As a pianist and composer, Frédéric Chopin was well known for his uniquely sensitive phrasing and expression. Although he wrote almost exclusively for the piano, his style lends itself well to other instrumentations. Because I am currently studying both clarinet and piano, I am especially interested in the feasibility of performing in Chopin’s style on the clarinet. The aim of this project is to recreate and notate Chopin’s style for clarinet quartet instrumentation. This delicate, nuanced music involving a high level of rhythmic freedom is different compared to much standard clarinet repertoire. However, the clarinet has the advantage of creating sound through a stream of air rather than by pressing keys. This allows a clarinetist the freedom to sustain or increase volume on a long note, whereas a note on the piano always fades after being played. By transcribing and recording three of Chopin’s preludes for clarinet quartet, I intend to form interpretations that utilize this different set of available techniques while still conveying the intended impact of the piano originals. My ultimate goal is for these transcriptions to fit a gap in the current clarinet repertoire, allowing clarinetists to perform in a style they might not normally come across.
The objective of this project is to help broaden the available repertoire for undergraduate basses, creating a ten-song anthology of artsongs from historically underrepresented composers in appropriate keys, which better suit the undergraduate bass voice’s tessitura andrange. In addition to the new key, biographical information about the composer and their compositional style for song will be included.For pieces in foreign languages, an English translation and transcription of the text in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) will beprovided.
The main problem I want to address is composers changing and expanding techniques seen in exploring the capabilities of the instrument. Yet, violinists are still using Kreutzer Etudes which were composed in 1796. These Etudes are important but they don’t explore even the most widely used extended techniques such as artificial harmonics, sul ponticello, or snap pizzacato. This forces instrumentalists to learn these techniques on a case-by-case basis. Sometimes this will dissuade the performer from the piece due to inexperience with the method, and this contributes to the underperformance of 21st-century instrumental concert music. To help expand the palette of violinists I am going to compose a small etude book featuring common and uncommon extended techniques for violinist instructors to use in pedagogical settings, this will allow for more refinement on techniques that some may be uncomfortable with and thus more comfort performing music which uses such techniques. I will write one intermediate version of the etude and one advanced version to accommodate a wide variety of learning levels. By researching repertoire in the literature the conclusion of this project is a short pedagogical book that instructors and violin students can use to further their studies.
The aim of this creative project, funded by the grant I received, is to serve as the primary Pattern/Cutter-Draper for the Theatre Department’s costume shop, transforming costume designers’ artistic concepts into precisely fitted, professionally constructed garments for multiple main-stage productions.This work builds directly on traditional theatrical costume practices, in which the pattern maker/draper serves as the essential bridge between the designer’s sketch or vision board and the final wearable garment for the production. For each costume, I begin with the designer’s sketch and vision board, then draft and sew a muslin mockup for the actor’s fitting. After documenting all fit adjustments, I revise the paper pattern. I then cut the garment from the fashion fabric and remain available throughout construction to guide the stitchers in assembly techniques. Throughout the summer, I developed foundational patterning skills that prepared me to serve as cutter/draper for the production of Young Frankenstein. In that show, I patterned the costumes for the character of Elizabeth and the women's chorus members’ dirndl bodices. This spring, for the production of Eurydice, I patterned and cut the two main costumes for the character of Eurydice and additional costume pieces for the stone characters. We have one final spring production—James and the Giant Peach—in which I will complete my grant responsibilities by patterning several costume pieces for onstage use.
I set out originally to write and produce an original feature-length musical, that goal produced The Burrow, a 2-act rock musical that was recently performed here at UWEC by working alongside with the UWEC Theatre Collective. Together we held a production of the show, had several months of rehearsals, and had four extremely successful performances in Riverside Theatre. Working alongside faculty, I wrote the musical over a 3 year period, and was able to help lead a cast and crew through a successful production and a great experience.
Our aim was to study and understand the life and compositions of William Grant Still, and share this knowledge with others through lecture and performance. Contextually, our project was significant because it studied the life of a historically underrepresented musician and composer; it is essential that we, as a community of artists, recognize the contributions of all artists, particularly those from oppressed minority groups. Our group performed our research in three steps: (1) read biographical material about William Grant Still to better understand how his life experiences influenced his compositions, (2) study and analyze the compositional works of William Grant Still, and (3) study and analyze specifically William Grant Still's piano works. Our conclusions showed that William Grant Still helped to solidify an American compositional style, and influenced many of the better-known composers of the time.
The purpose of “Lebanese Folk Songs in the General Music Classroom” was to expand the library of folk songs that are used in the general music classroom setting to include a more diverse repertoire so that more students feel represented in curriculum. Many students go their whole academic careers without seeing their culture represented in what they are learning, and music is a natural vehicle to teach about other cultures. Currently, there are no resources available for US teachers to teach Arabic music; this project aims to rectify that. We interviewed culture bearers about songs they sang as children, and then we created sheet music, pronunciation guides, and activities for those songs. The final result is an in-progress website with these resources in one place for teachers to use.
How do we use music to tell common stories? Through the work of composers such as Benjamin Britten, Ulysses Kay, Althea TalbotHoward, and Valerie Coleman, this research project explores female archetypes, both mythological and historical, in instrumental workfor oboe and English horn. This project will culminate in a lecture-performance recital, entitled “Women Crying: Symbols of Womanhoodin Instrumental Works for Oboe and English Horn.” It works to synthesize studies in both Music and Communication.
