Degree

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)

Department

College of Music and Dramatic Arts

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

During the twentieth century, artists in every discipline sought to create new, original art that would both challenge societal norms and expand their respective art to new extremes. This expansion in contemporary music saw the emergence of electronics, chance elements, “found sounds,” speaking, acting, and physical gestures. As we continue through the twentieth century, we also see the onset of the percussionist as an independent musical artist and a desire for original music for percussion. The intersection of these new developments created what is known as percussion theatre.

Percussion theatre can be broadly defined as a genre of musical composition where the mixture of musical sounds, acoustic percussion instruments, electronic elements, chance elements, motions, gestures, speaking, acting, and/or any other extramusical elements are combined to create a unique immersive experience that incorporates and relies on both aural and visual stimuli. This working definition will be used throughout this monograph and is compiled from several sources to be as comprehensive as possible. This monograph is meant to illuminate the genre’s history and the compositional trends that still affect composers today.

Date

4-9-2026

Committee Chair

Dietz, Brett W.

LSU Acknowledgement

1

LSU Accessibility Acknowledgment

1

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