century. He is also remembered as an outstanding composer, conductor, speaker, and leader of festival choruses. His arrangements are still sung by choirs all over the world. Save a small number of dissertations and various articles, however, very little has been written about him. In fact, almost no significant writing has been undertaken utilizing the Dawson papers held at the Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Books Library at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. This study utilizes that collection in examining four areas of Dawson's life: his work as a composer, his work as an arranger of Negro spirituals, his work as a choral conductor and music pedagogue, and his life as an African American man living in segregated times. Dawson is shown as a thoughtful, deliberate practitioner of his art who built his career with intention, and who, through his various activities, sought both to affirm the traditional music of his people and to transcend his era's problems with the definitions, associations, and prejudices attached to the term "race." Using a diverse selection of letters, notes, and speeches held in the archive, it is possible to develop a fuller, more nuanced portrait of Dawson. Through a thorough examination of a select few of these documents, his growth can be traced from a young composer living in Chicago, to a college choral director dealing with the realities of racial inequality in the mid-twentieth century, to a seasoned, respected elder in his field, endeavoring to pass on to others knowledge of the music he spent his life arranging and teaching.
ContributorsHuff, Vernon Edward (Author) / Schildkret, David (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Tobias, Evan (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Dr. Jerold D. Ottley's twenty-five years leading the Mormon Tabernacle Choir resulted in many distinguished awards and recognitions for the ensemble. Included among these are two Platinum and three Gold records from the Recording Industry Association of America, an Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and two Freedom Foundation Awards for service to the country. He conducted the Choir at two presidential inaugurations, Ronald Reagan's in 1981 and George H. W. Bush's in 1989, as well as performances at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Gala. He presided over eleven international tours to twenty-six countries and crisscrossed the United States for engagements in nearly every region of the country. Despite the awards, commendations, and increased recognition of the Choir, Ottley's greatest contributions were largely internal to the organization. Jerold Ottley is a skilled music educator, administrator, and emissary. Application of these proficiencies while at the helm of the Choir, led to what are, arguably, his three largest contributions: 1) as educator, he instituted in-service training for choir members, raising the level of their individual musicianship, thereby improving the technical level of the entire Choir; 2) as administrator, Ottley created policies and procedures that resulted in a more disciplined, refined ensemble; and 3) as emissary, he raised the ensemble's reputation among the general public and with music professionals. For the general public, he significantly broadened the Choir's repertoire and traveled frequently thereby reaching a wider audience. He secured greater respect among music professionals by inviting many of them to work directly with the Choir. The results were unparalleled. Ottley's twenty-five year tenure with the Choir is reflected in broader audiences, increased professional acceptance, added organizational discipline, and unprecedented musical proficiency. It is a notable legacy for a man who reportedly never felt comfortable as director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
ContributorsArchibald, Lyle Jay (Author) / Gentry, Gregory (Thesis advisor) / Britton, David (Committee member) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Doan, Jerry (Committee member) / Solis, Theodore (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Rainbow Connection is an integrated choir with members on and off the autism spectrum. It was founded in the spring of 2012 by Barrett students Ali Friedman, Megan Howell, and Victoria Gilman as part of an honors thesis creative project. Rainbow Connection uses the rehearsal process and other creative endeavors to foster natural relationship building across social gaps. A process-oriented choir, Rainbow Connection's main goals concern the connections made throughout the experience rather than the final musical product. The authors believe that individual, non-hierarchical relationships are the keys to breaking down systemized gaps between identity groups and that music is an ideal facilitator for fostering such relationships. Rainbow Connection operates under the premise that, like colors in a rainbow, choir members create something beautiful not by melding into one homogenous group, but by collaboratively showcasing their individual gifts. This paper will highlight the basic premise and structure of Rainbow Connection, outline the process of enacting the choir, and describe the authors' personal reactions and takeaways from the project.
ContributorsFriedman, Alexandra (Co-author) / Gilman, Victoria (Co-author) / Howell, Megan (Co-author) / Rio, Robin (Thesis director) / Schildkret, David (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Music (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
Redeemed from the Fall is a cantata in five movements for double choir SSAATTBB with Soprano and Baritone soloists and violin, bass clarinet, marimba, and organ. The work’s approximate duration is 19 minutes. The text is derived from ancient and modern scriptures including the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Book of Moses as contained in the Pearl of Great Price. The textual theme addresses the compelling narrative of the redemption of Adam and Eve after the Fall and expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The work begins with an instrumental overture, In Sorrow, inspired by the fallen state our first parents entered as consequence for partaking of the forbidden fruit. The second movement, The First Angel, is an aria for baritone accompanied by choir a cappella. It sets to music the words of an angel who appeared to Adam proclaiming that animal sacrifice is representative of the future atoning sacrifice of the Son of God. The central movement, The Baptism of Adam, is for soprano solo, choir (SSAA) and the ensemble. It depicts the miraculous events surrounding Adam’s acceptance of the gospel covenant, with the Holy Spirit baptizing Adam by immersion in water. The subsequent a cappella chorus, This Is the Plan of Salvation, further explores the truth that salvation for Adam and Eve and all their posterity was prepared through Christ from the beginning. The full chorus and ensemble perform the finale, Adam Fell, declaring that the very purpose of the Fall was that all humans could know the joy of redemption through Christ.
ContributorsWahlquist, Robert Michael (Author) / Rogers, Rodney (Thesis advisor) / DeMars, James (Committee member) / Oldani, Robert (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
ABSTRACT The Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix occupies and maintains an historical place in the musical and civic history of the City of Phoenix and the State of Arizona. Organized in November, 1929, the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix (OMC) is the only performing arts organization in Phoenix that can claim eighty-one years of continuous performance. The chorus gained popularity locally, nationally, and internationally in its first five decades. The breadth of the chorus's recognition began to decline in the latter part of the 20th century, but the chorus still retains a loyal following of audience members. This study focuses on the first fifty years of the OMC, especially the period from 1946 to 1979, the years the chorus was under the direction of Ralph Hess. Through his leadership the group's popularity and recognition reached a peak, thanks largely to his emphasis on civic responsibility, ties to service organizations, and musical ability and showmanship. No scholarly publications exist regarding this organization. Several boxes of memorabilia housed in the Arizona Historical Society Museum in Tempe, Arizona, serve as the primary source of material for this study. Concert programs supply information about concert repertoire, advertising, and chorus history. Newspaper articles from local and international press offer reviews, announcements, and media perceptions of the chorus. Information illustrating the abundant civic engagement of the OMC appears in proclamations and awards from local, state, national, and international personalities. This objective information helps propel the story forward, as do the personal letters and stories contained within the collection. Because many documents from the latter part of the 1970s are missing, the primary source information becomes more anecdotal and subjective. This study illustrates some of the ways in which the OMC went beyond mere survival to occupy a significant place in the musical life of Phoenix. Engagement in civic and social functions and support for non-profit organizations established the chorus as more than just a musical ensemble. Their pursuit under Hess of "Cultural Citizenship" earned them international recognition as civic leaders and ambassadors of goodwill.
ContributorsButler, Robert C (Author) / Schildkret, David (Thesis advisor) / Holbrook, Amy (Committee member) / Doan, Jerry (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010
Description
In this study, I sought to learn how members of college women’s choirs feel about
their choir and women’s choirs in general. Singers from 19 institutions in the American
Choral Directors Association Southern division participated. From the potential survey
population (n=986), 302 respondents participated (response rate = 28%).
These research questions guided this study:
1. How do current members of college women’s choirs feel their choir is
perceived compared to other types of choirs at their college or university and
in their community?
2. How do current members of college women’s choirs feel about singing in this
group? About women’s choirs in general?
A researcher-developed survey instrument was used to gather demographic
information and other data related to the research questions. After a pilot study, the
survey was edited for clarity. The director of choral activities and the director of the
women’s choir at each institution was contacted via email. The schools that agreed to
participate received the link to the survey and an email script to send to students. Two
weeks later, a follow-up email was sent with the same materials. Two weeks after that,
the survey window closed. The data were collected and analyzed for frequency and
percentage. While analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests found no significant differences,
the analysis of some of the independent variables, especially those having to do with the
age and experience of the singers, were highly suggestive.
In this study, women’s choir members responded positively to statements about
the value of their choir within their institutions and communities. While respondents
often indicate that women’s choirs are seen as inferior to mixed choirs, they nevertheless
enjoy the repertoire they sing and like being challenged. Respondents answered
affirmatively in Likert-scale questions about their women’s choirs and women’s choirs in
general, but answered more critically in open-ended response questions about the same
topics. The survey results echo the findings of earlier studies, amplified by the choir
members’ own opinions. The data in this study offer clear means to ensure that all
students in all choirs are proud of their work and feel equally valued.
their choir and women’s choirs in general. Singers from 19 institutions in the American
Choral Directors Association Southern division participated. From the potential survey
population (n=986), 302 respondents participated (response rate = 28%).
These research questions guided this study:
1. How do current members of college women’s choirs feel their choir is
perceived compared to other types of choirs at their college or university and
in their community?
2. How do current members of college women’s choirs feel about singing in this
group? About women’s choirs in general?
A researcher-developed survey instrument was used to gather demographic
information and other data related to the research questions. After a pilot study, the
survey was edited for clarity. The director of choral activities and the director of the
women’s choir at each institution was contacted via email. The schools that agreed to
participate received the link to the survey and an email script to send to students. Two
weeks later, a follow-up email was sent with the same materials. Two weeks after that,
the survey window closed. The data were collected and analyzed for frequency and
percentage. While analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests found no significant differences,
the analysis of some of the independent variables, especially those having to do with the
age and experience of the singers, were highly suggestive.
In this study, women’s choir members responded positively to statements about
the value of their choir within their institutions and communities. While respondents
often indicate that women’s choirs are seen as inferior to mixed choirs, they nevertheless
enjoy the repertoire they sing and like being challenged. Respondents answered
affirmatively in Likert-scale questions about their women’s choirs and women’s choirs in
general, but answered more critically in open-ended response questions about the same
topics. The survey results echo the findings of earlier studies, amplified by the choir
members’ own opinions. The data in this study offer clear means to ensure that all
students in all choirs are proud of their work and feel equally valued.
ContributorsConway, Ashley Elizabeth (Author) / Schildkret, David (Thesis advisor) / Anderson, Lisa (Committee member) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Stauffer, Sandra (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
“The Mystery of Light” is the first movement of a yet to be completed larger work titled ...to melt into the sun for chamber choir and percussion quartet. The text of the work is an excerpt from Kahlil Gibran’s masterpiece, The Prophet. This book tells the story of a prophet-like man, Almustafa, who, before embarking on the journey back to his native land, stops in the city of Orphalese, where the townspeople, having known him for many years, entreat him to share his wisdom before he departs. The seeress, Almitra, urges him, “speak to us and give us of your truth.” Almustafa proceeds to philosophize on a range of topics including love, laws, pain, friendship, children, time, beauty, and self-knowledge. Just before his farewell to the people of Orphalese, he speaks of death, saying that it is not something to be feared, but rather, embraced as a necessary and beautiful part of life.
This interconnectedness of the life and death process, of which Almustafa speaks, is the subject of “The Mystery of Light.” Almitra’s aforementioned request returns directly and indirectly throughout the movement as a reference to humanity’s undying desire to understand the great mysteries of our own mortal condition. The choir shifts throughout the movement between the three following perspectives: 1) that of people who live in fear, whose anxious whispers grow into shouts of horror as they are faced with the threat of death, 2) that of people who share Almitra’s inquisitiveness and are inspired with wonder by the secret of death and 3) that of the prophet, as he speaks words of comfort and wisdom to those who look, either in terror or wonder, upon the face of death. My hope with this music is to share the comforting words which Gibran has spoken through the character, Almustafa, so that, as they have done for me, these words may provide comfort to those who will stand trembling in the presence of life’s most inevitable consequence.
This interconnectedness of the life and death process, of which Almustafa speaks, is the subject of “The Mystery of Light.” Almitra’s aforementioned request returns directly and indirectly throughout the movement as a reference to humanity’s undying desire to understand the great mysteries of our own mortal condition. The choir shifts throughout the movement between the three following perspectives: 1) that of people who live in fear, whose anxious whispers grow into shouts of horror as they are faced with the threat of death, 2) that of people who share Almitra’s inquisitiveness and are inspired with wonder by the secret of death and 3) that of the prophet, as he speaks words of comfort and wisdom to those who look, either in terror or wonder, upon the face of death. My hope with this music is to share the comforting words which Gibran has spoken through the character, Almustafa, so that, as they have done for me, these words may provide comfort to those who will stand trembling in the presence of life’s most inevitable consequence.
ContributorsStefans, Karl (Author) / Temple, Alex (Thesis advisor) / Knowles, Kristina (Committee member) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
For decades, music educators have discussed the need to expand the standard choral canon to address disparities across student demographics in collegiate choral programs. These conversations have proved insufficient, because they do not address the systemic and structural issues that are the main cause for the racial and gender disparities within various areas of choral music. To address how structural oppression has found its way into collegiate choral music, I have studied how the discourse, or language, found on several collegiate choral music program public websites upholds two main power structures within collegiate choral music: the white racial frame and settler colonialist thought. Through a fictionalized narrative based on my personal music education experiences called “Decolonizing Kiki: A Socratic Dialogue,” I provide a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of language found on current American collegiate choral program websites. The narrative analysis intentionally centered my body and marginalized identities in order to illustrate the need to reflect upon the impact of language in choral music education. In addition to addressing the white racial frame and colonialist knowledge systems and practices in the discourse of collegiate choral music, this document departs from a typical Western approach to educational research. The narrative analysis also serves as a personal educational currere, which has helped me affirm my cultural and ethnic identities, ground my teaching philosophy, and further reconceptualize the future of choral music education
ContributorsSteiner, Kiernan Marlene (Author) / Schildkret, David (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Tobias, Evan (Committee member) / Thompson, Jason (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021