JOURACA_SP_2017

Practice Methods of Atonal Song
and Extended Vocal Techniques
Elizabeth Bemis
This paper addresses the most daunting
challenge an undergraduate singer faces
when learning atonal vocal music - voice
leading. Because atonal vocal music lacks
the harmonic clues of functional tonality,
many younger singers are often deterred by
atonal repertoire. Inspired by Joseph Straus'
theory of "fuzzy transformations" and the
properties of uniformity and balance, I have
developed a pedagogical technique I have
termed Common Knowledge Interval Relativity
(CKIR) to aid singers systematically
learning atonal vocal lines. I have used Anton
Webern's Wie Bin Ich Froh as an example
of the process of CKIR and of excerpting
for the sake of creating effective intervallic
exercises. In creating this technique, I
have embraced standard undergraduate sight
-singing curriculum, which places significant
emphasis on subconscious and conscious
use of functional tonality in determining
accurate voice-leading, and created
a method of understanding and executing
voice-leading in terms of standard intervals.
This theory, though a stand-alone technique,
will also serve as the preparational materials
in my future study of the effectiveness of
CKIR versus rote repetition in accurately
learning atonal vocal music.
Department of Music, Theater, and Dance
Music
Mentor: Dr. Rebecca Mindock
5