Date Created

10-2026

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Arts

Department

College of Performing and Visual Arts, Music, Music Student Work

First Advisor

Charles Moore

First Committee Member

Jill Burgett

Second Committee Member

Mandy Spivak

Third Committee Member

Michael Welsh

Abstract

This article presents a graded Mandarin diction guide for English-speaking singers studying Chinese art song. Responding to the limited availability of Mandarin diction resources organized by level, it examines Qing Zhu’s “The Great River Goes East,” Yuanren Zhao’s “How Can I Not Think of Him?,” and Yong Chen’s “Love of the Sea” as beginning, intermediate, and advanced case studies. The analysis considers initials, finals, lexical tones, tone-sandhi, syllable structure, text density, and their coordination with rhythm, legato, and melodic phrasing. The study shows that diction difficulty arises not from isolated sounds but from the concentration and interaction of these features within a musical phrase. Therefore, it offers a practical method for repertoire selection and studio preparation while limiting its claims to Mandarin diction rather than complete vocal or interpretive difficulty.

Abstract Format

html

Keywords

Mandarin diction; Chinese art song; English-speaking singers; Graded repertoire selection

Subject Categories

Music Performance

Language

English

Extent

46 pages

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

Digital Origin

Born digital

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