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Society for Ethnomusicology
2008 annual meeting at Wesleyan

Wesleyan Dissertations and Theses in Music

Ph.D. Dissertations | M.A. Theses | Senior Honors Theses

 

Senior Honors Theses in Music

 

1952

Ferwerda, John E.  Original Music Composition.

1953

Hoyt, Charles A.  Jazz and its Origin.

1956

Costello, Robert B.  The Piano: Its Music, Techniques, and Cultural Role from the Baroque to the Present.

1958

Donohue, Richard W.  Successful Programming Procedures for the Vocal Artist.

1962

Higgins, Jon B.  Mridanga Padamurai (Mridanga Lessons).

McClellan, Myron S.  Ten Compositions in the Fields of Indeterminate and Experimental Music.

1967

Ross, Thomas W.  Tape. Original Music.

1969

Maue, Kenneth G.  “Going Home” – Original Music.

Simon, John Douglas, Jr.  Modes of Artistic Perception: Alvin Lucier’s Chambers.

1970

Knight, Douglas M., Jr.  A Reaction to Learning Mridangam Accompaniment and Notes to a Performance of South Indian Music Given May 1, 1970.

Toth, Andrew F.  The Gamelan Sekati of Central Java.

Zummo, Peter J.  Instructor’s Manual for Performing Workshop.

1971

Gillett, Glenn David.  Investigation of Improvisatory Experience.

LeRoy, Robert W.  Classical Music of South India.

1972

Johnson, Mark A.  Structural Composition: Theory and Application.

Kaloyanides, Michael G.  The Musical Heritage of Crete.

1973

Lynes, Christopher R.  “Flying Blind”.

1974

Anderson, Nancy Louise.  Interpretation and Performance of German Lieder.

Barbera, Charles Andre.  Concertato Style/Form.

Forrest, Wayne Jeffrey.  Aspects of Sulukan in Javanese Music: A Discussion of Change.

Goldman, Ronald H.  Underlying Concepts of Performance.

Goldstein, Ilene Edwina.  A Performance and Analysis from the Works of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and Persichetti.

Pearson, Nathan Williams, Jr.  Mance Lipscomb: An American Musician.

Quigley, Donald Samuel.  The Rebab as a Reference Point in Central Javanese Gamelan.

Rotherburg, Roger Lee.  The Music of Rocky Lee and His Bad Companions.

1975

Smith, Sherrie.  A Performance and Analysis from the Works of Haydn, Beethoven, Bartòk, and Chopin.

Strachan, Donald.  “Soul Translation” – A Spiritual Suite for Orchestra.

1976

Blacker, Melissa.  Kenas, Charangos and Tubas: Musical Style and Context among the Indians of Capachica, Peru.

Brainard, John.  Dreamin’.

Collins, Nicholas.  Experimental Music.

Davis, Nina.  Performance and Analysis of Settings of Goethe’s Mignon-Leider.

Griffith, Oliver.  Compositions and Arrangements for Large and Small Jazz Ensemble.

Swing, Pamela.  Da Farder Ben Da Wylcomer: (The More You’re With Us, The More You’re Welcome): Shetland Island Fiddle Music.

1977

Bruce, Phyllis Mackowitz.  A Preliminary Investigation of American Women Song Composers of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries.

David, Susan.  Jazz Composition and Performance.

Kendall, Sarah.  Another Pilgrim’s Progress.

Topalian, Elyse.  A Recital of Russian Music.

Weismiller, Peter.  Esoteric Learning and the Navagraha Kritis of Muttuswamy Dikshitar.

1978

Bilson, Gretchen A.  Original Compositions.

Campbell, Jeffrey Y.  Nepali Adhunik Sangit: A Description of the Popular Music of Nepal within the Framework of Traditional and Classical Musics.

Gaylord, Deborah L.  Living with the Dead – A Study of Communication with the Dead in the Social and Ritual Life of the Belizean Garifuna.

Kerner, Winifred.  Piano Recital.

Lockwood, Winthrop F.  Concert of Indian Music.

Nussenbaum, David L.  Three Early Settings of Metastasio’s L’Olimpiade.

Richman, Karen E.  Servitors and Their Masters: An Analysis of Ritual Performance in Haiti.

Scolnick, Julie.  Flute Recital.

Sturken, Carl A.  Early Jazz Guitar.

Tuerk, Francine L.  Stewart Robertson: An Oral History.

Williams, Lenora Sampson.  Voice Recital.

1979

Condaris, Christine.  Greek Orthodox Church Music: The Chrysanthean Period.

Freudenheim, John M.  Mridangam Accompaniment in the Classical Music of South India.

Koplowitz, Stephan M.  Music and the Visual/Media Arts.

Kottmeyer, Laurie J.  Sindhenan (Javanese Vocal Music).

Miller, Thomas.  Quincunx: Music and Movement for Experimental Ensemble.

Pugh, Guy F.  A Recital of Songs.

Samuels, David W.  Music and Self-Image: The Changing Place of Music in a Modern Apache Community.

Wahl, Sharon.  Piano Recitals.

Wessel, Kenneth L.  A Dog’s Music: Composition, Arrangement and Performance of Original and Non-Original Music.

1980

Abajian, Aram Christian.  Digital Dharma.

Bauer, Tamar.  Senior Violin Recital.

Bergeron, Katherine A.  MISSA (Musical Composition).

1981

Frank, Andrew C.  Explorations in the Use of Real-Time Data Processors and Musical Instruments in Performance.

Frishman, Marcie L.  Ancient Hebrew Musical Practices in the Time of the First Temple.

Lang, Cheung-Wai.  Piano Concert.

McHale, Ellen E.  French Canadian to Franco-American: A Study of the Music Culture of Derby, Vermont.

Reaney, Warford S.  South Indian Vina Recital.

Shapiro, Alan M.  Four Compositions in the Jazz Idiom: “Hot Sauce,” “King Edward and King Charles—The Greats,” “First Suite,” “Al’s Well That Ends Well.”

Stewart, Sylvie H.  “An Evening of Music” (with a touch of Theater).

Stone, Philip K.  Fuller Sound.

Urban, Bryant M.  Four Compositions: “Eb Tide,” “Norumbega,” “Whitebird,” “The Twayne Shall Meet.”

1982

Alter, Andrew Burton.  Piano Concert.

Charloff, Ruth Anne.  Piano Recital.

Kidwell, Susan Allison.  Senior Piano Recital Program Notes.

Lancefield, Robert Charles.  Original Compositions in the Afro-American Tradition.

Levin, Robert Harris.  “World Music of Jazz.”

Loucky, David Lubomir.  A Trombophonium Affair: Standard and Uncommon Works for Trombone and Euphonium by Czech, Polish, Hungarian, French, Argentine, and American Composers.

Skillman, Teri Leigh.  Kathak.

 

1983

Elliot, Jan.  Baroque Music for Recorder and Traditional Music and Dance from the British Isles.

Neely, Alison G.  Piano Recital.

Norris, Megan P.  Senior Honors Thesis Project.

Post, Marian R.  A Recital.

Roseman, Edward B.  The Sea Horse.

Wolff, David L.  Metatheory of Performance.

1984

Berman, Donald L.  Selected Works Performed by Donald Berman.

Burger, Heidi.  Music Recital.

deVaron, Alexander M.  A Couple of Things – 5 concerts and explanatory notes and colloquium.

Hallarman, Lynn E.  Baroque and 20th Century Music for the Flute.

Romano, Martin.  Four Songs About Supermarkets.

Thom, Jennifer.  “A Musical Affair…” a Thesis Recital.

1985

Dunn, Max.  Honors Thesis Concert.

Griffiths, Ward.  Prime Time Tunes.

Wimmer, Kevin.  Music on the Devil’s Box.

1986

Cion, Shira.  Outside Event – Music, Dance, Theater (ensemble ritual).

Hamburger, David.  Mail for my Boxmate: An Exploration of the Role of the Guitar in Jazz.

Reiss, Wayne Jefferson.  Reiss’s Pieces.

1987

Brandon, Jennifer.  Senior Vocal Performance.

Hewitt, Emily.  Opera – “Elysian Farm” – a farce.

Mason, Gabrielle.  Vocal Performance: Opera and Art Song.

Neuman, Douglas.  A Senior Thesis in Piano Performance.

Osborn, Edward.  Watching the Zamboni: Notes on the Music of Ed.

Reid-Schwartz, Matthew.  Flute: A Senior Thesis Concert.

1988

Connell, Elizabeth C.  Richard Strauss and Gabriel Fauré: Personal Approaches to Song Composition.

Hedges, James.  Notes.

Nashel, Peter.  Jazz at the Hall.

Schurgin, Gwenn D.  A Saxophonist’s Plight: A Personal Essay.

Taylor, Michael E.  The Keyboard World of William Croft.

1989

Broening, Benjamin.  Recent Compositions.

MacKenzie, Douglas.  A Study in South Indian Rhythmic Patterning and Accompaniment.

Scher, Jason.  Three Pieces.

Searles, Julie.  Songs of Brasil.

Sobel, Adam.  Adam’s Best Apples.

1990

Bardfeld, Samuel J.  Catgut Composite.

Cobe, Russell A.  A Suite of Sacred Music.

Gabay, Jacqueline E.  Senior Piano Recital.

Morgan, Kelly S.  Béla Bartòk and Marguerite Beclard D’Harcourt: The Study of Folk Music and the Beginnings of Ethnomusicology.

Rosen, Merri-Jane.  Recital of Solo and Chamber Works for Oboe and the Romantic Age in Music: Its Effects on the Use of the Oboe.

Springer, Elise.  Music as Erotic: Perspectives of Selfhood.

Terry, Brett C.  The Persistence and the Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory.

Will, Catharina M.  Listening to the Gamelan.

1991

Chatzky, Jeremy William.  Imitating Art: The Use of Found Sound Material in 20th Century Western Music and Notes from the Concert.

Dawson, Marshall Lane.  Performance Diary.

Desmond, James Murray.  Performance Write-Up.

Eisengart, Charles Andrew.  Performance Notes.

Gelazis, Julija Jurate.  Vakarone: A Lithuanian-American Musical Experience.

Holshouser, William Hosea.  The Big Wooden Box and the Breathing Typewriter: Braxton Compositions and Arrangements for Small Groups Featuring Piano and Accordion.

Neuman, Charles Philip.  True But Irrelevant.

1992

Frankel, Melissa K.  Mysticism in the Music and Lives of Erik Satie and Claude Debussy.

Gertner, Eric Timothy.  Music and Dance of Ghana.

Mulhauser, Chris.  The Care and Feeding of the Musical Genre.

Snyder, Jesse M.  Music and Cultural Identity Among the Indian Community in Connecticut.

1993

Foster, Jonathon Barrows.  Sound Installations: Concrete Sound and Physical Form.

McLeod, Rodd Christopher.  Opportunities and Impossibilities.

Steinfeld, Jessica.  Escapism in Unaccompanied Secular Choral Music.

1994

Gilbert, Jesse Lukas.  Through-Space Projections.

Rosenberg, Scott Alan.  A Moment of Our Time.

1995

Bartell, Leah.  Outside the Canon: Examining Public and Private in the Lives of Fanny Hensel and Clara Schumann.

Bell, Josh Bowles, IV.  Music for Most Anything.

Cimmet, Brian H.  e-love.

Corwin, Alex David.  Induced Flow Fields in an Ether Resonator.

Grenier, David G.  Public Creative Process.

Patton, Brandon Quinn.  Barking at the Word (An Original Composition) and a paper, exploring Sound, Music and Language through the Nonsense of Futurism and Dada.

Piper, Daniel Clifford.  Overt Exchanges.

Wilmers, Chris.  Understanding the Mind.

 

1996

Fox, Kevin Philip.  An Analysis of Structure in Selected Twentieth Century Mass Settings to Accompany an Original Setting Entitled Missa Brevis I.

Holder, Trevor Shaun.  Time, Space, and Dialogue in Music.

Hung, Eric Hing-Tao.  Ferruccio Busoni’s Nachdichtungen: “Eclectic” Reworkings of Bach?

Lanin, Benjamin Jay.  Twelve Preludes for Guitar.

Loubet Thom Carlyle.  Jazzin’ the Blues: The Life and Music of Lonnie Johnson.

Lubkowski, Carol Irene.  Hearing Voices.

Roufa, Michael Steven.  The Voice as Instrument: A Comparative Study of the Classical Singing Styles of Western Europe and South India.

1997

Gilmore, Britta Q.  The Structure and Function of Aesthetic Disruption in Selected Works of Béla Bartók.

Girard, Aaron.  Voice-Leading and Expression in the Accompanied Recitatives of J. S. Bach.

Harbert, Benjamin J.  Hybrid Structures: Negotiating Plural Musical Forms as a Creative Musician.

Higgins, Nicholas.  Armature and Alankara (Structure and Ornamentation).

Rosenblatt, Joshua.  Musical Lobsters and Other Tricks.

Steckler, Matthew.  The Formal Agenda in Composition.

1998

Bynum, Taylor Franklin Ho.  Mumbo Jumbo Music and SpiderMonkey Stories: Compositions 1994-1997.

Clarke, Ayanda.  The Complexity of Simplicity: The Science of West African Drumming.

Gilbert, Daniel.  Creative Reflections of a Changing America: Charles Mingus and John Coltrane in the Civil Rights Era.

Hege, Anne K.  Ensemble Expressions.

Hill, Jennifer.  Redefining Musical Tradition in the Northern Andes.

McPherson, Steven.  Sugar Sweet: Musicological and Esoteric Approaches to Blues Modality and the Work of Muddy Waters.

Moyer, Justin.  Don’t Smoke/Don’t Drink/Don’t Fuck: Straight Edge and Semiotic Warfare.

Ronick, Eric.  Marat/Sade: A Score.

Shane, Nancy R.  Carmina Cornica.

Smith, Justin S.  Towards A New American Opera: A Historical and Musical Examination of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeny Todd.

Speck, John.  “Con Swing y Sentimiento”: The Trombone in Salsa Music.

Torrisi, Jessie.  Unleashed Rhythm: A Journey Through Cameroon.

Vora, Kalindi Ann.  The Thing Itself: Exercises in the Music and Ritual of Chanting.

1999

Buescher, Michael.  Digging in the Dirt: Towards an Understanding of Roots and the Individual in West African Popular Music.

Correa, Karen.  “Se Cerca, Se Dice…” The Metastasian Drama & 18th Century Aesthetics.

Dellinger, Seth.  Original Compositions of Music and Language.

George, Kareem A.  Frederick’s “Enlightened” State: The Musical Politics of Eighteenth-Century Prussia.

Hoyt, Samuel.  Playing Music.

Koulomzin, Daniel.  Improvisation Within Structure.

Moore, John A.  The Rock Star.

Patterson, Nathan.  Europe, meet Jazz: A study of the cross influences between jazz and European music in the 20th Century.

Sen, Kabir.  Socially Conscious Rap: An Examination of Political Lyricism’s Development from Gil Scott Heron to Hip Hop.

Starns, Sarah.  Blue Chevy Song Book.

Stewart, Paul.  A Functional Understanding of Charles Mingus.

Thompson, Rachel.  Rethinking the ‘Divine Arabesque’: A Critical Approach to Claude Debussy and the Javanese Kampong from the 1889 Exposition Universelle.

Uehlinger, Kevin.  Thesis Compositions.

2000

Adamian, John.  Fruit and Weapon of the Struggle: The Legacy of Guinea’s State-Funded Music.

Danforth, Sadie.  Conceptions of the Woman Composer: A Study of Amy Beach.

Geremia, Stephanie.  A Celebration of Chaos.

Kennedy-Grant, Alexander.  New Patterns.

Lehman, Stephen.  The Music of Jackie McLean.

Mundy, Rachel.  Messiaen and Color: Seeing Things as They Really Are.

Rahaim, Matt.  Simulogical Education.

Schatz, Noam.  Indiscriminate Graying: A Handbook in New Rhythmism.

Sterling, Ben.  The Potential of Connection.

Tobias, Meredith.  Women and Redemption Through Love in 18th and 19th-Century Opera.

Tuzzolo, Gregory.  My Vibrating Soul: Music for Quartet and Octet.

Westman, Aaron.  Musical Quotations and Black Boxes in the Works of Dmitri Shostakovich.

Whalen, Gregory.  Patterns in the 371 Chorales of J. S. Bach.

2001

Bell, Julia Miriam.  BAM Rebuilt: The Institutional Role of the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Reconstructing An American Musical Identity During the Progressive Era.

Bihldorff, David Nicholas.  Transcultural Inspiration in Pop Music.

Hanlon, David Stephen.  Improvisation in Western Art Music: Two Case Studies.

Munno, Steven Paul.  Mandalas: Original Scores for Performance and Listening Mediation.

Rubin, Nina Stephanie.  In Pursuit of Tradition: Dare re Zimbabwe and the Preservation of Shona Music in North America.

Scholnick, Daniel Lloyd.  Rub’ al Khali: The Empty Quarter of Tabla.

Shapiro, Darcie Naomi.  Collective Breath.

Sidhu, Sujata Elam.  Corporeality: Post-Atlantean Evolution through Changes in Intervallic Systems.

Tan, Sherina Yen Ling.  Westernization of Chinese Music in Historical Context (1930’s-1976) and the Merge of the East and West in Three Piano Transcriptions of Traditional Chinese Music.

2002

Binnick, Jason.  Duke Ellington's Film Scores (With an Appendix of Original Compositions).

Chioh, Ee Ling.  Significant Contributions to the Development of the Marimba and its Repertoire.

Dingman, Chris.  Bobby Hutcherson: Reflections of Life in Music.

Gentry, Phil.  Queer Networks, Musical Desire: Experimental Music in California, 1931-1941.

Goodwin, Tyler.  The Double Bass in the Twentieth Century.

Halvorson, Mary.  The Spiritual: An Analysis.

Jerome, Erin.  Mozart Had A Sister? Putting Three Musical Women into Social Context.

Keiper, Tim.  Music as a Means of Spiritual Development and a Path to Enlightenment.

Rainey, Samara.  Mirrors of Orientalism: Toru Takemitsu and Music Aesthetics in the Later Twentieth Century.

Rogove, Greg.  New Methods for Adapting Tabla Material onto the Drum Set.

Whelden, Schuyler.  Lingering Impressions and Poetic Digressions.

Sherman, Bill.  The Effects of African American Music on West African Popular Music Post-1990

2003

Brown, Joseph. The History and Development of the Drum Set Solo

Demisch, Robert. Step Off the Edge: A Guide to Rock Composition

Forscher, Mark. Electronic Music Composition

Ghertner, Robin. Hoy La Rumba

Jones, Stephanie. Opera, Science Fiction, and Meaning: An Introduction to "The Foetus Follies"

Karlesberg, Jesse. Activated Spaces

Looker, Charles. Vague Rigor: On Two Composition

Maclead, Iain. A Lyres's Tale

Morrison, Samuel. The Faces of South Africa's Jazz

Salkovskaya, Juliya. Thoughts on Language...

Tranchina, Nicholas. The BAck Seat: A New Gamelan

2004

Berman, William. "Troo Kvit": Extreme Metal Fans and Virtual Distinction

Cortez-Greig, Shanta. Reflecting Impulse

Eastman, Timothy. Sound/Not Sound

Encarnacion, Enrico. The Guitar in Jazz: It's Birth, Development & Integration Into Jazz

Lake, Robert. Essays on Fluxus

Paige, Aaron. Without Disturbing the Mood: Mrdangam Accompaniment in Carnatic Music

Raimi, Daniel. A Distinct Approach: The Music of Paul Motian

St. Clair, Daniel. Disappearing Acts

Weinstein, Anna. Amoris Patriae nutric Carmen: Patriotic Music & An American Religious Identity

2005

Ahl, David. Hip-Hop Production and Technology: The Science of Sound

Brick, Ashley. Musical Nationalism in 20th Century Argentina

Cotel, Sivan. Musical Memories from a Commercial Childhood

Herman, Eric. The Categorization and Marketing of African Music in America

Kelly, Matthew. Where We're Going and What We've Left Behind: Arts Education in New York City Public Schools and the influence of No Child Left Behind

Leinwand, Ethan. 6 Compositions by Ethan Leinwand

O'Connor, Simon. Magnifique: Genre, Race the Phenomenon of the "Crossover" in Popular Music

Ruder, David. Ensembles Amassing: Musical Overlap in Works by John Cage, Neely Bruce, Anthony Braxton, and John Zorn

Schoen, James. The Fruit Fallen: Compositions in Orchestral Rock

Swofford, William. *anahata* the rituals of akasha

Zayaruzny, Anna. Hearing Voices in Machaut's Motets

2006

Aprile, Andrew. Feedback: Popular Music and Society in Ghana and Senegal

Bryant, Joshua. The "Power of Judgement" in Kant, Thoreau and Cage

Cohen, Rob. The Influence of Frank Zappa and Sun Ra on a Young Composer, Musician, and Thinker

Foy, Nyasha. The Style is American but the Language is French: Hip Hop Culture through Rap Music in France & the US

Kiss, Gergely. On the Lieder of Franz Liszt

Louis, Smith. George Gershwin: American Culture in Music

McDonald, Christopher. Songs About Distance

Ouimette, Laura. Keeping the Congregation: Angelican Worship Music and Church Growth

Perry, Sarah. Cello Concerto No. 1 - Explanations of my Cello Concerto No. 1

Schuhmann, Reinhardt. The Cost of Culture: Copyright Law in Ghana

Sourdiffe, Asa. Jazz Violin Technique: Stuff Smith in Comparison with his Contemporaries

Taylor, Aaron. Tintinnabuli and Modernishm: Reevaluating the Popular Image of Arvo Part

Testa, Carl. Duke Ellington and Anthony Braxton: An Analysis of Border Crossing in Art Worlds

Witkin, Deborah. The Musical Treatment of Poetic Enjambement in Early Fifteenth-Century Rondeaux

2007

Bishop, Marlon. Part 1: Tango in America, 1913-1925: Outsider Music at the Birth of the Popular

Cordes, David. Essentially Ellington: Canon and It's Consequences

Gutkovich, Vladimir. Funk is its Own Reward: The Moving power of Parliament Funkadelic

Heath, Max. Transience and Transcendence "In the Aeroplane over the Sea"

Hill, Albert. A Summation, An Exploration

Hurder, Michael. A Transformative Power of Love: A Study in Composition and Collage

Ingpen, Jeremy. Hovering Harmony: Scriabin's Fifth Sonata

Monahon-Ward, Caley. Counter Culture, Country Culture: What MAde Charlie Daniels Country

Reilly, Jack. Systems, Methods, and Controls

Webb, Nathaniel. Sit Down and Shout! Reactions of Rock Music to the Classical Tradition