Music
Department Overview
The Department of Music offers courses in five areas of musical study:
- musicology/ethnomusicology
- music theory
- music technology
- individual musical performance
- ensemble performance
These courses meet the needs of music majors and minors and students whose concentrations lie in other disciplines.
Chair of the Department of Music: Grace Burton
Professor: Sarah Day-O’Connell
Associate Professors: Jeremy Day-O’Connell, Benjamin Givan, Russell Haight, Will Mason
Assistant Professors: Anjni Amin, Charlotte D’Evelyn, Georgia Mills
Senior Teaching Professor: Evan Mack
Distinguished Artists-in-Residence: Joel Brown, Michael Emery
Senior Artists-in-Residence: Young Kim, Sylvia Stoner-Hawkins
Artist-in-Residence: Floydd Ricketts
Choral Director: Floyd Ricketts
Lecturers: Richard Cherry1, Glen Cortese1, Koblavi Dogah1, Randall Ellis1, Jorge Gomez1, Casey Gray1, Brett Grigsby1, Patricia Hadfield, Robert Halek1, Yvonne Chavez Hansbrough1,Wayne Hawkins, Adam Hutcheson1, Milton Lee1, Patrice Malatestinic1, George Muscatello1, Jameson Platte1, Angelique Scully1
Private Music Instructors: Luke Baker1, Veena Chandra1, Dan Cordell1, Randall Ellis1, Casey Gray1, Brett Grigsby1,Robert Halek1, Yvonne Chavez Hansbrough, Wayne Hawkins, Elizabeth Huntley1, Adam Hutcheson1, John Kirk1, Jerry Lanoue, Eric Latini1, Patricia Miller1, Irina Petrik, Patrice Malatestinic1, George Muscatello1, Jameson Platte1, Josh Rodriguez, Michael Silvagnoli1, Richard Syracuse1, Brett Wery
Accompanists: Richard Cherry, Carol Ann Elze-Sussedorf, Dan Foster, Angelique Scully
- 1
Part-time
Music B.A.
Students majoring in music receive a Bachelor of Arts degree. Students contemplating a major should consult as early as possible with the department chair and with an instructor in the musical area of greatest interest to formulate a course of study.
Students Majoring in Music are Required to Complete the Following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MU 200 | Thinking About Music | 3 |
| MU 241 | Materials and Structures I 1 | 4 |
| MU 242 | Materials and Structures II | 4 |
| MU 243 | Topics in Music Theory and Analysis | 4 |
| 300-Level Topics Seminar/Survey in the Western Classical Tradition 2 | 3-4 | |
| Topics Seminar | ||
or MU 345 | Topics Seminar | |
| Recently offered seminars include “Beethoven,” “Minimalism,” “Western Music and Philosophy,” “Divas, Death, and Desire,” “18th-Century Music and Ideas” | ||
| 300-Level Topics Seminar/Survey in a Non-Western or Popular Music Tradition 2 | 3-4 | |
| Topics Seminar | ||
or MU 345 | Topics Seminar | |
Recently offered seminars include “Music and Revolution in the 20th Century,” “Asian Musicians Global Stages,” “Miles Davis,” “Black Atlantic Music,” “Cross-Cultural Perspectives” | ||
| Additional Topics Seminar | 3-4 | |
| Topics Seminar | ||
or MU 345 | Topics Seminar | |
| 200- or 300-Level MU Course | ||
| Select one 200- or 300-level MU course4 of 3 or more credits | 3-4 | |
| Additional Requirements | ||
| MU 363 | Coda in Music | 2 |
| Private Musical Instruction | ||
| Select three semesters of private musical instruction in one area of performance | 6 | |
| Ensemble Performance | ||
| Select three semesters of ensemble performance selected from course offerings under Skidmore Ensembles | 3 | |
| Writing in the Major Requirement 4 | ||
| Complete the following to fulfill the Writing Requirement in music: | ||
One 300-level seminar or survey course dealing with the Western classical tradition | ||
One 300-level seminar or survey course dealing with a non-Western or popular music tradition | ||
One additional 300-level seminar | ||
The department’s senior coda | ||
| Total Hours | 38-42 | |
- 1
To enroll in MU 241 Materials and Structures I, students must first pass MU 141or else pass a diagnostic exam administered during the registration period. MU 241 also carries a co-requisite of MP 197 Keyboard Skills. Students with significant prior keyboard skills may instead earn placement credit for MP 197 by passing a departmental proficiency exam.
- 2
Courses fulfilling either the Western or non-Western seminar requirement must be completed at Skidmore.
- 3
Excluding independent study, i.e., MU 371 Independent Study in Music and above
- 4
Students majoring in music learn to communicate in several mediums: vocal or instrumental performance, the languages of music (some expressed in music notation), oral communication, and prose writing. By taking courses in ethnomusicology, music history, and music theory, students learn humanistic, social scientific, and technical modes of writing about music. Students learn how to convey ideas, interpret facts, and construct arguments about music by undertaking written assignments of varying length.
Private Musical Instruction
MP 281 Private Music Instruction - 45 Xfee, MP 281X Private Musical Instruction: Private instruction in instrumental or vocal performance is available to all students on an audition/interview basis by permission of the instructor, and as studio space permits.
| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private Instruction, 45-minute lessons | $780 per semester1,2 |
| Private Instruction, one-hour lessons | $1040 per semester2 |
- 1
-
Students majoring in music are exempt from these fees during four semesters of 45-minute private lessons.
- 2
-
Scholarship aid is available for all students; see the department chair for details.
Music Minor
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| MU 241 & MU 242 | Materials and Structures I and Materials and Structures II | 8 |
| MU 200 | Thinking About Music | 3 |
| 200- or 300-Level MU Course | ||
| Select one 200- or 300-level MU course1 of 3 or more credits | 3-4 | |
| Private Musical Instruction | ||
| Select three semesters of private musical instruction in one area of performance | 6 | |
| Ensemble | ||
| Select three semesters of ensemble selected from course offerings listed under Skidmore Ensembles | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 23-24 | |
- 1
Excluding independent study, i.e.MU 371 Independent Study in Music and above
Private Music Instruction
MP 281 Private Music Instruction - 45 Xfee, MP 281X Private Musical Instruction: Private instruction in instrumental or vocal performance is available to all students on an audition/interview basis by permission of the instructor, and as studio space permits.
| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| Private Instruction, forty five-minute lessons | $780 per semester1 |
| Private Instruction, one-hour lessons | $1040 per semester1 |
- 1
Scholarship aid is available for all students; see the department chair for details.
Honors
Departmental honors for senior music majors are recommended on the basis of a distinguished academic career documented by department GPA (3.5 or higher for all work in MP courses; 3.5 or higher for all work in MU courses), faculty recommendation, and a high level of accomplishment on a department approved senior project (recital, thesis, composition, or music-technology project).
Course Listing
MP 179 - World Music Ensembles
Credits: 2
Class study introducing students to a performance tradition from outside the western classical and popular traditions. Limited to fifteen students.
Note(s): Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MP 190 - Class Study of Voice
Credits: 2
For students with little or no formal training in singing, this course focuses on the development of the singing voice. Study and application of the principles and techniques of singing: breathing, tone production, resonance and diction, among other technical skills. Repertory chosen will illustrate different stylistic periods. Students participate in a recital at the end of the semester. Part of each class will include study of fundamental musicianship skills.
Note(s): Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MP 191 - Class Study of Piano I
Credits: 2
For students with no special background in music or piano. Emphasis is on reading skills and development of keyboard technique. Fundamental concepts of music theory (rhythm, intervals, scales, chords, keys) will be included.
Note(s): Fulfills Artistic Inquiry. Not for liberal arts credit.
MP 192 - Class Study Of Piano II
Credits: 2
For students with some basic training in piano (audition required) or who have completed MP 191. Further development of music reading ability and technical skills, and development of a basic beginning repertoire.
Prerequisites: MP 191 or permission of instructor.
Note(s): Fulfills artistic inquiry. Not for liberal arts credit.
MP 193 - Class Study of Guitar I
Credits: 2
For those with little or no guitar experience, this course is designed to prepare the student for private lessons. The course covers all aspects of guitar technique including scales, arpeggios, chords, and right hand styles. Musicianship skills including note and rhythm reading will be stressed. Each student must provide her or his own acoustic guitar.
Note(s): Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement. Not for liberal arts credit.
MP 195 - Class Study of Jazz Piano
Credits: 2
Study of jazz piano voicings, scales, and modes for improvisation. Left-hand chording patterns, harmonic structures, and accompanying scales will be emphasized. Other areas of study will include diatonic and chromatic voice leading, phrasing and solo development, functional harmony, bass lines, and solo jazz piano technique. Class will read selected jazz charts and listen to and analyze contemporary and historical jazz pianists.
Note(s): Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement. Not for liberal arts credit.
MP 197 - Keyboard Skills
Credits: 1
Application of fundamental theoretical concepts at the keyboard. Functional skills to include control of simple diatonic chordal harmony, independent voicing, modal and scalar patterns, elementary transposition, and sight-reading. Course materials are keyed to concepts covered in MU 241. Successful completion of MP197 will satisfy the department's keyboard proficiency requirement for all music majors.
Corequisites: MU 241 or permission of instructor.
MP 198 - Class Study of Instrumental Performance
Credits: 1
Group instruction in instrumental performance areas, including jazz improvisation, not covered by MP 181-188 or MP 191-197. To be announced when offered.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.
Note(s): May be taken up to three times for credit. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MP 256 - Music Outreach
Credits: 2
A course designed to provide student musicians with opportunities to engage with the broader community beyond Skidmore through service and to encourage critical reflection on their experiences. Students volunteer their musical talents and develop planning and organizational skills in the local community beyond Skidmore at a minimum of three planned outreach events during the semester.
Note(s): Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Not for liberal arts credit. Must be taken S/U.
MP 273 - Opera/Musical Workshop
Credits: 1
A course/performing ensemble designed to equip singers with acting and movement skills for the stage. Classes and rehearsals will culminate in public performance of scenes or complete works from the opera/musical theater repertoire. Open by audition and interview only.
Note(s): This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement. Not for liberal arts credit.
MP 275 - Jazz Combo
Credits: 1
Jazz improvisation and performance in a small combo setting.
Note(s): Open by audition. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Not for liberal arts credit. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MP 277 - Vocal Chamber Ensemble
Credits: 1
A select ensemble, drawn from members of the Skidmore College Chorus, performing a wide range of repertoire from all periods, including madrigals, part songs, choral works, and operatic ensembles.
Note(s): Limited to twenty singers; open by audition only. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry.
MP 278 - Vocal Soul Collective
Credits: 1
A select ensemble performing a wide range of music from R&B, Soul, Funk, and Gospel genres in a vocal ensemble.
Note(s): Fulfills artistic inquiry requirement.
MP 279 - West African Drumming and Dance Ensemble
Credits: 1
An ensemble devoted to the performance of traditional drum music from Ghana.
Note(s): This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Not for liberal arts credit. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement. Counts as a technique/workshop course for the Dance major/minor.
MP 281 - Private Music Instruction - 45 Xfee
Credits: 2
Individual 45-minute weekly instruction in voice, piano, harpsichord, organ, fortepiano, guitar, orchestral instruments, sitar, tabla, and jazz improvisation. (Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.) Enrollment by permission of instructor; after registering, watch for further instruction by email. Applications for partial and full scholarship to defray the $780 fee are considered each semester.
Lab/Credit Fee: $780
MP 281X - Private Musical Instruction
Credits: 2
Individual 60-minute weekly instruction in voice, piano, harpsichord, organ, fortepiano, guitar, orchestral instruments, sitar, tabla, and jazz improvisation. At least one semester of 60-minute lessons is required for any student preparing a full recital. (Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.) Enrollment by permission of instructor; after registering, watch for further instruction by email. Applications for partial and full scholarship to defray the $1,040 fee are considered each semester.
Lab/Credit Fee: $1040
MP 285 - Skidmore Guitar Ensemble
Credits: 1
An ensemble devoted to the performance of classical guitar music in combination with other instruments and voice.
Note(s): Open by audition only. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Not for liberal arts credit. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MP 286 - Skidmore Guitar Ensemble
Credits: 1
An ensemble devoted to the performance of classical guitar music in combination with other instruments and voice.
Note(s): Open by audition only. Not for liberal arts credit. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MP 288 - Skidmore Chorus
Credits: 1
A large ensemble open to men and women singers. Annual tours and invitational concerts provide opportunities to sing major choral works with other colleges and universities.
Note(s): Not for liberal arts credit. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MP 289 - Skidmore Orchestra
Credits: 1
One three-hour rehearsals per week.
Note(s): Open by audition. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Fulfills Artistic inquiry requirement.
MP 293 - Jazz Ensemble
Credits: 1
One two-hour rehearsal per week.
Note(s): Open by audition. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MP 295 - Skidmore Concert Band
Credits: 1
A large ensemble open to all woodwind, brass and percussion instrumentalists. Major works for wind ensemble and band will be studied and performed.
Note(s): Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement. Not for liberal arts credit.
MP 297 - Chamber Music
Credits: 1
Qualified students in piano, harpsichord, strings, woodwinds and brass may participate in smaller ensembles: trios, quartets, quintets, etc.
Note(s): Open by audition. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MP 297X - Chamber Music (90 minutes)
Credits: 1
Qualified students in piano, harpsichord, strings and woodwinds may participate in smaller ensembles: trios, quartets, quintets, etc. Open by audition. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. 90 minutes.
Note(s): Fulfills artistic inquiry.
MP 375 - Senior Recital
Credits: 3
Independent study and musical preparation culminating in a public recital, a written discussion of the repertoire performed, and an oral symposium presentation regarding some aspect of the recital. Includes weekly one-hour lessons. Approval for presenting senior recitals is determined by audition, normally held in the semester preceding the recital before the department faculty.
Prerequisites: MU 363, may be taken concurrently.
Note(s): Students may not enroll concurrently for MP private instruction. Not for liberal arts credit.
Lab/Credit Fee: $1040
MP 381 - Private Musical Instruction
Credits: 2
Individual 45-minute weekly instruction in voice, piano, harpsichord, organ, fortepiano, guitar, orchestral instruments, sitar, tabla, and jazz improvisation. Four semesters of MP281 and/or MP281x are required on the relevant instrument prior to registration in MP381 and or MP381x. (Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.) Enrollment by permission of instructor; after registering, watch for further instruction by email. Applications for partial and full scholarship to defray the $780 fee are considered each semester.
Lab/Credit Fee: $780
MP 381X - Private Musical Instruction
Credits: 2
Individual 60-minute weekly instruction in voice, piano, harpsichord, organ, fortepiano, guitar, orchestral instruments, sitar, tabla, and jazz improvisation. At least one semester of 60-minute lessons is required for any student preparing a full recital. Four semesters of MP281 and/or MP281x are required on the relevant instrument prior to registration in MP381 and or MP381x. (Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.) Enrollment by permission of instructor; after registering, watch for further instruction by email. Applications for partial and full scholarship to defray the $1040 fee are considered each semester.
Lab/Credit Fee: $1040
MU 100 - Introduction To Music
Credits: 3
An introduction to concepts of musical style and structure in compositions representative of different historical periods with an aim to deepen the musical listening experience. Examination of the relationship of music to the humanities.
Note(s): Primarily for non-majors. Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 103 - The Symphony
Credits: 3
Major symphonic works from Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven to Brahms, Mahler, and composers of the twentieth century.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 106 - Great Composers
Credits: 3-4
A course focused on the music of one or two great composers. Recent offerings have included Mozart, Bach, Debussy and Ravel, and Schubert. This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department.
Note(s): Fulfills humanistic inquiry.
MU 107 - Aural Skills
Credits: 1
Development of ear-training skills by means of exercises in singing (prepared and at sight) and aural analysis (including dictation). Will require extensive practice outside of class and performance in class.
Note(s): This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Not for liberal arts credit.
MU 109 - Global Hip Hop
Credits: 3
An interdisciplinary study of hip hop. Students will identify current and historic elements of hip hop culture inside and outside of the United States. Hip hop culture may be understood as a youth arts movement and is therefore often misrepresented or portrayed negatively in the media or by outsiders. Students will develop the skills necessary to critically analyze hip hop culture through multimedia analysis, critical reading and listening, and discussion. Students will examine case studies in global hip hop from the five regional sites of Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East, and South America and develop a community showcase at the end of the semester to share their learning with the Skidmore and Saratoga community.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry and Global Cultural Perspectives requirements.
MU 141 - Foundations of Theory and Musicianship
Credits: 4
A comprehensive and immersive introduction to fundamental skills and concepts in music, with an emphasis on active listening and creation. Through rudimentary theoretical training, targeted listening activities, and embodied approaches to pitch and rhythm, students will develop a sense of beat, meter, and tonality, applicable not only to Western classical styles, but non-Western, jazz, and popular genres as well. Students will be guided through aural techniques to distinguish elements of repetition, contour, texture, and timbre, and will learn to recognize and perform basic rhythmic and tonal patterns. By the end of this course, students will have gained the requisite skills to progress on to and be successful in MU 241. Meets three times a week, with an accompanying lab.
MU 200 - Thinking About Music
Credits: 3
An introduction to humanistic inquiry in music. Students will learn to think about music through a critical engagement with classical, traditional, and popular music of various times and places.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 205 - Special Studies in Music Literature
Credits: 3-4
(This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department.)
MU 208 - Music and Culture
Credits: 3
An inter cultural introduction to music as culture. Topics include voice types, instrument categorizations, pitch and time systems, musical structure, transcription/notation, and ethnography.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 209 - Music Cultures of Asia
Credits: 3
An introduction to Asian music cultures, including the music of India, China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Students will listen to, read about, and discuss musical examples from these regions, acquiring a set of region-specific terminology for each cultural area. Themes such as national and local identity, caste and social status, cosmology, gender, and transnational interchange in Asia will be explored through the study of music.
Note(s): Fulfills Global Cultural Perspectives and Humanistic Inquiry requirements.
MU 220 - British Rock and Popular Music in the 1960s
Credits: 3
An introduction to the musicians and musical styles of British rock and roll and pop music in the 1960s. Subjects will include the antecedents of British rock, the social contexts in which it flourished, and the evolution of the musical styles and forms in this milieu.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 221 - The Fortepiano
Credits: 1
Some of the most familiar composers of music for the piano (including Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Schubert, and Schumann) would not recognize the instrument we play their music on today. The modern piano is just a little over a century old; its antecedent was the fortepiano. Students will learn about the mechanics of fortepianos, period performance practice (technique and style), and the social history of the instruments (who played them, when, and why). Texts will include 18th- and 19th-century primary sources as well as present-day scholarship, videos, and recordings. Every student will gain hands-on experience tuning and playing Skidmore's two fortepianos.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. and one year of private piano instruction.
Note(s): Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 231 - Writing About Music
Credits: 1
A writing-enhanced add-on to MU 241. Students will tackle the craft of writing, as well as the specific challenges of writing about music.
MU 232 - Writing About Music
Credits: 1
A writing-enhanced add-on to MU 242. Students will tackle the craft of writing, as well as the specific challenges of writing about music.
MU 233 - Writing About Music
Credits: 1
A writing-enhanced add-on to MU 243. Students will tackle the craft of writing, as well as the specific challenges of writing about music.
MU 241 - Materials and Structures I
Credits: 4
Following a brief review of the rudiments of pitch, rhythm, and meter, students will study the principles of species counterpoint and then proceed to write and analyze diatonic tonal harmony, with reference to musical literature, style, form, and compositional process. Diatonic tonal syntax is the foundation of Western art music from the seventeenth through the nineteenth centuries, as well as some jazz and popular music up to the present time. Examples will be chosen from a wide range of historical periods, musical styles, and traditions.
Prerequisites: Diagnostic exam or MU 141.
Note(s): Corequisite: MP 197. Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 242 - Materials and Structures II
Credits: 4
The second semester of theory will continue with the addition of chromatic harmony and the literature, style, forms, and compositional procedures associated with these expanded harmonic techniques, which appear in Western art music from the 18th to at least the early 20th centuries, and jazz. Topics will include chromatic chords, the resurgence of linear contrapuntal processes, modulation, and techniques that pushed to and beyond the limits of tonal harmony, such as expanded tertian chords, linear chromaticism, and finally the symmetrical scales and interval patterns associated with the dissolution of functional tonality.
Prerequisites: MU 241.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 243 - Topics in Music Theory and Analysis
Credits: 4
Advanced study in theory and analysis, with repertoire and theoretical framework varying by instructor and by semester.
Prerequisites: MU 242.
MU 255 - Music Technology I: Introduction to Electronic Music, Composition, and Recording Studio Techniques
Credits: 3
Introduction to basic music technology, electronic music, and professional recording studio techniques and equipment. Study of elementary acoustics, MIDI, synthesizers, microphones, analog and digital multitrack recording, sound mixing, and processing. Introduction to works in various styles by established electronic composers.
Prerequisites: Ability to read music.
Note(s): Weekly studio/lab work.
Lab/Credit Fee: $50
MU 299 - Professional Internship in Music
Credits: 1-4
Internship opportunity for students whose curricular foundations and cocurricular experience have prepared them for professional work related to the major field. With faculty sponsorship and department approval, students may extend their educational experience into such areas as arts administration, recording, and archival work.
Prerequisites: Permission of the supervising faculty member and approval by the department.
Note(s): This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Not for liberal arts credit.
MU 304 - American Music
Credits: 3
A survey of American music from its beginnings to its contemporary developments; includes study of the influence of folk music, jazz, and rock upon the mainstream of American musical life.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 305 - Musical Orientalism in American Pop Culture
Credits: 4
An exploration of the ways Asian (formerly known as "Oriental") cultures, commodities, bodies, and sounds have been represented in American popular culture from the 19th century to the present. We will focus on a range of musical case studies to examine institutionalized and systematized projects of Othering and mis-representation and Asian subjectivities, voices of dissent, and aspects of self-Orientalism. Students will consider how sonic sterotypes have generated and maintained discourses of Orientalism in the U.S.; how the markers of "Asianness" (including "Chineseness," "Japaneseness," “Koreanness," "Vietnameseness," etc.) have changed over time in American society; and who has the authority to represent whom. Students will work in small groups to research a musical case study of their choosing and create a short documentary video discussing issues of representation and the implications of those representations for Asian communities in the United States.
Prerequisites: SSP 100.
Note(s): Fulfills Bridge Experience requirement.
MU 306 - History of Jazz in America
Credits: 3
A study of the evolution of jazz in America from its roots in various types of black folk music to its eventual emergence as an eclectic, contemporary art form. Special emphasis will be placed on the sociological implications of jazz as a genre of serious black music. Some consideration may be given to gospel, soul, and rock music, all of which are close relatives of jazz.
Prerequisites: MU 141 or permission of instructor.
MU 307 - Music and Society
Credits: 3
An introduction to interdisciplinary approaches to the study of music including the sociology, anthropology, and psychology of music. These approaches will be applied in selected areas such as education, religion, non-Western music, and popular music.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 309 - Music in South Asia
Credits: 3
An examination of the major musical phenomena of the Indian subcontinent and their historical and cultural background. Topics include Hindustani and Karnatak classical musical styles, religious music, popular music, and selected regional genres.
Prerequisites: MU 141 or permission of instructor.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanistic Inquiry and Global Cultural Perspectives requirements.
MU 310 - Music and Culture of East Asia
Credits: 4
An examination of music and culture in East Asia, focusing on three geographic regions: China/Taiwan/Hong Kong; Japan; and Korea. Students will study the areas' leading musical traditions, including main instruments, ensembles, and musical genres, and will investigate case studies from the 20th and 21st centuries. Particular attention will be given to music within significant social, political, and historical contexts.
Prerequisites: MU 141.
Note(s): Fulfills global cultural perspective.
MU 314 - Music in Mid Age and Ren
Credits: 3-4
Music In The Middle Ages and Renaissance - Major compositional genres and stylistic trends in Western music from its beginnings through the sixteenth century.
MU 315 - Mus in Baroque/Preclas
Credits: 3-4
Music In The Baroque and Pre-Classical Eras - A survey of major compositional genres and stylistic trends in Western music from about 1600 to 1750.
MU 316 - Music in Class/Romant
Credits: 3-4
Music in the Classical and Romantic Eras - A survey of the major compositional genres and stylistic trends in Western music from 1750 to 1900.
MU 317 - Music in 20th Century
Credits: 3-4
Music in the Twentieth Century - Beginning with the major composers of the turn of the century, such as Debussy, Mahler, and Ives, the course examines the important trends before 1950: impressionism, neoclassicism, and twelve-tone technique; also more recent developments in electronic, serial and "theater" music.
MU 319 - Topics In Musicology
Credits: 3
Selected topics and issues in musicology, to be announced when offered.
Prerequisites: MU 200 or permission of instructor.
Note(s): This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department.
MU 320 - Popular Music In The Age of Rock and Roll
Credits: 3
A selective survey and analysis of the musical forms, styles, and figures associated with rock and roll in the 1950s and 1960s. Included is a discussion of the musical antetypes of rock and the impact and import of sociocultural and technological change on the popular music of this era. Class involves extensive listening assignments, musical analyses, and essays.
Prerequisites: MU 141 or permission of instructor.
Note(s): Fulfills Humanities requirement.
MU 343 - Seminar in Avant-Garde Jazz and American Postwar Racial Politics
Credits: 4
An interdisciplinary exploration of the postwar jazz avant-garde, focusing on the intersection of aesthetic issues with questions of politics, gender, class, and religion.
Prerequisites: MU 242.
Note(s): Fulfills Cultural Diversity requirement.
MU 344 - Topics Seminar
Credits: 3-4
Specialized studies in topics to be announced each semester. Primarily for juniors and qualified sophomores.
MU 345 - Topics Seminar
Credits: 3-4
Specialized studies in topics to be announced each semester. Primarily for juniors and qualified sophomores.
Note(s): This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. MU 345N fulfills non-Western Cultures requirement. MU 345N fulfills Global Cultural Perspectives requirement.
MU 352 - Film Scoring
Credits: 3
Music composition and audio production techniques for film, television and documentaries. Students will learn to compose and record original compositions using either computer virtual synthesizers or a music notation program to accompany and enhance video sequences from short films/videos, feature film excerpts and television and documentary films and videos. From romantic background music to exciting action sequences, students will learn the most effective ways of creating original music that enhances the images on the screen. Commercial shorts, feature films and documentaries will be studied and analyzed for musical content and production techniques which may be applicable to student projects in this course.
Note(s): Fulfills Artistic Inquiry requirement.
MU 353 - Music Technology II: Advanced Electronic Music, Composition, and Recording Studio Techniques
Credits: 3
Development of original compositions using advanced studio techniques. Areas of study include advanced MIDI projects, computer algorithms for composition and sound synthesis, synthesizer programming, audio (SMPTE) and video (VITC) time code synchronization, digital sampling, digital multitrack recording, automated digital mixing, digital mastering for compact disk, and audio for video. Study of works in various styles by established electronic composers.
Prerequisites: MU 255 or permission of instructor.
Note(s): Weekly studio/lab work.
Lab/Credit Fee: $50
MU 354 - Analysis of Tonal Music
Credits: 3
Development of analytical techniques relevant to music of the tonal era.
Prerequisites: MU 242 or permission of instructor.
MU 355 - Digital Orchestration
Credits: 3
Study of the capabilities of orchestral instruments and ways they may be combined using state of the art digital music notation and digital sound synthesis software and hardware. Final project is writing for full orchestra and is played and recorded by the college's semi-professional orchestra.
Prerequisites: MU 242 or permission of instructor.
MU 356 - Tonal Counterpoint
Credits: 3
Study of the contrapuntal style of J.S. Bach and his contemporaries. Analysis and writing of inventions, chorale preludes, and fugues.
MU 357 - Composition
Credits: 3
Writing in smaller forms for various media.
MU 358 - Composition
Credits: 3
Writing in smaller forms for various media.
MU 359 - Advanced Composition
Credits: 3
MU 360 - Advanced Composition
Credits: 3
MU 361 - Topics in Recording Engineering and Computer Music Technology
Credits: 3
The study and practical application of advanced music technology topics chosen at the discretion of the instructor. Topics may include advanced MIDI applications; recording engineering, production, and marketing; digital synthesis, recording, and editing; intelligent synchronization; programming languages for synthesis and studies in psychoacoustics.
Note(s): This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department. Not for liberal arts credit.
MU 362 - Jazz Theory
Credits: 4
Surveys major theoretical models in jazz theory since the field emerged in the 1950s. Students will learn the terms and concepts used in jazz theory, become acquainted with the academic literature on jazz theory, and analyze musical recordings and transcriptions through both oral presentations and written assignments.
Prerequisites: MU 242.
MU 363 - Coda in Music
Credits: 2
A culminating group experience in which Majors reflect on, and synthesize, aspects of their education through guided reading and discussion, optionally while undertaking separate, independent music-related projects of their own design.
Note(s): Open to seniors only. Fulfills Senior Experience Coda requirement.
MU 371 - Independent Study in Music
Credits: 1-4
An opportunity for qualified students to pursue independent study, under the supervision of a member of the department, in any field of music.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and approval of the department.
Note(s): This course may be repeated for credit at the discretion of the department.
MU 373 - Senior Thesis
Credits: 3
Independent study and research culminating in an extensive paper and an oral symposium presentation. Thesis proposal must be submitted for departmental approval by November 15 of the senior year.
Corequisites: MU 363.
MU 374 - Senior Composition Project
Credits: 3
Independent creative project culminating in one or more compositions and an oral symposium presentation (with performance, if possible). Project proposal must be submitted for departmental approval by November 15 of the senior year.
Corequisites: MU 363.
Note(s): Not for liberal arts credit.
MU 376 - Senior Project In Music Technology
Credits: 3
Independent project culminating in a substantial product in an appropriate medium and format, and an oral symposium presentation. Project proposal must be submitted to the chair for departmental approval by November 15 of the senior year.
Corequisites: MU 363.
Note(s): Not for liberal arts credit.
MU 385 - Conducting
Credits: 3
Basic techniques of orchestral and choral conducting, score study and analysis.
Prerequisites: MU 242.
MU 399 - Professional Internship in Music
Credits: 1-4
Professional experience at an advanced level for juniors and seniors with substantial academic and cocurricular experience in the major field. With faculty sponsorship and department approval, students may extend their educational experience into such areas as arts administration, recording, and archival work.
Prerequisites: Previous study related to the area of the internship experience. Permission of the supervising faculty member and approval by the department.
Note(s): Not for liberal arts credit.