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- Genre: Academic theses
- Genre: Scores
- Creators: Norton, Kay
- Resource Type: Text
Description
A poster advertising two 1966 performances of Duke Ellington’s First Sacred Concert at Trinity Cathedral catalyzed research into several storylines that stem from the jazz great’s time in Phoenix, Arizona. Ellington’s arrival on the weekend of November 10th, 1966, was surrounded by controversy within Trinity Cathedral, the Diocese of Arizona, and the diocesan relationship to the national Episcopal Church. Because Phoenix had recently passed civil rights legislation, race relations remained on unstable footing when Ellington’s sacred jazz music—performed by Ellington’s black band members—filled the nave of the historic cathedral. This concert stimulated research into Duke Ellington’s connection to the Episcopal Church; from Ellington’s influential reading of the Episcopal publication Forward Day by Day (1935 – current) to his lifelong friendships with Episcopal clergy, his connection to the Episcopal Church illuminates a spirituality that was influenced by a denomination in constant transformation. Rather than homing in on a single topic throughout this work, this study brings together the distinct, but interrelated, spheres of church, artist, jazz, and locale in a politically and socially charged moment in recent history. Informed by documents not before examined, this research adds a new spiritual dimension to the existing Ellington biography and contributes to the local history of Phoenix and Trinity Cathedral in the 1960s.
ContributorsDowney, Ryan (Author) / FitzPatrick, Carole (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Ryan, Russell (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
While opera often portrays young heroes and heroines in love, only recently have children taken center stage as principal characters in opera. This paper outlines the evolution of child characters in the standard opera repertoire, beginning with the famous trouser roles of Cherubino from Le nozze di Figaro, Siébel from Faust, Stéphano from Roméo et Juliette, Octavian from Der Rosenkavalier, and Hänsel from Hänsel und Gretel, and ending with principal child roles written for boys (Amahl from Amahl and the Night Visitors and Miles from The Turn of the Screw). Examination of the history of childhood and the casting of children in opera reveals that the two are closely related; as children gained more legislative protection against child abuse and labor, children also appeared more frequently in opera. The evolution of children in opera culminates in the mid-twentieth century, when children perform principal roles in operas like Amahl and the Night Visitors (1951) and The Turn of the Screw (1954).
The study of trouser roles and roles for children in opera also reveals the heteronormativity and misogyny that is deeply engrained in the art form. While trouser roles might have reached popularity because of the vocal aesthetic created earlier by castrati, it is possible that heterosexual composers, librettists and audience members may have wanted to objectify the women playing those roles. Although trouser roles may have also been conceived as a way to create vocal or comedic variety, the strength of these roles has been their openness to multiple interpretations. The primary advancements for children in opera are entwined with this ambiguous history of trouser roles, as this paper will show. These milestones only seem to occur for boys instead of girls; for the most part, if a girl character appears in opera, she is portrayed by an adult woman. This paper will also discuss heteronormativity and misogyny in opera while following the evolution of child roles and child actors in the art form.
The study of trouser roles and roles for children in opera also reveals the heteronormativity and misogyny that is deeply engrained in the art form. While trouser roles might have reached popularity because of the vocal aesthetic created earlier by castrati, it is possible that heterosexual composers, librettists and audience members may have wanted to objectify the women playing those roles. Although trouser roles may have also been conceived as a way to create vocal or comedic variety, the strength of these roles has been their openness to multiple interpretations. The primary advancements for children in opera are entwined with this ambiguous history of trouser roles, as this paper will show. These milestones only seem to occur for boys instead of girls; for the most part, if a girl character appears in opera, she is portrayed by an adult woman. This paper will also discuss heteronormativity and misogyny in opera while following the evolution of child roles and child actors in the art form.
ContributorsSchildkret, Miriam R. (Author) / FitzPatrick, Carole (Thesis advisor) / Dreyfoos, Dale (Committee member) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
This dissertation investigates vocal performance of art songs requiring authentic and appropriate regional dialects of the American South. Through close analysis of performance practice in American opera, musical theatre, and art song, this document follows the existence of regional southern dialects on the stage from the early 1800s to today’s practice. Evidence of specified regional southern accents is discussed regarding literary depictions in librettos, lyrics, and dialogue. Other topics include the ways regional nuances and colloquialisms differentiate southern regional accents, the existence of a generic “southern” accent to stand for any representation of rural whites, and, briefly, the nonspecific ways African American southern dialects are usually rendered. Art song selections from Kenneth Frazelle’s Appalachian Songbooks (1989) and Doug Borwick’s Southern Comfort (1989), which I studied, recorded, and transcribed into singer’s IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet), are the central texts of this discussion. The recording can be accessed online at https://soundcloud.com
ina-c-garguilo/sets/southern-study-through-song.
This research will benefit the performers of American art song that specifically requires “white” dialects, the native and non-native speakers of some Southern-American dialects, and scholars who seek to promote authentic performance practice of southern oral tradition in concert music.
ina-c-garguilo/sets/southern-study-through-song.
This research will benefit the performers of American art song that specifically requires “white” dialects, the native and non-native speakers of some Southern-American dialects, and scholars who seek to promote authentic performance practice of southern oral tradition in concert music.
ContributorsCole, Nina Michelle (Author) / Dreyfoos, Dale (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Thesis advisor) / FitzPatrick, Carole (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
This paper is an exploration of the potential benefits of an all-women’s chant group. A mixed-methods study using a Community Music Therapy approach informed by Feminist Music Therapy Theory sheds light on the questions: How are individuals’ resilience affected by participation in a multi-session Women’s Chant Group? How does participation in a single-session Women’s Chant Group affect an individual’s mood? Which elements of a Women’s Chant Group are perceived to be the most important to the participants? No statistical significance was found in participants’ resiliency from the beginning to end of the study, although a higher sample size may yield more promising results. The Women’s Chant Group sessions demonstrated a considerable positive impact on the mood of the participants, specifically in reducing feelings of anxiety and increasing feelings of relaxation. Participants found the experience of creating aesthetic, complex, high-quality vocal music to be the most important element of the Women’s Chant Group. Recommendations are made for future research into the area of Women’s Chant Groups.
ContributorsAdeyo, Taryn (Author) / Rio, Robin (Thesis advisor) / Belgrave, Melita (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
According to the United States Department of Labor, the predicted percentage growth of jobs in music performance for 2012-22 is less than half the predicted percentage growth in overall national employment for the same period. While university music performance core curricula prepares students to attain their goals, which can include positions in orchestral, chamber, or solo settings, only a small number of such positions are predicted in the future job market. One possible solution to help students succeed as modern-day musicians is the implementation of curricula that emphasizes innovation and entrepreneurship in music performance. This paper comprises three parts: (1) a study intended to identify core curricula requirements for the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Violin Performance in the United States; (2) a sample Career Plan; and (3) a Syllabus for an Innovative Music Performance Course.
The first section of this document contains a summary of the requirements for DMA violin performance courses, based on a large survey of university programs in the U.S., both public and private. Using Petersons’ catalogue of “Graduate Programs in the Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences,” thirty-five U.S. institutions (public and private) that offer DMA in violin performance degrees and publicize their core requirements online have been analyzed. This study reveals that distribution of hours required in music performance curricula have changed little in the last forty years. A career plan is provided as a practical tool to help students navigate their own careers in the twentieth century. This document culminates with a Syllabus for an Innovative Music Performance course designed to remedy the deficits in the current core curriculum.
The first section of this document contains a summary of the requirements for DMA violin performance courses, based on a large survey of university programs in the U.S., both public and private. Using Petersons’ catalogue of “Graduate Programs in the Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences,” thirty-five U.S. institutions (public and private) that offer DMA in violin performance degrees and publicize their core requirements online have been analyzed. This study reveals that distribution of hours required in music performance curricula have changed little in the last forty years. A career plan is provided as a practical tool to help students navigate their own careers in the twentieth century. This document culminates with a Syllabus for an Innovative Music Performance course designed to remedy the deficits in the current core curriculum.
ContributorsStrahm, Kathleen Ariel (Author) / Swartz, Jonathan (Thesis advisor) / Creviston, Christopher (Committee member) / Humphreys, Jere T (Committee member) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Swoboda, Deanna (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
String players have been identified as the most affected group of instrumentalists suffering from musculoskeletal disorders, and most of the problems are related to posture. The high prevalence of injuries among string players suggests that there is room in the music curriculum for a program tailored to this population and that can provide both immediate and long-term solutions. Pilates is a mind-body conditioning method of exercises and a philosophy that shares many similarities with string playing technique and performance, which suggests that its practice can be beneficial to improve not only the posture of string players but also various other areas. Studies about Pilates as a treatment show the varied areas in which Pilates can help, which are all of interest to instrumentalists. However, the application of Pilates into the music curriculum as a way to help string players improve awareness and reduce injuries has not yet been fully explored. This document addresses the similarities between Pilates and string playing, identifies postural tendencies of string players, and demonstrates how specific Pilates exercises can help counteract asymmetries, restore balance, and reduce the number of musculoskeletal injuries of string players. All anatomical drawings included in this document were adapted from other sources, as cited, or originally drawn by the author.
ContributorsGallo, María Luciana (Author) / Norton, Kay (Thesis advisor) / Landschoot, Thomas (Thesis advisor) / Humphreys, Jere T. (Committee member) / Rotaru, Catalin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
W.A. Mozart was a masterful creator of music and drama as well as a keen observer of human relationships. Librettists were enamored of his ability to bring their words to life with his music. His truthful portrayal of human relationships, particularly involving women, was highly influenced by his own life experiences. Through these relationships he learned to create characters and music that clearly depict female sibling relationships in the eighteenth century. A review of educational opportunities for women during the eighteenth century, Mozart's personal relationships, as well as selected roles in his operas will help to explain Mozart's portrayal of the eighteenth-century female sibling stereotypes. While Mozart's self-centeredness is well documented in biographies by Cliff Eisen and Ruth Halliwell, and the argument can be made that he surrounded himself with females who fulfilled his needs, he was often drawn to operas in which he could advocate musically for a female character's liberation from the overbearing influence of powerful men. Although Mozart's "musically empowered" women appear in nearly every opera, for the purpose of this paper, I will focus on the characters of Così fan tutte's Fiordiligi and Dorabella, and Le Nozze di Figaro's Countess. First, however, a closer analysis of Mozart's early life and his relationships with his sister and mother is necessary. The ways Mozart set characters created by DaPonte and Beaumarchais cannot be separated from the ways he was taught to appreciate females in his family of origin. Social structure during the eighteenth century dictated a woman's education, responsibility to her family, and therefore, played a fundamental role in defining her life. This situation often created expectations within the birth order that had an impact on sibling relationships as well as individual personalities. Many social and familial influences are represented through the operas of Mozart. Così fan tutte (January 26, 1790) and Le Nozze di Figaro (May 1, 1786) both contain a central female sibling relationship that reflects aspects of Mozart's relationships with women throughout his life.
ContributorsWalker, Anne (Author) / Doan, Jerry (Thesis advisor) / Dreyfoos, Dale (Committee member) / May, Judy (Committee member) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Reber, William (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010
Description
From Marathon to Athens was inspired by the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger who ran approximately twenty-six miles between the cities of Marathon and Athens in ancient Greece to deliver an important wartime message. According to the legend, he died shortly after completing the journey. The marathon races of today were inspired by his story, though it may be more myth than reality. There is a great deal of inherent drama in the undertaking of such a feat, whether it be a marathon or any other test of strength and endurance. There is the rush of adrenaline when it begins, followed by the excitement and exhilaration of the first few miles. Then, there is a period of settling in and finding a groove - when the runner realizes that there is a long way to go, but is determined to pace him or herself and stay strong. All too often, there is the "wall" that appears about three-quarters of the way through, when it seems that there is no strength left to finish the race. Finally, there is the final push to the finish line - where the runner decides that they are going to make it, in spite of fatigue, pain, or any other obstacle. In this piece, I used a simple melody that was very loosely modeled after a melody from ancient Greece (the tune inscribed on the Epitaph of Seikilos). I used both Phrygian and Dorian modes, which, according to Plato, were most appropriate for soldiers. Throughout the piece, I used different instruments, mostly percussion, to represent the heartbeat of the runner. In the legend, the runner dies - in the piece, the heartbeat becomes very fast and then rather erratic. It then slows and, finally, stops. Though I find the story of Pheidippides inspiring, I wish all marathon runners and athletes of every kind (myself included) a safer and happier outcome!
ContributorsOsteen-Petreshock, Kimberly (Composer) / Hackbarth, Glenn (Thesis advisor) / Rockmaker, Jody (Committee member) / Levy, Benjamin (Committee member) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010
Description
In recent years, several Indigenous female artists have emerged in country music. Given that country music is closely associated with whiteness, it may seem an unexpected form of expression for Indigenous women. So, why and how do Indigenous women make country music? I argue that country music appeals to these women due to its adaptability as a genre and its propensity for telling stories. Additionally, I identify several distinct strategies that these women use to interact with the genre and approach their own music making. I support my argument through a series of analyses of three country songs by Indigenous female country singers: “All I See is Red (Ten Little Indians)” by Kelly Derrickson; “Pray Sister Pray” by Crystal Shawanda; and “Run Carly Run” by Jade Turner. Some of the strategies these artists employ disrupt norms of the genre, foregrounding these women’s Indigenous identity and activism, while other strategies more subtly exploit resonances between Indigenous concerns or cultural practices and aspects of country music to assert their position within the genre. My discussion of these strategies draws on theorizations of intertextuality, interdiscursivity, and positionality from linguistic anthropology. Examining the strategies Indigenous artists use and highlighting the agency they have in the creation of their music reveals not only how they take up the genre but also how they are reshaping it.
ContributorsBaril, Alexis (Author) / Fossum, Dave (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Reed, Trevor (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Anglophone music festivals in the U.S. can be traced back to singing schools of the 1700s, which eventually blossomed into regular, outdoor musical performances, growing in popularity between 1840 and 1875. The first annual music festival in the United States was founded in Massachusetts in 1858. Modern single-destination music festivals grew in popularity in the United Kingdom and the United States during the late twentieth century. Although the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair of 1969 was not executed perfectly, it was an iconic event with a lasting cultural impact. Modern music festivals are modeled on the rural open-air festivals of the 1970s. In the past sixty years, the music industry has had to reconcile with the environmental impact of single-destination music festivals. Capitalistic ventures are inherently at odds with the environment—even music streaming has a significant carbon footprint. Corporate entities have been known to make insincere efforts to address their environmental impact, a tactic known as “greenwashing.” Music festivals hosting thousands of attendees generate a large amount of human waste on top of the already significant carbon emissions associated with travel, transport of equipment, and production. Event organizers must take significant measures to appeal to modern-day environmentally-conscious audiences. Burning Man and Bonnaroo are two events that once stood out among other large, corporate festivals for being developed by independent organizers. The two festivals are hosted on two strikingly different environments for which the organizers have made unique sustainability considerations. Burning Man celebrates radical individualism and self-reliance in a dry Nevada lakebed desert. On the other hand, Bonnaroo, hosted on the humid, rolling grassland of Tennessee is branded as an environmentally responsible event. The organizers of both festivals have promoted sustainability in their respective efforts to mitigate the environmental byproducts of their events, producing varying results. Sustainable festival practices have been utilized at Bonnaroo since its inception, whereas many of the longstanding traditions of Burning Man are antithetical to sustainability. This case study explores the rise of these two festivals, the environmentally conscious values held by both, and how they have changed over time.
ContributorsSheller, Nikhita (Author) / Norton, Kay (Thesis advisor) / Navarro, Fernanda (Committee member) / Little, Bliss (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022