College of Visual and Performing Arts

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This collection contains ETD documents from the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

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A Bringing Forth
Irvin, Sarah; Irvin, Sarah; Crawford, Paula
My thesis is a selection of actions, objects, and texts made as a response to my experience of pregnancy, giving birth, and caring for my daughter. The actions themselves were time-based performance pieces derived from every day routines of caretaking. This document contains images of my thesis exhibition, A Bringing Forth, depicting the drawings, sculptures, and video made in conjunction with, and as a response to, this lived experience. An annotated prose poem accompanies the images and functions as another descriptive system of the work.
A Complementary Pair: Analyzing the Inclusion of Drum Set and Multiple Percussion Within University Percussion Curricula
(2022) Morris, Colton; Purcell, Darden
While universities may include both drum set and multiple percussion setups as part of a student’s private instruction, it is sometimes challenging to develop curricula that address both areas as equal in a complete education. As well, there is an implied divide between both sides of percussion: wherever emphasis is placed according to the professor’s philosophy, the student is more likely to specialize in that field over the other choice. Yet, as more job positions exist that demand equal skills in both areas, one may consider a curriculum that prepares a student as well-rounded in both and does not leave one side of percussion totally abandoned. The purpose of this dissertation is to address the divide and seek practical solutions to bring together these areas of percussion: namely, classical multiple percussion and drum set and its affiliated styles, often in university percussion studies. Addressing critical pedagogy of both sides separately will lead to a current assessment of this integration in select public 4-year colleges and universities, and personal interviews with professors of percussion may lend useful thought for implementing these methods for their students.
A Physiological Exploration and Pedagogical Integration of Voice and Brass Tuba Physical Methods to Enhance Tone Timbre or "Play Like You Sing"
(2017) Porter, William; Porter, William; Nickens, Michael W
This dissertation details a physiological exploration of voice and brass tuba physical methods in order to suggest a synthesized and integrated tuba training pedagogy, which may enhance tone timbre. Voice and brass tuba pedagogical methods were analyzed for similarities and differences in their approach to seven specific Vocal Physical Training Elements (VPTE): 1) posture, 2) breathing, 3) pharynx and airway openness, 4) tongue shape and movement, 5) jaw placement and movement, 6) lip aperture shape and movement, and 7) tone and timbre production (includes volume and sound quality). Further, experimental research involving student participants was conducted to determine possible implications of an integrated pedagogical approach on tuba performance. Results from this study suggest that tuba playing techniques may benefit from a synthesized voice-and-tuba pedagogical approach with regard to the training of these physical elements.
A Study on the Solo Piano Pieces of Jiesun Lim: Spiritual Dance (2004), Ice Flower (2006), A Poem about Spring (2008), And Fantasia on a Theme of Chopin (2009)
(2021) Yerin Choi
Jiesun Lim is a composer who is considered to be one of the most prominent contemporary musicians in Korea. This dissertation investigates the stylistic features of Lim’s four solo piano works: Spiritual Dance, Ice Flower, A Poem about Spring, and Fantasia on a Theme of Chopin. To provide context and aid understanding of the characteristics of the composer, this dissertation provides some background on Korean musical contemporary music and discusses overall characteristics of Jiesun Lim’s major works. This will be followed by a detailed analysis of the four solo piano works. The analysis concentrates on the examination of forms, harmonies, melodies, rhythms, and keyboard usages in each of Lim’s solo piano works. By undertaking an overview of Jiesun Lim’s piano work and an in-depth analysis of her solo music, I wanted to improve my overall understanding of the composer and her musical world. In addition, I hope that follow-up research on Lim and her music will continue actively in the future, and that her works will have the opportunity to reach more performers and a wider audience.
A Tale of Two Phaedras: An Examination of Benjamin Britten’s and George Rochberg’s Settings of Phaedra for Mezzo-Soprano and Orchestra
(2019) Adam Rothenberg
In 1976 composers Benjamin Britten and George Rochberg premiered separate works titled Phaedra. Both composers adapted Robert Lowell’s verse translation of Jean Racine’s Phèdre into settings for solo Mezzo-Soprano and orchestra; this coincidence, however, has been overlooked. This dissertation explores the genesis of each work and how each composer independently arrived at such a similar concept. Both compositions thus far have received limited scholarship and analysis. In the case of Britten’s Phaedra, I propose that it should be understood in the context of his operatic works, rather than that of a cantata or final small composition by a composer near death and provide an analysis as such. Rochberg’s Phaedra has thus far yet to be studied, I have given the work an initial analysis and propose the work be further studied since Rochberg ascribes the work great personal meaning in his autobiography, despite its relative obscurity. The coincidental similarity also allows me to make comparisons to Britten’s and Rochberg's contrasting composition styles.
Across the Body
(2010-06-08T13:35:40Z) Sarkissian, Nelly Achkhen; Sarkissian, Nelly Achkhen; Endress, Edgar
This thesis is a plateau for cinematic documentaries that illuminates the story of cultural religious tattooing ritual of the Armenians, neighboring in the Middle East and Eastern Europe; A camera-pan that exposes the present geo-political regional conflict between Lebanon and Israel to the young generation, who at the present is restricted due to their Armenian-Lebanese identity to have access to their past. It is a momentary meditation on border and identity conflicts that creates an obstruction for reconnecting to the memory of the path of their both Lebanese and Armenian Christian identity. I challenge in my thesis the representation process of reconstructing the memory, collectively, within the exhibition space in order to depict the realm of universal quest of existence. This metaphorical body language transcends this journey from literal to lateral experience of survival and peace. This thesis is the journey of becoming, recognition and introspection of life. Each breath is a crucifixion and a resurrection.
An Integration of Chinese Compositional Techniques with Western Musical Elements: A Stylistic Analysis of Huang An-Lun’s Selected Works
(2021) Minne Zhang
During the 1980s, a group of young Chinese composers went abroad to study music after the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Their music was highly influenced by both traditional Chinese music as well as Western musical elements. Huang An-Lun (b. 1949-) is one of them. The purpose of this dissertation is to demonstrate how Huang An-Lun, a leading Chinese-born Canadian composer, fuses Chinese traditional musical and theoretical ideas with Western music elements by analyzing his selected pieces. In Chapter One, firstly, I briefly introduce the historical background with a literature review, and then an overview of Huang’s life that includes family influences, social influences, and music education in China Canada and the United States. Chapter Two offers a brief introduction of Chinese music theories to help readers understanding the following analytical parts better. Chapter Three illustrates Huang’s musical style and compositional philosophy in general with its focus on the style of his piano works. In Chapter Four and Five, based on the analysis of four pieces composed by Huang An-Lun in sequence, I focus on illustrating and identifying the Western and Chinese musical elements in his works, such as the use of Chinese modality and Western tonality, the use of functional Western harmony and pentatonic harmony, the influence of Chinese folk songs and traditional instruments, and the use of modern compositional techniques.
Bargained Illusions
(2012-01-30) Golden, Jeff; Golden, Jeff; White, Gail Scott
What is it to be human? It is more than genetic code, more than a belief that we simply exist, more than a classification. But what exactly defines who and what we are? Our actions characterize who we are; our journey through time identifies what we become. Who am I if I am not a merely reflection of my environment? I am the stories I have heard and told, the sacrifices I have made, and the bargains I have cut. The desire for something more, something that will answer my questions about human life, is constantly present. It calls to me from the back of my mind. This voice, this temptation, calls to nearly all humans. I tell stories seeking to discover inner truths, revelations about myself and my relationship to the world around me. Some of these truths have yet to reveal themselves; nevertheless, I relate to others through words and images, sound and touch, but the relationships still seem artificial. What then allows me to identify myself as human, as part of a greater whole? It is the stories I tell when I am faced with one of life’s many dilemmas, it is all I have lost, all that I have gained in my search for knowledge. We truly relate in the most primitive yet substantial ways in our lust to survive. For to be human, we must sacrifice, whether through innocent acts or grand deceits, we must make bargains to survive in a boundless world of knowledge.
Be There against Bullying
Lytle, Thomas K; Lytle, Thomas K; Starr, Don
This project and thesis is a prevention and awareness campaign about bullying. What makes this campaign unique is that it utilizes martial arts principals (specifically karate discipline) as a foundation to help prevent bullying and help people who have experienced bullying. The end goal of this thesis is to help raise more awareness, provide free information, and create a different option for bully prevention through the means of visual communication. Bullying is an age-old issue, but it is now beginning to be taken as a serious matter. When President Obama was in office, he held a conference in which he wanted to address bullying. The goal of this conference, he said, was “ to dispel the myth that bullying is just a harmless rite of passage, or an inevitable part of growing up; it’s not.” He continued, “Bullying can have destructive consequences for our young people. And it’s not something we have to accept” (Associated Press, 2011). Obama is correct in saying that bullying has destructive consequences, and it shouldn’t be taken as a rite of passage. Bullying is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly by anyone. There are plenty of resources for parents, children, and schools to help with bullying prevention now that it has been in the national spotlight; so, why has nothing changed? One study shows that any involvement in bullying, whether being a victim or the bully, creates a society in which we are unaffected by disrespect and disregard for others. Having these experiences and psychological effects turns us all numb to the situation and just creates a continuous cycle among all age groups (Swearer, Espelage, & Napolitano, 2009). If studies show that it is a continuous cycle, how do we make an impact that breaks the cycle? I believe we have to introduce principles at the psychological source that nullifies that “numbness.” I believe that martial arts can be that impact. Why Choose Martial Arts as a Starting Point for Bully Prevention? The first thing that automatically jumps to anyone’s mind is the physical aspect that karate teaches, but really, it teaches many attributes about individuals in their continuous growth that they never may have realized. One of the biggest attributes is confidence. Ryan Johnson, martial artist, instructor, and author of Bully*ology: How to Use Martial Arts to Stand Up for Yourself, Defeat Bullies and Show the World What You Can Do, heavily emphasizes confidence as the number-one self-defense when it comes to being bullied: “Martial arts teaches the weakest and the meekest among us to have confidence and that’s not by accident. Gaining confidence in martial arts is not accidental like it might be with many other activities. It’s very intentional. Martial arts is designed to take a student who’s lacking confidence and who is physically weak, and develop them into somebody who can stand up for themselves (Johnson, 2018). During my research into numerous martial artists, I found one common thread. They all had different ways to solve bullying issues and talked about the benefits of martial arts, but they never tied down a set of philosophies for someone to follow. This approach is what makes my campaign different. This campaign will undergo brand development and exploration with a final brand being developed. The brand will feature a strong message that this campaign will be able to use as its foundation. In order to communicate this brand, a logo will be developed, along with a website to help support itself in the digital space. This website will have detailed information about the martial art tenets that are the backbone of this campaign. The information will go into the specific physical stances, how to perform them, and how they are connected to the tenet. It will also explain the main reason on why these tenets are the guiding principals for bully prevention. The website URL will be www.bethereagainstbullying.com
Behind the Sky
(2012-06-18) Rackley, Christopher; Rackley, Christopher; Crawford, Paula
The following document uses photographs of Chris Rackley’s artworks in progress, including pages from his sketchbooks, to give a glimpse into the meandering creative paths taken between ideas and forms. Six pieces from Behind the Sky, Rackley’s MFA thesis exhibition, January 2012, are featured: Walk-in Crater, The Edge of the Tideless Sea, Long Voyage, Latecomers to the Universe, Behind the Sky, and Beginning Cosmology. An essay and several short writings, all in Rackley’s own words, are included, revealing the core ideas and experiences around which Rackley builds his work.
Brava, Celes: Shared Narrative Elements in Video Games and Opera as a Framework for Game Appreciation
Greenberg, Daniel; Greenberg, Daniel; Nam, Sang
This thesis takes a critical eye to the 1994 title Final Fantasy VI, and in particular, its famous opera scene. Using examples from prior works of opera, the scene is deconstructed in full, and its various literary elements are compared to those in traditional operas, to find points of congruence. These intersections serve as touch-points to begin framing intersections of appreciation between the two media, and aid in defining the toolkit one would need for engaging in game appreciation.
Breaking the Cycle: Predicting String Orchestra Recruiting Behaviors with the Theory of Planned Behavior
(2017) Ammerman, Angela D.; Ammerman, Angela D.; Wuttke, Brian
This study investigates the influence of string teacher attitudes toward recruiting, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on recruiting behaviors. Between 1962 and 1989 the number of public school string programs decreased by 50%. This decline suggests a significant shortcoming with regard to recruiting, retention, and advocacy for string. Fewer string programs means fewer string students, which means fewer sting majors and fewer string teachers. Further, a shortfall in the number of string teachers to serve existing orchestra programs means future program closures, leading to the eventual extinction of the public school string orchestra. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior, this paper employs hierarchical regressions to examine the current trends and biases within string orchestra recruiting and the relationships between recruiting behaviors and attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Results suggest that recruiting attitude has a significant impact on recruiting behaviors. Results also suggest a mixed relationship between subjective norms and recruiting behaviors in which those with higher subjective norms were more likely to reach out to potential students, but less likely to organize a recruiting concert. Implications are that institutions of higher education and professional music education organizations could provide recruiting courses and experiences in order to improve recruiting attitudes, thus leading to an increase in recruiting behaviors.
Breathing Space
(2013-02-12) DeSaix, Suzanne; DeSaix, Suzanne; Frederick, Helen C.
Breathing Space is about a journey of developing artistic inquiry that moved from a macro-level sociopolitical focus to an intimate reflection on the impetus for art making. That focus circled back to an enriched perspective on community and socio-ecological themes. This thesis describes the artistic and literary influences on Suzanne's path to final exhibition and avenues of expression that have opened to a new beginning, including prospects for new genre public art collaborations. Photographs of her work are accompanied by reflections on the importance of the everyday and significance of place, and broader connections to contemporary social and environmental issues.
Choreography Guidelines and Best Practices
(2014-05-22) d'Amboise, Christopher; d'Amboise, Christopher; Joyce, Dan
This thesis study examines and reviews the existing literature on choreographic craft and process. In addition, it adds to the existing literature on the subject of choreography including elements of craft, process, theory, common pitfalls, as well as best practices. The historical figures George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are studied in regard to their choreographic process and practices. A personal exploration of my own career as a choreographer is included from which practical lessons are distilled. A list of these choreography lessons are offered as guidelines for professional as well as aspiring choreographers.
Claritas: Where Light Meets Form
(2009-07-25T19:15:16Z) Herce, Clarita M.; Herce, Clarita M.
This thesis describes how I came to create the body of work for Claritas: An MFA Thesis Exhibition, the culmination of my thesis project at George Mason University. I reflect on the journey that brought me to painting; my painting process; as well as the philosophical, spiritual, and aesthetic influences that led me to create the paintings in my exhibition. In the studio, I struggled to find light in my paintings, which mirrored my own inner process of stripping away the dark veil of ego to reveal the claritas, or the radiant brightness of light, that I discovered within myself. As I was working in the studio, I was only dimly aware of my unconscious motivations to paint. Through my overt exploration of the perceptual issues of color, light and form, I expressed my personal process of individuation. I propose that my paintings are metonyms of this inner experience, as evidenced by the formal qualities and documented responses to my work.
Collude Collide
(2015-08-13) Hendrick, Jay; Hendrick, Jay; Crawford, Paula
Collude Collide is primarily a painting exhibition and asks axiological questions about and around painting. The objects ask questions about asking questions. The objects, when seen together are attempts at casting doubt on convictions, but also casting doubt on the concept of doubt itself.
Common Devotion
Dravenstadt, Danielle Wayne; Dravenstadt, Danielle Wayne; Elahi, Hasan
My work investigates the role of care in society. I define care as a serious and tender attention to someone or something. Fastening the button on the back of my daughter’s dress without tangling it with her delicate strands of hair is an example of my own maternal caring. I want to make care visible, mentionable, and call into question the impact of the presence or absence of care. My work oscillates between tenderness and its opposite, documenting an unpredictable time. This survey of artwork created between 2019 – 2022 embodies my inquiry on care: swaddling gestures that reminded me of my now five-year-old daughter’s infancy, solitary contemplations of life and fear, paintings that capture fleeting moments, and a photobook created with my eight-month-old son by my side. These works culminate to tell a story of my own experience of motherhood while remaining permeable to interpretation, inviting you to consider the role of care in your life.
Conscious Objects, Infinite Capacity: A Personal Case Study With Collaborative Dialogue From Art, Neuroscience and Theology
Cole McInturff, Cecilia; Cole McInturff, Cecilia; Frederick, Helen
This thesis catalog chronologically records in-studio aspects of design, construction, and a substantive major edit of a 2015 sculptural exhibition completing MFA requirements for graduation. Also, it is a case study of incremental alterations in personal consciousness experienced throughout the 2011-2015 studio process. In the style of a collaborative dialogue, alternating my own text with excerpts of thesis research from art, neuroscience and theology, it examines ways the state of an individual‘s consciousness during creating holds larger societal impact. While not seeking nor required to prove theory, I conclude that creative works conceptually based on the less defined and the more innate, which though not religious are consciously and affirmatively belief-based in some way, impact culture distinctly from art made for other (totally legitimate) reasons, including political, economic, aesthetic ones. Further, I observe such art’s impact is critical to the serious and sustained cultural commitment – or belief in commitment - necessary in a culture for creativity itself to exist.
"Country Band" March Historical Perspectives, Stylistic Considerations, and Rehearsal Strategies
(2014-05) Arnold, Jermie Steven; Arnold, Jermie Steven; Owens, Tom C.
American composer Charles Ives was first and foremost a bandsman. Having been raised in the band world by his father, his first works were for band. Though only four of Ives's original works for band survive, many of his other works have been transcribed or arranged for band. Among these "Country Band" March is unique. Originally written between 1904-05 for theater orchestra, this work chronicles the events, circumstances, and realities of Ives's experience in the "band world." Ives's use of polymeter, polytonal passages, and multiple layers of rhythm, pitch, texture, distinguishes it as among the first of Ives's instrumental works to do so. Additionally, these characteristics provide considerable performance challenges for conductors and their ensembles. This study provides an overview of "Country Band" March including historical context, stylistic considerations, and rehearsal strategies. An exploration of the historical context will allow the conductor and ensemble member to understand the 19th-century band and thus more accurately perform the nuances Ives uses to portray these "country bands." It will also inform the conductor's ability to make accurate stylistic choices. A discussion of significant performance challenges and possible solutions to these challenges allows a more diverse level of ensembles to perform the work. Thus, "Country Band" March will be appreciated by more conductors and ensembles as among the best works for band.
Creating Pause: Reset - Fostering Connection Through Dance
D'Arcy, Shaun B; D'Arcy, Shaun B; Joyce, Dan
The thesis project, Pause: Reset, was an outdoor dance event that took place at the A. Linwood Holton, Jr. Plaza at George Mason University’s Fairfax campus on April 22, 2021. The 25-minute work was the culmination of research on the topic of social connection and its impact on health and well-being. Developed during the global pandemic Covid-19 in collaboration with the cast of eight George Mason University School of Dance majors, Pause: Reset arose in response to the unprecedented events of 2020. Though the study’s principle focus was navigating a community centered choreographic process during Covid-19, other factors that influenced the work included the United States presidential election, national efforts to dismantle racism and more, as well as the personal experiences of the cast and choreographer. The project involved several months of ongoing dialogue and movement research leading to a site-specific work aimed at portraying the resilient nature of the human spirit and the power of connection in times of collective uncertainty and challenge.

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