Music

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Open Access
A New Place at the Table: Ancient Cadential Patterns for Modern Improvision and Aural Skills Training
(2023-03-28) Stein, Benjamin Charles; Chambers, Mark K.
Contemporary efforts to integrate improvisation practice into institutional music education are many and varied, but lack of improvisatory skill remains an ongoing problem, especially in classical music instruction. Drawing on artisanal training, in which a corpus of memorized repertoire becomes a stylistic knowledge base, source of cognitive schemata and raw material for creative variation, a useful set of historically-derived “standards” can be found in the three introductory cadences used in the Neapolitan conservatory partimento tradition (It. Cadenza Semplice, Cadenza Composta, Cadenza Doppia) of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Referencing music cognition research, music theory sources and improvisation discourse, this paper argues that intervallic suspensions in these schemata (4-3, 7-6) can be seen as a simple demonstration of error perception and correction, a cognitive process that can be deployed to develop and strengthen both aural and creative skills. Integration of these cadences into beginner training also suggests a reassessment of the order of introduction of musical elements found in formal music instruction, which privileges the chord as a discrete entity, and relegates intervallic suspension, schemata and counterpoint to intermediate, advanced, or supplementary study. These cadences concisely synthesize and demonstrate contrapuntal interplay and voice leading between bass and treble voices, basic syncopation and rhythmic division, and the concept of dissonance/consonance within linear parameters as an integral aspect of musical form. A series of beginner to intermediate exercises for use in vocal and instrumental training are presented. The dissertation recommends that intervallic suspensions be given a renewed “place at the table,” once again taking their former role as primal examples of compositional structure and aesthetic possibility.
Open Access
The Historical Development of The Piano in Popular Cuban Music: A History of Musical Nationalism
(2023-03-28) Vazquez, Ruben; Coghlan, Michael
This research is an attempt to clarify the role of the piano in Cuban music and culture through history. Most of the dissertation is carefully focused on the actual music compositions and seeks to present a survey of the devices, techniques, architecture, and genres found in the vast piano repertoire produced in Cuba. As soon as the piano arrived in Cuba at the end of the eighteenth century it became a favorite musical instrument in society. Since its introduction it has played a significant role in the musical expression of the island and soon after it became a symbol of nationalism. Throughout its history in Cuba, the piano has continued to define the stylistic characteristics of a new and emergent musical culture, and even today the piano remains one of the favorite instruments of the country. The importance of the instrument is reflected in the oeuvre of several piano composers who helped develop authentic Cuban genres. This study discusses and analyzes the musical traits and character of the most distinguished Cuban pianists and composers, and it examines the significance of the piano pedagogues who played a vital role in providing the groundwork for the foundation of the Cuban piano school. It also explores the origin and characteristics of Cuban musical genres which are found in the work of the early piano composers and performers who defined the music traditions of the island. The origins and characteristics of some of the most recognized musical genres and styles, some of which played an influential role in the music of the Caribbean and the Americas, are examined and considered.
Open Access
The Practice and Performance of Katajjaq: Culture, Identity and Resistance
(2022-08-08) Singh, Raj Shobha; Johnson, Sherry
Katajjaq, or vocal games, has a long history among the Inuit of Canada. Practiced almost exclusively by women, katajjaq is a playful competition between two or more partners who face each other and exchange sound motifs; one is leading, while the other repeats the same motifs. The first person unable to maintain the rhythm, tempo, or breathing pattern will laugh, indicating that they have lost the game. An oral tradition, katajjaq continues to be a popular practice amongst Inuit. In addition, katajjaq has recently moved from the realm of game to becoming an integral component of Inuit music. Katajjaq's shift from game to music is also accompanied by an increase in male participation. Notably, Nelson Tagoona combines katajjaq with beatboxing to create a genre he calls "throat boxing." The primary purpose of this dissertation is to examine katajjaq. I explore how it is understood, practiced and sometimes recontextualized by numerous Inuit culture bearers as well as how it has been studied and portrayed by ethnomusicologists. In this way I scrutinize research gaps in ethnomusicological investigations about katajjaq and point to how Inuit epistemology and ontology provide culturally appropriate ways of understanding katajjaq. For instance, the complexity and significance of the imaq-nuna-sila (water-land-sky) relationship in Inuit epistemology as well as Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ), or the guiding principles of Inuit life and ways of knowing and being provide a richer understanding of the role of katajjaq in Inuit life. The secondary purpose of this dissertation is to present the musical life and creative choices of Nelson Tagoona and trace how he contributes new meaning to katajjaq. Some of my research questions include: What creative and cultural choices are made when a living cultural tradition is combined with a contemporary popular practice? How does Nelson Tagoona negotiate and mediate tradition and innovation? How has the inclusion of hip hop culture with katajjaq affected the meaning of throat singing? By focusing on one musician's experience, I highlight how individual experience and agency can point to broader shifts in cultural practices.
Open Access
Under One Cover: Traditional & Hybrid Woodwind tudes
(2021-11-15) Tollar, Ernest Patrick; Coghlan, Michael
This study presents original, traditional, and experimental compositions placed together in a single volume for performers and students of post-traditional music. The template of this research is made up of complete tude compositions which generate the specific technical focus for each chapter. These woodwind-centric compositions are stylistically diverse and suitable for performance, as well as study. Micro-focused details are marked in the music notation, with symbols and abbreviations denoting the stylistic details and techniques presented, so they may be excerpted, practiced and developed creatively. These tudes may either serve as a launching point into latent areas rich with deeper classical or traditional nuance, or conversely, spark creative directions based on hybridized permutations on various woodwind traditions. This thesis is aimed at contemporaneous woodwind players as well as other musicians, composers, artists or thinkers who seek to reconcile the pursuit of traditional depth with that of fearless and joyful
Open Access
Exploring the Significance of Musical-Emotional Response on Community Band Participation
(2021-11-15) Shephard, Gordon John; Thomas, William L.
This study explored the significance of musical-emotional response on community band members. Do participants respond emotionally to the music when rehearsing and performing in a community band, and if so, what it the nature of this response? How do the participants recognize emotional response as an important aspect of participating in community music? What might be a community music approach to musicking that includes emotional response as a deliberate strategy? Literature and research inform us that twentieth-century music philosophers and music education philosophers regarded emotional response as an unimportant aspect of music reception. In particular, they discouraged the idea that music induced or evoked felt emotions. It was not until the emergence of research in neuroscience and music psychology beginning in the 1990s that musically induced emotions were considered. This ultimately led to contemporary theories that considered musical-emotional response as a process that included both cognitive and induced responses. This study utilized a grounded theory approach in order to ascertain the authentic viewpoints of the participants. Following a four-month rehearsal and performance session of selected repertoire, twenty-eight community band members completed an open-ended questionnaire where they reflected on the prevalence and nature of their emotional responses to the music. The findings suggest that community band participants not only perceived the emotions represented in music but also experienced musically induced emotions. The study revealed that the idea of accessibility was key to the participants' ability to respond emotionally to the music. Emotional response, by the participants, became contingent on many factors – the ability of the participants to perform the music successfully (technical challenges and performance anxiety), the ability of the participants to understand the structure of the music, the effect of practice and experience, and the social context.
Open Access
Creativity, Improvisation, and Pedagogy for the Chinese Yangqin
(2021-11-15) Zhang, Di; Coghlan, Michael
Improvisation is commonly employed in the approach to teaching creative and imaginative music in music education systems across many cultures. However, improvisation as a creative teaching strategy is not yet applied in music programs in Chinese universities, conservatories, and schools. The aim of my research project is to formulate and develop pedagogical materials and exercises which can be used to develop contemporary music improvisation programs in Chinese education. My study will focus on a practical/experimental approach to teaching, with the aim of discovering a viable pedagogy for transmitting the values and spirit of free improvisation. This research draws on my own experience studying improvisation at York University as well as conducting research on other North American and European institutions. It is organised on the basis of the following: 1) different models of teaching improvisation; 2) importance of improvisation in music; 3) musicianship exercises; 4) music creation; 5) improvisation strategies. I will also discern the roots of the yangqin and regional yangqin music improvisation techniques to establish an innovative approach to creating music and to compare with Western music improvisation techniques.
Open Access
Hexachords reconsidered towards a revised compositional paradigm
(2021-07-06) Wilde, Douglas Gordon; Coghlan, Michael
This dissertation demonstrates, through a number of original works, the depth and variety offered by the exclusive use of hexachords as a generative compositional resource. Part One provides an overview of hexachords, outlines the connection between hexachords and twelve- tone music, reviews specific techniques, and discusses how these techniques were used by prominent twentieth century composers. Although a great deal of western art music has been created using these techniques, exclusive composition with six-note collections in equal tempered systems is rare. Further, much of the literature devoted to hexachords is concerned solely with their use in twelve-tone music. Interest in the hexachord has long been overwhelmed by the preeminence of twelve-tone music. Part Two introduces eighteen hexachordal compositions. Various techniques developed for use in twelve-tone music are adapted and employed. My research seeks to expand the understanding and use of hexachords as a compositional resource apart from serialism. Another component of this research, and one that sets it apart further from existing work in this area is my interest in different musical genres in addition to exploring hexachordal composition as a resource within western art music, this dissertation presents a distinctly rare investigation into the use of hexachords in jazz composition and improvisation.
Open Access
Third Stream Consciousness: A Compositional Process
(2021-07-06) Riley, Benjamin Douglas Armin; Coghlan, Michael
This thesis presents an original composition based on Gunther Schuller's term, Third Stream, which describes the organic approach of combining essential elements of both classical and jazz music (later in life, he revised this to include all world musics). This approach ideally culminates in an inextricably interwoven structure in and of itself. Therefore the two original streams, or genres, of music merge into a single 'Third Stream', of which there is a homogeneous sense of form, texture, melody, harmony and rhythm-- as opposed to a distinctly separate jazz and classical feel-- within the composition. Inspired by a plethora of classical and jazz composers and musicians alike, this composition represents an attempt to fulfill Schuller's concept of Third Stream music, while at the same time creating something unique, engaging to the listener, and personally fulfilling. The hope is to have contributed a piece of music worthy of admission to the Third Stream catalogue.
Open Access
Original Compositions Inspired by the Genius of Bill Evans' Compositions
(2021-07-06) McGill, Richard Thomas; Coghlan, Michael
This dissertation analyzes diverse compositions by Bill Evans to create a deeper understanding of his creative methodologies and techniques. The knowledge gained generated the musical data which inspired my creation of a collection of original compositions for solo piano. Evans musical style is considered by many jazz aficionados as a benchmark standard that greatly influenced the evolution of jazz. His knowledge of the four centuries of music preceding his works was broad and his compositional techniques were of the highest intellectual order (Reilly 2010, ix). Unlike many of the jazz professionals of his day, he was academically educated and achieved a Bachelor of Music degree at Southeastern Louisiana College (Shadwick 2002, 51) with later graduate studies in composition at Mannes College of Music (Pettinger 1998, 24). Evans composed over fifty original works and received much critical acclaim, including seven Grammy Awards, eleven nominations, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, and induction into the Downbeat Hall of Fame in 1981. In this dissertation, Evans composition techniques were explored to identify trends and patterns to lead to a deeper understanding of his methods. The first step was to select diverse works for intense study from Evans fifty original pieces. The in-depth musical analysis used the LaRue model to analyze sound, harmony, melody, rhythm, and growth (i.e. SHMRG); Schenkerian analysis to investigate the structure; and a unique data-driven methodology to compare chord/scale relationships. The selections chosen for analysis covered a broad range, from the more obscure to his best known characteristics. The distillation of Evans technique through this in-depth analysis of seven pieces was an enlightening experience to advance my compositional skills, and a powerful inspiration for my seven original compositions. This dissertation expands the knowledge in the field of music as follows. Evans use of formulaic composition is explored with examples presented with respect to melody, rhythm, harmonic logic, and elaboration. The use of Schenkerian analysis on the seven inspirational pieces is unique and identifies the formulaic structure of these pieces. My creative processes are also shared and presented in parallel with my seven original pieces.
Open Access
An Investigation into Children's Opera: A Historical Survey, Its Nature and Condition in Canada Today
(2021-05-19) Tehrani, Afarin Mansouri; Coghlan, Michael
Opera is a unique collaboration of music, dance, literature, theatre, and visual arts which some observers believe is the greatest of all art forms. From its origins in Florence, opera has existed as a significant source of cultural and national identity through sharing stories from different nations, addressing social and political issues, and creating new meanings and trends through the combination of old and new. In parallel with contemporary globalization developments, opera continually attempts to reinvent itself by becoming ever more communal, more accessible, and cross-culturally adaptable. This dissertation considers the involvement of children in the merging of music and drama as part of the unbroken tradition dating back to ancient Greece. Opera is capable of entertaining and educating younger generations either as active participants or audience members. It offers the potential to reveal new ideas, illustrate aspects of diverse cultures, support intellectual progress, and facilitate educational and artistic creativity. As a composer and a teaching artist with many years of experience working with children and youth, my teaching philosophy encompasses informing the younger generation about their own cultural values in addition to those of others. This approach supports educational development and encourages the development of strong creative voices in a more diverse society of the future. Through its history, opera has served as a kinaesthetic pedagogical tool for children to assist them in locating their own unique creative selves and artistic personalities. Unfortunately, there are limited resources and references available to facilitate opera production aimed at children. This dissertation seeks to partially remedy this situation by providing a historical overview and analytical and pedagogical resources for individuals (educators, composers, ensemble directors, producers, etc.) who are interested in creating childrens opera or employing opera as a pedagogical approach for children.
Open Access
Mindful Singing: Exploring Mindfulness and Self-Regulation in Classical Singing
(2021-03-08) Chan, Vania Lizbeth; Robbin, Catherine
The harmonious partnership between the mind and body lies at the core of practice and performance for classical singers. Mindfulness (staying in the present moment) and Self-regulation (understanding and controlling ones own learning environment) are key concepts that when applied to the discipline of classical singing, could help to enhance the growth of efficient learning skills and healthy vocal development. This paper gathers the philosophies and perspectives of respected researchers (including Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and K. Anders Ericsson), and organizes them into three separate stages: 1) Mindfulness Stage One which involves mindfulness meditation, developing awareness and increased concentration by paying exclusive attention to the breath, 2) Self-Regulation which centers on deliberate practice, the experts approach to acquiring and developing a skill, acting as a bridge to 3) Mindfulness Stage Two FLOW, the state in which the mind-body connection has been finely tuned to the point that the performance seems effortless and spontaneous. Research data was acquired from classically trained singers through a comprehensive online survey, to determine if the concepts of Mindfulness and Self-regulation were being utilized in the training and performance of classical singers. Comparisons were made between the responses of student singers and professional singers. The intention was to look for commonalities and differences with regards to their training and performance practices as well as their perspectives on and experience with these key concepts. Based on the survey results, the researcher concludes that the singer participants are familiar with and do apply some basic Mindfulness and Self-regulatory concepts and strategies to their practice of singing. The researcher believes that the singers could benefit from a deeper understanding of these concepts, leading to more consistent and focused training and performance. Further research is needed that would require direct observation of the singers implementation of these concepts into their regular practice routine. The information garnered through this dissertation sets up a foundation for promising future research projects, such as the development of smart-phone applications as tools for self-feedback and self-analysis, further exploring how Mindfulness and Self-regulation can be applied to classical singing.
Open Access
Pan, Still on the Move: An Exploratory Study of the Steelpan's Uncharted Growth and Development in North America, and What Impact this Puts on the Pan Movement in its Place of Origin, the Caribbean
(2021-03-08) Wilson, Anthony Irvine; Coghlan, Michael
ABSTRACT This study examines the growth and development of the steelpan in its place of origin, Trinidad and the Caribbean, and its diffusion into North American cities in Canada and the USA. This topic is based on a personal interest in the progressive development of the steelpan including the concerns and the implications for the future of the people, places, and institutions that are affected. Steelpan development, in its simplest form, is very broad when considering the varied aspects of cultural, social, academic, and economic scenarios. This dissertation offers a comparative analysis of the various aspects of steelpan development, based on the information focusing on two specific areas: academic and community development. Certain areas have begun the industrialized manufacturing of the instrument. The study is restricted to some of the major cities in Canada and the USA which have been heavily involved in some aspect of steelpan development. The rationale behind the study is to observe and determine the pros and cons in areas of development and to provide information that may be shared and further assist in steelpan developmental strategies. Findings of the research are determined through the examination of related books on the steelpan culture, government documents, newspaper articles, interviews, participant observation, and my personal direct and continuous involvement with the pan culture for over fifty years. The methodology and theoretical approaches of autoethnography and cultural studies are the ways and means that are employed to achieve the necessary research goals.
Open Access
Listening through technology: Toward a hybrid aurality practice
(2021-03-08) Vieira, Tony; Bowman, Robert
This research project investigates the role of sound within XR (augmented reality, virtual reality, alternate reality) and location-aware media while considering creative practice as research through the creation of two sound-based location-aware media pieces for exhibition (Strathroy Stories and Thing of Shapes to Come). This project aims to build upon, and bridge the work of scholars and artists working in the disciplines of sound studies, creative practice for XR, and sound and music for media. By tracing a history of technologically mediated sound within artistic practices, traditional and new media, cultural and community practice, and everyday experience I hope to unearth a deeper understanding of the role that technology plays as an interlocutor in our experience of listening. The central questions that this dissertation asks concern the ways in which technologically mediated sound shapes the experience of both XR and everyday listening. By discussing the history, current state, and potential future of technologically mediated sound in culture, media, and art this dissertation hopes to address areas that will contribute to the existing body of literature and artistic practice in sound studies and sound art.
Open Access
Five Performance Etudes for Jazz Piano
(2020-11-13) Farrugia, Adrean St. John; Henderson, Alan E.
There are currently numerous texts and publications which outline the fundamental concepts which are relevant to the study and performance of jazz piano. However, there is a smaller body of work that clearly demonstrates the practical real-world application of these fundamental concepts. This thesis presents a collection of five performance etudes for jazz piano which encompass a number of concepts and approaches which are fundamental to the study of jazz piano, while also, as performance relevant pieces, illustrate the practical application of these approaches and concepts. The relevance of the concepts and approaches covered is justified by providing examples of their use on recordings by historically significant pianists. These Five Performance Etudes for Jazz Piano are based of the practical application of relevant styles and concepts spanning the 1940s to the 1960s the period of jazz which cultivated the greatest number of musical tools still used today.
Open Access
Standard Orchestra Excerpts for French Horn: A Discussion of Practice and Pedagogy
(2020-11-13) Porretta, Julia Alexandra; Chambers, Mark K.
This study will explain the preparation process needed by an aspiring orchestral French horn player to be sufficiently ready for an orchestral audition in both Canada and the United States. Through a survey of the most prestigious orchestras in both Canada and the United States, this study determines the common excerpts used for French horn auditions. Furthermore, the physical and mental aspects of preparation are discussed. This study seeks to provide both the necessary tools and the insight needed to enable a player to take a given excerpt and learn not only the notes and rhythms, but also discern many other subtleties inherent in the music, resulting in a full understanding and mastery of the music. The most common excerpts are musically analyzed in order understand why the excerpts are commonly chosen and how a French horn player can use pre-established pedagogical techniques and exercises in their individual practicing. This study will provide advice for future French horn players auditioning for the top orchestras in Canada and the United States.
Open Access
Observations in Orchestration: John Williams
(2020-08-11) Wilson, David Emrys; Henderson, Alan E.
This thesis presents a composition using orchestral techniques gleaned from an analysis of the scores of film composer John Williams. Areas of focus include melodic and rhythmic support, harmonic choices, conducting considerations, chord voicings both within a section and across the orchestra, and dynamics and articulations. Whether it be for film, concert music for orchestra, Olympic or network themes, John Williams is responsible for creating some of the most memorable music of the last half-century. The manner in which he orchestrates is central to his success. While Williams orchestrations appear simplistic, a closer look reveals a rich, studied approach to orchestrating based on a neo-romantic soundscape.
Open Access
Love and Determination Suite Composed in the Style of the Motown Sound from 1961 to 1969
(2020-08-11) Farrell, Aidan Louise; Henderson, Al
The Motown Sound is an umbrella term coined as the name of the specific type of R&B music produced by Motown Records during its years of greatest success. This thesis presents an original composition entitled Love and Determination Suite which demonstrates and expands on the composers understanding of the Motown Sound from 1961 to 1969. Starting with a brief history of Motown Records, the thesis then gives a compositional overview of Love and Determination Suite. This is followed by a musicological analysis of 50 pieces of Motown repertoire between the years of 1961 and 1969, and how the findings of this research were used to inspire the composition of the original suite. A full score of Love and Determination Suite is provided at the end of the thesis.
Open Access
A Case Study of Indigenous Representation in Film Music: Smoke Signals and Dances with Wolves
(2020-08-11) D'Amata, Stephanie Anne; Johnson, Sherry
This thesis explores the representation of North American Indigenous cultures through film music of the 1990s. I use two films as case studies: a Hollywood-produced film Dances with Wolves (1990) and an independent film by an Indigenous filmmaker Smoke Signals (1998). My analysis of the films examines elements of film, such as mise-en-scne, cinematography, editing, and form, as well as musical cues, instrumentation and melodic/rhythmic motifs. The combination of these analyses allows me to consider how meanings about Indigenous cultures are communicated to viewers. I consider the following research questions: How are North American Indigenous cultures represented in film? How do Indigenous filmmakers choose to represent Indigenous culture in comparison to non-Indigenous filmmakers? What can be said about agency, representation, commercialization, and cultural expression through each filmmakers visual and musical choices? I find that music is integral to constructing meaning in films, and that representations of Indigenous cultures, through both music and visual cues, differ significantly across time and film genres.
Open Access
A History of the Royal (Toronto) Conservatory of Music Piano Examinations, 1887-2015: Their Impact and Influence
(2020-05-11) Voitovitch-Camilleri, Tatiana; Dorothy de Val, Dorothy
Since its inception in 1887, the Royal Conservatory of Music has maintained its position as one of the largest and oldest community-based music schools and education centres in North America, with an integrated examination body and a comprehensive graded curriculum, influencing and shaping the Canadian musical landscape. For the past 130 years, the Conservatory has presented a wide-ranging art music repertoire for studying piano and offered a comprehensive system for assessing students progress through its Examinations, recently retitled as The Certificate Program. The Conservatorys internal examinations began in 1887, with the external examinations following in 1898. The latter preserved the format of the former and expanded through increasing the number of the examination centres across Canada for both financial and educational reasons. Despite varying opinions of professionals and amateurs on the efficacy and value of the piano examinations in particular from the beginning, this dissertation, using historical sources and interviews, argues that over the years the structure and content of the piano examinations, while innately conservative on the whole, have kept up with a changing demographic of students across the country, and either countered or taken on the many criticisms that surrounded them over the years despite geographical and financial challenges, and indeed competition from other institutions. Recently they have been hardy enough to enter the American market. Overall, the Conservatorys examination system has created a cultural asset ideal for a country such as Canada, providing, promoting, and disseminating both the branded curriculum and controlled assessment, which contributed to the development and improvement of music education rapidly and effectively. A distinctive part of the dissertation in addition to its detailed history is the interviews with current examiners and teachers, who face a whole new set of challenges and uncharted waters as technology offers new approaches to teaching and evaluation. In this ethnographic approach, their voices add a whole new dimension to the historical survey of the examinations system, arguing that despiteor perhaps because ofthe weight of tradition they still have much to offer.
Open Access
The Music of Sting
(2019-11-22) Rait, Matthew Joseph; Coghlan, Michael
The relationship between Stings personal creative style and the multiple musical genres he incorporates is the primary focus of this dissertation. This study exemplifies the diverse influences that have molded Stings music throughout his life. An extensive analysis of Stings compositions and an investigation of the widespread stylist tapestry that is demonstrated in his music are considered. From classical to Brazilian composers, from Caribbean reggae to Anglo-folk, to blues, rock, pop and jazz sources, Stings mines the key elements and essence of various genres and weaves the materials into his highly original and inspired compositions.