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I have been fortunate enough to visit Latvia twice, once in 2009 and again in 2023. With connections made through the global outreach arm of the Lutheran Church Missouri–Synod, I was able to incorporate myself into Latvian culture in ways that may not have been possible had I been a standard tourist. I am grateful to have been invited into the homes of Latvian friends, to have studied in the Jāzeps Vītols Music Academy Library, and to have celebrated both the Jāņi midsummer festival in the Latvian countryside and my twenty-second birthday on the shores of the mighty Daugava River. Upon observing and participating in these events, one truth becomes abundantly clear: choral music and group singing are inherently woven into the fabric of the Latvian people. Despite a rich history of choral music, repertoire from the Latvian choral tradition has yet to become ubiquitous among high school, college, and community choirs across the United States. While there could be many reasons for this, I believe two main barriers exist: 1) the inherent level of complexity found in Latvian choral music, including large amounts of divisi singing as well as extended choral techniques, and 2) American’s general unfamiliarity with the Latvian language. Having taught choral music at the middle school, high school, and collegiate levels, I have sympathy and appreciation for the thousands of decisions that go into choosing repertoire each semester. While we strive to be as inclusive as possible, repertoire that is too difficult is (rightfully) stashed away, and the time to execute deep-dive searches for appropriate foreign repertoire is a luxury often not afforded. The purpose of this study is to make known a handful of accessible pieces from the Latvian choral tradition that can be learned in a reasonable amount of time by the average high school, collegiate, church, or community chorus. By highlighting pieces that fit my personal parameters for the term “accessible” I hope to remove any barriers that may exist which prevent programming more of this often-overlooked segment of choral repertoire.

The wind band saw significant development in its literature, instrumentation, and programming practices throughout the twentieth century. Midway through the twentieth century the identification of a “core” repertoire began to make its way into the forefront of the wind band profession’s priorities, resulting in three significant studies by Acton Eric Ostling Jr. (1978), Jay Warren Gilbert (1993), and Clifford N. Towner (2011). Along with these studies many smaller studies and surveys were being published with this same goal of identifying either a “performance core” or an “intellectual core.” However, with new works of serious artistic merit constantly being written and included in these studies, it calls into question the purpose behind the efforts of identifying a “core.” A defining feature of the wind band is the exponential growth of its literature through efforts by bandmasters such as A.A. Harding, E.F. Goldman, William D. Revelli, Frederick Fennell and others in starting in the twentieth century. These efforts inspired other bandmasters and school band conductors to commission composers who were beginning to experiment with writing for wind instruments whereas before bands would predominately use orchestral transcriptions. As the number of new compositions being written grew at an exponential rate, programming practices began to shift from transcriptions to original wind band works. Major music distributors and conferences such as J.W. Pepper, Midwest Sheet Music, and the Midwest Clinic noticed these trends and fueled commissioning efforts and influenced the programming habits through their marketing strategies creating an ouroboros effect. With the continuous exponential growth of the wind band literature through commissioning efforts and influencers affecting the programming practices of band directors the continuous need to define a “core” repertoire serves as an unnecessary barrier to what could be the next defining era of the wind band. This era would be defined as the pursuit of diversity and inclusion dedicated to experimentation, exploration, novelty, and growth.

For nearly 60 years composers have written for bass trombone as a solo instrument and continue to create works that showcase its virtuosity and musical capabilities. Before 1961, bass trombonists would often play tuba solos, transcriptions, and musical arrangements from other instruments. This document includes works that were composed specifically for bass trombone from as early as 1961 to 2021. Each piece is categorized and presented with an evaluation in addition to a level of performance preferable for collegiate students to professional performers. Commentary has also been included discussing challenging areas as well as providing information necessary to perform the music successfully.

B-1 cells are unique, fetal-origin, self-reactive, innate like B lymphocytes that give rise to a heterogeneous population of cells, including IgM secreting cells. The poly-reactive IgM produced by B-1cells is a first line of defense again invading pathogens and is essential for initiation of robust B-2 adaptive immune responses. Additionally, natural IgM aids protection from autoimmune diseases and neoplasia. IgM secretion by B-1 cells occurs both, at steady state, mostly in bone marrow (BM) and spleen in the absence of microbial stimuli, and as an early response to inflammation or infection, usually in the draining lymphoid tissues. In my dissertation, I aimed to further characterize the subpopulations of IgM secreting B-1 derived cells and the mechanisms that drive their differentiation into three types of antibody secreting cells: Blimp-1 dependent B-1 plasma cells (PC), Blimp-1 independent non-terminally differentiated B-1 cells (B-1sec) and inflammation/infection induced B-1 plasma blasts and plasma cells. In Chapter 1, I review the role of B-1 cells and nIgM in the control of and response to infections. This includes outlining our current understanding of B-1 cell development and maintenance, as well as the events that regulate the activation of B-1 cells to become antibody secreting cells. I explore as yet unanswered questions about the role of innate versus antigen-specific signaling in the ability of B-1 cells to engage in tissue homeostasis and immune defense through their secretion of IgM. In Chapter 2, I examine the developmental requirements and nIgM repertoire contributions of B-1PC. In particular, the data demonstrate that BM B-1PC development requires the presence of CD4 T cells, bucking the dogma that nIgM is always T independent. Additionally, I demonstrate that B-1PC generate a distinct, oligoclonal nIgM repertoire that has relatively little overlap with non-secreting B-1 cells. This B-1PC repertoire was dominated by short 7-8 amino acids. It was encoded by various CDR3 variable immunoglobulin heavy chain genes that nonetheless generated a small number of distinct CDR3 motives, highly suggestive of convergent recombination and thus positive selection. Additionally, the data showed that in the absence of BM B-1PC a population of B-1sec emerged that compensated for the loss B-1PC derived serum nIgM. This population was phenotypically less differentiated than B-1PC and was unable to be reconstituted from adult peritoneal B-1 cells.In Chapter 3, I aimed to identify the B-1sec by flow cytometry and further characterize their function and transcriptional profile. B-1sec were identified as CD19+ CD23- CD43var intracytplasmic IgMhi and CD138+. Using a double-reporter mouse to identify the immunoglobulin joining (J)-chain and Blimp-1, the master transcriptional regulator of plasma cell differentiation, B-1sec were further identified as J-chain+ Blimp-1neg. Despite the lack of Blimp-1 expression, I demonstrated that these cells secrete significant amounts of IgM and have a transcriptional profile of an antibody secreting cell. In Chapter 4, I examine the role of toll like receptor (TLR) and B cell receptor (BCR) signaling on both, steady state nIgM production and infection-induced secretion of IgM by B-1 cells. I found that both were reduced, when B-1 cells lack TLR expression. I further demonstrate that B-1 cells do not use the same level of BCR and TLR signaling coordination to enhance their activation and differentiation as we see in B-2 cells. Instead, B-1 cells were exquisitely sensitive to TLR stimulation, but BCR signaling inhibited TLR-stimulated B-1 cell responses in contrast, while synergistic effects were noted in B-2 cells. Furthermore, when BCR signaling was blocked with a Syk inhibitor, the effects on TLR signaling were much more pronounced in B-2 than B-1 cells, suggesting that B-1 cells respond through a TLR pathway that is uncoupled from the MyD88-Syk axis previously shown to be present in B-2 cells.Together my work adds to the understanding of how B-1 cells contribute to IgM production, and thus increase understanding of their integral role in early defense against pathogens and their role in connecting the innate and adaptive branches of the immune system.

The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate and graduate piano majors' confidence in selecting, performing, and teaching piano repertoire by diverse composers (women composers and composers of color (BIPOC)). A secondary purpose was to investigate their beliefs about and experiences learning piano repertoire by diverse composers. Specifically, (a) the types of experiences piano majors have learning piano repertoire by diverse composers, (b) how confident piano majors are in teaching repertoire by diverse composers, and (c) potential relationships that exist between piano majors' experience learning, beliefs about, and confidence teaching repertoire by diverse composers. Undergraduate and graduate piano majors that attend National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) accredited schools across the United States were invited to participate in this survey study. Data were collected from undergraduate and graduate piano majors in Fall 2021 (N = 180). Results indicated that respondents with more experience learning repertoire by diverse composers and with higher beliefs related to composers of diverse repertoire were more confident in their abilities selecting and teaching diverse repertoire. Results also indicated that respondents had more experience learning works by women composers than BIPOC composers, and respondents had little experience learning works by women BIPOC composers. Overall, respondents (regardless of gender or race) believed that the inclusion of traditionally underrepresented composers was important and expressed a desire to include this repertoire among the literature they learn and teach. However, most indicated that they did not consider gender or race when selecting repertoire to learn and to teach. Most respondents who did not currently learn or teach repertoire by diverse composers expressed that more preparation as part of their collegiate program would increase their likelihood of teaching diverse repertoire. Implications for piano majors, instructors of academic piano coursework, and applied/private piano instructors are discussed.

Small bands are limited in terms of repertoire. Incomplete or unbalanced instrumentation prevents small bands from accessing quality repertoire and or music of higher-grade levels. This in turn can have an effect on student growth in these programs. This project will explore various models of flexible scoring of quality repertoire as a means to fill the need for quality repertoire in small band programs. Published flexible arrangements, marketed to small band programs, have existed for over a decade. These arrangements take a piece of music and condense it down to its basic four to five-part voicings and provide parts for all instruments in all keys. This scoring allows directors to make substitutions without having to rewrite parts or have students transpose or seek out special permissions from composers and publishers if significant substitutions need to be made to adapt a work. This is done while striving to maintain the composer’s intent and essential features of the piece. Flexible scoring has recently come to the forefront in the wind band world due rehearsal size limitations many band programs faced during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. As a response to this pandemic a group of wind band composers started the Creative Repertoire Initiative to promote this style of scoring to fill the need for adaptable works that can be performed by bands much smaller than the traditional large wind ensemble. Post pandemic, most band programs will return to the standard repertoire and scoring; small band programs, however, will continue to have the same challenges of instrumentation when selecting repertoire. This project will compare categories of adaptable music as defined by the Creative Repertoire Initiative, focusing on music in the flexible category and variations within that category. The quality and grade levels of selected pieces will be determined by comparing various state music educator association prescribed music lists (PML) and previous studies to determine wind band repertoire of high artistic merit. This project will select eight flexible arrangements that meet the criteria and make a comparative performance analysis of the flexible scoring and original score. This project will also seek to identify other quality works for wind band that are suitable for adapting to the flexible score model.

The guitar is a popular instrument choice in music education; however, most school guitar teachers in the United States neither majored on the instrument nor took a university guitar methods class. These self-taught teachers often rely on trial and error to select repertoire. Effective music curriculum design relies on teachers' ability to select and sequence proper repertoire based on student ability. Through exploration of the existing literature, deficiencies were found in guitar teacher training, pedagogy for young guitar students, and repertoire evaluation. In this study, the author analyzed two collections of printed guitar music in standard notation. The analysis yielded an improved understanding of how an emerging metric, note-to-beat ratio, can help teachers assess the musical challenges in repertoire more effectively. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study focuses on the prediction of the relative difficulty of guitar music based on note density. Elements for each piece in the Suzuki Guitar School repertoire and Sonia Michelson's New Dimensions in Classical Guitar for Children were analyzed to determine if useful predictive patterns exist. This study may inform and lead guitar teachers toward the selection of appropriate music for guitar teaching. It also serves as a proof of concept that a type of analysis previously used for keyboard repertoire applies to classical guitar repertoire. The study may encourage further research by those wishing to apply this analytical method to repertoire for other instruments.

African Romances, Op. 17, composed in 1897 by African-British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912), is a collection of seven songs for high voice that is uniquely both African and American. The lyrics of this song cycle were first published in the book Majors and Minors, a collection of poems published in 1895 by Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906). An analysis of resources supports that academic discourse in Black vocal music has been underrepresented due to the absence of centralized information, such as published scores, recorded materials, catalogs, and guides for study and performance. While in depth research focusing on the art song repertoire of Black composers has increased over the last 35 years, the narrative of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor as an art song composer still remains in obscurity. Coleridge-Taylor’s vocal canon is relatively unknown compared to his famous instrumental works and the art songs of other composers of the late-Romantic period. Despite several compositions appearing in anthologies by Black song composers, the vocal works of Coleridge-Taylor are not widely recorded or performed, thus resulting in an absence of critical performance study. Specifically, the seven songs of African Romances – “An African Love Song,” “A Prayer,” “A Starry Night,” “Dawn,” “Ballad,” “Over the Hills,” and “How Shall I Woo Thee?” – have not been the subject of prior significant analysis. African Romances represents the earliest known song cycle by a Black composer and Black poet. This treatise addresses the under-served Black Art Song from a historical point of view, examines the musical and poetic narratives and aesthetics of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Paul Laurence Dunbar, and provides a guide to African Romances, Op. 17 for performers, teachers and scholars of classical vocal repertoire.

Harry Sparnaay was a major contributor to the development of unaccompanied works for the bass clarinet and commissioned over 100 pieces for bass clarinet alone. While Sparnaay's book, The Bass Clarinet: A Personal History, includes a list of works written for him, there is minimal information available regarding most of these pieces. This project fills the information gap for this repertoire by providing publication status/score availability, performance challenges, recording history, program notes, and composer information. Each work is classified into three categories based on its publication status and recording history, providing a framework for understanding which works have entered the standard repertoire for the instrument.

Investigating the immunoglobulin repertoire is a means of understanding the adaptive immune response to infectious disease or vaccine challenge. The data examined are typically generated using high-throughput sequencing on samples of immunoglobulin variable-region genes present in blood or tissue collected from human or animal subjects. The analysis of these large, diverse collections provides a means of gaining insight into the specific molecular mechanisms involved in generating and maintaining a protective immune response. It involves the characterization of distinct clonal populations, specifically through the inference of founding alleles for germline gene segment recombination, as well as the lineage of accumulated mutations acquired during the development of each clone. Germline gene segment inference is currently performed by aligning immunoglobulin sequencing reads against an external reference database and assigning each read to the entry that provides the best score according to the metric used. The problem with this approach is that allelic diversity is greater than can be usefully accommodated in a static database. The absence of the alleles used from the database often leads to the misclassification of single-nucleotide polymorphisms as somatic mutations acquired during affinity maturation. This trend is especially evident with the rhesus macaque, but also affects the comparatively well-catalogued human databases, whose collections are biased towards samples from individuals of European descent. Our project presents novel statistical methods for immunoglobulin repertoire analysis which allow for the de novo inference of germline gene segment libraries directly from next-generation sequencing data, without the need for external reference databases. These methods follow a Bayesian paradigm, which uses an information-theoretic modelling approach to iteratively improve upon internal candidate gene segment libraries. Both candidate libraries and trial analyses given those libraries are incorporated as components of the machine learning evaluation procedure, allowing for the simultaneous optimization of model accuracy and simplicity. Finally, the proposed methods are evaluated using synthetic data designed to mimic known mechanisms for repertoire generation, with pre-designated parameters. We also apply these methods to known biological sources with unknown repertoire generation parameters, and conclude with a discussion on how this method can be used to identify potential novel alleles.

This project examines the archive and the repertoire of the Esala Perahera in Sri Lanka and charts the ideological and cultural implications of the performance. The archival analysis begins with the interrogation of the historical chronicles and the recorded history of the performance in the Sinhala and English texts. Thereafter, travel literature and the dissemination of cultural knowledge on the Perahera are discussed. The study of the repertoire and the photographic archive explores key performances in the Esala Perahera in 2016 and 2017. Postcolonial theory, theories on cultural anthropology, and performance theory are used to analyze the archive and the repertoire of the Esala Perahera thereby extending the scholarship on the performance.

There are few resources available for countertenors to find operatic repertoire. Thepurpose of the thesis is to provide an operatic repertoire guide for countertenors, and teacherswith countertenors as students. Arias were selected based on the premise that the original singerwas a castrato, the original singer was a countertenor, or the role is commonly performed bycountertenors of today. Information about the composer, information about the opera, and thepedagogical significance of each aria is listed within each section. Study sheets are provided aftereach aria to list additional resources for countertenors and teachers with countertenors asstudents. It is the goal that any countertenor or male soprano can find usable repertoire in thisguide.

Adam Cuthbért has established himself as a composer worthy of study through his prolific interactions with a wide range of performers and organizations of national and international renown. High profile groups such as the Friction String Quartet, Third Coast Percussion, and Bang on a Can All Stars have performed his works, and the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and National Public Radio have reviewed his compositional output. Also a trumpeter, Cuthbért has composed four works for solo trumpet and Ableton Live software, with the most significant of these works being an interactive sonata over 35 minutes in length. However, the unique nature of these works provides challenges for an interested performer. This will address Cuthbért’s works through providing a historic context for the pieces, an in depth guide to the physical setup as well as the software used in performance, analysis of the works themselves, and interviews with several performer of these works in addition to an interview with the composer. Analysis will include pedagogical and technical demands for the performer as well as musical analysis using Brian Fennelly’s XYE system of analysis of sound in order to garner an understanding of the structure of these works.

Performance of repertoire is a defining curricular aspect in the band area of music education, upon which students will spend significant time. The act of repertoire selection is a potentially complicated one, carrying the norms, values, and beliefs of the overall band area and band directors themselves. A band director’s personal ensemble experience is steeped in aesthetic traditions and canonical notions of repertoire’s quality and its use in band settings, and these notions may be incompatible with highly varied teaching situations. In this study, I examine these issues using Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus and field. The research questions were: is there a tension between the established norms (habitus) regarding the repertoire used in public schools, and practicing band directors’ professional contextual realities? If so, what is the cause of the tension, what do band directors do in response to it, and is the experience or non-experience of tension manifested differently in distinct professional contextual realities? I used a multi-method design to answer the research questions, collecting survey and interview data. Survey participants were randomly sampled from across New York State. The interview participants were purposefully sampled for variation in teaching situations. The data revealed that a tension exists and is manifested in elemental/structural issues and differences in expressed musical/educational goals. Consistent themes were the influence of collegiate ensemble experiences as main drivers of the tension and a resulting expressed reverence for core repertoire, even though it might not be what participants program. These phenomena did not appear to manifest differently across varied contexts. In addressing the tension, participants expand their habitus to include other repertoire that is more suitable or appropriate for their own situations, regardless of normative notions of quality or core repertoire. Music educators may benefit from a reorientation in teacher education programs that acknowledges the potential for this tension and that prepare them to enter their professional contextual realities and evaluate and choose repertoire in a tension-free process. Such a process would be free from a “one size fits all” conceptualization of repertoire’s quality and its role in a band program. Keywords: band, repertoire selection, tension, Bourdieu, habitus, field, hermeneutic phenomenology.

Carl Czerny (1791–1857) lived at the turn of the nineteenth century, when the piano underwent significant development as an instrument, and subsequently generated a huge repertoire. While Czerny is mostly remembered for his piano exercises and etudes, his writings about music as well as his works in serious style reveal a man with a sophisticated awareness of the importance of piano technique, entwined with profound musical ideas and an understanding of music that make him a forerunner of the romantic style. This study focuses on Czerny’s Opus 500 Complete Theoretical and Practical Piano Forte School (1839), and its Supplement (1845). Through analysis of the tutorial’s content it attempts to prove the deep connection between piano technique and expressive playing in Czerny’s teaching. The first five chapters of this work compare elements of expressive playing, such as articulation, dynamics and tempo, as presented in different tutorials written before Czerny’s opus 500, clearly relevant to Czerny. The remaining chapters of this study discuss the pedagogical path that Czerny suggests to master those same aspects, especially through scales and scale-based exercises, and through constant attention to improving the listening skills of the student. The purpose of this work is to reassess Czerny as a key figure of modern piano technique, as a teacher and pedagogue able to introduce pianists to mechanical training while honing the essential skills to perform any piece of music in any style expressively.

ABSTRACT The Contemporary Revolution—Evolution of Viola Repertoire by Jordan WarmathToday, it is somewhat rare to attend a classical music concert be it a quartet performance, orchestral concert, or solo recital and have a contemporary or “new” work on the program. What was once common practice in Beethoven’s time must once again be embraced as common practice among performers if the viola repertoire and the classical genre are to flourish. It is simply no longer enough to have mastered the 20th century demands of the instrument as a performer but rather all its satellite components as well. The contemporary violist bears little resemblance to a violist of the 19th century. Some 200 years ago, playing a viola meant being a performer of the “lesser” sibling to the violin. Today, etudes for the viola are detrimentally tilted toward the romantic, while the majority of the standard viola repertoire is decidedly contemporary. The standard etudes are largely antiquated transpositions of 18th century classicism whose application proves less helpful as the decades pass by. No longer do the tonalities of Ševčík, Kreutzer, and Mazas bear resemblance to the music they attempt to help facilitate. How does one rectify a pedagogy that has fallen so far behind in preparing its acolytes for the true challenges of its repertoire? Part I of this document describes the current progression of pedagogical literature and technical studies at the intermediate level. This pedagogical progression is then augmented by the inclusion of contemporary literature and alternative etudes within the framework of the standard repertoire. Part II discusses the current advanced pedagogical progression and its standard accompanying etudes and technical studies. This advanced repertoire is explained further and altered to incorporate appropriately challenging contemporary literature. A new set of etudes composed in the last century will then be included to help the violist overcome the differing technical hurdles these pieces present. This part of the document will contain specific examples of contemporary pedagogical literature to highlight how a different progression of etudes, studies, scales, and repertoire can aid the student in attaining success in the landscape of a 21st century violist.

A common way many fields or disciplines recognize outstanding work is with competitions and awards. Recognized as one of the premiere prizes for composition, the Grawemeyer Award, since its inception in 1985, has never been awarded to a composition for band. Given that eminent composers such as Steven Stucky, John Corigliano, and Michael Colgrass have written for band, it begs the question, why has a band piece never won? The purpose of this study was to identify factors and barriers influencing the likelihood that a composition for band may win a Grawemeyer Award. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the following research questions guided this study: (1) What pieces for band have been nominated for the Grawemeyer Award? (2) Is the lack of awards for band pieces due to a disparity in nominations? (3) Are the best works for band being nominated for the Grawemeyer Award? (4) Are there operational aspects of the Grawemeyer Award that may favor certain mediums over others?This study identified all band pieces that had been nominated for the Grawemeyer Award from 1985 through 2015. This list was then compared to three datasets to assess whether the best works for band had been nominated for the award: (1) pieces identified in the Ostling (1978), Gilbert (1993), and Towner (2011) as having “serious artistic merit,” (2) pieces that have won major band composition awards, and (3) band pieces by eminent composers that are popular, prolific, and in demand in other mediums. Data from the League of American Orchestras were used to determine composers of eminence.To examine the operations of the Grawemeyer Award, the study utilized a survey of all individuals that have served as a juror since 2005. This study also utilized a one-on-one phone interview with Dr. Marc Satterwhite, Chair of the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition. This interview was recorded and transcribed.As a way to examine the wider music community’s perception of the band medium, a survey of professional orchestral conductors was used to determine their attitudes regarding programming pieces with nontraditional instrumentation.Findings suggest that there are two reasons why a band composition has never won a Grawemeyer Award: (1) few band works are being nominated and (2) the vast majority band works that are being nominated do not represent the best compositions for the band medium. Additionally, there is no evidence to suggest any aspect of the Grawemeyer Award’s operational process favors one medium over another.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the recognition of the contralto voice type had reached its apex in England. Throughout the remainder of the century, the number and popularity of recorded contraltos has decreased alongside the rise of the mezzo-soprano voice type. Due to the contralto’s decline and the lack of repertoire composed specifically for the voice, the definition of “contralto” remains somewhat ambiguous. The large contralto repertoire of English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams displays a unique sensitivity to the contralto, particularly with regards to vocal range, flexibility, tessitura, and sustainability. These works thus suggest a new perspective for the voice type. The scope of Vaughan Williams’s oeuvre examined includes each of his operatic roles for contralto and choral works featuring the contralto. Also examined will be the compositional techniques implemented within these pieces which demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of the contralto voice. A workable definition of the voice type for the pedagogue and performer is included.

AbstractSong Diversification and Speciation in the Empidonax difficilis-occidentalis-flavescens Complexby Andrew Christopher RushDoctor of Philosophy in Integrative BiologyUniversity of California, BerkeleyProfessor Rauri Bowie, ChairSpeciation can occur when barriers to gene flow form between populations. Phenotypic differences resulting from divergent selection can act as strong pre-zygotic barriers to gene flow. Birds provide excellent opportunities to examine the effectiveness of pre-zygotic barriers, because phenotypic traits, such as song and plumage, which affect species recognition and mate choice, are often conspicuous and relatively easy to observe and quantify. In the research outlined in this dissertation, I analyze the effects of divergence in song on lineage diversification in the six principal taxa that comprise the Empidonax-difficilis-occidentalis-flavescens complex, a clade of suboscine passerines. This dissertation is one of the broadest examinations of the interaction between genotype and innate song type yet conducted, and provides insights relevant to the role of divergent signals in speciation in a wide range of organisms.In Chapter 1, I examine an area of geographic contact in southwestern Canada between two of these taxa, the Pacific-slope Flycatcher (E. d. difficilis) and the Cordilleran Flycatcher (E. o. hellmayri). Contact zones between recently diverged taxa offer unique opportunities to test whether the forms are reproductively isolated and therefore distinct species. I present the first analysis of genetic variation across this region, in order to determine whether hybridization and gene flow occurs between these taxa. I determine that parental populations of Pacific-slope and Cordilleran Flycatchers have distinct mitochondrial haplotypes, and that all of the individuals sampled in interior southwestern Canada have the Pacific-slope haplotype. In contrast, analysis of nuclear DNA (AFLPs) indicates a high level of population admixture between Pacific-slope and Cordilleran Flycatchers in this region, although I find no evidence of nuclear gene flow into core parental populations. I suggest that the discordance between the mitochondrial and nuclear markers most likely results from stochastic loss of Cordilleran mitochondrial haplotype lineages facilitated by asymmetries in mating due to earlier arrival and greater abundance of Pacific-slope Flycatchers in the contact zone. Although the discovery of hybridization between Pacific-slope and Cordilleran Flycatchers in southwestern Canada calls into question their status as distinct species, the lack of evidence of gene flow into parental populations indicated a need for genetic analyses of populations representing a broader sampling of the geographic range of each species. In the remaining two chapters of the dissertation, I address two major questions:1. Does innate song function as a particularly strong isolating mechanism between incipient suboscine species?2. How do patterns of divergence in innate song differ from those of learned song, and how has song divergence affected lineage diversification across the E. difficilis-occidentalis-flavescens clade?In Chapter 2, I perform an extensive study of song variation in Pacific-slope and Cordilleran Flycatchers to determine its effects on hybridization and gene flow. Suboscines offer interesting opportunities to investigate the effects of song divergence on lineage diversification, because songs develop without learning. When songs diverge between populations, they can create behavioral barriers to gene flow. Divergence in innate song in suboscine passerines could result in particularly strong behavioral barriers to gene flow because song type is more closely correlated with genotype, and thus a more direct marker of lineage affiliation than in passerine species with learned song. In this chapter, I demonstrate high levels of introgression in both mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers, although the pattern of introgression is asymmetrical, with introgression limited into core Pacific-slope populations. Moreover, I highlight extensive geographic discordance between the frequencies of mitochondrial and nuclear markers. I demonstrate that the songs of the two taxa are distinct, and highly correlated with nuclear genotype, and that the songs of admixed individuals exhibit spectral characteristics intermediate to the parental species. Song playback experiments demonstrate that both species show some level of discrimination based on song, and highlight lineage-specific behavioral differences that have likely affected the outcome of secondary contact. Pacific-slope Flycatchers seem to rely more on song in territorial interactions, and may discriminate more among song types. Cordilleran Flycatchers exhibit higher levels of aggressiveness in response to playback. Based on the pattern of geographic variation in genetic and song characters, and on the results of the playback experiments, I propose a historical scenario of secondary contact in which asymmetrical introgression of nuclear alleles was facilitated by the social dominance of more aggressive Cordilleran Flycatchers. Finally, I predict that Cordilleran populations will become increasingly introgressed, while introgression into Pacific-slope populations may be limited by a combination of ecological and behavioral factors. In Chapter 3, I extend the examination of genetic and song variation to include the six principal taxa that comprise the Empidonax difficilis-occidentalis-flavescens clade, to examine whether song divergence has affected lineage divergence by acting as a species discrimination trait. Numerous studies have shown that the level of complexity can affect the efficacy of song in birds, but these studies have focused mainly on birds with learned song. In this study, I offer a novel approach for examining patterns of vocal repertoire evolution, by comparing within repertoire complexity (syllable diversity) across homologous vocalization types present in all six taxa. I find varying rates of song divergence across taxa and across latitude. Songs are distinct between some taxa, but not others. Song divergence is not correlated with mtDNA distance, but it is correlated with latitudinal distance between taxa. Song complexity seems to be higher in higher latitude migratory taxa, but this is due the extremely divergent song of one taxon (E. d. difficilis). Moreover, a high level of divergence in one particular vocalization (Song 2) is most responsible for the overall divergence of E. difficilis song. Song playback experiments show varying levels of discrimination among song types, and there is at least preliminary evidence that lower latitude species are able to use more subtle vocal cues in taxon recognition than higher latitude migratory taxa. This study provides a unique view into how vocal repertoires can evolve in birds, and how this relates to lineage diversification. Moreover, this study is consistent with other studies that have found elevated rates of signal diversification and song complexity in higher latitude migratory species.Thus, innate song does seem to be able to function as a strong isolating mechanism, but this depends on ecological and behavioral contexts. That is, the abbreviated breeding seasons at higher latitudes might drive more extreme reproductive behaviors such as singing and territorial defense compared to lower latitude taxa. This can affect the effectiveness as song as a taxon discrimination trait, by affecting both the rate of evolution of song and the behavioral context in which the song is performed. Morevoer, I found that patterns of song divergence correlate closely to patterns of genetic divergence in the comparison of song divergence and admixture between Pacific-slope and Cordilleran Flycatchers, but that varying rates of song divergence relative to genetic divergence in the broader phylogenetic comparison make this correlation weaker. Song seems capable of a high level of consistency across relatively large genetic distances or a high level of divergence over relatively small genetic distances, indicating that in at least some of these taxa, song divergence has been driven by selection. Claiming that I have evidence that song differences drove lineage diversification would be premature, but song differences do seem to have important roles in maintaining taxon boundaries. Despite the high level of admixture between Pacific-slope and Cordilleran Flycatchers at interior sites, gene flow does not occur at any significant level into core Pacific-slope populations. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that Pacific-slope song has become highly derived, relative to the songs of other taxa in this clade and that it has a greater, or at least more varied, role in reproduction. Thus, attributing an important role to song differences in decreasing gene flow from Cordilleran populations into core Pacific-slope populations seems reasonable. Moreover, the high level of discrimination in lower latitude taxa among very similar song types suggests that song could be an effective cue for assortative mating in these taxa. This comes with the caveat that the context that often exists in secondary contact zones, such as low population density, can promote hybridization in taxa that would likely mate assortatively if the cost of mate searching were lower.

Pirates have always been mysterious figures. They came out of nowhere, attacked their victims, plundered their goods, and vanished. Reason tells us that pirates were no more than common criminals, but over the centuries, history has come to portray them as romantic and even heroic figures. This stereotype of piracy has long been a fascination of authors, poets, and composers, and it is evident in our cultural landscape. This document examines an area of pirate literature that has been neglected, if ever discussed: the published pirate song for solo voice and piano accompaniment. Over the past two centuries many such pirate-themed compositions have been composed, published, sold, and circulated. Yet today, much like the elusive pirates themselves, most of this musical repertoire has become obscure. It, too, has nearly vanished, remaining seldom performed, mostly forgotten, and now buried at the bottom of the proverbial musical sea. My breadth of study is that of existing “classical” scores: published sheet music for voice and piano, either currently in print or long out-of-print, still under copyright, or now in the public domain. Based on the actual source material—the scores I have found and obtained—I have created a reference piece. Through the unearthing and reexamination of these long forgotten and seldom-heard songs, I will illustrate how this repertoire can serve as a viable performing resource for the practicing and performing singer as well as a teaching asset for the vocal educator. It is my goal to illuminate for the reader the most salient features of each piece, be they musical, pedagogical, textual, historical, or any combination thereof. The result of this examination, therefore, is a comprehensive catalogue or literature guide providing valuable detailed information about the songs found within this overlooked repertoire. Advisor: William Shomos

Discovering the correct vocal training techniques for middle school students is a difficult task for music teachers in regards to their changing voices and their new discoveries of interests and preferences. Adolescence marks the final phase in development to vocal maturity and thus, knowledge of how to cultivate an effective teaching style for middle school students is crucial. The following study will attempt to simplify the responsibilities of music teachers by focusing on the vocal development of adolescents, and recommending repertoire choices suitable for middle school students. The study will also analyze differences in gender, age, and ability levels. Ultimately, readers will gain an understanding of what to expect from students in this stage of development.

Neotropical bird species provide exceptional opportunities for advancing the understanding of avian communication systems. This dissertation focuses on the singing behavior of the White-breasted Wood Wren (Henicorhina leucosticta), which is not well understood even though it expresses behaviors such as female song and duetting that are at the forefront of research in avian communication. I present the background in this area of research and make the case that this species is of special interest to the study of avian communication because of its phylogenetic relationship to other duetting wrens and because its singing style is not easily categorized by singing behavior of other duetting species. In Chapter 2, I characterize the repertoire and singing behavior of this species and show that male repertoires are larger than those of females and can be classified into three groups based on spectral characteristics and song use. I describe unique high-frequency ‘introductory notes’ that directly precede songs within a bout but are facultatively included with the songs. In Chapter 3, I discuss playback experiments that suggest introductory notes act as a graded signal in certain song types during countersinging interactions. Differences in threat salience between four common song types was identified with one song type in particular that provoked lower song rates from subjects and was never song matched. These results suggest a separate function of this song type and together emphasize the potential role of structural cues in regulating singing interactions. In Chapter 4, I assess potential functions of duetting with two-speaker playback experiments and utilize a microphone sensor array developed at UCLA to localize the vocalizations of individuals. I show that in opposition to the mate-guarding hypothesis, the threat of unmated same sex intruders (solo playback) was not greater than the threat posed by paired intruders (duet playback). This supports territorial defense as the primary function of duets in this species. This research helps fill a taxonomic gap in our understanding of the singing behavior of tropical birds and suggests future directions of research for a better understanding of avian communication.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the programming practices and educational philosophies of conductors of collegiate mid-level instrumental ensembles (commonly referred to as second bands). There is a growing body of research that analyzes programming frequency and music selection of elite wind bands at the university level. Performing groups outside of this type of ensemble have been overlooked in research to date. Using qualitative research methodology, several broad research questions guided this study: a) how do directors make programming decisions for mid-level instrumental ensembles? b) what kinds of repertoire do these groups perform? c) how are these works programmed in combination with other works? d) what resources do conductors use when searching for/selecting repertoire? e) what educational goals and expectations do directors have for these performance groups? f) what kind of relationship exists with the Director of Bands in regard to repertoire selection? g) does the mission of a school of music or university play a role in rehearsals or programming?This study utilized one-on-one interviews with ten conductors of university ensembles at public institutions that had music major enrollments of over 400 students. Each conductor participated in an open-ended interview that was recorded and transcribed. As an additional source of data, program information from four consecutive years was gathered from each conductor and analyzed for performance frequency and how selections were programmed within context of an entire concert.Findings indicated that conductors do not perceive themselves or the members of their group as second best. Although conductors indicated that they attempt to program a core staple of repertoire, their programming practices over the past four years showed that these groups have an inclination to perform more recently composed works as opposed to standard repertoire. Conductors utilize multiple methods to find new music. Additionally, the interpersonal dynamic of the relationship with the Director of Bands proved to be an influential factor in repertoire selection while the mission of the university and school of music did not.

This project attempts to assess and predict the future of the bassoon in Australia. This must be contextualised within the future of classical music in general. Classical music has a long history, its antecedents stemming from the liturgical and secular music of the Medieval and Renaissance periods. The Classical and Romantic periods of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries established what some regard as a set or standard identity for classical music; however, various forces combine to destabilise this standard and drive the classical genre to evolve in order to maintain relevance. In the past several decades, scholars, reviewers and those in the industry have referred to a crisis in classical music. This crisis is the result of the movement of attention and education away from classical and toward popular music; the structure of the music recording marketing industry which has, over an extensive period, virtually prohibited the entry of obscure or innovative music into mass markets; and the perception that the enjoyment of classical music is somehow a specialised, possibly elitist skill and one that is not suited or accessible to the mass audience. Given that much of the long term viability of an art form depends on its success in the market and its ability to connect with audiences, overcoming these barriers to the accessibly and enjoyment of classical music is regarded as key to its very survival. However, with the current changes in technology and marketing structures, it is possible for the current crisis to be regarded as a significant opportunity for further growth of the classical repertoire and the market for it. In fact the long term viability and survival of classical music, and therefore of the bassoon, may depend on the ability of those in the field to understand the current challenges and opportunities. By adopting mixed methodologies which include an analysis of literature, a pedagogical survey involving aspects of practice-based research and empirical research, the thesis examines the existing Australian bassoon repertoire and the views of those deeply involved in playing, composing for, and promoting the bassoon on the Australian music scene. Following qualitative interviews with bassoonists, composers and classical music marketers, it is observed that the bassoon has several special challenges. It is an instrument which has sometimes been overlooked or poorly recognised, and whose unique sounds and abilities have often been used in a comic way, resulting in its stereotyping as the 'clown of the orchestra'. It presents a physical challenge because of its weight and dimensions, it is expensive and the repertoire that currently exists in Australia is limited, a fact demonstrated by the pedagogical survey. The thesis seeks ways of resolving or working with these challenges. However, the potential of the bassoon to build a relevant contemporary identity both through traditional and extended techniques used in composition and the extension of repertoire is profound. Coupled with and extending the pedagogical survey was the commissioning and recording of a CD sampler of new and previously unrecorded contemporary classical bassoon music, also involving practice-led research. The pieces recorded on the CD are an attempt to respond to the strengths and weaknesses identified through other research in the thesis in relation to compositional style and variety. It also serves as a means of seeking responses from marketers of classical CDs. The production of the CD demonstrates what can be accomplished when composers are commissioned to write new pieces, how these add to the repertoire and how such repertoire might be marketed. It also requires an active ideological, musical and spoken dialogue between composers and performers presenting new, relevant repertoire as well as pieces not previously recorded. In doing so, the CD represents one of several ways in which the bassoon can continue to be relevant to the contemporary Australian audience.

Secondary choral directors often demonstrate a wide variety of organizational, instructional, and musical skills to promote and nurture thriving programs. Among the many tasks executed, choosing repertoire might be viewed as one of the most important duties performed. Material chosen for study is often the vehicle through which curricular concepts are taught. Multiple factors might influence middle school choral directors’ beliefs about repertoire choices. Ironically, repertoire choices might or might not reflect educators’ actual teaching philosophies; nevertheless, these decisions could influence student learning. This study surveyed a stratified random sampling of Texas middle school choral directors who participated in the 2010 University Interscholastic League Concert and Sight-reading competition (n = 209). Seventy middle school choral directors participated in the study. Each director took an online survey and indicated the degree to which they agreed or disagreed with 14 statements concerning repertoire choice. Many of the belief statements showed teachers were overwhelmingly in concordance with their beliefs (92.9%). Results indicated that beliefs were similar, regardless of who chose the curriculum or the amount of discussion perceived in undergraduate training. The only belief statement that continually showed differences between teachers concerned students’ ability to vote on repertoire.

Wind band conductors have long considered the identification, selection, and creation of quality repertoire as fundamental issues in teaching music in the context of an instrumental ensemble. The Contemporary Music Project (CMP), through the placement of 90 composers in public schools from 1959 to 1973, created a substantial body of repertoire for high school wind band. While researchers have articulated the historical importance of the CMP in encouraging composers to write for the wind band, the direct impact of the compositions has not been explored sufficiently. The purpose of the present study was to study the impact of CMP compositions by examining the music composed by three Oregon-based CMP composers (OBCC) and the impact of these compositions upon repertoire practices in the state of Oregon. Such a study was needed to identify factors that hindered the impact of CMP band repertoire and to inform similar repertoire commissioning efforts in the future. Following a detailed examination of CMP history and an exhaustive literature review, diverse types of data were collected to answer a set of research questions. Evidence of the lasting impact of compositions by the OBCC was sought through examination of published repertoire resources, state repertoire lists, state and regional conference programs, and a survey of Oregon high school band directors. Analysis of these data revealed that CMP compositions from Oregon had only minimal impact upon the repertoire practices of state high school band directors. To more fully understand the factors that influenced this lack of impact, a representative work by each of the three composers (Karl Kroeger, James Kurtz, and Lawrence Widdoes) was selected for expert evaluation. Additionally, data were collected through open-ended evaluator survey responses and composer interviews. Data analysis revealed two primary factors that limited the impact of works composed by the OBCC. First, though considered of good quality by evaluators, compositions of the OBCC did not distinguish themselves from previously composed works and were viewed as somewhat traditional in style. Second, CMP infrastructure in regards to publishing and promotion of works was found to be ineffective in reaching the target audience of high school band directors. The present document concludes with a detailed discussion of these results and recommendations for future research.

The study of a composition in preparation for rehearsal and subsequent performance is one of the most important facets of the conductor’s art. A conductor will often begin the process of score study by examining existing research pertaining to the piece, if such research exists. Books, periodicals and university research have long provided information pertaining to works from a variety of genres. In particular, periodicals and university research have provided in-depth analyses of many musical genres, encompassing solo, chamber, and large ensemble works. Orchestral and choral conductors have at their disposal various such indices and compilations to locate analyses of compositions which have been studied. Before this index, no such work existed for wind band or wind ensemble conductors based on a scholarly research method. This index seeks to fill that void. The purpose of this index of wind band literature analyses is to provide band conductors immediate access to the location of wind literature analyses found in periodicals and university research. The current study is based on a systematic, scholarly method and is designed to be as thorough as possible. It contains 731 entries by 334 authors and encompasses 457 works by 203 composers.

In this study the author addresses the problem of finding quality repertoire for young college-level saxophonists. By examining graded repertoire lists from a variety of college and university saxophone instructors, the author has compiled a list of 180 works for alto saxophone and piano. Twenty-four well-known works of a difficulty-level appropriate for freshman and sophomore players are identified and annotated. Each annotation consists of bibliographical information, a biographical sketch of the composer, a difficulty rating of eight elements of performance, a discussion of performance considerations, and a bibliography of available recordings. The eight elements of performance included in the difficulty rating are: Meter, key signatures, tempo, note-values, rhythm, articulation, range, and dynamic levels. Each of these facets is graded using a six-point difficulty scale. One work from the select list, Yvon Bourrel's Sonate Pour Saxophone Alto et Piano, has been analyzed in greater detail with regard to thematic material and key areas to provide in-depth information that, hopefully, will help the student gain a deeper understanding of that work and as a result perform the piece with greater artistry.

Sexual selection has been proposed as an explanation of the evolution of song repertoire size in birds. I tested hypotheses of sexual selection on song repertoires by conducting a comparative study of song and syllable repertoires in the subfamily Icterinae; icterines show extreme interspecific variation in mating system, so different species can be predicted to differ in potential for sexual selection. If comparative studies are done with some knowledge of the phylogeny of the group in question, it can be determined whether observed states of traits such as song repertoire represent independent evolutionary events. I reviewed the phylogeny of the Icterinae, based on skeletal, myological, and behavioral traits taken primarily from the literature, as well as vocalizations and plumage characters. I was unable to resolve the phylogenetic relationships of most icterine species, but I identified some groups within the Icterinae that are probably monophyletic. To test hypotheses of sexual selection I determined whether repertoire size was associated with two indices of potential for sexual selection: mating system and sexual size dimorphism. Size dimorphism was determined by a morphometric study based on measurements bird skins. Sexual size dimorphism is highly correlated with both female body size and mating system; predictions about repertoire size variation did not depend on which index of sexual selection I used. I combined a literature review of repertoire size in icterines with my field recordings of several icterine species. Song repertoire was extremely variable between icterine species. There was no overall association of song repertoire size with polygyny or size dimorphism, or with presence or absence of territoriality; within different icterine clades, different patterns of association were observed. Song repertoire showed more geographic variation in two highly polygynous species (Quiscalus mexicanus and Cacicus cela) than in two monogamous species (Quiscalus quiscula and Icterus galbula). Models predicting that sexual selection results in evolution of traits in arbitrary directions thus have some support; models predicting directional increase of repertoire size through sexual selection do not.