Stephen F. Austin State University
Metamorphosis: An Original Jazz Guitar Concerto Exploring Improvisation and Polystylistic Strategies in the Modern Concerto
Abstract
dc:description.abstract<p>The electric guitar is underutilized in large ensemble art music. Some composers have sought to alleviate this deficiency by expanding the literature through the electric guitar concerto. Few electric guitar concerti are written for improvised jazz guitar, therefore presenting a need for this research. In this thesis, I explore the development of the jazz guitar concerto and nine compositional strategies that benefit composers writing a multi-genre jazz guitar concerto. I analyze selected jazz guitar concerti through lenses, including phrase-level compositional devices, textural and timbral schema, and musical hybridity, to identify these strategies. These concerti include: D.J. Sparr’s <em>Katrina</em>, Jake Hertzog’s <em>The Ozark Concerto</em>, and Terje Rypdal’s <em>The Vanguardian</em>. <em>Metamorphosis</em>, an original jazz guitar concerto, is the culmination of this research. This piece contributes to the literature, demonstrates the fluidity of the electric guitar in a mixed-genre piece, and encourages composers to write large ensemble art music for contemporary jazz guitarists.</p>
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Master of Music
- Level thesis:degree_level
- Thesis
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- School of Music
- Year dc:date.available
- 2025
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Whitt, Ronnie J
- Contributors dc:contributor
-
- Dr. Benjamin Morris
- Professor Larry Greer
- Dr. Jamie Weaver
Subjects
dc:subject × 10Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Repository record dc:identifier
- https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/619
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1702