Doctor of Musical Arts Dissertations
Title
Japanese Contemporary Piano Music: Cultural Influence and Identity
Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)
Department
Contemporary Music
First Advisor
Nora Engebretsen-Broman (Advisor)
Second Advisor
Jeremy Wayne Wallach (Other)
Third Advisor
Mikel Kuehn (Committee Member)
Fourth Advisor
Marilyn Shrude (Committee Member)
Abstract
In an increasingly globalized community, a composer's cultural heritage may or may not manifest itself in their compositions. Conversely, manifest influences from different cultures may not coincide with the composer's identity. This document examines the piano works of three active Japanese composers, Dai Fujikura (b. 1977), Jo Kondo (b. 1947), and Joji Yuasa (b. 1929), through the lens of cultural influence. Analyses of representative pieces are contextualized in relation to the composers' opinions on the importance or relevance of writing music that embodies their own identity and cultural heritage. Examples of Japanese elements incorporated into Western-based composition include a circular rather than linear conception of time, ma as manifest through relationships and dualities, pulse-driven organization of rhythm, nature references, noise as an inseparable component of performance, and other extra-musical considerations.
A brief overview of identity and globalization, along with an examination of numerous historical texts of both Western and Japanese origin, provide context for identifying these Japanese elements. Orientalism and musical exoticism provide additional grounding in scholarly work from Western sources about Eastern cultures, focusing specifically on music.
These analyses offer insight into the differing ways cultural influences manifest in Japanese composers as a starting place. It is my hope that performers recognize the importance of seeking out the composer's intentions to align the performer's interpretation with the composer's artistic vision.
Recommended Citation
Titus, Stephanie, "Japanese Contemporary Piano Music: Cultural Influence and Identity" (2020). Doctor of Musical Arts Dissertations. 39.
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/dma_diss/39