This project uses fourteen transcriptions of Pete Fountain’s solos as examples to

demonstrate traditional jazz clarinet techniques and language in terms of motives,

patterns, and a variety of articulations. This project also includes guidelines on how to

practice jazz improvisation as well as how to apply Fountain’s techniques and jazz

language to one’s own improvisation. Though there are countless musicians who have

made remarkable contributions to the development of the jazz language, Pete Fountain’s

unique style is particularly worthy of study due to his massive media presence, effortless

playing techniques, unique tone quality, and showmanship throughout his career.

Yuko Uébayashi is a composer who was born in Japan and presently resides in France. She composed Misericordia for Flute and String Quartet for Carol Wincenc in 2013. The National Flute Association (NFA), the most active flute society in America, hosted the Misericordia performance during its annual convention in Chicago in 2014. Uébayashi’s flute works have not only been frequently performed at NFA conventions, but also at other well-known flute festivals since 2006, the year of her U.S. debut. Many current flutists are motivated to learn and play her compositions; however, there is little published literature about her works. Understanding her unique compositional style and obtaining a better knowledge of her music and compositional practices will help flutists and other musicians better perform and enjoy her music. With a performance guide and a detailed discussion of Misericordia, flutists and other musicians will understand why Uébayashi’s music is unique and why it is increasingly well-loved by so many players. This research paper will explore Uébayashi’s life, musical friendships, and most specifically, Misericordia.

This creative project documents the methods and challenges of writing three clarinet choir arrangements of different musical genres, and culminates into three clarinet choir scores with an upcoming performance date. The three pieces that were arranged are “Dinah” by Sam Lewis and Joe Young, “Laud ye the Name of the Lord” from Vespers by Sergei Rachmaninoff, and “Peace” by Jeremy Zuckerman. The goal of the project was to arrange these pieces for clarinet choir without making any major changes to the form or style of the original works. Scores to the final three arrangements are included within this document, as well as a brief description of the processes involved in writing them. While the pieces were being arranged, the techniques of arranging were studied concurrently by reviewing a text on arranging, other successful clarinet choir arrangements, fixing the challenges that were presented by the pieces to be arranged. Each piece required a few drafts: after being written to near-completion, they were played by live clarinet groups and recorded to hear how they sounded. After these recording sessions, the pieces would be further edited for readability, suitability for the instrument, and overall sound and effect. Major difficulties are also covered within the following paper, including why those issues arose and what methods were used to solve them. Each of the pieces helped to explore different aspects of arranging for clarinet choir, and each piece has turned into a pleasing arrangement that may be performed by a live ensemble. This creative project greatly improved the skills of the author and serves to stoke interest in arranging and composition.

This thesis presents a new study “Fostering Student Autonomy in the Collegiate Woodwind Studio” which gathered pedagogical techniques that collegiate woodwind professors use to foster student autonomy in their woodwind studios. This study defines “student autonomy” as an end-goal of education, in which students are “self-monitoring, strategizing, and taking responsibility for and ownership of the learning process.” A survey of questions concerning student autonomy was emailed to each of the appointed woodwind studio professors at ASU. Their responses are presented and analyzed in this thesis. The author hypothesized that the professors would show some understanding of various methods that can achieve student autonomy, but the study results showed that the professors had much knowledge and specific examples on how to achieve student autonomy in their studios. All of the participants cited examples of using indirect teaching, peer-learning, student-selected repertoire with teacher guidance, student goal-setting, and practical autonomy in their woodwind studios to facilitate student autonomy. About half of the participants cited examples of using student-to-teacher rapport, technology-mediated feedback, and diversified autonomy in their studios to facilitate student autonomy. Student-selected repertoire was by far the most popular method through which to foster student autonomy. This study found that further research is needed to prove if there is indeed a positive correlation between students who compose music for their woodwind lessons and their level of autonomous learning.

Making Clarinet Reeds by Hand is an instructive manual for the collegiate or professional clarinetist seeking to learn about how to have more control over their reeds. It explores reasons to consider making one’s own clarinet reeds by hand, explains the process in detail both from starting with tube cane or from commercially purchased reed blanks, and includes a cost and time effectiveness analysis highlighting the benefits and disadvantages of making reeds by hand. The thesis also includes a variety of pictures, diagrams, and infographics to incorporate visual explanation as well as addresses the common mistakes associated with each part of the reed making process. The thesis is organized into many sections and section headings to facilitate quick reference for specific questions, as well as incorporates step-by-step guides that walk through the general reed making process.

ABSTRACT

This project features five new pieces for clarinet commissioned from three different composers including:

1. Rasa by Jeffrey Ouper

2. Faerie Tale Dances by Jeffrey Ouper

3. Amalgamated Widget by Tavia Sullens

4. Faerie Suite by Theresa Martin

5. Time Lapse by Theresa Martin

Faerie Suite and Amalgamated Widget are for unaccompanied clarinet; Time Lapse is a trio for clarinet, bass clarinet, and piano; Faerie Tale Dances is a trio for E-flat clarinet, sopranino recorder, and toy piano; and Rasa is a quartet for E-flat clarinet, two A clarinets, and bass clarinet. These pieces challenge the performer in various ways, including complex rhythm, use of extended techniques such as glissando, flutter tongue, and circular breathing, and synthetic and non-traditional scales. The composers were given guidelines prior to the compositional process to create works with a thematic connection to mythology, folklore, or fairy tales, and inspired by dance and non-western or traditional harmonies and idioms. This document offers background information about the composers and the works, and a performance guide is included for each. This guide provides recommendations and suggestions for each piece. Also included are interviews with each of the composers. Accompanying this document are recordings of each of the five pieces, performed by the author.