Music electronic theses and dissertations (MU)
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The items in this collection are the theses and dissertations written by students of the Department of Music. Some items may be viewed only by members of the University of Missouri System and/or University of Missouri-Columbia. Click on one of the browse buttons above for a complete listing of the works.
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Item Clickbait(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Porfirio, Giovanni Periotto; Asuroglu, Utku"Clickbait," composed for the MU Philharmonic Orchestra, was created as part of the commission for the Sinquefield Composition Prize and receives its title from the world of technology. The central idea was to surprise the audience with every new section. The piece begins with a tonal foundation--major chords in the woodwinds and strings, wind sounds in the brass, and a crescendo across the orchestra. This opening idea unfolds over the first minute and forty-five seconds. Then, a plot twist: a bossa nova rhythm emerges in the drums, driving the next section. The following sections develop these ideas further, leading to a conclusion where the audience will experience quiet, delicate sounds in the strings, winds, and percussion. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the surprises "Clickbait" has in store.Item Speechless(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Gonzalez, Harry; Asuroglu, UtkuNowadays, with the boundaries between nature and urban areas becoming blurrier, animals find it challenging to have a normal life in environments transformed to serve human lifestyles. As their habitats shrink, these organisms, including mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles, among others, must compete for fewer resources and adapt to areas altered by human activities, often represented as non-organic waste. In the search for food, animals struggle to eat, breathe, move, and survive after getting trapped by or mistakenly consuming trash. Certainly, many tribes and particular populations experience similar challenges that animals do. However, unlike these populations, animals cannot speak up, they cannot act, they are suffering without comprehending the reasons behind... they are just dying in silence.Item Echoes of the Elemental Dance(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Balci, Seda; Asuroglu, UtkuEchoes of the Elemental Dance is a percussion ensemble that explores the dynamic interplay between the four classical elements--Air, Water, Earth, and Fire--through a continuous rhythmic dialogue. The piece opens with the element of Air, introduced through breath-like vocalizations ("ss" and "sh") forming an ostinato over a steady bass drum pulse. These textures gradually evolve, giving way to sonic representations of Water and Earth. In contrast, Fire is portrayed as an isolated, destructive force in a brief, improvisatory section characterized by chaotic, noise-based gestures. The aftermath--symbolized by ashes--is depicted using body percussion and vocal imitation, referencing the now-silent instruments. The Earth section emerges next, driven by Turkish rhythmic patterns and the timbre of the darbuka. The work concludes with a return to Air, accompanied by the soft sound of raindrops, framing the cyclical nature of the elemental journey.Item Navigating dual genres : a case study on vocal techniques and health in classical and gospel singing(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Wilson, Ronnie Chace; Sims, WendyThis qualitative, instrumental single-case study investigated the vocal techniques, strategies, and health practices employed by a professional vocalist navigating performances across two vocally demanding and stylistically distinct genres: Western European classical and gospel music. Utilizing a thematic analysis of comprehensive data collected through semi-structured interviews, video-recorded and live observations, daily hydration and voice use logs, and analysis of artifacts, this research illuminates how the bimusical vocalist effectively manages genre-specific technical demands and maintains vocal health. Findings reveal that for this artist, effective crossover singing required deliberate adjustments in breathing patterns, laryngeal positioning, vocal resonance placement, dynamics, and articulation. Distinctive technical approaches emerged, notably diaphragmatic breathing for classical singing to facilitate controlled phrasing and full resonance, contrasted by higher, clavicular breathing in gospel singing, supporting its expressive and dynamic requirements. Based on the participant's beliefs and experiences, the findings highlight the critical role of proactive vocal health strategies, including hydration, vocal rest, warmups, and cool-downs, as essential for preventing vocal strain and sustaining vocal performance longevity. The integration of intentional practice strategies, emotional and mental preparedness, and pedagogical insights also contributed to the successful management of vocal challenges inherent in this musician's dual-genre performance career. This research addresses a gap in the literature concerning practical techniques for vocal adaptability, offering valuable insights for performers, educators, and voice researchers dedicated to understanding and enhancing vocal versatility and health across diverse musical traditions.Item "I've just got to survive right now." A phenomenological study of first year middle school choral educators(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2025) Shields, Mary Kathleen; Adams, Kari; Sims, WendyFirst-year music educators often lack confidence in their abilities and feel unprepared to begin their first year of teaching. The development of each novice teacher's sense of identity, efficacy, classroom practices, and teaching pedagogies has been well documented. There is not much research about the very beginning experiences of first year music educators. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of beginning middle school choral music educators during the first nine weeks of their careers. Participants were five first-year middle school choral educators in Missouri. They discussed their classroom experiences in five semi-structured interviews during the first nine weeks of the 2023-2024 academic year. In addition to the interviews, I collected data in the forms of daily journals and lesson plans. I analyzed the qualitative interview data using interpretative phenomenological analysis. IPA is an approach to qualitative research "committed to the examination of how people make sense of their major life experiences" (Smith et al., 2022, p. 1). I selected this analytical method as it centers around both understanding experience at the individual case level and in its own terms. Four themes emerged from the data: Developing My Self-Trust, Putting Pedagogy into Practice, the Learning is Overwhelming, and Leaving Work at Work. Based on these findings, I suggested implications for music educator curricula including additional field experiences to provide opportunities to build self-trust and apply pedagogy, an extension of the student teaching semester, and further exploration of the work and life separation. Future researchers might consider examining the experiences of teachers during the beginning of their teaching careers and the transition between student teaching and the beginning of a music teacher's career.