Date of Award

Fall 2019

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

School

Music

Committee Chair

Gregory A. Fuller

Committee Chair School

Music

Committee Member 2

Jonathan Kilgore

Committee Member 2 School

Music

Committee Member 3

Colin McKenzie

Committee Member 3 School

Music

Committee Member 4

Joseph Brumbeloe

Committee Member 4 School

Music

Committee Member 5

Chris Goertzen

Committee Member 5 School

Music

Abstract

Many choral music educators believe that multicultural music is a vital part of any choral curriculum. However, the research shows that these same choral directors are reluctant to select multicultural octavos because they lack training in non-Western music, which prevents them from effectively teaching and performing this music authentically. The purpose of this dissertation is to equip choral directors with the necessary tools for bridging the gap between desiring to perform and actually performing multicultural octavos.

Six authors have provided authenticity checklists that are designed to help music educators evaluate and perform multicultural music. This research synthesizes those lists to create a new checklist designed for the choral director. This checklist is then used to evaluate an actual multicultural octavo (Mata del anima sola by Antonio Estévez) for authentic elements of joropo, a genre that the piece claims to represent.

Although the octavo did highlight some of the authentic features of joropo in the liner notes, some information was missing. Therefore, research outside the covers of the score were necessary. This researcher found it helpful to trace the history of the octavo backward from the score to the publisher, editor/composer, and finally to Venezuela. As a result, many more authentic elements in the score became visible.

It was discovered that very little of an octavo can be dedicated to cultural context, so research beyond the score may be necessary for a more comprehensive understanding of the music. However, choral directors are often stretched with busy schedules and cannot dedicate large quantities of time to the research process. This document attempts to demonstrate how discovery can be accomplished with accuracy and efficiency.

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