Completed Theses

Graduate students in the Don Wright Faculty of Music are actively engaged in research in all areas of music. Recent PhD dissertations and master's theses are listed below. Those theses submitted electronically (generally since 2011) are available through Western's Electronic Theses & Dissertation Repository while earlier theses are available through Western's libraries

DMA Monographs

Performance 

Connor O'Kane. (2023). Prokofiev and the Soviet Dilemma: Censorship, Autonomy, and the Piano Transcriptions. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan. 

Frangel Lopez Cesena. (2022). Musical Signification in Biber's Rosary Sonatas. Supervised by Dr. Jonathan De Souza. 

Bethany Turpin. (2022). Voice Image: Developing a New Construct for Vocal Identity. Supervised by Dr. Sophie Roland and Dr. Rachel Calogero. 

Matthew Pope. (2021). A Narrative Approach to the Barcarolles for Solo Piano by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924). Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Amelia Yates. (2021). Ann Southam's Solo Piano Music: A Performance Guide. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Jorge Luiz Alves Trabanco Filho. (2021). Re-imagining Brazilian Portuguese IPA:  A practical guide utilizing Paulo Maron’s new opera Lampião. Supervised by Dr. Todd Wieczorek and Dr. Patrick Schmidt.

Raymond D. Truong. (2021). The Integration of the Style Hongrois into Brahms’s Musical Language in His Chamber Works. Supervised by Dr. Peter Franck.

Joe Moscheck. (2021). A Thematic Analysis Of Nicolas Martynciow’s "Impressions Pour Caisse Claire Et Deux Toms" And A Dissection of the Extended Techniques Required For Performance. Supervised by Dr. Jill Ball and Dr. Kevin Watson.

Brianna DeSantis. (2020). See It and Believe It: An Investigation into Singers' Imagery Use. Supervised by Dr. Sophie Roland and Dr. Craig Hall.

Leanne Vida. (2020). The Search for Canadian Art Song: Developing the Framework for a Database of Art Song by Canadian Composers. Supervised by Dr. Sophie Roland.

Chad Louwerse. (2020). Understanding Viktor Ullmann Through His Liederbuch des Hafis. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan and Dr. John Hess.

Elizabeth Lepock. (2019). No Space to Sing: A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of Classical Singers with Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia. Supervised by Dr. Cathy Benedict and Dr. Sophie Roland.

Mei Lee. (2019). Forward and Up: An Exploration of Implementations of the Alexander Technique in Post-Secondary Music Institutions. Supervised by Dr. Kari Veblen.

Jennifer Cyr. (2019). Creative Collaborations: The Songs/Poems of Canadian Artists Leslie Uyeda and Lorna Crozier. Supervised by Dr. Kari Veblen.

Natalia Skomorokhova. (2019). Musical Ekphrasis in Concert: Case Study of Alexey Khevelev’s Chagall Vitraux. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Adam Iannetta. (2019). The Impact of Expanded, Multimodal Applications during a German Lied Performance. Supervised by Dr. Patrick Schmidt and Dr. John Hess.

Laura Duffy. (2019). James Rolfe's Vocal Chamber Music: A Performance Analysis and Interpretation. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan and Dr. John Hess.

Francisco Barradas Galván. (2019). Contexts for Musical Modernism in Post-1945 Mexico: Federico Ibarra - A Case Study. Supervised by Dr. Emily Abrams Ansari and Dr. Thomas Wiebe.

Caleb Mora. (2019). The Lieder of Joseph Marx and the Italienisches Liederbuch. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan and Dr. John Hess.

Olena Bratishko. (2018).The Art Songs of Kyrylo Stetsenko: Ukrainian Lyric Diction Guide. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan and Dr. John Hess.

Yolanda Tapia. (2018).The Political Power of Carlos Chávez and His Influence Upon Silvestre Revueltas and Blas Galindo. Supervised by Dr. Emily Abrams Ansari and Dr. John Hess.

Matthew Pauls. (2018). Toward A Pedagogical Guide To Argentine Art Song. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan and Dr. John Hess.

Renee MacKenzie. (2018). Rachmaninoff's Piano Works and Diasporic Identity 1890-1945: Compositional Revision and Discourse. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Andrew Rethazi. (2018). Teaching Prospective Verdi Baritones: A Repertoire-Based Approach. Supervised by Dr. Todd Wieczorek and Dr. John Cuciurean.

Sarah Dardarian. (2018). The Significance of Aram Khachaturian and His Piano Concerto. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan and Dr. Leslie Kinton.

Stéphanie Gouin. (2017). Teleology in César Franck's Prélude, Choral et Fugue. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

PhD Dissertations

Music Education 

Beth Tuinstra (2024). "We're Here and We're Queer": An Examination of the Discourses, Perceptions, and Experiences of Inclusion, Exclusion, and "Safe Spaces" of 2SLGBTQIA+ People in Music Education. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright.

Donna Janowski (2024). Interconnected Pathways on YouTube and Music Education: YouTubers and Their Stories. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright and Dr. adam bell.

Allahyar Vaziorov (2024). Culturally Diverse Higher Instrumental Music Education in Azerbaijan (1920-2020). Supervised by Dr. Kevin Watson and Dr. Marta Dyczok.

Johnny Touchette (2024). Well, DAW! That’s Why I Don’t Sound Like the Recording: Music Production in Elementary School Music Education. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright and Dr. adam bell.

Rhiannon Simpson (2023). Changing Minds And Changing Practice: Barriers And Facilitators To The Use Of Methods Associated With Popular Musicianship, And Strategies Music Teachers Use To Navigate Them. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright and Dr. Patrick Schmidt.

Caroline Blumer. (2023). Moments of meeting: 'Intersubjective encounters' and ‘emancipatory’ experiences of individuals with (intellectual) disabilities in inclusive musical contexts. Supervised by Dr. Patrick Schmidt.

Laura Curtis. (2023).  Singing Our Stories: Building Community and Developing Self-Empowerment in the Childless Voices Choir. Supervised by Dr. Patrick Schmidt.

Heesun Elisha Jo. (2023). Music Making in Elderly Community Program for Korean Immigrants in Canada. Supervised by Dr. Kari Veblen.

Patrick Feely. (2023). The Effect of Coping Verses Mastery Models on the Level of Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Music Learning, Self-Efficacy for Classical Guitar Playing and Guitar Achievement for Undergraduate Non-Music Majors. Supervised by Dr. Kevin Watson.

Laura Benjamins. (2023). Musical Behaviours, Dispositions, and Tendencies: Exploring Church Music-Making Through a Theory of Practice. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright and Dr. Stephen McClatchie.

Jashen Edwards. (2023). Soundcurrents: Exploring sound’s potential to catalyze creative critical consciousness in adolescent music students and undergraduate music education majors. Supervised by Dr. Patrick Schmidt.

Artur Kapron. (2022). Sound Judgements: Music Education Framework for Guiding Digital Mixing Practice. Supervised by Dr. Paul Woodford.

Kyle Zavitz. (2022). Exploring Musical Knowledge Within One Canadian School Of Music: Ideology, Pedagogy, And Identity. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright.

Kristine Musgrove. (2022). Secondary Instrumental Ensemble: A Shift Towards Non-Normative Learning Practices. Supervised by Dr. Cathy Benedict.

Elizabeth Kinghorn. (2021). Mood, Music Choices, and the Emotional Outcomes of Music Listening: An Examination of the Moderating Role of Rumination using Experience-Sampling Methodology. Supervised by Dr. Kevin Watson and Dr. Jessica Grahn.

Kelly Bylica. (2020). Critical Border Crossing: Exploring Positionalities Through Soundscape Composition and Critical Reflection. Supervised by Dr. Patrick Schmidt.

Gabriela Ocádiz Velázquez. (2020). Music Education in a Liquid Social World: The Nuances of Teaching with Students of Immigrant and Refugee Backgrounds. Supervised by Dr. Patrick Schmidt.

Alison Butler. (2019). "It's Obvious Who Plays an Instrument and Who Doesn't": Using Doxa and Illusio to Explore Inequities in English School Music Education. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright and Dr. Wolfgang Lehmann.

Elizabeth Mitchell. (2019). Performing Identities, Performing Possibilities: A Music-Centered and Relational Perspective on Performance in Community Music Therapy and Music Education. Supervised by Dr. Kari Veblen.

Nan Qi. (2015). In Search of Transformative Music Learning Experiences: Voices From The Margins In Northeastern Brazil. Supervised by Dr. Kari Veblen.

Jennifer Lang. (2015). A Cross-generational Examination of Learner Engagement and Agency in Non-traditional Music Education Programs. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright.

Jillian Bracken. (2015). Family Music Listening Legacies: A Case Study-based Investigation of the Intergenerational Transmission of Music Listenership Values in Five Families. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright.

Stephanie Horsley. (2014). A Comparative Analysis of Neoliberal Education Reform and Music Education in England and Ontario, Canada. Supervised by Dr. Paul Woodford.

Leslie Linton. (2014). Interpretive Reproduction and Informal Music Learning in the Grade One Classroom. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright.

Jakub Martinec. (2014). From Communism to Democracy: Choral Music Education in Czechoslovakia (1948-1992) and the Czech Republic (1993-2011) as Experienced by Four Prominent Czech Musicians. Supervised by Dr. Paul Woodford.

Laura Fitzpatrick. (2013). Factors Affecting Music Education in Ontario Secondary Schools: Teachers' Perspectives. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright.

Kerry Byers. (2012). Philosophical Inquiry of Music Therapy:Seeking Points of Unification. Supervised by Dr. Fiske.

Music Theory 

Mary Blake Bonn. (2023). "That's the Way I Am, Heaven Help Me": The Role of Pronunciation in Billy Bragg's Music. Supervised by Dr. Kevin Mooney.

Martin Ross. (2022). Gesture in Steve Reich's Music and its Signification: A Referential Approach to His Process, Stylistic, and Postminimalist Works. Supervised by Dr. John Cuciurean.

Chantal Lemire. (2021). Speaking Songs: Music-Analytical Approaches to Spoken Word. Supervised by Dr. John Cuciurean.

Adam Roy. (2021). Motivic Metamorphosis: Modelling Intervallic Transformations in Schoenberg’s Early Works. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Matthew Nace. (2020). The Alia musica and the Carolingian Conception of Mode. Supervised by Dr. James Grier.

Katharine Walshaw. (2017). Felix Mendelssohn and Sonata Form in the Nineteenth Century. Supervised by Dr. John Cuciurean.

Kristen Wallentinsen. (2017). Fuzzy Family Ties: Familial Similarity Between Melodic Contours of Different Cardinalities. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Emilie Marshall. (2016). Musical Forces in Claude Vivier’s Wo bist du Licht! and Trois airs pour un opéra imaginaire. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Emily Adamowicz. (2015). A Study of Form and Structure in Pierre Boulez's Pli selon Pli. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Michael Fitzpatrick. (2015). J. S. Bach's Modal Compositional Practice in the Chorale Preludes for Solo Organ: A Schenkerian Perspective. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan and Dr. Peter Franck.

Abigail Shupe. (2014). Aspects of Newtonianism in Rameau's Génération harmonique. Supervised by Dr. Kevin Mooney.

Peter Lea. (2014). Functional Transformations and Octatonality in Selected Works by George Crumb. Supervised by Dr. John Cuciurean.

Lindsay Murrell. (2013). Galina Ustvolskaya (1919-2006): Analytical Approach To The Pitch Content of Selected Compositions. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Karen Ching. (2012). Narrativity in Postmodern Music: A Study of Selected Works of Alfred Schnittke. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Makoto Mikawa. (2012). Anarchy in the Unity: Compositional and Aesthetic Tensions in Mauricio Kagel's Antithese für einen Darsteller mit elektronischen und öffentlichen Klängen (1962). Supervised by Dr. Kevin Mooney.

Joe Argentino. (2010). Transformation and Hexatonic Cycles in Schoenberg's Late Religious Works. Supervised by Dr. Catherine Nolan.

Musicology 

Eric Zwicker. (2024). Decolonizing Music Education: A Journey of Reflection and Reconciliation. Supervised by Dr. Jay Hodgson and Dr. Robert Toft.

Clare King. (2024). Follow the Leader: Genre Formation and Gendered Reception of Nu Metal Music. Supervised by Dr. Jasmine Shadrack and Dr. Norma Coates.

Lydia Wilton. (2024). A Musicology of Record Production - Research Creation, Gender, and Creative Reflective Practice in Project-Paradigm Music Production. Supervised by Dr. Jay Hodgson and Dr. Robert Toft.

Mark McCorkle. (2023). Vibes at the Village Vanguard: Hauntings, History, and the Construction of Jazz Place. Supervised by Dr. Emily Abrams Ansari.

Diana Wu. (2022). The Ghosts of Madwomen Past: Historical and Psychiatric Madness on the Late Twentieth-Century Opera Stage. Supervised by Dr. Emily Abrams Ansari.

Stephen Bright. (2022). The Contrabass Tuned in Fifths: Towards an Understanding of Past and Present Applications. Supervised by Dr. James Grier.

April Morris. (2021). Music of Peace and Protest: U.S. Composers and Musical Activism during the Vietnam War (1965-1971). Supervised by Dr. Emily Abrams Ansari.

M Gillian Carrabre. (2021). Music Sounds Better With You. Supervised by Dr. Jay Hodgson.

Mackenzie Enns. (2019). Understanding Game Scoring: Software Programming, Aleatoric Composition and Mimetic Music Technology. Supervised by Dr. Jay Hodgson.

Matthew Shelvock. (2017). Audio Mastering as a Musical Competency. Supervised by Dr. Jay Hodgson.

John Pippen. (2014). Toward a Postmodern Avant-Garde: Labour, Virtuosity, and Aesthetics in an American New Music Ensemble. Supervised by Dr. Emily Abrams Ansari.

Anthony Cushing. (2013). Three Solitudes and a DJ: A Mashed-up Study of Counterpoint in a Digital Realm. Supervised by Dr. Norma Coates.

Kathryn Fenton. (2012). Frontiers, Borders, Boundaries: Cross-Cultural Encounters in the New York City Reception of La fanciulla del West. Supervised by Dr. Edmund Goehring.

Morgan Jones. (2011). The Other Sides of Billy Joel: Six Case Studies Revealing the Sociologist, the Balladeer, and the Historian. Supervised by Dr. James Grier.

Shannon Benson. (2010). The Twentieth-Century Operas of Robert Ward. Supervised by Dr. Don Neville.

Anita Hardeman. (2010). Representing Venus: Music, Drama, and Allegory in André Campra's and Antoine Danchet's Hésione. Supervised by Dr. Richard Semmens.

Composition 

Aiden Hartery. (2024). The Indomitable Basque: an orchestral work in three movements inspired by the Basque Whalers of Labrador of the Sixteenth Century. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Edgar Suski. (2024). Concerto for Piano Duet. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Aaron Lee. (2023). The Maker - A Multi-Media Opera in Two Acts. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Andrew Noseworthy. (2023). Transference Music: For Electric Guitar Soloist and Amplified Orchestra. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Jeffrey Lupker. (2021). Music for Self-Attention. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Matthew Becker. (2018). ...and the songs of another... for Six Voices & Live Electronics. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Wendell Glick. (2016). Requiem. Supervised by Dr. Peter Paul Koprowski.

Sean Kim. (2016). Namazu. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Andrzej Tereszkowski. (2015). Heteroglossia: Novella For Orchestra. Supervised by Dr. Peter Paul Koprowski.

Matthew Tozer. (2014). Concerto Suite: For Viola da Gamba and String Soloists. Supervised by Dr. David Myska.

Kevin Morse. (2012). A Modest Proposal: A Chamber Opera in One Act. Supervised by Dr. David Myska.

Master's Theses

Our Master's degree programs are available as course-based or thesis-based streams. These publications represent recent work completed by students in the thesis stream of our master's programs.

MMus in Composition 

Christopher Miller. (2024). Capital. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Thomas Yackimec. (2024). A Discourse in Strength: Suite for Orchestra. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Yixuan Wang. (2023). The Collective Unconscious. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Danial Derakhshan. (2023). Non-Directed Time. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Emma Verdonk. (2022). The Tale of Rowan O'Shea (A Musical Drama). Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Kennedy Kimber-Johnson. (2021). Waves of Lament. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Sandra Rocio Fuya-Duenas. (2021). Coloquio entre dos Perros, Comic Chamber Opera in Nine Scenes. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Maxwell Lucas. (2020). Dreamvision Songbook: Five Songs for Mixed Ensemble. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Daniel Gardner. (2019). Prufrock: a Monodrama for Baritone and Electronics. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

James Lowrie. (2019). Playscapes for Piano Trio. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Kevin Gibson. (2018). Job: An Oratorio for Voices and Chamber Ensemble. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

André McEvenue. (2018). Capriccio for Mixed Ensemble and Piano. Supervised by Dr. David Myska.

Joshua Richardson. (2018). The Donnelly Opera. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Eric Swiatoschik. (2018). The Old House. Supervised by Dr. Peter Paul Koprowski.

Willyn Whiting. (2018). Six Blake Songs. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Colin McMahon. (2017). Antoinette, An Opera in One Act. Supervised by Dr. David Myska.

Jeffrey Lupker. (2016). Two Movements for Orchestra. Supervised by Dr. Peter Paul Koprowski. 

William Nicolaou. (2016). Ethos. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Joseph Aaron Lee. (2015). Amor Fati. Supervised by Dr. David Myska.

Alondra Vega-Zaldivar. (2015). Sophie, A Music Drama for Solo Soprano and Chamber Orchestra. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Brian Topp. (2014). Evolve. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Carolann De Young. (2013). Green Glass for Orchestra. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Michael Lukaszuk. (2013). Kontakt. Supervised by Dr. Omar Daniel.

Alice Hansen. (2012). Mythologies: Three Tableaux for Flute, Harp, Strings and Percussion. Supervised by Dr. Peter Paul Koprowski.

Patrick Arteaga. (2012). Garden Theatre. Supervised by Dr. Paul Frehner.

Jeffrey McClellan. (2012). Dawn: A Symphonic Sketch for Orchestra. Supervised by Dr. David Myska.

MMus in Literature and Performance 

Allison Luff. (2012). Charles Ives and Musical Borrowing. Supervised by Dr. Emily Abrams Ansari.

MMus in Music Education 

Laura Curtis. (2018). The Effects of Infertility on Female Vocalist Identity. Supervised by Dr. Ruth Wright.

Patrick Feely. (2017). The Effects of Video Recording on the Level of Expertise and Self-Regulated Learning Ability of Adults in a Beginner Classical Guitar Class. Supervised by Dr. Kevin Watson.

MA in Musicology 

Andrew Blimke. (2023). A Comparative Analysis of the Early Twentieth-Century Music Appreciation and Community Music Movements in the United States. Supervised by Dr. Emily Ansari.

Forest Anthony-Muran. (2022). Seeing Thro the Musical Eye: Santo Daime, Fuke-shū, 1960s Psychedelia, and the Antipodes of Musical Experience. Supervised by Dr. Jonathan De Souza.

Brandon Sked. (2020). Music in the Moment of "Cyber Culture:" An Outward Spiral. Supervised by Dr. Norma Coates.

Jury Kobayashi. (2020). Domenico Dragonetti: A Case Study of the 12 Unaccompanied Waltzes. Supervised by Dr. James Grier.

Rosheeka Parahoo. (2020). Exploring Being Queer and Performing Queerness in Popular Music. Supervised by Dr. Norma Coates.

MA in Music Theory 

Liam McDermott. (2022). The Classical Sonata Forms of Franz Schubert’s Great C-Major Symphony: Exploring Tonal Structure in the New Romantic Style. Supervised by Dr. Peter Franck.

Kathryn McDonald. (2019). Exploring Stretto: An Investigation into the Use of Stretto in J. S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. Supervised by Dr. Peter Franck.

A list of published theses by our former MA in Popular Music and Culture students is available at the Faculty of Information and Media Studies website.