Fine Arts and Music Collected Works - Theses

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 106
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    Composition folio ; Exegesis
    Finsterer, Mary ; Finsterer, Mary. Exegesis (University of Melbourne, 2003)
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    Chinese music in the diaspora to New York and Melbourne : 1980s to 2000
    Wang, Zheng-Ting, 1955- (University of Melbourne, 2004)
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    Critical reflections on how research design and the attributes of a music program can affect investigations of the psychosocial wellbeing benefits of musical participation in mainstream schools
    Crooke, Alexander Hew Dale (University of Melbourne, 2015)
    This project explores the challenges of investigating the psychosocial wellbeing benefits of musical participation in mainstream schools. For a decade, Australian policy literature has claimed these benefits are to be expected outcomes of all students� participation in school music programs (Australian Government, 2005). Despite these claims, there is little to no consistent evidence supporting a link between musical participation and psychosocial wellbeing in this context (Grimmett, Rickard, Gill, & Murphy, 2010; Rickard, Bambrick, & Gill, 2012). The reason for this inconsistency has been linked to both the research designs and methods used (Knox Anderson & Rickard, 2007), as well as the nature of musical participation investigated (Darrow, Novak, Swedberg, Horton, & Rice, 2009). Despite the identification of these limitations, researchers have continued to use designs that contain them. This can be attributed to a lack of critical engagement with approaches to research in this field, including assumptions about the efficacy of certain research methods, and the capacity for generic school music programs to promote wellbeing. This lack of critical engagement appears to account for the enduring inconsistency of findings in this area. This thesis aims to address this lack of engagement by critically appraising the research approaches used in two small studies that aimed to demonstrate the psychosocial wellbeing benefits of school-based music programs. This was achieved by undertaking two critical reflection analyses on the methods, designs, and contexts of each study, as well as the attributes of the music programs investigated. The first of these identified a number of important research challenges related to the research methods and designs used. Among other things, these findings challenge the assumption that self-report surveys are a valid way of collecting data from students. The second analysis identified a number of music program attributes that are likely to inhibit the reporting of positive results. For example, findings suggest music education programs are unsuited to promoting psychosocial wellbeing. Based on these findings, this dissertation makes a number of recommendations for the design of future studies in this area. It is argued that research following these recommendations is crucial for this field. This is both to develop a richer understanding of the relationship between music in schools and psychosocial wellbeing, and to produce reliable evidence that is better placed to inform relevant policy. It is further argued that without such evidence, policymakers may continue to make uninformed claims regarding the link between music in schools and psychosocial wellbeing. In turn, this has the potential to destabilise policy support for music in Australian schools. Finally, this thesis calls on researchers in this field, and others, to critically engage with the way that knowledge is created. It is maintained that such engagement is the responsibility of all researchers in the social sciences, and that only when this occurs can we claim the knowledge we generate is meaningful, and serving the communities we investigate.
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    Objectifying animation
    Torre, Lienors (University of Melbourne, 2012)
    Two related but fundamental research questions are posed by this thesis: How can animation be contemplated in terms of the crafted glass object? and, inversely: How can the crafted glass object be defined in terms of animation? These questions investigate the overlapping practical and theoretical features that animation and such crafted forms may share. My central hypothesis is that animation may benefit from the contemplation of the physical object (particularly crafted glass forms), just as such physical objects may benefit from that of the animated. These scrutinies can, I argue, lead to the evolution of a new hybrid form that materialises animation into an object. Such a form does not merely articulate a synthesis, but anticipates an expanded, more vigorous entity capable of extending beyond the originating mediums. This proposition will be argued through a theoretical engagement with animation theory, phenomenology, apparatus theory, and an engagement with original creative works. It will ultimately consider animation in terms of materialism, and glass-craft in terms of movement. These questions will be investigated through the following dissertation (accounting for a 60% weighting) and a series of creative works (accounting for the remaining 40% weighting). The creative works are fully documented both within this written text and on the attached DVD.
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    You me and the mountain : a practice-led, performing arts based research project incorporating clown and improvised dance
    Roberts, Paul H. (Performance artist) (University of Melbourne, 2009)
    This paper represents my attempts to discern and communicate the information that is relevant to, embedded in, and provoked by my artistic practice. That practice is a hybrid form, within which and centrally positioned are practices of clown and improvised dance. The loci for my inquiries lay in the practice studio, and in the locations of my performances. Engaging deeply with what I 'do' has involved paying attention to what takes place in my practice. I have tried to see the details, the patterns, the oddities and the insights. The term clown refers to a wide and diverse field of practices. In this paper I identify and discuss the nature of my specific practice of clown by considering the English form's origin, and by referencing influential teachers and theorists. The field of artists practicing improvised dance also shows divergent approaches. Having arrived at my particular approach via a more general practice of improvisation, this paper therefore contains a discussion of improvised dance also developing from that direction. The discussion is focused further through a consideration of several different approaches to improvisation and scoring improvisation for performance. Observing and examining my approach to being a creative artist has revealed within its theoretical dimension synergies with certain currents of thought found within modern western consciousness. Most clearly indicated are philosophies associated with Zen Buddhism, Existentialism, and Phenomenology. By describing these particular attempts to form ontological and moral perspectives and locate an understanding of human being, I am indicating that such perspectives contribute to identifying the thought behind my arts practice. This was a practice-led research project formed upon the notion that an arts practice like mine given conditions of reflection and analysis, continuously informs its own development and thus provides opportunities for greater understanding of itself and other people and practices more widely. This way of understanding research is discussed and considered in relation to other recognised methods. A description is included noting this project's particular methodology, in which references are made to auto-ethnographic writing and the value for bringing together in this paper a commentary on practice, critical analysis, and a description of practice. A survey of practioners was undertaken covering in detail the highly influential work of Leo Bassi and Raimund Hoghe. These artists have significantly contributed to the evolution of my arts practice, providing concrete experiences that have energised my work. These experiences are given detailed descriptions. One of the significant aspects of the research project and my creative practice in general is a discursive and dialogic element. I share conversations with mentors, supervisors and artistic colleagues. This is a vital force in my practice and the rendering of these for this writing was one of the possibilities considered. However I have long been interested in several quite particular aspects of my work - it's theoretical dimension, and my performance practice of improvisation and clown. These were chosen as the primary entry points. A discursive experience generally characterised this research project. For the most part this paper separates each aspect of the research into blocks. Due to an inherent disquiet at separating out into "essentials' or "components' with the risk of oversimplifying what I sensed was a more complex picture, the final part of this work presenting certain "findings' is given a more free flowing manner. This has been done hoping to avoid diminishing the projects vital qualities and to avoid suggesting its elements remained at any time exclusive of one another. The contents of this paper draw on an ongoing commitment to writing that has taken various forms. These include a documentary approach and a more analytical kind, which over time offered perspectives on the directions, strategies and influences to my practice. The initial motivation of this research was to investigate the ways that I worked as artist and in so doing come to appreciate the qualities and values of my practice. This paper is contained to the issues and key interests of the creative process and performance outcome You Me and The Mountain, however it is also the record of it�s own creative maelstrom.
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    Folio of compositions : 2007-2009
    Gibson, Douglas, 1976- (University of Melbourne, 2009)
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    The first fifty years of music in Ballarat
    Righetti, Pauline Veronica. (University of Melbourne, 1958)
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    The straightening : for high voice and orchestra ; 5-merous : for string quartet
    Muratti, A. M. (Aurora Marina) ; Muratti, A. M. (Aurora Marina). 5-merous ; Celan, Paul (University of Melbourne, 1976)
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    Imagery and music in the string concertos of Barry Conyngham
    Shaw, Patricia, 1967- (University of Melbourne, 1993)