Instrumental Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations (UMKC)
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The items in this collection are the theses and dissertations written by students of Instrumental Studies. Some items may be viewed only by members of the University of Missouri System and/or University of Missouri-Kansas City. Click on one of the browse buttons above for a complete listing of the works.
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Item Pan-American Musical Exchange: The Relationship between Camargo Guarnieri And Carleton Sprague Smith(2023) Talone, Pyero; Torres-Rivera, NoelThis dissertation focuses on the relationship between Brazilian composer Camargo Guarnieri and American flutist Carleton Sprague Smith, exploring their intersecting lives and the compositions that emerged from their collaboration set against the backdrop of Pan-Americanism. The first part of the dissertation focuses on Smith's interest in Latin America and Brazil in particular, as well as his impressions after his first visit to the country, which are documented in his Musical Tour Through South America. Through this lens, the dissertation explores the role of geopolitics in Smith's commentaries and the ways in which political values such as democracy and authoritarianism were promoted through various channels such as radio broadcasting, cultural institutions, and scholarship exchange. The dissertation then shifts its focus to Camargo Guarnieri, providing a detailed account of his life from his rural roots to his involvement with Pan-Americanism in the 1940s. Through archival research and by examining Guarnieri's correspondence with Smith, Aaron Copland, Luiz Heitor, and Charles Seeger, the dissertation sheds light on the ways in which American representatives perceived Brazil, its supposed racial harmony, and musical stereotypes. Furthermore, the dissertation analyzes the impact of Guarnieri's visits to the United States on his compositional output and demonstrates how certain experiences had a lasting impact on his views on music education and the music industry in Brazil. Finally, this work examines Guarnieri's compositions dedicated to Smith, including Improviso No. 2 for solo flute (1942), Sonatina for flute and piano (1947), and the cantatas Louvação do Amor Êtê (1944), and Colóquio (1959), revealing their collaborative nature and shedding light on their significance in the Brazilian orchestral repertoire.Item The Brazilian Flute Topic(2023) Ferreira, Rafael Ribeiro; Torres-Rivera, NoelThis dissertation studies the connection between the flute, in its materiality and function, and ideas on Brazilianness. A question permeates the narrative I propose: why has the flute become an instrument so representative of Brazilian culture? By presenting a general overview of discourses on Brazilian musical nationalism in relation to social, political, and racial configurations, I analyze how the always-shifting concept of Brazilianness was transformed throughout history, and how the flute can be understood as one of its most distinctive symbols. To this end, I offer several perspectives from modernist authors such as Mário de Andrade to contemporary scholars such as Maria Eugênia Boaventura. Drawing on ideas proposed by music scholars such as Melanie Plesch, Raymond Monelle, and Michael Klein with regard to topic theory, I analyze how the flute and its sonority appear represented and/or used in Brazilian iconography, literature, and musical practices from colonial times up to the 1940s, also paying attention to issues of class, race, and politics. Through this broad cultural analysis, I build a network of signs, a code for what I call the Brazilian Flute Topic. Although the study of the Brazilian Flute as a cultural unit is an end in itself, I also develop analyses of three twentieth-century works for flute solo by composers deemed as nationalist: Melopéias n.3 (1950) by César Guerra-Peixe (1914-1993); Fantasia Sul América (1983) by Claudio Santoro (1919-1989); and Improviso (1974) by Osvaldo Lacerda (1927-2011). My goal is to explore the ways in which we can interpret such works through the cultural code I develop, suggesting new perspectives for their study, and with it, illustrating the potential of topic theory and semiotics in the study of Brazilian art music.Item La Generazione dell'Ottanta and the Italian Sound(2021) Racanati, Alberto; Everett, William A., 1962-La Generazione dell’Ottanta (The Generation of the Eighties) is a generation of Italian composers born in the 1880s, all of whom reached their artistic maturity between the two World Wars and who made it a point to part ways musically from the preceding generations that were rooted in operatic music, especially in the Verismo tradition. The names commonly associated with the Generazione are Alfredo Casella (1883-1947), Gian Francesco Malipiero (1882-1973), Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880-1968), and Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936). In their efforts to create a new music that sounded unmistakingly Italian and fueled by the musical nationalism rampant throughout Europe at the time, the four composers took inspiration from the pre-Romantic music of their country. Individually and collectively, they embarked on a journey to bring back what they considered the golden age of Italian music, with each one yielding a different result. Through the creation of artistic associations facilitated by the fascist government, the musicians from the Generazione established themselves on the international scene and were involved with performances of their works around the world. Immediately after the end of World War II, in an effort to condemn the excesses that led humanity to war, their music fell out of favor and the younger generation embraced different ideals, now devoid of nationalist traits. Through an analysis of what identified their music as properly Italian, it is possible to identify the missing link between the Italian operatic tradition of the nineteenth century and the modernist currents of the twentieth. In looking at the music of the Generazione more objectively, thanks to the passing of time, the talents of these four composers who were forced to work under extreme circumstances become apparent and the significance of their contributions to musical life in Italy can be critically assessed.Item Becoming a Healthier Guitarist: Understanding and Addressing Injuries(2016) Bosi, Bráulio; Niedt, Douglas, 1952-The field of performance arts medicine is supplying musicians with alarming statistics regarding their health. Authors give statistics as high as 93% when discussing the injury rate among instrumentalists. As guitar is one of the instruments listed with the highest incidence of playing-related injuries, this work addresses the types of injuries to which musicians, including guitarists, are prone, as well as their causes and treatment. Musicians often tend to neglect proper treatment for playing related injuries, which leads to the conclusion that investing time in prevention methods is the best choice in regards to injuries. The efficacy of common routines for injury prevention such as warming-up, taking breaks, among others, has proven statistically to be successful. Studies show that warm-up routines and periodic breaks from music practice seem to be effective against playing-related injuries; the benefits of stretching, however, remain controversial. Since some of the injuries investigated are preventable to a large extent through technical adjustments, informed suggestions for guitarists are included. Though the solutions presented are not necessarily the only ones available, they are supported by studies in performing arts medicine.Item Pedagogical literature for violists: selected studies from Lillian Fuchs's 16 Fantasy Études and corresponding orchestral excerpts(2013) Chen, Yu-Fang; Lee, ScottFew colleges and music festivals offer intensive orchestral studies programs as part of the string department curriculum, and those that do focus solely on excerpts and audition preparation. This dissertation proposes a post-graduate course to establish a comprehensive curriculum. The course utilizes two resources, Lillian Fuchs's 16 Fantasy Études and common orchestral audition excerpts. The 16-week course will help students build their musicality and craftsmanship by studying selected études and standard viola audition repertoire. Each étude will address the technical and musical demands of its given excerpt, and the course will offer students suggestions as how to practice them. Aiming to foster future educators and professional orchestral violists, the author concentrates on the pedagogical and problem-solving aspects of audition preparation.