Traditional vs. Tech: The Effects of Technology-Based Instruction On Rhythmic Accuracy in 8th Grade Band Students
Presented by Alexa McCleaster
Popular Music as a Vehicle for Developing Listening Skills in Fifth Grade Students
Presented by Shannon Mendenhall
Music Technology and the Non-Traditional Music Student
Presented by David Thompson
Authenticity in Chinese Minority Popular Music: A Case Study of Shanren, a Contemporary Multi-Ethnic Band
Presented by Xiaorong Yuan
Transeamus: Paths of Change in Medieval Marian Imagery
Presented by Rosemary Heredos
Discovering the Origin of Gay Identity in Larry Kramer’s "The Destiny of Me"
Peter Fields Gould
The Interchanging Development of Sexuality: Laumann's Theory in LGBTQ Texts
Libby Jackson
The Place of Thai Classical Music in a Modernized, Globalized Thailand
Presented by Dr. Panya Roongruang
Trance-Forming Music: Healing Through Communal Drumming
Presented by Lydia Snyder
Chinese Instruments and Culture
Presented by Haochen Qin
Capoeira: Cultural, Aesthetic, and Musical Perspectives
Presented by Maya Brown
What New Directions?: Possibilities for Music Education’s Future
Presented by David Thompson
Emotional Positives and Negatives of Being in Band: A Look at Teen Depression and the Effects of Hazing
Presented by Alexa McCleaster
Looking at it Two Ways: Social and Philosophical Viewpoints in Music Education
Presented by Shannon Mendenhall
Gender and Stereotypes: Factors Influencing Instrument Choice
Presented by Kristin Coen-Mishlan
Band, Orchestra, and… What?: Alternative Instrumental Ensembles in the United States
Presented by David Thompson
The Role of Private Instruction in Secondary Instrumental Ensembles
Presented by Alexa McCleaster
Exploring the 2014 National Standards for Music Through the Lens of a Kodaly Methodology
Presented by Rachael Fleischaker
Musical Experience as Cultural Capital: Integrating School Music and Life Music in a Constructivist Learning Environment
Presented by Beatrice Olesko
It’s All In Their Head: Audiation as Taught in Past and Present Music Education Settings
Presented by Bryan Helsel
Performing History: Remembering Paul Robeson and the Peekskill Riots through Tayo Aluko’s Call Mr. Robeson
Presented by Mark Alan Rhodes II
Becoming a Nun: Ceremonial Symbolism and Song in Eastern Monasticism
Presented by Kevin Alexander Wilson
Autism and the Arts: Developing Dynamic Thinking through Music
Presented by Andrew Shahriari
The Advent of the Baroque Style in Spain: Mode as a Political and Religious Response
Presented by Pablo Gomez
Liszt's Ballade No. 2 in B Minor: Analysis from the Perspectives of Riemann, Schenker, and Schoenberg
Presented by Omar Roy
The East-West Schism: Dominating Modes and Forms in Eastern Chant
Presented by Kevin Wilson
A Trail of Three Sources: Cather, Krueger, and Chicago
Presented by Professor Jane Dressler
Sharing Our Musical Heritages: An American Vocal Ensemble as Musical Ambassador
Presented by Professor Jay White
Popular Music as the Vehicle for Developing Listening Skills in Fifth Grade Students
Shannon Mendenhall
Abstract
This study investigated the effectiveness of popular music as a tool for developing listening skills. The data for this study comes from a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest quantitative research study in which the control group was exposed to listening activities using classical music, while the experimental group was exposed to listening activities using popular music. The researcher-developed test assessed musical knowledge of tonality, meter, dynamics, form and tempo. An independent sample t-test was used to interpret the results of the treatment. Findings provide evidence regarding the potential benefits of incorporating popular music in listening activities.
Bio
Shannon Mendenhall is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Music Education at Kent State University. She graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2001 with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, with a general music emphasis and vocal concentration. Shannon earned her Orff Level 1 certification from AOSA in 2006 and earned her Masters of Music from Boston University in 2008. Currently, she is in her 14th year of teaching K-5 general music at Waterloo Elementary in Atwater, Ohio. Her research interests include general music approaches, folk music, and students with special needs.
Traditional vs. Tech: The Effects of Technology-Based Instruction On Rhythmic Accuracy in 8th Grade Band Students
Alexa McCleaster
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of technology when used in the instruction of rhythm dictation and rhythm sight-reading with 8th grade band students. The data for this study comes from a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest quantitative research study of intact classes grouped by instrument. The control group received traditional rhythm instructions using only voice, clapping, modeling, and a dry-erase board. The experimental group received technology-based rhythm instruction using 2 applications from an iPad, Microsoft Word from a MacBook Air, the projector screen, and the sound system. Findings provide evidence regarding the potential benefits of incorporating technology in rhythmic instruction.
Bio
Alexa McCleaster is a first year Ph. D. student at Kent State University. She is a band director at Springfield Local Schools, teaching grades 7-12. Ms. McCleaster holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Kent State University and an M.A. in Integrated Technology from the University of Akron.
Music Technology and the Non-Traditional Music Student
David Thompson
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the level at which high school music technology courses involve non-traditional high school music students. Several publications have addressed the need to expand curricular offerings in music education beyond band, orchestra, and choir, particularly at the secondary level where participation rates tend to decline. Technology-based music courses (TBMCs) have been promoted for their potential to involve students previously unserved by ensemble-based music education; however the veracity of such promotion has not been widely investigated. Undergraduate music technology majors from a NASM accredited four-year institution completed a researcher designed survey. Data from survey responses addressed the following research questions: 1.) at what rates did traditional and NTM students report being enrolled in TBMCs; 2.) can general technology course experience be used as a predictor of TBMC experience for either non-traditional or traditional music students; and 3.) students from which traditional ensemble type, if any, report enrollment in TBMCs?
Bio
David Thompson is a K-4 general music educator in Plain Local Schools and a PhD student at Kent State University. His students have given concerts of original music, built their own instruments, and are often asked politely to "keep it down." David's research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of music and technology.
Authenticity in Chinese Minority Popular Music: A Case Study of Shanren, a Contemporary Multi-Ethnic Band
Xiaorong Yuan
Abstract
This study reviews the history and present state of ethnic minority popular music in Mainland China. A primary focus is on the influence of government policy with regards to authenticity in association with ethnic minorities and mainstream popular music artists. The indie popular group, Shanren, which has strong ties to minority music and culture in China, is used as a case study to examine how authenticity is achieved through visual, aural, and linguistic connections to the social reality of the rural ethnic minority community, as well as migrant workers who are drawn to major urban centers in China, such as Beijing. Perceptions of authenticity are important considerations for their major audience, the Wenyi qingnian (“literary youth”), which refers to urban youth born primarily in the 1980s and 1990s. This demographic generally appreciates indie rock music and is a fundamental audience for indie minority bands, categorizing popular musicians as either Tu (土, raw, folk, native and authentic) or Chao (潮, fashion, artificial and modernized). This study offers a model for examining how authenticity with regards to these categories is determined and its implications for future public perception.
Bio
Xiaorong Yuan is currently a graduate student in ethnomusicology at Kent State University, earning her masters degree this semester, May 2016. She received her bachelor degree in musicology from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 2012. Her thesis focuses on contemporary Chinese minority popular musicians who are active in Beijing. Other areas of interest include Thai classical music, cognitive ethnomusicology, and East Asian music and culture, especially popular music.
Transeamus: Paths of Change in Medieval Marian Imagery
Rosemary Heredos
Abstract
Medieval lyrics provide short, often musical meditation on both sacred and secular subjects. Just as famous secular songs like the lively “Summer is icumen in” or the haunting “Westron Wind” use nature to depict a change of season, religious lyrics often utilize events of the liturgical calendar to characterize seasons. By analyzing the medieval Church calendar and theology, insight may be gained as to the culture for which Middle English lyrics were written and the manner in which they were received. The lyric poets of the age were both artists and teachers, crafting pieces not only of inspired language and musical potential, but also of religious enlightenment for the masses. As many of these lyrics are now being set to music by modern choral composers, the didactic history of this genre is a helpful perspective for modern musicians to examine within their performance preparation.
Bio
Soprano Rosemary Heredos is a senior at Kent State University, where she is a double-major in English Literature and Vocal Performance, with a minor in Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies. A musician from a very young age, she has studied voice for over a decade, with David Fuller of Burton, Ohio, tenor Timothy Culver, and currently with Dr. Jay White at Kent State. She has also worked extensively as a cantor in several Catholic churches in northeast Ohio for the past decade. Her studies have given her experience in a wide range of genres, from traditional Irish music, to musical theater, and classical music ranging from the Middle Ages through the 21st century. She has particular interest in the research and performance of Early Music, and plans to continue her studies within this field in graduate school.
Discovering the Origin of Gay Identity in Larry Kramer’s "The Destiny of Me"
Peter Fields Gould
Abstract
Philosopher and historian Michel Foucault asserts that the gay identity is a construct resulting from political discourse and exists only as a means to gain leverage in the social and political arenas. An analysis of the 1992 semi-autobiographical stage play, The Destiny of Me, written by Larry Kramer, reveals how Kramer refutes Foucault’s claim by demonstrating, through the experiences of his young protagonist, that the gay identity is real and exists as an integral part of a person’s overall identity from the moment of birth. Therefore, political discourse does not precede gay identity but comes later and results from the marginalization of those who identify as gay.
Bio
Peter Anthony Fields Gould is a Theatre major attending Kent State University. His one act play, The Interview, premiered on November 19, 2015 at Kent State University’s Student New Works Festival in Kent, Ohio. Fields’ first stage play, Burden, was produced at the 2013 Fade to Black Short Play Festival, held in Houston, Texas in June 2013. His latest one act play, About Michael, will premiere in April at Kent State University’s 2016 Student Theatre Festival. Previous to his work as a playwright, Fields has served as a director, editor, and co-writer on over a dozen micro-budgeted, independent film projects. In the early 2000’s, Peter began using his grandfather’s surname of Fields in his professional work.
The Interchanging Development of Sexuality: Laumann's Theory in LGBTQ Texts
Libby Jackson
Abstract
Same-sex relations, despite their presence throughout history, have for the most part been misunderstood and are only recently beginning to be accepted. Even as these ideas have been explored dramatically, LGBTQ theatre that discusses such topics openly is still a largely new phenomenon. Nevertheless through analyzing these texts as they have developed throughout the centuries, their importance in contemporary repertoire is much more easily realized. Historically, views on how homosexuality manifested itself within the individual changed drastically. As new concepts and theories were introduced into society, these manifestations were understood differently both collectively and independently. Still, past views often lingered, muddling ideas on same-sex expression and its true countenance. In applying Edward Laumman’s sexual theory to LGBTQ texts of different historical periods, the validity of the modern theory and its view on same-sex expression can more easily be recognized. In doing this, the complexity of sexual expression can be seen. Furthermore, it helps to not only explain society’s views on homosexuality, but explains the individual’s unique experience. Then, in continuing to explore these ideas artistically, society can likewise continue to grow in such understanding.
Bio
Libby Jackson is a second-year honors student pursuing a B.A. in Theatre Studies along with a minor in English at Kent State University. Having been involved in theatre from a young age, it was not until recently that she began a scholarly exploration of dramatic literature. With a concentration on theatre and society, she hopes to continue to investigate modern theatre as it applies to today’s politics, cultures, and people.
The Place of Thai Classical Music in a Modernized, Globalized Thailand
Dr. Panya Roongruang
Bio
He is an international music scholar, ethnomusicologist, a bi-musical composer, conductor, instructor and a writer. His major writing are: Thai Music History, Principle of Ethnomusicology, Music of the world, Thai Music in Sound. His international writing are: ‘Music of Thailand’ in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians: ‘Khmer Music in Thailand’ in The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music. He composed contemporary compositions for the Thai - western mixed orchestra called Mahori Symphony Orchestra as well as many Thai tunes including music for children.
Trance-Forming Music: Healing Through Communal Drumming
Lydia Snyder
Abstract
Music has a profound ability to alter our state of consciousness, to heal our bodies and calm our emotions. Many traditions use music as a form of healing and connecting with another plane of existence or to our own subconscious. Felicitas D. Goodman was a German-American anthropologist and linguist who studied trance among various cultures. After witnessing a Native American corn dance in Santa Fe, New Mexico, she experienced a vision in which the Pueblo Indians asked her to follow them. From that point on, she dedicated her life to understanding this experience. She studied these altered states of consciousness at The Ohio State University and continued to live among the Pueblo Indians. In her research, she found that various body postures would aid in facilitating a trance experience when combined with a specific percussive pattern. She used this knowledge to found the Cuyamungue Institute in New Mexico, where she taught classes on the history of ecstatic trance and shamanic rituals. One of her students, Dr. Nicholas E. Brink, continues her practice of communal drumming to create a trance experience for those involved. Nicholas Brink is a psychologist currently living in Coburn, PA, just 10 miles from my home. He holds group ecstatic sessions in State College, PA. This paper details my experience as a participant in this ecstatic trance session, and how the various body postures and rhythm affected my experience. I also include accounts of other participants whom experienced visions of past-lives.
Bio
Lydia Snyder is a first year Master's student in Ethnomusicology at Kent State University. At Kent, she holds a teaching assistantship and is active in the Thai music ensemble. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Music as well as Studio Art and Theatre Arts from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. Her research interests include traditional music of Japan as well as the music associated with ritual, trance, meditation and the brain. Ms. Snyder is a shakuhachi student of Grand Master Michael Chikuzen Gould.
Chinese Instruments and Culture
Haochen Qin
Abstract
As an important issue in the study of ethnomusicology, instruments are considered not only a tool to make sounds, but also proof of an insider’s aesthetic taste, a valuable (antique or modern) collection, a representative image of the culture, and even a spiritual totem of the civilization. This presentation will explore some Chinese instruments (i.e. qin, Sheng), which are considered representative of traditional Chinese culture. Additionally, comparisons will be made between Chinese and minor ethnicities, as well as Chinese and western instruments. This comparison will briefly illustrate current changes in Chinese families and youth, including attitudes toward different kinds of music and cultures.
Bio
Haochen Qin is a current graduate student in Kent State University’s School of music ethnomusicology, studying with Dr. Andrew Shahriari, who is famous for his research in ethnomusicology and Southeast Asian music. Mr. Qin graduated with a Bachelor’s in Engineering in Automation Technology and a Master’s of Art specializing in Chinese Instrument Performing and Teaching the Sheng from Nanjing Normal University (China) in 2014. In 2015, he started a new Master’s program to study general Asian music, specifically from Northeast Asian countries including Japan, Korea and China.
Capoeira: Cultural, Aesthetic, and Musical Perspectives
Maya Brown
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to analyze the role of music in capoeira and how its purpose reflects the community’s philosophy. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian influenced act that combines the arts of music, dancing, and fighting. The philosophy behind the physical movements are related to how one must conduct his or her actions in life. It consists of two players battling within a ring of community members who sing, clap, and play capoeira specified instruments. By the use of call and response through song and movement, all members of the capoeira community create a drive for appropriate reaction. This diasporic culture has been disseminated from Brazil to many parts of the globe. Research for this study was conducted on the Capoeira Brasil Cleveland community in Walton Hills, Ohio.
Bio
Maya Brown is a graduate student and Graduate Dean’s Award recipient in the Department of Ethnomusicology with a specialization in music of the African diaspora at Kent State University. Her pedagogical interests include the life of Marian Anderson in addition to the role of children’s songs in the process of enculturation. While obtaining her undergraduate degree in music at the University of Mount Union, Maya performed lead roles in musical theatre and was a soloist in the Concert and Gospel Choirs. During her undergrad, Maya studied abroad in Ghana, India, Guatemala, and Austria. In her pastime, Maya enjoys throwing the javelin and hammer, in which she is a champion record holder for the Division III All-Ohio and the Ohio Athletic Conference.
What New Directions?: Possibilities for Music Education’s Future
David Thompson
Abstract
Change does not come easily in music education. Calls for curricular reform have, it seems, gone unanswered as traditional band, orchestra, and choir programs dominate the music education landscape. For the 20% of students who participate and benefit from these programs, no change is needed. For the remaining 80%, new directions are essential. This presentation will examine teacher training, technology, and the maker movement as three possible areas for change. A philosophical perspective inspired by Edwin Gordon’s music learning theory will be used as a framework to examine the many possibilities in music education’s future.
Bio
David Thompson is a K-4 music educator in Plain Local Schools and a PhD student at Kent State University. His students have given concerts of original music, built their own instruments, and are often asked politely to “keep it down.” Mr. Thompson’s interests lie at the intersection of music, education, and technology. He holds a B.M. in jazz studies from Michigan State University and an M.A. in music education from Case Western Reserve University.
Emotional Positives and Negatives of Being in Band: A Look at Teen Depression and the Effects of Hazing
Alexa McCleaster
Abstract
Throughout history, initiation rituals and rites of passage, also known as hazing, have been a part of college and high school marching bands. It has not been until recent years, however, that society has begun to take a stand against it. Taking a brief look at this history, it is also important to consider the effects of hazing on students that may already have a clinical diagnosis of depression. Over 8% of adolescents in the United States suffer from this mental illness at any given time. Being a part of any organization, especially band, can have a great impact on children that are battling with depression. In analyzing these effects, it seems the positives outweigh the negatives.
Bio
Alexa McCleaster is a first year Ph. D. student at Kent State University. She is a band director at Springfield Local Schools, teaching grades 7-12. Ms. McCleaster holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Kent State University and an M.A. in Integrated Technology from the University of Akron.
Looking at it Two Ways: Social and Philosophical Viewpoints in Music Education
Shannon Mendenhall
Abstract
Considering the way students learn, music class is about teaching more than notes and rhythms. The social context and philosophical underpinning also play an important role. This session looks at these two topics and how they intersect with classroom practice. Topics to be discussed include musical play and building a sense of community through music. The information gathered for this session was mostly based on personal experience as an elementary music teacher as well as educational journals. Findings are that children can effectively learn through musical play and that music can bring a sense of community to the school while preserving its culture. Implications for moving forward are elementary music teachers should strive to incorporate folk songs and games into the classroom to preserve the community’s musical culture.
Bio
Shannon Mendenhall is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Music Education at Kent State University. She graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2001 with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, general music emphasis and vocal concentration. Shannon earned her Orff Level 1 certification from AOSA in 2006 and earned her Masters of Music from Boston University in 2008. Currently, she is in her 14th year of teaching K-5 general music at Waterloo Elementary in Atwater, Ohio. Her research interests include general music approaches, folk music and students with special needs (specifically speech impairments).
Gender and Stereotypes: Factors Influencing Instrument Choice
Kristin Coen-Mishlan
Abstract
Instrument choice can impact the lifelong musical experiences of students. Researchers have identified that parental influence, timbre, culture, instrument presentation, sociological, and physiological factors may influence student instrument choice. The purpose of this literature review is to identify instrument stereotypes, identify how instrument choice affects student experiences, and ways band directors attempt to address gender stereotypes during the instrument selection process. The literature addresses four main topics that include sex stereotyping of musical instruments, instrument preference, instrument choice, and timbre preference.
Bio
Kristin Coen-Mishlan received her bachelor 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.
Band, Orchestra, and… What?: Alternative Instrumental Ensembles in the United States
David Thompson
Abstract
Traditional ensemble music education has historically been dominated by “the big three,” band, orchestra, and choir. Demographic shifts in student populations as well as long-time calls for expanded curricular offerings have led to the creation of alternative instrumental ensembles in schools. This presentation will detail a review of literature that asked 1.) What is an alternative instrumental ensemble? 2.) What role(s) do alternative ensembles play in the larger school music program? 3.) What types of alternative ensembles exist currently? Alternative drum, guitar, marching band, mariachi, steel pan, and string ensembles have been profiled in the literature. Further research is needed to determine how school demographic factors influence the presence of alternative ensembles, how the ensembles are formed, if regional trends exist, and what funding models are in place for the ensembles moving forward.
Bio
David Thompson is a K-4 music educator in Plain Local Schools and a PhD student at Kent State University. His students have given concerts of original music, built their own instruments, and are often asked politely to “keep it down.” Mr. Thompson’s interests lie at the intersection of music, education, and technology. He holds a B.M. in jazz studies from Michigan State University and an M.A. in music education from Case Western Reserve University.
The Role of Private Instruction in Secondary Instrumental Ensembles
Alexa McCleaster
Abstract
Private instruction is an area of music education that is commonly discussed. The importance of students studying their instrument outside of the regular school day is based upon the effect it has on the student’s playing ability and the ensemble as a whole. This literature review will examine the many studies that have looked at different benefits of private instruction from various angles as well as different methods of teaching. Topics include team teaching, enrichment lessons, encouraging practicing, school credit from private lessons, and a look into the pacing and structure of the private lesson itself.
Bio
Alexa McCleaster is a first year Ph. D. student at Kent State University. She is a band director at Springfield Local Schools, teaching grades 7-12. Ms. McCleaster holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Kent State University and an M.A. in Integrated Technology from the University of Akron.
Exploring the 2014 National Standards for Music Through the Lens of a Kodaly Methodology
Rachael Fleischaker
Abstract
In June of 2014, the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards in collaboration with the National Association for Music Education released national arts standards. These standards offer a framework for school music programs by outlining three artistic processes (creating, performing, and responding) along with a strand for building connections with other disciplines. While the adoption of these standards is voluntary, many states and local school districts will look to this model for guidance when revising their own standards. The purpose of this paper is to explore the music standards through the lens of the Kodaly methodology in order to answer the questions: Do the 2014 national standards for music align with the Kodaly teaching philosophy? Can the pedagogy of the Kodaly method lead to the achievement of the benchmarks as outlined in the standards? The paper compares the language, sequencing, and essential questions used in the national standards with the educational philosophies and pedagogical practices of the Kodaly method.
Bio
Rachael Fleischaker is a doctoral student in music education at Kent State University. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education from The College of Wooster (1995) and a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an Emphasis on Urban Education from Kent State University (2002). Rachael is an adjunct professor of music education for the College of Wooster and has taught undergraduate coursework for The Ohio State University Mansfield Campus. She has taught elementary band and vocal music in the public schools for 21 years. The past 19 have been in the Canton City Schools. Rachael has been a clinician at OMEA Professional Development Conferences, OCMEA State Conferences, Ashland University, Kent State University and local school districts. Rachael’s research interests include curriculum and evaluation and special education.
Musical Experience as Cultural Capital: Integrating School Music and Life Music in a Constructivist Learning Environment
Beatrice Olesko
Abstract
People experience music in a myriad of ways in their daily lives; as a soundtrack to mundane errands filtered through ear buds, as participation in a group rendition of a familiar song at a family gathering, or as a collaborative effort to produce the next great rock tune in a neighborhood garage. Though many types of music are often represented in the music classroom, some of the most frequent ways with which students connect with music in their lives are not included in their school music educations. The purpose of this paper is to identify how school music and life music experiences are divided and how, as a result, musical experience can take on the form of cultural capital in the music classroom. Implications for student motivation to participate in musical activities and the formation of their musical identities are discussed. Suggestions for how to bridge this gap and bring school and life music together in the classroom through a constructivist approach to music education is provided.
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. Last fall, Beatrice took a 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. There she has had the opportunity to teach general music methods and musical theatre pedagogy. Beatrice has also served as the editorial assistant for Contributions to Music Education, a refereed journal published by the Ohio Music Education Association. 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. Beatrice resides in Poland, Ohio with her husband Nicholas and their daughter, Amelia.
It’s All In Their Head: Audiation as Taught in Past and Present Music Education Settings
Bryan Helsel
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to explore Edwin Gordon’s Learning Theory, and specifically the idea of audiation. This paper explains the theory and explores ways in which audiation has been used in music education settings, while giving specific attention to high school ensemble rehearsals. Research is guided by the following questions: 1) To what degree is audiation used or encouraged in music education settings currently and historically since the coining of the term? 2) How have high school ensemble teachers used ideas of audiation to help their students become musically literate? 3) How do teachers help students to audiate who have not had a prior background in audiation? To answer these questions, the researcher will rely on Gordon’s vast writings, studies, articles, personal communications with teachers, and anecdotal experience with the topic. The paper explores the validity of Gordon’s theory, and addresses criticisms of his theory through the lens of its implementation into music education curricula.
Bio
Bryan Helsel received his bachelor degrees in music education (vocal) and in piano performance from Westminster College in 1997and 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 many PMEA district and county festivals and is in demand as festival accompanists throughout the Eastern United States. 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.
Performing History: Remembering Paul Robeson and the Peekskill Riots through Tayo Aluko’s Call Mr. Robeson
Mark Alan Rhodes II
Abstract
In 1949, Paul Robeson (with support from Pete Seeger, Woodie Guthrie, Howard Fast, and others) successfully held a civil and workers’ rights concert in Peekskill, New York. Marring these performances were protests that turned progressively violent. These protests have come to be known as the Peekskill Riots and serve as a major milestone in the nation’s history surrounding music, politics, and Paul Robeson. This paper reflects on this relationship, particularly how it is being remembered today. Through field research, including participant observation, interviews, and landscape analysis, and primary and secondary archival research, I demonstrate how British-Nigerian writer, singer, actor, activist, and architect Tayo Aluko “performs history” through his musical Call Mr. Robeson. This includes how Paul Robeson and the Peekskill Riots are remembered through performance and how continued performances place the identity and history of Peekskill in a state of becoming. Also, this is a case study more broadly for how social movements are influenced, fueled, and remembered through performance.
Bio
Mark Rhodes is a first year Ph.D. student in the Department of Geography at Kent State University. His Master’s thesis “They Feel Me a Part of that Land“: Welsh Memorial Landscapes of Paul Robeson has continued to fuel his research interests in Paul Robeson, but also the role of music, theatre, and performance in historic representation, memory, and social movements. Mark received his Bachelor’s degrees in music and geography at St. Cloud State University and his Master’s in geography at Kent.
Becoming a Nun: Ceremonial Symbolism and Song in Eastern Monasticism
Kevin Alexander Wilson
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to inform the reader of an important ceremonial event in the life of an Eastern monastic. The specific ceremony recorded features the development of two young women’s lives by accepting and becoming stavrophore nuns. The stavrophore nun is the second degree of monasticism in which the nun becomes espoused to Christ as His bride. In this paper, the symbolic nature of this ceremony is presented in regards to the location, clothing, people, and song.
Bio
Kevin is a composer from Northeastern Ohio. He enjoys composing music that is entertaining while incorporating his non-western influences. Lately, he has been focusing on enriching his works with influences from Brazil and Eastern Europe.
He has performed with Grammy Award winning Cleveland Chamber Symphony, directed by Steven Smith, the University of Akron Symphony Orchestra under Dr. Guy V. Bordo, and Ayça Çetin, a Turkish flutist in Boston and Kavazabava. Most recently, Kevin has been awarded the Grand Prize of the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs Collegiate Composition award.
Kevin is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Music Theory/Composition and a Masters degree in Ethnomusicology at Kent State University. Kevin has also studied at Central Michigan University and the University of Akron.
Not only an active and commissioned composer, Kevin is an active performer. He is one of the originating members of Adepa: Afro Pop group in Kent, OH and the Eastern European folk band, Kavazabava: Mount Pleasant’s only Balkan Klezmer Gypsy Band.
Autism and the Arts: Developing Dynamic Thinking through Music
Professor Andrew Shahriari
Abstract
This presentation examines the diagnostic criteria of autism as a description of the strengths and challenges faced by individuals given this label. Distinctions between static and dynamic thinking are outlined and discussed in the context of “real world” activities, particularly in association with music. Sensory challenges and strategies for overcoming such obstacles to the development of dynamic thinking in the context of music are offered, along with resources relevant to the arts and the autism community.
Bio
Andrew Shahriari, Ph.D., currently focuses his research on applied ethnomusicology among special needs populations, particularly within the autism community. He also presents on 21st century models for world music education, e.g., online course delivery, and is a specialist in the music of northern Thailand.
The Eastern and Western Schism: The Dominating Musical Modes and Forms of Eastern Chant
Kevin Alexander Wilson
Abstract
The growing estrangement between Eastern and Western Christian churches eventually led to their final separation in the eleventh century, but the cultural, political, and theological factors that precipitated it began as early as the third or fourth centuries C.E. In C.E. 293, the Emperor Diocletian divided the Roman Empire into East and West, and the split became even more pronounced after the death of Theodosius I in 395 C.E. In C.E. 313, Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which allowed Christians and all others the freedom to practice the religion of their choice. This allowed the rise of other religions, not only Christianity. Emperor Constantine then decided to move the great city of Rome to its new location in Constantinople, which became the New Rome on May 11, 330. After the final fall of western Rome in 476 C.E, both parts of the empire were ruled, at least in theory, from Constantinople. This change led to greater isolation between the Latin and Greek scholarly cultures, which in turn resulted in increasing ignorance and misunderstanding of the differing traditions.
This paper will explore the developmental history of the Byzantine Empire through the East and West schism. It will examine the musical theories and use of form and mode. The mutual influence of both East and West is evident in the music throughout time and will be examined through analysis and organization of liturgical music. Although the Byzantine life towards the end of the crusades politically concluded, Christianity did not end here. The paper will conclude with examples of the continuation of musical development and variations of Byzantine liturgical practice.
Bio
Kevin Alexander Wilson is a composer from Northeastern Ohio. He enjoys composing music that is entertaining while incorporating his non-western influences. Lately, he has been focusing on enriching his works with influences from Brazil and Eastern Europe. He has received performances with Grammy Award winning Cleveland Chamber Symphony, directed by Steven Smith, the University of Akron Symphony Orchestra under Dr. Guy V. Bordo, Ayça Çetin, a Turkish flutist in Boston and Kavazabava. Most recently, Kevin has been awarded the Grand Prize of the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs Collegiate Composition award.
Kevin is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Music Theory/Composition and a Masters degree in Ethnomusicology at Kent State University. Kevin has also studied at Central Michigan University and the University of Akron. Not only an active and commissioned composer, Kevin is also an active performer. He is one of the originating members of ADE Pá: Afro Pop group in Kent, OH and the Eastern European folk band, Kavazabava: Mount Pleasant’s only Balkan Klezmer Gypsy Band of Michigan.
The Advent of the Baroque Style in Spain: Mode as a Political and Religious Response
Pablo Gómez
Abstract
The Baroque was a period in European art that favored detail, expression and motion (sometimes exaggerated) that produced tension, exuberance and grandeur. In the Iberian peninsula, particularly in Spain, arts flourished during the Baroque. It was such an extraordinary era for literature, architecture and painting, known as the Siglo de Oro Español (Spanish Golden Century). However, music did not follow the same path. While the rest of Europe was gradually detaching from modes, Baroque style in music took longer to establish in Spain and composers kept reflecting Palestrina’s style, long after it had been gradually rejected by the Italians. Even though some “progressive” traits occurred increasingly in the music of Tomás Luis de Victoria and later composers, they were the result of individual experimentation. It is not until the last decades of the seventeenth century that Spanish composers have the systematic, formalized and rationalist approach that characterized the Baroque style.
At a time when opera, accompanied monody, early sonata forms, and concertato writing were already in full development in Italy and other countries in Europe, why was Spanish music so attached to the past? Was it due to simple stagnation and conservatism, as nineteenth-century Northern European, Protestant scholars suggested? Was it geographic isolation? How influential was the Catholic Counterreformation? This work will attempt to explain the reasons behind the artistic decisions of Spanish composers in the seventeenth century, reasons that go beyond music.
Bio
Pablo Gómez is a teacher and composer from Uruguay, South America. He emigrated to the United States in 2007 and has lived in Ohio since. He holds a Master's degree in Composition from Cleveland State University (CSU) and is currently working on the PhD program at Kent State University (KSU). He also holds a Master’s degree in Spanish Literature from CSU. Prior to his studies at KSU, Mr. Gómez studied with composers Andrew Rindfleish and Greg d’Alessio (CSU), Osvaldo Budón (McGill University), and Luis Jure (Universidad de la República, Uruguay).
Besides writing for solo instruments and chamber groups, Mr. Gomez’ composition interests include sound synthesis, algorithmic composition and composition by electronic means. In this regard, he has actively participated in seminars, workshops and master classes with Joel Chadaby (Albany Univ.), Juan Pampín (CCRMA, Stanford Univ.), Bradford Garton (Columbia Univ.), Eduardo Reck Miranda (Sony Computer Research Center, Paris), Riccardo Bianchini (Conservatorio Santa Cecilia, Roma), Xavier Serra (Instituto de l´Audiovisual, Barcelona), Conrado Silva (Univ. of Brasilia, Brazil), Omar Corrado (Univ. of Santa Fe, Argentina), Pablo Di Liscia (Univ. of Quilmes, Argentina) and Pablo Cetta (Catholic Univ., Argentina).
Liszt's Ballade No. 2 in B Minor: Analysis from the Perspectives of Riemann, Schenker, and Schoenberg
Omar Roy
Abstract
In the early twentieth century, Hugo Riemann, Heinrich Schenker, and Arnold Schoenberg developed new methods of analysis to accommodate the increased complexity of nineteenth century Romantic music. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the different products of these analytical methods and their interpretive implications through a focus on structural occurrence of harmony within the context of nineteenth century Romantic music.
During the years 1853 to 1854, Franz Liszt composed a number of important works, among which are his fourth tone poem, Orpheus, and the Sonata in B minor. While his Sonata is the subject of much speculation, the lesser known Ballade No. 2 in B minor was also written during this period. All three of these works share a structural commonality in that they are written in a modified sonata form.
While Riemannian theory covers a wide variety of issues, its primary concerns are harmonic dualism, and the function of chords in relation to fundamental harmonies, and can be seen as a teleological successor of Rameau’s fundamental bass theory. Schenkerian analysis seeks to explain complex tonal music as a prolongation and elaboration of fundamental harmonies. Schoenberg’s Harmonielehre (1911) exhibits some fundamental differences with Riemann and Schenker, namely with how his method of analysis explains the occurrence of chromatic harmony and dissonance within the context of a given tonic. The analytical systems of all three theorists will be applied to Liszt’s Ballade No. 2 in B minor.
Bio
Omar Roy is a pianist from San Diego, CA. His primary teachers include Irina Fisher, Nathan Hess, Shirley Yoo, and Jerry Wong. Mr. Roy was a major prize winner at the EMTA Competition in 2009 and 2011, and has performed in master classes with Hyung-Ki Joo (of Igudesman and Joo), James Nalley, Stephen Buck, and piano duo Anderson and Roe.
In addition to traditional recitals, Mr. Roy’s playing has been heard on WQLN Radio’s Classics with Wally Faas. He currently holds a MM in Piano Performance from Kent State University and a BA in Music from Mercyhurst University. Mr. Roy intends to pursue doctoral studies in Piano Pedagogy.
A Trail of Three Sources: Cather, Krueger, and Chicago
Professor Jane Dressler
Abstract
This purpose of this presentation is to describe my pursuit of a line of interdisciplinary research within the larger topic of Willa Cather’s writing about classical musicians.
Three of Cather’s novels, The Song of the Lark (1915), One of Ours (1922), and Lucy Gayheart (1935), include fictional musicians as leading characters or include cameo appearances of real-life musical personages. As a practicing musician already working with Cather texts, I was drawn to the wealth of details about the world of classical music that Nebraska author draws upon in her fiction. As I learned more about her life and her career, I realized that her novels offer historical snapshots of the profession of classical music and classical singing in the United States, during the years 1890-1920. Because she spent her early years as a newspaper writer and arts critic in Lincoln (NE) and Pittsburgh (PA), Cather met many performers and gathered first-hand impressions of their lives and their personalities. Her impressions ring true today.
I will identify the major sources that helped me follow this line of research and cite examples of the accuracy of Cather’s use of musical details in her fiction.
Bio
Professor Jane K. Dressler is a recognized performer of song, chamber music repertory, and oratorio literature. She teaches opera, song and voice pedagogy courses and has supervised in those subjects. Dr. Dressler has served as coordinator for the Voice Division of the KSU School of Music and regularly holds School of Music, College of the Arts, and Kent State University committee assignments.
As a performer and a researcher, Jane Dressler collaborated with Libby Larsen for the creation of MY ÁNTONIA, a song cycle based on the novel by Willa Cather. The premiere took place as part of a recital titled “Willa Cather: Her World of Music” at the International Seminar on Willa Cather 2000 in Nebraska City (NE). Dressler has performed the Larsen cycle throughout the Midwest. To continue her exploration of Cather-related music materials, Dr. Dressler has been awarded Kent State University grants (2002, 2003, 2009, and 2014) for research at the Chicago Historical Society and the Newberry Library. The soprano has presented research papers at The Willa Cather Foundation Spring Conference (2011, 2015), International Cather Seminars (2003, 2005, 2009, 2015), and at the National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention (2004). She has published articles related to Cather writings about classical singers in Chicago in national music journals (2008) and literary journals (2005, 2014).
Sharing Our Musical Heritages: An American Vocal Ensemble as Musical Ambassador
Professor Jay White
Abstract
The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the importance in sharing our choral heritage by looking at the success of the all-male, American ensemble, Chanticleer (www.chanticleer.org) as ambassadors of choral music. During the presenter’s eight-year (1995 – 2003) tenure with Chanticleer, he performed in over 15 countries and shared not only music indigenous to the United States, but also the music of the host countries. A portion of Chanticleer’s tour program was, and continues to be, devoted to traditional folksongs and spirituals of North America. As the ensemble toured the globe they would intersperse traditional music of the host country. Throughout the author’s time in the ensemble, it was the sharing of this music which created a sense of responsibility to be cultural ambassadors and to show respect for the vast contributions to the choral art that have been made around the globe.
This presentation will include a discussion of the process Chanticleer undertook in selecting repertoire that represented the US, such as traditional American folksongs and African-American spirituals, and the nations to which they were traveling. Accounts of the ensemble’s educational exchanges between other performers, audience members, and the larger artistic community of the host countries will be addressed. Throughout the overall discussion, the presenter will insert his personal recollections of his own musical cultural experience while traveling abroad.
Bio
Dr. Jay White, countertenor, sang eight seasons with the internationally acclaimed ensemble, Chanticleer, appearing in major venues throughout the world and with whom he recorded 14 albums, two of which garnered GRAMMY® Awards.
As a clinician on vocal and choral pedagogies, Dr. White has presented at international, national, and regional gatherings including sessions at the Voice Symposium (Philadelphia), the Phenomenon of Singing International Symposium and the International Symposium on Singing and Song (St. John’s, NL), the Cultural Diversity in Music Education International Conference (Helsinki, FI), and NATS, OMEA, and ACDA conferences.
After receiving his training at Indiana University and the University of Maryland, Dr. White has taught at the University of Maryland, the University of Delaware, DePauw University, and is currently an Associate Professor of Voice at Kent State University (OH). At Kent State, Dr. White trains voices in classical and commercial music styles for degrees in Vocal Performance, Music Education, and Music Theatre.
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