Understanding the percussion works of Alejandro Vinao: An analysis and performer's guide of 'Water' for percussion ensemble

In recent history, Alejandro Vinao has become one of the most prolific composers for percussion with his ensemble and solo works being frequently performed within the professional and academic percussion community. Today, it is common to hear Vinao's works performed on recitals, percussion ensemble concerts, competitions, and auditions. Specifically over the last decade, Vinao's music has often been showcased at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), either within university ensemble concerts, solo competitions, or master classes.;While the popularity of Vinao's music is undeniable, the internal compositional complexity deserves further research. His works are characterized by an increased emphasis on rhythm which serves as the primary driving component of each musical composition. As such, Vinao's music resonates within the percussion community where rhythm is understandably a defining musical component. However, his music does not simply showcase musical rhythm---it elevates it. Due to these innovations in rhythm, Vinao has clearly distinguished himself as one of the most exciting new composers within the span of the growing repertoire of solo and chamber percussion works.;The purpose of this dissertation is to explore Vinao's unique musical style through his work for percussion ensemble, Water (2013). Within Water, I will highlight the most important rhythmic innovations that are key components of Vinao's compositional style. These include his use of multiple time inspired by Conlon Nancarrow, experimentation with rhythmic and melodic grooves, reliance on accents for stress of multiple timings, electronic influences as applied to acoustic instruments, and finally his unique term "attractors" as related to formal musical construction. When discussing the rhythmic innovations within Water, I will borrow a few key concepts and analytical tools from the theory of rhythm and meter, such as attack-point borrowed from Maurice Yeston,1 metrical dissonance derived from Harald Krebs, 2 and Euclidean rhythms developed by Godfried Toussaint3 and Erik Demaine.4.;Finally, I will provide a performer's guide to Water to specifically address the necessary practicalities to mount a successful performance. These issues include conducting suggestions, rehearsal preparation, setup configuration, mallet considerations, and the technical aspects of performing bongos and congas. It is my hope that this performer's guide will become an indispensable tool when preparing for the challenges of this complex work.;1 Maury Yeston. 1976. The Stratification of Musical Rhythm. New Haven: Yale University Press.;2 Harald Krebs. 1999. Metrical Dissonance in the Music of Robert Schumann. New York: Oxford University Press.;3 Godfried Toussaint. 2005. "The geometry of musical rhythm." Discrete and Computational Geometry. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. 198--212.;4 Erik Demaine. 2009. "The distance geometry of music." Computational geometry 42.5: 429--454.