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To Tour or Not to Tour: A Case Study in Music Education Ensemble Travel
Bryan Helsel
Taking Charge: Looking at Student Leadership in the High School Band Room
Darren LeBeau
Gender Discrimination in the Band World: A Case Study of Three Female Band Directors
Kristin Coen-Mishlan
Digital Sound and Cultural Influence: Contemporary Native American Music
Paisley Stovall
Representing China's Musics: An Analysis of Disney's Mulan Soundtrack
Guangci Yang
The Changing Function of Clave Shows Defined Nature of Musical Elements
Mo Li
Examination of Popular Music and Controversy: Marketing Ploy or Artistic Advancement?
Deanna Nebel
“But This Isn’t a High School Choir”: An Examination of the Role and Purpose of the Middle School Choral Program
Jonathan Saeger
A Place on the Podium: Sociological Factors Influencing Female Band Directors and Their Practice
Kristin Coen
Minding the Gap: Perspectives on Connecting Students’ School and Non-School Music Experiences in the Elementary General Music Classroom
Bea Olesko
Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives on Music Teaching and Learning
Kristin Coen-Mishlan
Unfamiliar Territory: The Role of Health, Wellness, and Democratic Practices for Music Educators
Christopher Williams
Choral Repertoire Selection Practices and Methodology for Music Educators: a Literature Review
Bryan Helsel
Maintenance of Slovenian-American Polka Tradition in Cleveland
Will Bulger
The Role Music Stores Play in the Musical Life of a Community: Woodsy’s Music Store in Kent
Guangci Yang
Preserving Tradition and Revival: A Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival
Paisley Stovall
Fostering Intercultural Spaces and Contact Zones
Samuel Boateng
Waulking Songs: A Scottish Tradition in North America
Julie Kennedy
The Uncertain Musical Evidence in Thai Temple Murals
Dr. Terry Miller
The Legacy of Arleen Auger
Alanna Furst
Lily Pons: The Littlest Lakmé
Rosemary Heredos
Jamie Barton, American Mezzo
Hannah Jencius
Gender Discrimination in the Band World: A Case Study of Three Female Band Directors
Kristin Coen-Mishlan
Abstract
This qualitative case study examines how gender has influenced the careers and experiences of three female high school band directors. The participants are at varying stages in their career: one early career, one mid career, and one retired. Triangulation will be obtained by collecting data from a questionnaire, personal interviews, and a focus group discussion. Themes that emerge across the experiences of the participants will be discussed, as well as an analysis of their individual experiences.
Bio
Kristin Coen-Mishlan received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Rio Grande in 2006, and a master’s degree in music education from Kent State University in 2013. She served as band director for eight years at Huntington Local Schools in Ross County, OH, and is currently a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University. Her research interests include feminist studies and socio-cultural issues in music education.
To Tour or Not to Tour: A Case Study in Music Education Ensemble Travel
Bryan Helsel
Abstract
In this multiple case study, purposeful sampling was used to identify three participants in music education who regularly engage in travel with their secondary ensembles. The research was guided by the following questions: What is the worth and value of travel opportunities from the perspectives of the students and their teacher? What is the value to the program and to the school community and administrators? What is the meaning of these opportunities to the profession? What ways do the teachers feel that school ensemble travel can be improved? Data was collected by holding an individual interview with each participant, a focus group interview, and through writing prompts that each participant completed. Each traveling institution is considered a case through which to explore similarities and differences in the complexities that exist in school travel. Though peer reviewed literature is limited in this field, it is hoped that this study will expand the literature for music educators. Thus, this study is framed around research on study abroad travel and educational travel in general. Within music, a look at many of the shorter, non-academic articles from magazines for band, choral and orchestra directors draws connections between them and the data from study participants. Questioning the relevance of the tradition of ensemble travel is important given that travel occurs regularly but is researched infrequently. This paper will help our profession better understand our motivations along with the benefits and drawbacks of music ensemble travel.
Bio
Bryan Helsel received his bachelor degrees in music education (vocal) and in piano performance from Westminster College in 1997 and earned a master’s degree in piano performance from Duquesne University in 2003. He is the director of choirs and music technology at Butler Area Senior High School. Active in the arts in Western Pennsylvania, Helsel plays piano in the Butler Symphony, organ and keyboards at various churches, trumpet in the Butler Brass Quintet, and can be found playing recitals locally or playing jazz and pop music at Pittsburgh area venues. He is listed in “Who’s Who among America’s Educators” as well as “Who’s Who in America.” His professional affiliations include PMEA (Pennsylvania Music Educators’ Association), NAfME (National Association of Music Educators), TI:ME (Technology Institute of Music Education) and ACDA (American Choral Directors’ Association).
Helsel has composed several choral works and has released albums of his own contemporary music. In 2003, he played the premiere of Stephen Barr’s Five Miniatures of Summer for piano, which aired on public radio. He has been the conductor for the community choir of Butler County, and he has guest conducted several PMEA county festivals. He has appeared as guest artist in concertos with Regional Symphonies and bands playing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F, I Got Rhythm Variations, and Saint-Seans’ Carnival of the Animals. As a pianist and singer, Helsel has shared the stage with the likes of Shirley Jones and Garrison Keillor. Aside from performing and conducting, he owns and operates Helsel Music, a full production recording studio, and is currently a doctoral student at Kent State University studying music education.
Taking Charge: Looking at Student Leadership in the High School Band Room
Darren LeBeau
Abstract
The purpose of this experimental action research case study examines the experiences of three high school band students. The participants took leadership roles in a large performing ensemble. The overall experience may be affected by this additional responsibility. To understand more about the role of leadership in the band room the following research questions were investigated: (1) How has student participation in a leadership role influenced their view of the band? (2) What are the influences that impact student participation in the band? (3) What are the implications for leadership roles in the band? The three individual students were purposefully selected to participate in this case study. Students were interviewed, then combined in a focus group and finally observed working with their sections. Individual interviews and the focus group discussion was recorded, transcribed and entered into Nvivo. Codes and themes were identified and referenced for common threads and concepts. The goal of this study was to understand and assist the future training of leaders in the band setting.
Bio
Mr. Darren LeBeau has been in the field education since 1989 and with Revere Local Schools since 1998. Mr. LeBeau earned both his Master’s degree and Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from The University of Akron. At Revere, Mr. LeBeau’s primary responsibilities include Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, the Marching Minutemen and assists with the Revere Middle School band program. He is actively involved in the Ohio Music Education Association and has participated in the OMEA Leadership Academy. He is an active OMEA Adjudicator for Marching Band, Solo and Ensemble and Large Group Adjudicated events. He has also served OMEA as a host for High School Large Group and Marching Band adjudicated events. His professional memberships include the Ohio Music Education Association, National Association for Music Education, American School Band Directors Association, Revere Education Association, Ohio Education Association, and National Education Association.
Digital Sound and Cultural Influence: Contemporary Native American Music
Paisley Stovall
Abstract
Music sequencing software, recording studio technologies, synthesizing, sampling and more, all in the form of Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) have become a standard for production of music. The innovations of these music technologies have changed the standards and aesthetics of music culture. In reaction to the popularity of MIDI, subcultures of America have often adopted these technologies and adapted them to traditional music. Modern Native American music has made use of these digital sounds in recording and producing popular music of their own. Having analyzed articles and related books, I have come to find that use of musical technologies is present in many modernizing cultures. Often Native American music is depicted as mystical, or more attuned to nature; the West ascertains the sonic culture of American Indians as static and primitive. This study will make note Edward Said’s contribution to the discussion of orientalism. Music and sound is ever-changing, in which is influenced by paradigm shifts in a culture. Raymond Firth, an anthropologist, who studied Tikopia song of Polynesians from the Solomon Islands, attests to the effect of external change on a culture.
Bio
Paisley Rae Stovall graduated in 2014 with her B.A. in Political Science, Anthropology, and Pan-African Studies. She further intends to finish her B.A. in Music-Instrumental. Her primary study in classical saxophone performance have been with Dr. Heisler, now of Oakland University, and Noa Even, of Kent State University. She was a finalist in the Kent State Concerto Competition in 2012, and has performed with trumpeter Dominic Spera in 2007. Ms. Stovall continues to strive for the highest excellence in her music endeavors. Her special interests are East Asian studies and the O’odham peoples of the Gila River and Salt River Indian Communities of southern Arizona. Ms. Stovall is conversant in Japanese and knowledgeable of her traditional Uto-Aztecan language.
Representing China's Musics: An Analysis of Disney's Mulan Soundtrack
Guangci Yang
Abstract
Disney movies are widely known and watched many places worldwide. One of my first Disney movies, The Lion King, impressed me deeply by the animals, their kingdom, the African savannah, and the powerful African-styled music. Though they are largely westernized, both the movie and music deeply influenced my understanding about the unknown world. The reality of non-Western themed Disney movies is they show the most stereotypical elements of a conglomeration of cultures from the perspective of the moviemakers. For example, Mulan is not a Chinese movie made by Disney, but a Disney made Chinese-themed movie. It was still attractive to Chinese audiences. I believe most of Chinese audiences can ignore those Westernized-Chinese contexts, because we would like to know what our culture looks like from Western world. Disney movies open an exotic door for audiences but with unbreakable limitations.
Bio
Guangci Yang began pursuing her Master of Arts degree in Ethnomusicology at Kent State University in the fall of 2013. At Kent State, she studies with Dr. Andrew Shahriari. Before attending Kent State, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Musicology from Zhengzhou University in China. While at Zhengzhou University in China, she worked closely with Xingchen Liu, a piano professor at the Central Conservatory of Music. Her research interests include Middle East, European folk, and African music, and application of Ethnomusicology.
The Changing Function of Clave Shows Defined Nature of Musical Elements
Mo Li
Abstract
My paper intends to explore the how the unchanged clave pattern accompanied music transported from West Africa to West Indies and then to New York. And what the difference between functions the clave bell pattern serving for in its original repertoire and in salsa music after born in New York in 1970s.
The bell pattern of Kpanlogo is the same as son clave, while this same pattern serving music in both West Africa and the two Americas has different meaning toward people living in each side of Atlantic Ocean. For the rhythmic frame of salsa, which is supposed to serve the identity of Latino among all the Americas, clave kept almost unchanged is still activated on the stage of Latin music. Among main genres of salsa, clave keeps the position of rhythmic frame musically but has been changing its function socially from a ritual needs to a signal for dancing and finally became the identity of a group of people. It is interesting to explore how people from different period of time explain the same thing based on changed context. As the complex social and racial background of Latino among two Americas, there was hard to find an agreeable unified identity for them, well the needs for the identity both for scholars making researches for them and themselves pursuing their belonged sentiment call for an identity for the vast of ethnic scopes to find a way to address their spiritual tie. Finally, they found their identity in music.
Besides, the name of “clave” in Spanish means “key” and also means clef, key to indicate the pitched of lines in a staff. There should be an event changing the vocabulary of African drummers for their pattern from African into Spanish. Thus, the naming of clave could come from observation of a Spanish master or a slave who know Spanish creating this name while being asked and explaining what he was playing with his bell or pair of wooden sticks.
Bio
Mo Li is a second year graduate student major in Ethnomusicology at Kent State University. She got her bachelor degree on Ancient History of Chinese Music from Nanjing University of the Arts. She was playing viola in the orchestra of Nanjing University of the Arts and learning Chinese zither from Wen Yi, Huang, student of master Wen Guang, Wu. Now, she shifted her interest from Chinese music to music from Caribbean islands and Latin jazz in Harlem, New York.
Examination of Popular Music and Controversy: Marketing Ploy or Artistic Advancement?
Deanna Nebel
Abstract
Most definitions of popular music involve money, commercialization, and mass production.[1] By extension, anything connected with pop music is for commercial consumption including videos, concerts, the artists, and the songs. To distinguish themselves from other pop artists and to appeal to buyers, artists regularly push the limits of performance, often causing controversy or offense in the process.
The purpose of this paper is to discuss three categories within which artists push the boundaries of musical art through controversy: shock, sexuality, and politics analyzing three main examples with this premise, namely Miley Cyrus’s ‘twerking,’ G-Dragon’s humping dissension, and the Iranian Muslim contention over Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy.” Although these categories do overlap and different cultures have a range of varying acceptability, controversial performances and related content, such as videos, can be placed in one of these categories.
Bio
Deanna Nebel is a second year masters student and graduate assistant in ethnomusicology at Kent State University. As well, she is an education intern for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Her masters thesis discusses Scottish fiddling in the United States and this work has been presented at national and regional conferences through the College Music Society. Moreover, this research recently won honorable mention through the Performing Art’s Library’s Colloquium Series at Kent State University. Nebel is a member of the Society for Ethnomusicology, The College Music Society, the National Association For Music Educators, and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association.
“But This Isn’t a High School Choir”: An Examination of the Role and Purpose of the Middle School Choral Program
Jonathan Saeger
Abstract
While the high school choral program enjoys a fairly consistent role within the high school curriculum, the middle school choral program is often searching for its place within the school. This literature review attempts to ascertain the proper role of the middle school choral program and determine how it fits the overall middle school philosophy. What is the purpose of the middle school choir program? How should the middle school program differ from the high school program? What are the needs of middle school choir students? The middle school has a unique philosophy and purpose that should guide educators as they attempt to answer these guiding questions.
Bio
Jonathan Saeger is a current doctoral student and adjunct professor at Kent State University where he is working on a PhD in Music Education. Jonathan designed and teaches a course on music technology for music education majors at Kent State University and sings with the Kent State University Chorale. He also holds a master’s degree in Choral Conducting from Illinois State University and a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Millikin University. Jonathan has twelve years of teaching at both the middle and high school level. He also is the current director of the KSU Women’s Chorus.
A Place on the Podium: Sociological Factors Influencing Female Band Directors and Their Practice
Kristin Coen-Mishlan
Abstract
A primary aim of this critical content analysis is to identify sociological factors influencing female band directors, determine if these factors create challenges or opportunities, and how female band directors are addressing these factors. Literature within the past thirty years will be examined using a critical content analysis and three-way model of looking at historical feminist issues. Some authors included are Lucy Green, Bell Hooks, Roberta Lamb, and Jill Sullivan. Feminist issues are separated by political and media movements in the three-way model. It is hoped that by conducting this research issues will be brought to light that help support female band directors in the field.
Bio
Kristin Coen received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Rio Grande in 2006, and a master’s degree in music education from Kent State University in 2013. She served as band director for eight years at Huntington Local Schools in Ross County, OH, and is currently a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University. Her research interests include feminist studies and socio-cultural issues in public education.
Minding the Gap: Perspectives on Connecting Students’ School and Non-School Music Experiences in the Elementary General Music Classroom
Bea Olesko
Abstract
In music education, a gulf is growing between the way students experience music in school and the ways they participate in music during their daily lives outside the music classroom. Recent research has demonstrated that a lack of connection between school and non-school music experiences contributed to this divide. This study seeks to paint a picture of elementary general music teachers’ understanding of their students’ non-school music experiences and their thoughts on integrating these into their classroom practice. Elementary general music teachers in Ohio were surveyed in an effort to answer three research questions: (1) In what ways do elementary general music teachers have knowledge of their students’ non-school music experiences? (2) How do elementary general music teachers incorporate non-school musical experiences into their classroom practice? (3) What are elementary general music teachers’ perceptions of the values and challenges of connecting their students’ non-school music experiences into their classroom practice? It is hoped that the results will allow for a description of current teacher perspectives on these issues and, in turn, provide information useful in classroom practice that can begin to bridge the gap between school and non-school music experience and foster closer connections.
Bio
Beatrice Olesko is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Education at Kent State University. She received her B.M.E., with a voice concentration, from Mount Union College (now the University of Mount Union), where she graduated first in her class, and her M.M. in Music Education from Kent State University. This year, she is on sabbatical from her K-4 general music position with United Local Schools in Hanoverton, Ohio in order to work as a graduate assistant in music education at Kent State University where she has had the opportunity to teach general music methods and musical theatre pedagogy. Her research interests involve elementary music pedagogy, the connections between school and non-school music experiences, the role of general music methods in music teacher education, and neuromusicology.
Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives on Music Teaching and Learning
Kristin Coen-Mishlan
Abstract
This presentation will focus on issues related to philosophical and psychological issues related to music education. My philosophy is an equal opportunity for every student and will address how education impacts the future and success of students, how some students are being left behind, and how progress can be made to accomplish this goal. Views of performance anxiety instrumental students face will be addressed utilizing Steptoe’s Domain of Performance Anxiety and LeBlanc’s Hierarchy Model of Sources and how they relate to the experience of past students. Having more students involved in music education and understanding how better to cope with performance anxiety will provide a better future for music students.
Bio
Kristin Coen received her bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Rio Grande in 2006, and a master’s degree in music education from Kent State University in 2013. She served as band director for eight years at Huntington Local Schools in Ross County, OH, and is currently a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University. Her research interests include feminist studies and socio-cultural issues in public education.
Unfamiliar Territory: The Role of Health, Wellness, and Democratic Practices for Music Educators
Christopher Williams
Abstract
This study examines the role of health, wellness, and democratic classroom practices for music educators. This presentation will provide educators with tools to improve their well being both inside and outside the classroom. Research, paired with personal observation in the field of music education warrants further exploration of these topics. This investigation is relevant to research concerning teacher stress and burnout. Lack of proper health and wellness is revealed to be a key component responsible for job dissatisfaction among teachers. The implications for improved health and wellness include enhanced energy and resiliency for both teachers and students. This study also challenges the conventional teacher – student relationship by exploring ways educators can incorporate democratic classroom practices. By incorporating more student-focused learning, educators enhance creativity and leadership for students. This presentation aims to arm music educators with tools to improve job satisfaction and performance. The results of this study validate the need for additional courses in undergraduate music education curriculum to ensure success over the course of a teaching career.
Bio
Chris Williams currently teaches instrumental music, grades 7-12, in the Greenville Area School District in Western Pennsylvania. Previously, he taught K-6 music in the Franklin Area School District. He holds degrees from Youngstown State University and Slippery Rock University and is a current doctoral student at Kent State University in music education. His research interests include health and wellness for music educators, as well as democratic classroom practices.
Choral Repertoire Selection Practices and Methodology for Music Educators: a Literature Review
Bryan Helsel
Abstract
This paper is a literature review focusing on repertoire selection practices among music educators. Using a systematic review process, I look at current and past practices through published studies, choral methods textbooks and unpublished dissertations, asking whether there are systematic processes for repertoire selection and what the philosophy or reasoning behind them might be. For choral ensembles, repertoire selection is less studied than for instrumental ensembles, but most agree that it is the vehicle through which the content of the curriculum is delivered to the ensemble students. I will explore how an aspect of teaching as crucial as that can often have no method affiliated with it and very little preservice preparation. Additionally, I will explore the various systematic methods that have been created and consider the effectiveness and practicality or lack thereof found in using such a systematic procedure for repertoire selection.
Bio
Bryan Helsel received his bachelor degrees in music education (vocal) and in piano performance from Westminster College in 1997 and earned a master’s degree in piano performance from Duquesne University in 2003. He is the director of choirs and music technology at Butler Area Senior High School. Active in the arts in Western Pennsylvania, Helsel plays piano in the Butler Symphony, organ and keyboards at various churches, trumpet in the Butler Brass Quintet, and can be found playing recitals locally or playing jazz and pop music at Pittsburgh area venues. He is listed in “Who’s Who among America’s Educators” as well as “Who’s Who in America.” His professional affiliations include PMEA (Pennsylvania Music Educators’ Association), NAfME (National Association of Music Educators), TI:ME (Technology Institute of Music Education) and ACDA (American Choral Directors’ Association).
Helsel has composed several choral works and has released albums of his own contemporary music. In 2003, he played the premiere of Stephen Barr’s Five Miniatures of Summer for piano, which aired on public radio. He has been the conductor for the community choir of Butler County, and he has guest conducted several PMEA county festivals. He has appeared as guest artist in concertos with Regional Symphonies and bands playing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F, I Got Rhythm Variations, and Saint-Seans’ Carnival of the Animals. As a pianist and singer, Helsel has shared the stage with the likes of Shirley Jones and Garrison Keillor. Aside from performing and conducting, he owns and operates Helsel Music, a full production recording studio, and is currently a doctoral student at Kent State University studying music education.
Maintenance of Slovenian-American Polka Tradition in Cleveland
William W. Bulger
Abstract
Polka bands are the outgrowth of European immigration to America. Because of the geographic clustering of original immigrants, the polkas of each group developed unique styles while at the same time incorporating elements of American music and other ethnic styles. The Slovenian style (sometimes called Cleveland-style) evolved in the Slovenian immigrant community in Cleveland. The Cleveland Style Polka Museum in Euclid, Ohio maintains an archive of historical photos and instruments. It also sponsors a yearly awards show and a Hall of Fame. Additionally, a radio station continues to broadcast recordings of Slovenian-American polka music. Live polka shows remain a vital part of the maintenance of the tradition and four or five such performances can be found in the Cleveland area on any weekend.
Bio
William W. Bulger is a graduate student in Ethnomusicology at Kent State University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master's in urban studies. Mr. Bulger is a retiree from Kent State and is taking advantage of the time to pursue his interest in the great varieties of world musics. His interest in Cleveland style polka remains from his childhood days.
The Role Music Stores Play in the Musical Life of a Community: Woodsy’s Music Store in Kent
Guāngcí Yáng
Abstract
The first time that I noticed Woodsy’s Music store in downtown Kent, Ohio, I got a lively lesson about “bluegrass” in the store - listening to the music, trying to play the instruments, and learning more of possibilities about playing bluegrass. Each visit thereafter gave me the opportunity to learn more from books, observation and instrumental performance. I found that the 42-year-old store is like an encyclopedia of local folk music. This presentation will focus on the important role this landmark institution plays in the musical activities of the Kent community.
Bio
Guāngcí Yáng has studied ethnomusicology at Kent State University since Fall 2013. She received her bachelor's degree in music theory from Zhengzhou University in China, specializing in piano performance. She is interested in American folk and traditional music, such as bluegrass and old-time music, and is currently studying mandolin performance.
Preserving Tradition and Revival: A Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival
Paisley Rae Stovall
Abstract
The Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival features and combines bands of folk, bluegrass, old-time, and gospel genres. The festival offers educational workshops, raffles, performance opportunities, and open jam sessions that would allow for collaboration among musicians and artists. Each year vendors sell instruments, music, band regalia, and more. Each band mixes traditional and contemporary sounds, instruments, and repertoire. This phenomenon of musical revival through modern forms (e.g., radio, staged performances, and digital sound) is present in many societies today. This presentation will examine the activities of one such festival found in southern Ohio.
Bio
Paisley Rae Stovall is currently a masters student in ethnomusicology, and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science, anthropology, and Pan-African studies. Her primary study is classical saxophone and she was a finalist in the Kent State Concerto Competition in 2012. Her special interests are East Asian studies, and the O’odham peoples of the Gila River and Salt River Indian Communities of southern Arizona. Ms. Stovall speaks Japanese and is knowledgeable of her traditional Uto-Aztecan language.
Fostering Intercultural Spaces and Contact Zones
Samuel Boateng
Abstract
Learning is a continuous process that precedes all endeavors of achievement. It appears in various forms and is likewise approached through different means as per cultural preference. A common and sometimes subconscious way of absorbing knowledge is through setups called contact zones. These are event-enabled social spaces that accommodate different people or social bodies from different backgrounds and thereby foster the cultivation and transference of new knowledge as these individuals interact with each other. My paper will focus on a few of these spaces including the ‘AsianFest’ hosted at Kent State University and the ‘Around The World Party’ at University of Akron, Fall 2014. I will discuss the relevance of such spaces not just as a means of social development but a catalyst to many musical and cultural partnerships.
Bio
Samuel Boateng is a professional musician from Ghana and a first year M.A. Ethnomusicology student at Kent State University. He has a BFA in Music Composition and a minor in theatre arts from the University of Ghana and his fields of interest include jazz performance and composition, highlife and jazz fusions, re-harmonization, re-composition and rearrangements of traditional Ghanaian folk tunes. He plans to pursue Jazz Studies and Composition at the doctorate level, perform professionally around the world, and teach college level music in his home country Ghana.
Waulking Songs: A Scottish Tradition in North America
Julie Kennedy
Abstract
Waulking songs (Scots Gaelic: Òrain Luaidh) are Scottish folk songs, traditionally sung in the Gaelic language by women while waulking cloth. This practice involved a group of workers beating newly-woven tweed rhythmically against a table to shrink it, accompanied by simple, beat-driven songs. Waulking is today practiced in the Outer Hebrides and in the Scottish diaspora as a celebration of heritage, with men joining in. At a gathering of Gaels in Pennsylvania in September 2014, the presenter was fortunate to record top Gaelic singers from Scotland, Nova Scotia, and the United States in a spontaneous sharing of waulking songs. A description of song forms, content, and waulking form is provided.
Bio
Julia Kennedy is a library and information technology professional and is reading for a degree in ethnomusicology. She has studied Scottish Gaelic language and song for many years with Frances Acar, and is a student of Irish concertina master Noel Hill. Her home is an Irish pub filled with musical instruments.
The Uncertain Musical Evidence in Thai Temple Murals
Terry Miller
Abstract
Although Thai temple murals typically depict the life of the Buddha or one of the many jataka stories, Thai painters tended to localize the scenes both in place and in time. Scenes of daily life were largely depicted as the painter knew them, and included music making in the contexts of entertainment, ritual, and spectacle. Because few murals predate the Bangkok era (post 1767), the span of history depicted is somewhat limited, and because the murals were painted on dry plaster, they tended to deteriorate rapidly. Consequently, we cannot be sure that the restorations reflect the original scenes accurately. Nonetheless, the murals colorfully depict a great variety of instruments, ensembles, theater, ritual, and dance which provide a vivid, if not always accurate, window into the Thai musical past.
Bio
Terry Miller taught Ethnomusicology and related courses at KSU for thirty years before retiring in 2005, and founded the Thai Ensemble in 1978. He has specialized in the music of mainland Southeast Asia since 1970, focusing on Thailand and Laos. He co-edited and partially authored the Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, vol. 4, Southeast Asia and has published two other books and numerous articles pertaining to these areas. His interest in Thai mural paintings as a source for musical information began in 2001 and continues to expand.
The Legacy of Arleen Auger
Alanna Furst
Abstract
Arleen Auger was a soprano whose career spanned opera, oratorio, and song. Although her career was shortened by cancer, she made significant contributions to the profession of singing. This presentation will examine her career and legacy, including such highlights as her extensive discography, a performance at a royal wedding, and her commissions from Libby Larsen and Judith Lang Zaimont.
Bio
Alanna Furst, soprano, is a graduate student at Kent State University, where she is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Voice Performance. She studies with Dr. Lara Troyer. Prior to her work at Kent, she earned a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Akron and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Case Western Reserve University. She is a member of Kent State Opera and the New Music Ensemble. Outside of the University, she sings with Singers’ Companye, a semi-professional chorus based in Akron, Ohio.
Lily Pons: The Littlest Lakmé
Rosemary Heredos
Abstract
Lily Pons was the reigning coloratura at the Metropolitan Opera for nearly 30 years. Her petite figure and soaring, extensive high range made her a crowd favorite in operas such as Delibes' Lakmé and Donizetti's La fille du régiment. Topics for discussion will include Pons' career, from her debut in France to her Met audition and rise to fame, as well as her relationship with André Kostelanetz and their wartime performances. Highly fashionable as well as talented, Pons exemplified an intelligent performer and marketer, knowing her strengths and utilizing them to her advantage at the Met and in Hollywood. This presentation will explore the factors which made her career so successful.
Bio
Rosemary Heredos is a fourth-year honors student at Kent State University, where she is pursuing a B.A. in English and a B. M. in Vocal Performance. A musician from a very young age, she has studied voice for nearly 10 years, and is currently in the studio of tenor, Timothy Culver at the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music at Kent State. Her studies have given her experience in a wide range of genres, from traditional Irish music, to classic Broadway, to opera, performing at various fairs, recitals, and stage productions across the state. In addition to performing, she is interested in musicology and the relationship between musical, literary, and social landmarks throughout history. She recently published an article entitled “The Many Disguises of Susanna: A Comparison of the 1786 Premiere and the 1789 Revival of Mozart’s ‘Le nozze di Figaro’” in the inaugural issue of Excellence in Performing Arts Research.
Jamie Barton, American Mezzo
Hannah Jencius
Abstract
Jamie Barton is an American mezzo soprano who has triumphed in national and international competitions. This presentation discusses Barton’s voice and repertoire, includes a short biography, and offers information on her career to date.
Bio
Hannah Jencius graduated with her B.M. in voice performance from Kent State University and is currently pursuing her master's degree at KSU, where she studies under Dr. Jane Dressler. She has performed in both scenes and fully staged productions through the Kent State University Opera program, including singing Petermann in A Musical Evening at the Choufleuris', Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, and Mrs. Nolan in The Medium. She has been selected twice as a Young Artist with Nightingale Opera Theatre, singing the understudy of the Witch in Hansel and Gretel and the role of Katchen in Werther. Hannah has been a featured soloist in area concerts and events with repertoire ranging from bluegrass to Beethoven. Hannah longs for a career immersed in music and plans to perform for the rest of her life.
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