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Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2019 The Inluences of Stylistic and Programmatic Elements in Selected WAmyo Mr. Skelskir kby Alyssa Morris Follow this and additional works at the DigiNole: FSU's Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC THE INFLUENCES OF STYLISTIC AND PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS IN SELECTED WORKS BY ALYSSA MORRIS By AMY M. SELKIRK A Treatise submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music 2019 Amy Selkirk defended this treatise on April 1, 2019. The members of the supervisory committee were: Eric Ohlsson Professor Directing Treatise Richard Clary University Representative Eva Amsler Committee Member Jeffrey Keesecker Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the treatise has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii To my beloved pets and very best friends, Thomas and Daisy. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am eternally grateful for all of my family, friends, and instructors who have supported me throughout this long journey. I am particularly grateful for the support and guidance I have received from my teacher and mentor, Dr. Eric Ohlsson, as well as from the members of my supervisory committee. In addition, I would like to thank my parents, Colleen and James Selkirk, and my grandparents: Ronald Selkirk, Judith Selkirk, Barbara White and Larry White. I would not be where I am today without your constant love and support. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vi Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... vii 1. ALYSSA MORRIS: BIOGRAPHY ...........................................................................................1 2. ALYSSA MORRIS: COMPOSITIONAL STYLE AND INFLUENCES ..................................6 3. FOUR PERSONALITIES FOR OBOE AND PIANO ...............................................................8 4. UP AND AWAY: THE STORY OF A BALLOON .................................................................19 5. CHRYSALIS FOR ENGLISH HORN AND PIANO ...............................................................26 6. CONCLUSION ..........................................................................................................................32 References ......................................................................................................................................34 Biographical Sketch .......................................................................................................................36 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 3.1 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. I, mm. 1-15, opening theme ..................................................................................................11 Figure 3.2 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. I, mm. 53-59, Blue Skies .......................................................................................................12 Figure 3.3 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. 1, mm. 61-69, Waltz of the Flowers ......................................................................................12 Figure 3.4 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 1-4, opening piano part .............................................................................................13 Figure 3.5 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 5-12, initial oboe melody ..........................................................................................14 Figure 3.6 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 38-47, octave displacement ......................................................................................15 Figure 3.7 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. II, mm. 49-51, closing piano cadence ...................................................................................16 Figure 3.8 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. IV, mm. 1-4, opening piano theme ........................................................................................17 Figure 3.9 Alyssa Morris, Four Personalities, Mvt. IV, mm. 25-28, second theme ...............................................................................................18 Figure 4.1 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. I, mm. 5-9, “Light-motif” ......................................................................................................21 Figure 4.2 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. I, mm. 13-18, secondary theme .............................................................................................22 Figure 4.3 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. II, mm. 86-90, “Clusters with Forearm” ...............................................................................23 Figure 4.4 Alyssa Morris, Up and Away, Mvt. III, mm. 66-69, final motivic gesture ....................................................................................25 Figure 5.1 Alyssa Morris, Chrysalis, Mvt. I, mm. 1-7, “Caterpillar Theme” ...........................................................................................27 Figure 5.2 Alyssa Morris, Chrysalis, Mvt. II, mm. 53-55, measured harmonic trill ................................................................................29 vi ABSTRACT This treatise discusses and exemplifies the stylistic and programmatic elements in three works by award-winning American oboist and composer, Alyssa Morris (b. 1984): Four Personalities for oboe and piano; Up and Away: The Story of a Balloon for oboe, bassoon, and piano; and Chrysalis for English horn and piano. Beginning with her first published work in 2007, Four Personalities, Morris’s music has become very popular. Several of her works have been recorded by prominent oboists and have been performed at conferences of the International Double Reed Society. The document provides biographical information on the composer and gives a detailed description of her compositional style and influences. This is followed by a thorough analysis of the form of each movement, and a discussion of the stylistic and programmatic elements utilized in each of these three works. The purpose of this research is to highlight the accomplishments of a composer who has made a significant contribution to woodwind music in the 21st Century, as well as to identify which qualities and compositional techniques allow her works to stand out in the wide selection of music written during this time period. vii CHAPTER 1 ALYSSA MORRIS: BIOGRAPHY Early Life Alyssa Morris displayed an intense interest in music from a very young age. When she was four or five her parents bought an old piano from a neighbor. She was instinctively drawn to the piano and begged her parents for lessons. After beginning to take lessons, Morris discovered a deep love for improvisation. She began to spend the majority of her practice time making up tunes on the piano. Her parents soon caught on and made up a new rule: they told her if she spent the first fifty minutes of her practice session on the music that was recommended by her teacher, she could then spend the last ten minutes improvising to her heart’s content. They did not want to allow her to spend her entire practice time improvising, but did want to foster her creative interests.1 Morris’s first real source of musical inspiration was her piano teacher, Wayne Mayberry. She began studying with him at the age of nine, and he encouraged her to participate in solo performances at school as well as performances at local gatherings. Mayberry also encouraged her to enter the Reflections Competition2, a composition contest for students in K-12 public schools. Morris credits Mayberry for introducing her to improvisation and jazz.3 The success she 1 Galit Kaunitz and Jacqui Wilson, interview with Alyssa Morris, Double Reed Dish, podcast audio, Episode 36, https://www.doublereeddish.com/season-2/. 2 “National PTA Reflections,” accessed March 13, 2019, https://www.pta.org/home/programs/reflections. 3 Caryn Creamer, “Alyssa Morris Forecast: A Commissioned Work for Oboe and Percussion” (DMA diss. Arizona State University, 2011), 3, accessed September 23, 2018, https://search- proquest-com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/pqdtglobal/doc view/865845695/DC522424A030477EPQ/1?accountid=4840 . 1 found in the Reflections Competitions drove her further in her desire to compose and perform music. In the seventh grade Alyssa Morris began to play the oboe. She had been playing the piano and composing for several years by this time, but she wanted to experience the sense of belonging and camaraderie involved with playing in band. Morris went to the band teacher during the summer before the school year began to choose an instrument, and had been planning to choose the flute or clarinet. Her teacher asked if she would consider playing the oboe, to which she responded, “What’s an oboe?” 4 She decided to give it a try, however, and quickly fell in love with the role the oboe plays in the band and orchestra, and its ability to convey emotion. She continued to play the oboe, piano, and to compose throughout high school.5 College When it came time to apply to colleges, Morris knew that she wanted to enter the music field, but she had yet to decide which particular field of study would become her focus. She was already