Degree Name

Department

Music

College

Fine Arts and Communications

Defense Date

2019-03-08

Publication Date

2019-03-16

First Faculty Advisor

Neil Thornock

First Faculty Reader

Eric Hansen

Honors Coordinator

Steven Johnson

Keywords

Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Concert, Case Study

Abstract

Classical music in our society is a window to the past. While social attitudes are increasingly forward thinking, backward-looking preferences in classical music have stayed relatively unchanged since the mid 19^th century. Why isn’t the music of living composers listened to and respected as much as that of dead composers? I begin this paper by briefly outlining the beginnings of our modern musical landscape--that is where we came from and how we got here. I then make a series of observations on performing groups that are presenting contemporary classical music in innovative ways. Lastly, I discuss the concert of new music that I curated, ways I attempted to make it more relevant to a general audience, and insights I gained from the experience.