UCLA

This dissertation addresses the Ten Concert Etudes for Flute and Piano written by the prominent early twentieth-century Russian flutist, pedagogue, and composer Vladimir Tsybin (1877-1949). These works, virtually unknown in the West, are virtuosic miniatures comparable to prominent virtuosic cycles such as Niccol� Paganini’s 24 Caprices for solo violin or Fr�d�ric Chopin’s two main sets of �tudes for piano. The dissertation’s principal objective is to demonstrate—through the analysis of the expressive, stylistic, and didactic dimensions of these works—their high merit both as etudes and performance pieces. An additional goal is to familiarize the reader with a rare musician-flutist of the recent past who, despite a turbulent life in a very calamitous time, dedicated his entire life to music, bequeathing a significant legacy for future generations of flutists. The research for this work included learning and performing the Ten Concert Etudes, obtaining and working with the topic-related rare primary sources at the Russian State Library in Moscow, and familiarizing myself through various means with the details of the life and work of Vladimir Tsybin.