For this project, I commissioned and recorded five new works for contrabassclarinet from five different composers. Composition parameters were given to each composer before they started writing which detailed what needed to be included in each work. Four of the composers were asked to utilize a single, difficult aspect of playing the instrument, which included intonation, low note technique and response, phrasing, and articulation. For the fifth work, the composer was asked to incorporate all parameters of the project. Because of the differences between contrabass clarinet designs, I recorded each work three times using the Leblanc Vito, Leblanc “Paperclip”, and Selmer Model 41 contrabass clarinets to demonstrate that the works were adaptable and playable. In this paper, I will outline the parameters of the project, describe the instruments used for recording and provide a performance guide for each work. It is my hope that these works will provide an enjoyable way for future contrabass clarinetists to become more proficient performers of the instrument.

Saxophonists regularly transcribe works from the 19th and 20th centuries in order tobolster our repertoire from those eras. As one of the youngest concert instruments, few substantial works exist for the instrument prior to the mid 20th century. By regularly transcribing works that are standards in other instruments’ repertoires, we have perpetuated the historical underrepresentation of female composers from the same time period. In answer to this, I have researched, analyzed, transcribed, and recorded four works originally for violin and piano written by female composers born in the 19th century. This program represents differing styles and nationalities, while being a cohesive program of works. The repertoire consists of a set of character pieces by Ika Peyron, sonatas by Dora Pejačević and Germaine Tailleferre, and finally a theme and variations by Teresa Milanollo to serve as a closer. Each chapter provides insights into my transcription process and tables of the alterations made to the original material, as well as short analyses of each piece. i

Many options for mouthpieces and reeds are available to clarinetists, which makes selecting the right equipment complicated. In addition to personal research, potential influences in this process included teachers, professors, and private instructors. To provide some clarity in the current trends impacting the selection of new equipment, a survey of clarinetists was conducted. All participants were asked what equipment they were currently using and to specify what elements of the purchase were most important. Aspects such as price, instructor influence, personal research, conferences, brand loyalty, new releases, and social media were ranked by level of importance. Additionally, questions were asked of participants who taught clarinet about what they recommended to their students at various skill levels. The opinions of clarinetists along with the analysis of the data confirmed which mouthpieces and reeds were being suggested for different skill levels. The results were analyzed by type of career with strong trends in the participants current equipment and their suggested equipment.

In the early part of 2020, musicians faced an unprecedented challenge. A novel coronavirus emerged, spreading throughout the world and creating a pandemic. To control the spread of this virus, local governing officials suspended large gatherings in public spaces, which meant that all live music performances were cancelled for the foreseeable future. As a response to these cancellations, many musicians turned to live streaming, sharing transmissions of live performances over the internet. However, as life under COVID-19-related restrictions continued, the internet quickly became oversaturated with live stream music performances. This led musicians to discover innovative ways to adapt their creative practices for virtual settings. Through the process of commissioning, premiering, and recording new works, this research project explores how music practitioners can create music that is designed specifically for the imposed restrictions on the performing arts that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. To complete this project, I commissioned new works for clarinet and bass clarinet intended for performance under shelter-in-place conditions. The pieces included in this project are Two Flights for B-Flat Clarinet by Bill Clay (2020), 8 Months by Jessi Harvey (2020), R....v...rs....m oooiiiiii by Gabo Champagne (2021) and Od-ieu by Kim Farris-Manning (2021). I presented these works in two virtual formats: (1) I staged a virtual concert of their premieres from my home studio space, and (2) released studio-quality recordings of them paired with extra-musical video footage. This document offers an account of the virtual concert, a description of the process of the video production component, and performance guides for each commissioned piece. An audio/video recording of the virtual concert is included as a supplemental media file to this document, as are all music videos.

Clarinet articulation is a process that uses the tongue to create an interruption in sound production either by contacting the reed or disrupting the air stream. This process occurs inside the mouth and is hidden from direct view. As a result, various solutions were developed in clarinet pedagogy to address the issue of teaching with no visual feedback. Clarinet pedagogy literature consists of language that makes it possible for other clarinetists to discuss, teach, and research various aspects of clarinet playing. The interdisciplinary application of theoretical concepts in linguistics and how they map onto the language of clarinet pedagogy offers a new perspective for understanding the teaching methods used for articulation. To provide insight into the relationship of language and clarinet pedagogy, an overview of several linguistic theories and concepts, such as Peircean semiotics, metalanguages, discursive strategies, and articulatory phonetics, is presented. Additionally, a brief explanation of articulation techniques (single, multiple, flutter, and slap articulation) and commonly used teaching strategies is outlined. The language used in clarinet pedagogy literature from resources by prominent clarinet pedagogues, such as the works of John Anderson, Joshua Gardner, Michèle Gingras, Eric C. Hansen, Howard Klug, Phillip Rehfeldt, Thomas Ridenour, Heather Roche, Robert Spring, and Rachel Yoder, is surveyed. Pedagogical insights from a linguistic analysis are used to create resources for teaching and/or correcting articulation. Since the interdisciplinary application of linguistics and clarinet pedagogy is an underexplored topic, this research also aims to serve as a basis for further interdisciplinary studies.