Date of Award
4-2024
Degree Name
Master of Music
Department
Music
First Advisor
Lisa Coons, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Christopher Biggs, D.M.A.
Third Advisor
Carter Rice, D.A.
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
“All is Flux” is a composition for solo amplified vibraphone and fixed media. The title is derived from a quote by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus- “All is flux, nothing remains still.” While a traditional score will be provided to the performer for the purposes of preparation and analysis, a video score that is synchronized to the fixed media audio elements will be used in the final performance. This moving score should be visible only to the performer, not the audience. The composition serves as a practical demonstration of experimentation on structure in tandem with elements drawn from narrative theory. Additionally, this piece explores scale and its effect on the perception of musical changes and textures as both moving events or immersive environments.
The structure of the composition draws influence from the Joseph Campbell’s idea of the narrative mono-myth, the “Hero’s Journey.” Each movement of the composition serves as a musical representation of the three acts described in the Hero’s Journey. The first movement is meant to explore the idea of the “familiar environment” and the unwilling hero. In contrast, the second movement acts as the representation the hero’s growth while exploring the unfamiliar environment. Finally, the third and final movement is to juxtapose the changed hero with the unchanged, familiar environment and the discomfort of this modified relationship.
Recommended Citation
Stearley, Ethan, "All Is Flux for Solo Vibraphone and Fixed Media" (2024). Masters Theses. 5415.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/5415