Instrumental Ensemble Research Articles

A loudspeaker orchestra for opera houses studies

A “Loudspeaker Orchestra” is an array of loudspeakers with a well-defined setup and layout. Initially proposed by contemporary composers for innovative performances (e.g., the “Acousmonium” used by the Groupe de Recherches Musicales in the 1970s), in the last years, the Loudspeaker Orchestra has been used for MIMO acoustic measurements in concert halls. In the present work, a Loudspeaker Orchestra for measurements in opera houses is proposed, taking into account the acoustic differences between a concert hall and an opera house. In fact, in a concert hall, the orchestra plays on the stage, while in an opera house, the orchestra plays in the pit, with a different layout, a smaller instrumental ensemble, etc. In a concert hall, the soloists are placed near the conductor, while in an opera house they move all over the stage, due to dramatic reasons. Basing on previous studies on room criteria and experiences with real orchestras, the authors proposed a Loudspeaker Orchestra layout for opera houses. In this work, tests on various configurations are presented, comparing measurements and numerical simulations.

The Scientific Perspective on Moral Objectivity

The naturalistic approach to metaethics is sometimes identified with a supervenience theory relating moral properties to underlying descriptive properties, thereby securing the possibility of objective knowledge in morality as in chemistry. I reject this approach along with the purely anthropological approach which leads to an objectionable form of relativism. There is no single method for arriving at moral objectivity any more than there is a single method that has taken us from alchemy to modern chemistry. Rather, there is an ensemble of (cognitive) instruments, techniques, experiments and observations that contribute to eliminating moral error, delivering what we are entitled to call greater objectivity.

Development of a new deep-sea hybrid Raman insertion probe and its application to the geochemistry of hydrothermal vent and cold seep fluids

Hydrothermal vent fluids, cold seep fluids, their associated chemosynthetic communities, and the biogeochemical anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) play very important roles in the biogeochemical sulfur and carbon cycles in the ocean. Based on our previous success developing and deploying a deep-sea sediment pore water Raman probe, we developed a new deep-sea hybrid Raman insertion probe (RiP) designed to operate at temperatures up to 450°C that can be inserted directly into high-temperature fluids emerging from hydrothermal vents. By routinely exchanging the various tips and optics of the probe, we can analyze the geochemistry of hydrothermal vent fluids, cold seep fluids, and sediment pore water profiles (0–60cm) in situ. The instrument ensemble also includes a new deep-sea laser Raman spectrometer in a custom-designed, 6000-m titanium pressure housing, which is powered, controlled and deployed by the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Faxian down to a maximum water depth of 4500m. The new RiP was deployed at the Izena Hole hydrothermal area in the middle Okinawa Trough back-arc basin; the Papua–Australia–Canada–Manus (PACManus) hydrothermal vent area in the Manus back-arc basin, Papua New Guinea; and a cold seep field at Formosa Ridge in the northern South China Sea. The Raman peaks of CO2, CH4, H2S, HS-, SO42- and S8 were obtained in situ from high-temperature hydrothermal vents (290°C), low-temperature cold seep fluids (2°C) and the surrounding sediment pore water. Dissolved CH4 and S8 were identified for the first time in the fluids under the lush chemosynthetic communities of the cold seep. Several sediment pore water profiles collected near the cold seep were characterized by the loss of SO42- and increased CH4, H2S and HS- peaks. Additionally, the in situ pH range of the pore water profile was between 6.95 and 7.22. Thus, the RiP system provides a very useful tool for investigating the geochemistry of hydrothermal vent and cold seep fluids.

Numbers, Instruments and Hands: The Impact of Faceted Analytical Theory on Classifying Music Ensembles

This article considers a particularly knotty aspect of classifying notated music: the classification of instrumental ensembles, where the term ensemblesis defined as music written for multiple players with only one player per part. Facet analysis is used to examine this area of music classification and as the basis of a model for classifying ensembles. The conceptual analysis is aided by examples drawn from two classification schemes, British Catalogue of Music Classification (BCMC) and Flexible Classification. First, this exploration reveals that there are conceptually four sub-facets for classifying instrument ensembles, and that the omission of any of these sub-facets causes issues within classification schemes. Next, the different type of relationships between pairs of these sub-facets is delineated, including hierarchical and associative relationships. The classification of ensembles is depicted in a novel way, as a series of inter-connected relationships between sub-facets. Finally, the article ascertains exactly what is being counted, including introducing potential extra sets of sub-facets pertaining to performers and hands. So, facet analysis helps to create a model for classifying instrumental ensembles which provides a novel solution to this historically problematic area of music classification, as well as suggesting a potentially generalizable new way of thinking about complex relationships between sub-facets

Was Mokranjac the first Serbian ethnomusicologist?

The question posed in the title of this article stems from the widespread belief that on account of his work in collecting folk melodies for his Rukoveti (Rukoveti; Garlands), Stevan St. Mokranjac (Stevan St. Mokranjac) gained a place among Serbian ethnomusicologists; since ethnomusicology is still a young field in Serbia, the author puts even more emphasis on that belief by asking whether Mokranjac was Serbia's first "real" ethnomusicologist. After establishing clear criteria that define an ethnomusicologist as a scholar, including, above all, fieldwork, transcription, analysis, etc., and studying Mokranjac as well as other cultural workers (Vuk St. Karadžić and Vladimir Karić), as well as Mokranjac's successors (Vladimir Đorđević, Miloje Milojević, Miodrag A. Vasiljević, and D. Dević), the article concludes that the first Serbian ethnomusicologist was in fact Dr. Dragoslav Dević (Dragoslav Dević). This ethnomusicologist and long-time professor at the Music Academy (today the Faculty of Music) in Belgrade is a true example of a scholar-ethnomusicologist who engaged in multiple activities that, in addition to those mentioned above, also included the tonometry of the folk-music material he collected, as well as something that his predecessors lacked - paying due attention to the living context of that music, especially the rituals and customs. Furthermore, Dević paid ample attention to traditional music instruments, shedding light on many of them from the aspect of their main features and thus leaving valuable recordings of their existence and function in Serbian traditional music practice (works on the bagpipes, ocarina, cevara (cevara), rikalo (rikalo, shepherds' trumpet), as well as on various instrumental ensembles).

Stylistics of the Amateur String Instrumental Ensembles in Modern Ukraine

Stylistics of the Amateur String Instrumental Ensembles in Modern Ukraine Natalia Chystiakova Abstract In the paper, the author examines the stylistic peculiarities of amateur string instrumental ensembles in Ukraine on the example of “Expromt” string ensemble, “Crescendo” chamber orchestra (Kharkiv, Ukraine), and “Polyphonya” chamber orchestra (Lviv, Ukraine). Taking a point of departure in the previous definitions of the term “culture”, the author advances the definition of the “amateur string culture”. In the paper, the author uses personal extensive experience as the head of “Expromt” string ensemble and “Crescendo” chamber orchestra, and interviews with colleagues to determine common trends in the repertoire of amateur string ensembles in chamber music, concert music, and plain-air music. The results show that the main genres used by the ensembles are popular classical music, including originals and arrangements, music pieces by the national composers, including both adaptations and original music pieces, as well as remakes and cover versions of the modern popular and rock music. Additionally, the author presents characteristics common to instrumental composition of amateur string ensembles and gives examples of music pieces commonly used by amateur ensembles. The results of the study show that artistic aims of amateur music-making reflect those of academic art but amateur music-making has its own distinct characteristics, which can observed through stylistics. Full Text: PDF DOI: 10.15640/ijmpa.v5n2a4

ТЕОРЕТИЧНІ ОСНОВИ ВОКАЛЬНОГО АНСАМБЛЕВОГО ВИКОНАВСТВА

The article covers scientific bases of contemporary vocal performing as a specific genre of music culture. The ontological, culturological, communicative and esthetical aspects of ensemble vocal performing are exhaustively presented. The literary works on history and theory of ensemble performing have been analysed. The focus has been placed on ensemble forms of vocal performing and vocal instrumental ensembles. The term ‘ensemble’ has been defined and genre characteristics of contemporary vocal ensemble have been singled out with further analysis of their distinctive structural features and functions. There have been studied the research works dedicated to the organizing methods as one of the professional training forms for students of classical and pedagogical universities. There have been defined the tasks of educational student vocal ensemble as a creative laboratory for the development of skills and vocal ensemble management techniques. The author outlines the prospect of the use of accumulated scientific and practical experience of the vocal ensemble performance in the system of university education in the training of students in vocal performing and musical and pedagogical professions.

THE TOTAL SOLAR IRRADIANCE CLIMATE DATA RECORD

ABSTRACT We present the composite measurements of total solar irradiance (TSI) as measured by an ensemble of space instruments. The measurements of the individual instruments are put on a common absolute scale, and their quality is assessed by intercomparison. The composite time series is the average of all available measurements. From 1984 April to the present the TSI shows a variation in phase with the 11 yr solar cycle and no significant changes of the quiet-Sun level in between the three covered solar minima.

FUNGSI SOSIAL ANSAMBEL MUSIK GAMBUS DALAM KEHIDUPAN MASYARAKAT RIAU

Logically naturally social function is the usefulness of a thing for the life of a society and a culture of creativity, taste and human initiative in meeting their needs are complex. Wholly includes knowledge belief, art, customary law, every conversation and habits. In my opinion is one of the traditional arts community culture that has existed and evolved from the first until now, traditional arts became one of the community needs either a primary or secondary. Stringed musical ensamble became the pride of the people of Riau did have game concept and distinctive musical compositions typified the spirit that is rooted in the life of the people of Riau. When talking about the use of music, of course we are referring to the way the music is used or to what is usually the music, either from the instrument itself or its relationship with various other community activities. The social function of music in society with symbols sing a song on someone’s lover, used in this way and other functions globally to pray to a god or singing call (capture) animal. Music used in the right situation and the situation was becoming part of the culture but can have a profound function or may not have a function.Keywords : social function, a stringed instrument ensemble Riau.

PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF BTDF CALIBRATION OF TRANSMISSIVE SOLAR DIFFUSERS FOR REMOTE SENSING.

Satellite instruments operating in the reflected solar wavelength region require accurate and precise determination of the optical properties of their diffusers used in pre-flight and post-flight calibrations. The majority of recent and current space instruments use reflective diffusers. As a result, numerous Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) calibration comparisons have been conducted between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and other industry and university-based metrology laboratories. However, based on literature searches and communications with NIST and other laboratories, no Bidirectional Transmittance Distribution Function (BTDF) measurement comparisons have been conducted between National Measurement Laboratories (NMLs) and other metrology laboratories. On the other hand, there is a growing interest in the use of transmissive diffusers in the calibration of satellite, air-borne, and ground-based remote sensing instruments. Current remote sensing instruments employing transmissive diffusers include the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite instrument (OMPS) Limb instrument on the Suomi-National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) platform,, the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) on the Korea Aerospace Research Institute's (KARI) Communication, Ocean, and Meteorological Satellite (COMS), the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura platform, the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument and the Geostationary Environmental Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS).. This ensemble of instruments requires validated BTDF measurements of their on-board transmissive diffusers from the ultraviolet through the near infrared. This paper presents the preliminary results of a BTDF comparison between the NASA Diffuser Calibration Laboratory (DCL) and NIST on quartz and thin Spectralon samples.

Concept Teaching in Instrumental Music Education

This article is a review of research literature on the teaching of concepts in instrumental music education. It is organized in four parts (a) the value of concept teaching in large instrumental ensembles, (b) time spent teaching concepts during rehearsals, (c) approaches to concept teaching, and (d) implications for music education. Research has indicated that there is value to teaching conceptually. Time invested in teaching concepts has not been found to detract from performance goals; on the contrary, performance may be enhanced. Musical concepts may be taught via positive and negative instances of concepts, music terms and descriptions, modeling, and music literature. More research on concept teaching in instrumental music is warranted.

A Study on the Application Approach of JIGSAW Cooperative Learning for Instrumental Ensemble Class for the 3rd and 4th Grade in Elementary Schools

A Study on the Application Approach of JIGSAW Cooperative Learning for Instrumental Ensemble Class for the 3rd and 4th Grade in Elementary Schools

Conceptualizing Conceptual Teaching

Half a century ago, calls had already been made for instrumental ensemble directors to move beyond performance to include the teaching of musical concepts in the rehearsal hall. Relatively recent research, however, suggests that conceptual teaching remains relatively infrequent during rehearsals. Given the importance of teaching for long-term musical goals, revisiting this critical topic, backed by research and learning theories, is important and timely. Enriched by insights from my own teaching experience, the goal of this article is to clarify the nature of conceptual teaching and encourage conceptual teaching in large instrumental ensembles by addressing the following questions: What is conceptual teaching? Why teach conceptually? and How may musical concepts be taught through the rehearsal hall? I conclude with some thoughts on the future.

The Effect of Intentional, Preplanned Movement on Novice Conductors’ Gesture

Preplanning movement may be one way to broaden novice conductors’ vocabulary of gesture and promote motor awareness. To test the difference between guided score study and guided score study with preplanned, intentional movement on the conducting gestures of novice conductors, undergraduate music education students ( N = 20) were assigned to one of two conditions and then evaluated on their conducting performance. The experimental group received two sessions of guided score study with planning and practicing of gestures, while the control group received two sessions of guided score study only. Participants were video recorded conducting the piece with a university instrumental ensemble and evaluated by four conducting experts on gestures of dynamics, articulation, cues, releases, and phrasing. Analysis of the mean scores for each rating revealed no significant differences between the two conditions. Analysis of postconducting interview transcriptions revealed several factors that may have contributed to the results.

Взаимодействие композиторского и исполнительского творчества в отечественном струнном квартете XX века

The article is dedicated to study of the string quartet as an important constituent part of Russian music, comprising of an impressive quantity of masterpiece works and a developed national performing tradition. The evolution of the string instrument ensemble in the 20th century is examined in light of the complementary interconnection of the art of composition with the art of performance. The author reveals the leading tendencies of the development of the genre connected both with the continuation and enrichment of the traditions embedded by the classic composers of past centuries and with the attempts of its renewal in the direction of search for new means of instrumental expressivity, realization of avant-garde ideas and non-canonic artistic conceptions. Special attention is given to the question of the most immense popularity of string quartet musical performances during the 20th century. Along with the mobility of this ensemble and its ability to adapt to concert venues of different sizes and proportions, the string quartet has conditioned the growth of performers’ resources and has actively stimulated the expansion of the repertoire for this classical string ensemble. The interaction between the various spheres of the art of string quartet performance is presented by the author in the aspect of combined creativity of the greatest Russian composers and the leading performing ensembles of the previous century. It furthered the development of the string quartet and opened new paths for its subsequent development. Keywords: string quartet, string quartet performance, ensemble of string instruments, 20th century composers.

Band, Orchestra, and… What?: Alternative Instrumental Ensembles in the United States

Traditional ensemble music education has historically been dominated by “the big three:” band, orchestra, and choir. Demographic shifts in student populations as well as long-time calls for expanded curricular offerings have led to the creation of alternative instrumental ensembles in schools. This review of literature will address the following questions: 1) What is an alternative instrumental ensemble? 2) What role(s) do alternative ensembles play in the larger school music program? and 3) What types of alternative ensembles exist currently? Alternative drum and percussion, guitar, marching band, mariachi, steel pan, string, and technology ensembles have been profiled in the literature. Further research is needed to determine how school demographic factors influence the inclusion of alternative ensembles, the role of teacher education, how the ensembles are formed, if regional trends exist, and what funding models are in place for the ensembles moving forward.

Development of Electronic Musical Instrument Ensemble as a pilot study of music therapy for Dementia Prevention

Development of Electronic Musical Instrument Ensemble as a pilot study of music therapy for Dementia Prevention

Development of Electronic Musical Instrument Ensemble as a pilot study of music therapy for Dementia Prevention

Development of Electronic Musical Instrument Ensemble as a pilot study of music therapy for Dementia Prevention

“It’s Much More Collaborative”: Democratic Action in Contemporary Collegiate A Cappella

Abstract The purpose of this case study was to explore the democratic practices of an all-female contemporary collegiate a cappella ensemble. Due to advances in the Internet and portrayals in popular media, contemporary a cappella participation on collegiate campuses has seen a period of extreme growth. There is interest within music education research to understand the role of democracy in a variety of musical settings, but empirical research connecting democratic action to the everyday practice of music ensembles is relatively sparse. This case study involved documenting and examining 8 hours of observation and 10 hours of group and individual interviews over the course of a 10-week rehearsal and performance sequence. Tan’s (2014) 5 qualities of a democratically run instrumental music ensemble (people, participation, equality, cooperation, and conflict) served as a framework for analysis. Emergent themes included “stepping up,” vulnerability, and transmission. Findings indicate that Tan’s qualities may need reconceptualization in order to apply to a peer-led ensemble working democratically, with equality of opportunity as a primary characteristic. Suggestions for further research and implications for teaching are provided.

Vilniaus apylinkių etninis instrumentinis muzikavimas XX a.

In this article, based on the 2002 written material from the 14th ethnic instrumental expedition held in Vilnius district, collected data of 20th century’s folk musicians, their played music and used instruments is analyzed and summarized. There is the best this regions player with cymbals Piotr Kacianovskij remembered. The author conducted interviewing of 25 informants: 14 of them being bellow players (7 accordions, 5 folk accordions and 2 bajans), 4 fiddles and other instrument players (3 mandolins, 2 cymbals, 1 guitar and 1 balalaika). Two major types of instrumental ensembles used to exist in Vilnius district: string and mixed ensembles. In a researched region, ethnic instrumental music traditions were on the brink of extinction on the 2nd part of 20th century, and at the end of that century were barely encountered. The traditions of old folk music playing were not taken over, so this performing art is dwindling. But new traditions are forming.Key words: ethnic instrumental music-making, ethnic music, folk musicians, traditional ensembles, violin, folk accordion, ethnic and brought repertoire.