Note: Courses in music theory include 50:700:125, 50:700:161, 50:700:162, 50:700:205, 50:700:206, 50:700:225, 50:700:226, 50:700:321, 50:700:325, and 50:700:421.
50:700:121Introduction to Opera (3)Introduction to Opera combines a general discussion of operatic
history from 1600 to the mid-19th century. The course will examine
social conditions and intellectual currents in late 16th-century Italy,
which lead to the invention of the genre; the dissemination of opera
(with its Italian influence) throughout Europe in the 17th century; the
new social conditions of the Enlightenment and their reflection in
Mozart's opera; the French Revolution and political unrest as
represented in Beethoven's Fidelio; the transition of the Italian city states into a kingdom, as represented in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi
among others.
50:700:125Introduction to Music Theory (3) An introduction to the elements of tonal music. Provides students with an understanding of rhythm, pitch, keyboard, scales, key signatures, intervals, and triads. Not open to music majors.
50:700:131 Singing for the Stage (3)A performance class in which students will learn basic vocal technique, audition
technique, and how to be expressive singing actors. A variety of musical styles
will be covered.
50:700:146Audio Recording Techniques I (3)An introduction class to the ins and outs of recording techniques, from
microphone placement to recording studio signal chain to a DAW in
addition to developing critical listening skills.
50:700:161Ear Training I (2) Provides intensive work in sight singing; dictation of melody, rhythm, and harmony; score reading: two parts using treble, alto, and bass clefs; keyboard harmony; and musical terminology. Independent lab work is a requirement of this course. Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or permission of instructor.
50:700:162Ear Training II (2)
Continued work
in dictation: intervals, rhythms, and extended melodies with modulations; Intensive
studies in reading and interpretation of musical notation through sight singing exercises. Score reading: three parts using treble, alto, and bass
clefs. Rudimentary keyboard and conducting skills. Independent lab work is a
requirement of this course.
Prerequisite: 50:700:161 or permission of instructor.
50:700:201Facing the Music (3)
Set against the idea of music as a reflection of society, this course introduces and traces the main elements of Western music, and how they develop and change throughout history. Students will examine various aspects of music that define style, genre, and period and develop the vocabulary to discuss them. No prior musical knowledge is required, but an enthusiasm for all kinds of music will be helpful.
Not open to music majors.
50:700:202Introduction to Music History (3) An approach toward music appreciation that emphasizes the cultural influences that have determined the varied musical languages throughout the world. No previous musical experience necessary. Not open to music majors.
50:700:205Ear Training III (2)
Advanced work in
sight-singing: tonal melodies involving chromatic alterations and modulations
to closely related keys; dictation of melodies involving chromatic alterations
and modulations to related keys in one and two parts; dictation of progressions
using secondary chords and modulations; advanced rhythmic studies including
triplets/duplets, syncopation, etc., in simple and compound meters. Independent
lab work is a requirement of this course.
Prerequisite: 50:700:162 or permission of instructor.
50:700:206Ear Training IV (2)
Advanced work in
sight-singing melodies, including modality and chromatic modulations; dictation:
intervals, advanced rhythms, and short melodies; score reading: four parts,
including transposing instruments. Independent lab work is a requirement of
this course.
Prerequisite: 50:700:205.
50:700:209History of American Music (3)
This course surveys American music beginning with the sacred music of the 1600s up to and including jazz and rock from the modern period. The course will examine how folk, popular, and classical genres interact while placing them in their cultural, political, and social context.
Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or permission of instructor.
50:700:210American Popular Song, 1920-1980 (3)
A survey of American popular music, and its influences and reflections on American society. Beginning with the "Roaring 20s" and working up to and including the 1980s, this course examines Broadway and movie musicals, rag, blues, jazz, R&B, rock, and a host of major composers and their contributions to the music industry.
Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or permission of instructor.
50:700:225Music Theory I (3) Examines the elements of 18th- and 19th-century harmonic practices, including part writing in three and four parts, and harmonic analysis of works. Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or passing grade on placement examination, or permission of instructor.
50:700:226Music Theory II (3) A continuation of Music Theory I with emphasis on secondary functions, modulation, linear chords, harmonic analysis, form, and creative writing. Prerequisite: 50:700:225.
50:700:241Live Sound Reinforcement (3)A introduction to the ins and outs of live reinforcement from a
single mic setup to large orchestras. Students get hands on experience
using the sound system of the Gordon Theater and Black Box theater.Prerequisite: 50:700:146 or permission of instructor.
50:700:246Audio Recording Techniques II (3)A continuation of Audio Recording Techniques I where students dive
further into the ins and outs of recording techniques, from microphone
placement to recording studio signal chain to getting the inner workings
of DAW.
Prerequisite: 50:700:146 or permission of instructor.
50:700:269Arranging Contemporary Styles (3)Advanced work in the inner workings of arranging for small and
medium ensembles. Independent lab work is a requirement of this course. Prerequisite: 50:700:269 or permission of instructor.
50:700:271Introduction to Music Technology I (3)
An
introductory course intended to broaden the understanding of electronic and
computer music, and to explore methods for the making of music with computers.
Emphasis on digital audio theory and electronic/computer-generated music to orient
students to sound design, audio recording, electroacoustic composition, and new
media applications.
Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or 161, or permission of instructor. Music majors only.
50:700:279Introduction to Songwriting (3)This workshop-style course explores the fundamentals of
songwriting. Students will look at various techniques of songwriting through
listening, analysis, writing, and performance. Class will include discussion of
selected songs based on form/structure, groove, melody, harmony, lyrics, rhythm,
and rhyming schemes; real-time, in-class songwriting sessions; and discussion of
student songs in progress. Students must have an ability to perform and will be
expected to produce and present at least two original songs during the course.
Prerequisites: 50:700:301 and 50:700:226, or permission of instructor. Recommended: 50:700:146.
50:700:289Harmony and Analysis I (2)Advanced work in the inner workings of harmony in a range of styles.
Study of the mechanics of chord progression patterns and melodic as
well as harmonic structures. This class dives in to the inner workings
of a broad range of contemporary styles including popular music and
jazz. Independent lab work is a requirement of this course.Prerequisite: 50:700:162 or permission of instructor.
50:700:291History of Music I (3) Historical survey of styles, forms, genres, and composers of Western music from antiquity to the 16th century. Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or 225 or permission of instructor. Intended for music majors and minors.
50:700:292History of Music II (3) Historical survey of styles, forms, genres, and composers from the 17th to the 18th centuries. Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or 225 or permission of instructor. Intended for music majors and minors.
50:700:293Topics in Music History (3) An examination of a particular topic or area of music history
involving important and characteristic issues, composers, and
repertories. Students will broaden their acquaintance of these areas through
analytical approaches and exposure to specific musical works representative of
the offered topic. Topics will be selected by the instructor and will change on
a regular basis.Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or 50:700:225 or permission of instructor. Intended for music majors and minors. Offered in alternate years.
50:700:294Twentieth-Century Music History (3)An examination of a particular topic or area of
music history
involving important and characteristic issues, composers, and
repertories. Students will broaden their acquaintance of these areas through
analytical approaches and exposure to specific musical works representative of
the offered topic. Topics will be selected by the instructor and will change on
a regular basis.Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or 50:700:225 or permission of instructor. Intended for music majors and minors. Offered in alternate years.
50:700:301Sound Thinking: Music in the Digital Era (3)
An
introduction to the history, theory, practice, and politics of digital music and
sound art. Focusing on the impact of technology and its aesthetic and social
implications, students will be introduced to tools and techniques from a wide
spectrum of musical forms and aesthetic practices. The course also addresses
music and sound within the context of emerging trends in new technologies,
including computer games, the internet, and mobile media. In addition to
regular creative work and reading, students are required to complete a
significant final project that engages creative music or sound art, practical
experimentation, or contextual research.
50:700:302 Sound and Image (3)An exploration of the relationships between
sound and image through the student's own multimedia work. By acquiring basic
software and production skills and knowledge of the theories and specificities
of digital media, students will gain an understanding of the principles behind
multimedia production with computers. Practical working knowledge of personal
computers, and general experience with digital sound, image, and video are
recommended.
50:700:305Gender in Music (3) Provides an overview of the interactions between women and their
musical environment in Europe from the Middle Ages to the 21st century.
Among the composers studied are Hildegard von Bingen, Francesca
Caccini, Barbara Strozzi, Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, Constanze
Mozart, Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Ellen Taaffe
Zwillich, and Joan Tower. May require off-campus concerts and operas. May be taken as part of a minor in gender studies.
50:700:306Rock and Roll (3)This course will examine the history of rock and roll and the artists that greatly influenced American culture. Focus will be on the impact rock and roll has had on popular music as it shifted from R & B, folk, and blues and away from Broadway and the Tin Pan Alley spheres. Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or permission of instructor.
50:700:309American Music (3) Survey of music in the United States from the time of the earliest settlers to the present, including Shaker hymns, Civil War tunes, the establishment of a distinctive American style, the beginnings of jazz, and current experimental styles.
50:700:310American Music in the 1960s (3)
This course examines the musical response to a society in political and cultural unrest. The music of artists such as Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead, and Janis Joplin will be explored. We will also examine the split between rock and roll and rock itself and the subgenres of rock which include hard rock, soft rock, folk rock, progressive rock, heavy metal, jazz rock, and acid rock. In addition to oral presentations and class assignments, the final project will include a major research paper due at the end of the semester.
Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or permission of instructor.
50:700:311The American Symphony (3)
This course is designed to give students an understanding of the role and function of the American symphony. Comparisons will be made between compositions of American composers and the influence of Western Europe and European composers throughout the history of the symphony. A research paper will be due at the end of the semester.
Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or permission of instructor.
50:700:312Latin American Music (3)This course looks closely at the influences
of Latin American music and Latin American-based traditions on popular music
here in the United States of America.
Students will explore the characteristic
elements of Latin American music and how these elements are used in American
pop music. A research paper is required
at the end of the semester.
Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or permission of instructor.
50:700:321Counterpoint (3) A detailed study of basic voice-leading principles that includes extensive writing in two- and three-part species counterpoint. Prerequisite: 50:700:226 or permission of instructor. Offered in alternate years.
50:700:325Music Theory III (3) A continuation of 50:700:226 with an introduction to post-tonal music and jazz
theory. Provides the student with a basic analytic technique for the study of
20th-century practices, including atonal and jazz styles. Prerequisite: 50:700:226.
50:700:329Introduction to Conducting (2) A course designed to introduce the fundamentals of conducting school choruses and orchestras. Prerequisite: 50:700:225.
50:700:331Business of Music (3)Study of the key issues and challenges that today musicians face in the modern music
industry as well as a look into the opportunities that the current music business
provides. Offered in alternate years.
50:700:337History of Opera (3)History of Opera combines a general discussion of operatic history
from 1600 to the early 20th century. The course will examine social
conditions and intellectual currents in late 16th-century Italy, which
lead to the invention of the genre, the dissemination of opera (with its
Italian influence) throughout Europe in the 17th century; the new
social conditions of the Enlightenment and their reflection in Mozart's
opera; the French Revolution and political unrest as represented in
Beethoven's Fidelio; the transition of the Italian city states into a
kingdom, as represented in the operas of Giuseppe Verdi among others.
50:700:346Mixing and Mastering Audio (3)A continuation of Audio Recording Techniques II with emphasis on
mixing and mastering of tracks in the modern studio environment.Prerequisite: 50:700:246 or permission of instructor.
50:700:373Introduction to Composition (3)Introduction to the principles of musical composition. The course is designed to expose the student to the basic principles of music composition. Students are encouraged to
develop music in their own styles while exploring a variety of compositional
techniques. Prerequisite: 50:700:325 or permission of instructor. Intended for music technology or composition students only.
50:700:385Composition I (3)Driven by the student's own independent project work, topics covered may include advanced notational techniques, creating a score and parts, detailed exploration of pitch relationships, organizational and hierarchical principles, orchestration, and musical aesthetics. May include both traditional and
electroacoustic composition. Final project includes public performance at the end of the semester.Prerequisite: 50:700:373 or permission of instructor. Intended for music technology or composition students only.
50:700:386Composition II (3)
Original project
work. Emphasis is on strategies and implementation of larger-scale designs and
refinement of individual style. May include both traditional and
electroacoustic composition. Final project includes public performance at the
end of the semester. Prerequisite: 50:700:385 or permission of instructor. Intended for music technology or composition students only.
50:700:389Harmony and Analysis II (2)A continuation of Harmony and Analysis I. This class dives in to the
inner workings of a broad range of contemporary styles including popular
music and jazz. Independent lab work is a requirement of this course.Prerequisite: 50:700:289 or permission of instructor.
50:700:391Music And Computers (3)Introduction to direct-digital software synthesis systems through flowcharting, programming, and instrument design focusing on the use of Csound. Prerequisite: 50:700:271 or permission of instructor. Intended for music technology or composition students only.
50:700:392Topics in Electroacoustic Music (3)
Study of significant issues and recent developments in computer music
and music technology. Driven by the students' interests in electroacoustic
music, the course explores the use of technology in interactive performance and
composition, computer music, and performative intermedia. Final project
includes public performance at the end of the semester. Prerequisite: 50:700:391 or permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit.
50:700:412History of Jazz (3)A historic
overview of jazz from its early 20th-century roots to its present dissemination
around the globe. Students will be introduced to the careers of the major figures
in jazz, as well as to stylistic trends. Lectures will be supported by recordings, transcriptions, and video performances.Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or permission of instructor.
50:700:413World Music (3) An extensive multicultural survey that examines the elements, forms, and styles of non-Western music. Prerequisite: 50:700:125. Intended primarily for majors and minors.
50:700:414American Contemporary Composers (3)
This course will provide a close look into the compositional
ideas and practices of major American composers in the 20th and
21st centuries. Concepts such as neotonality, atonality, ametric
music, harmony, rhythm, serialism, and formal structure will be introduced.
Students will also explore characteristics of the Western European tradition
that have influenced American music. A research paper will be
required at the end of the semester.Prerequisite: 50:700:125 or permission of instructor.
500:700:446Sound Design for Theater (3)Introduction to theatrical sound design using elements of soundscapes,
effects, and music with scripted shows. Deep study into qLab as well as
other theatrical cuing software. Final project is part of student directed
One-Act shows. Prerequisite: 50:700:146 or permission of instructor. Cross-listed with theater 50:965:357.
50:700:449Audio Postproduction (3) This is
an advanced class that examines the theory and practice of audio work and postproduction. Students work in a studio environment, and emphasis is made to gain
expertise with both the hardware and software used in the modern recording
studio, in addition to working with audio for film and animation. Both live and
pretracked recordings are produced, using appropriate microphone and hardware
set-up. Students are expected to demonstrate creative and functional
applications of sound and audio and it's relation to film and image.
Prerequisite: 50:700:246 or permission of instructor.
50:700:486Composition and Technology Forum (3)
Study
and discussion of significant issues and recent developments in music
composition, computer music, and music technology. Coursework focuses on the student's own
creative activity leading to public performance.
Prerequisite: 50:700:373 or 50:700:391 or permission of instructor. May be repeated for credit. Intended for music technology or composition students only.
50:700:490Music Internship (BA)An internship in some area of music, which may involve working with a performing arts organization, or in some other activity that advances the student's knowledge of music (40 hours of internship per credit). Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
50:700:494 Capstone (3) Final,
student-driven project to be completed and publicly presented in student's final year of study. Under the supervision of a
full-time member of the faculty with expertise in the student's area of interest.
50:700:495-496Honors in Music I,II (3,3)Requires independent research on an approved topic in music history or
theory leading to an honors thesis written under the supervision of a
professor in music. Candidates for honors in music must at the end of their junior year have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better and an average of 3.5 or better in the major. Both semesters must be completed to receive credit.
50:700:498Special Topics in Music (3) A variety of topics, such as music in film, offered on a rotating basis.
50:700:499Individual Study in Music (BA) Independent study, guided by a member of the faculty, intended to provide an opportunity to investigate areas not covered in regular courses of instruction.
