Date of Award
12-2025
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Music
Department
School of Music
First Advisor
Dr. Stephen Lias
Second Advisor
Dr. Benjamin Morris
Third Advisor
Dr. Michael Murphy
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Carl Ziegler
Abstract
This thesis explores a compositional technique in which stellar constellations are arranged upon musical staves in a variety of iterations to create a basis from which to draw melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic material. These raw extrapolations of unaltered notes are then arranged and orchestrated into thematic music for full orchestra, centered around elements from the mythological background behind the constellations used. An accompanying analysis explains the specific applications of this technique within each movement of the work, the significance of each, and the variety of ways in which musical inspiration was drawn from the raw materials. The objective of this work is to expound upon a largely unexplored compositional approach in a way that not only challenges the listener to draw parallels between the visual, aural, and literary elements of the stars, but to do so in a way that is enjoyable to the average concert-goer.
Repository Citation
Miller, Adam, "“STARLIGHT SUITE”: A COMPOSITIONAL EXPLORATION OF THE ARGO NAVIS CONSTELLATIONS IN THREE MOVEMENTS" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 624.
https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/624
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
