Music Courses

Mus 100 Introduction to Music (3)
Understanding the art of music through directed listening emphasizing the many uses of musical material. Uses numerous illustrations accenting the criteria that determine quality.

A Mus 102 The Golden Age of Piano Music (3)
An introduction to the art of music through the study of piano compositions from the Romantic Era. Emphasis will be placed on directed listening to live and recorded performances of major works by Chopin, Liszt, Schubert, Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, Clara and Robert Schumann, Gottschalk, Coleridge-Taylor and many others.

A Mus 105H Choral Music (3)
Although the first half of the course will cover the main forms of choral music, sacred and secular, and the most important composers from Handel to Brahms. The second half will include units on music and poetry, and on national styles in music. The final unit will be devoted to contemporary choral music, both "classical" and folk, with some emphasis on choral music around the world. The course will involve a combination of lecture, discussion and listening. Students will be expected to participate frequently in class to explain their reactions to the music we are listening to. Students will also be expected to write several short papers and a term paper. Attendance at concerts of choral music will be arranged. Some facility with music and music notation is helpful but not required; a love of listening to music is most important!

A Mus 115 Jazz: America’s Music (3)
An overview of the history of Jazz, its origins and evolution. Emphasis will be placed on the music of well-known Jazz performers and composers. Numerous illustration, listening examples and other appropriate materials will be included as part of the course material. The student will enhance his or her understanding of the truly American art form.

A Mus 208 Introduction to Opera (3)
Defining the medium, its premises and problems, its gradual formation through history, and its function as a dramatic art form. Only one of A Mus 208 and 338 may be taken for credit.

A Mus 209 (= A Aas 209) Black American Music (3)
An introduction to Black American Music. Study will include music from West Africa as well as musical/social influences throughout American History. Musical styles will include spirituals, gospel, blues, jazz and classical. Only one of A Mus 209 and A Aas 209 may be taken for credit.

A Mus 211 The Concerto (3)
Study of the concerto grosso and solo concerto from the 17th century onward, and the resulting classical forms and variations.

A Mus 212 Chamber Music (3)
History of the musical literature for small instrumental ensembles; the trio sonata, the divertimento, the string quartet and other forms of chamber music. Prerequisite(s): one 100- or 200-level music lecture course or equivalent experience.

A Mus 213 Survey of Symphonic Music (3)
Study of symphonic literature. The growth of the orchestra, symphonic forms and major symphonies. Only one of A Mus 213 and 313Z may be taken for credit.

A Mus 214 American Music (3)
American music from 1620 to the present. Prerequisite(s): one 100- or 200-level music lecture course or equivalent experience. Only one of A Mus 214 and 334 may be taken for credit.

A Mus 216 (= A Lcs 216) Music and Society in Latin America: Past and Present (3-4)
This course will deal with two basic issues: the evolution of musical thought throughout Latin America from pre-Hispanic times to the present, and the relationship between musical manifestations and the prevailing social order in which those activities took place. A Lcs 216Z & A Mus 216Z are the writing intensive versions of A Lcs 216 and A Mus 216; only one of the four courses may be taken for credit.

A Mus 217 (= A Wss 217) Women and Music (3)
An examination of the contributions of women in music through a historical survey of Western art music and a brief survey of popular and non-Western music. Works by women composers as well as other phases of women’s activities as musicians will be studied. Live performances and interviews will be arranged when possible. Only one of A Mus 217 and A Wss 217 may be taken for credit.

A Mus 218 Special Topics in Music (1–4)
Consult fall and spring schedule of classes for specific topics. May be repeated for credit when topic differs.

A Mus 219 Rock Music in Historical Perspective (3)
This course surveys rock styles from the 1950s through the early 1990s focusing on records and their historical context. The material covers a broad range of artists and topics representing rock’s stylistic diversity and cultural significance. In addition to historical analysis, emphasis will be placed on active listening with an ear for elements of record production as well as musical style. Only one of A Mus 219 and 319Z may be taken for credit.

A Mus 223 Modern Jazz: Bebop to Free Jazz and Beyond (3)
This course will explore the major composer/performers and music ideas of this improvisatory art form, with an emphasis on Charlie Yardbird Parker and his influence on the post-bop, modal and impressionistic forms that followed in the music of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman. It will survey special topics including singers, Latin Jazz, Jazz Fusion, the creative movements from Chicago, and current trends. Only one of A Mus 223 and A Mus 323 may be taken for credit.

T Mus 223 Modern Jazz: Bebop to Free Jazz and Beyond (3)
This course will explore the major composer/performers and music ideas of this improvisatory art form, with an emphasis on Charlie Yardbird Parker and his influence on the post-bop, modal and impressionistic forms that followed in the music of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman. It will survey special topics including singers, Latin Jazz, Jazz Fusion, the creative movements from Chicago, and current trends. Only one of A Mus 223 and A Mus 323 may be taken for credit. T Mus 223 is the Honors College version of A Mus 233; only one may be taken for credit.

A Mus 225 (= A Jst 215) Music of the Jewish People (3)
A survey of significant features and trends emerging from the evolving history, musical literature, and aesthetics of Jewish musical expression. Explores the musical implications of the multi-national, multi-ethnic nature of Jewish peoplehood, the complex interplay between Jewish identity and musical expression, and the dynamic interaction between Jewish communities and surrounding host cultures. Prerequisite(s): One 100-level Music course or any one of A Jst 150, 155, or 254, or permission of instructor.

A Mus 226 Hip Hop Music and Culture (3)
This course examines the evolution of Hip Hop music and culture (Graffiti art, B-Boying [breakdancing], DJ-ing, and MC-ing) from its birth in 1970's New York to its global and commercial explosion in the late 1990's. Students learn to think critically about both Hip Hop culture, and about the historical and political contexts in which Hip Hop culture took, and continues to take, shape. Particular attention is paid to questions of race, gender, authenticity, consumption, commodification, and globalization.

A Mus 229 Jazz Fusion: History and Repertory (3)
This course will trace the evolution of the musical genre called jazz fusion, which emerged from the meeting, in the late 1960s and 1970s, of jazz, rock, blues, and funk, using listening examples, video clips, narratives and musical criticism. The role of its initial guiding force, Miles Davis, will be explored, along with the work of those who influenced its beginnings: British blues-inflected rock and Jimi Hendrix, American blues, rhythm and blues, and early funk. Particular attention will be on the participants in Miles Davis’ seminal “Bitches Brew” sessions and early touring bands – and the groups that they spawned, including Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, John McLaughlin, and Chick Corea. Only one of A Mus 229 and A Mus 329 may be taken for credit.

A Mus 230 Music History I (3)
Intensive study of the music of Western civilization from antiquity to the mid-18th century. Prerequisite(s): A Mus100. Offered fall semester only.

A Mus 231 Music History II (3)
Intensive study of the music of Western civilization from the mid-18th century to the present. Prerequisite(s): A Mus100. Offered spring semester only.

A Mus 313Z Survey of Symphonic Music (3)
Covers the same material as A Mus 213, but on a more advanced level. In addition to all other course work, students do music analysis, readings in musicology, and a research paper in consultation with the instructor. Only one of A Mus 213 and 313Z may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 231.

A Mus 319Z Rock Music in Historical Perspective (3)
Covers the same material as A Mus 219, but on a more advanced level. In addition to all other course work, students do music analysis, readings in musicology, and a research paper in consultation with the instructor. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 100. Only one of A Mus 219 and 319Z may be taken for credit.

A Mus 323 Modern Jazz: Bebop to Free Jazz and Beyond (3)
Covers the same material as A Mus 223 but on a more advance level. In addition to course work required in A Mus 223, students engage in musical analysis, additional readings in musicology, and complete a more extensive final paper. Only one of A Mus 223 and A Mus 323 may be taken for credit.

A Mus 329 Jazz Fusion: History and Repertory (3)
This course will trace the evolution of the musical genre called jazz fusion, which covers the same material as A Mus 229 but on a more advanced level. In addition to course work required in A Mus 229, students engage in musical analysis, additional readings in musicology, and complete a more extensive final paper. Only one of A Mus 229 and A Mus 329 may be taken for credit.

A Mus 334 Survey of American Music (3)
A historical survey of American music, from its roots in the early 17th century to contemporary times. Only one of A Mus 214 and 334 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 100.

A Mus 335/W/Y/Z Music Since 1900: Art and the Popular Music (3)
This course examines the reciprocal relationship between “high” and “popular” culture during the past hundred years. Twentieth–century art music topics such as atonality, nationalism and minimalism will be considered in conjunction with vernacular genres such as folk music and Tin Pan Alley. The effects of mass–mediation and technology on aesthetics and perception will be explored through writings by composers, critics and sound artists as well as assigned listening. Additional topics include the culture industry, modernism, the experimental tradition, and the music appreciation movement. Class format is based on lectures, discussion, oral presentations and independent writing projects. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 100 or permission of instructor.

A Mus 336/W/Y/Z (=A Wss 336) Representations: Music, Gender, Race, and Class (3)
This course will examine portrayals of gender, race and class across a wide range of musical media, including film, opera, theater and song. Through a series of theoretical readings and listening/viewing assignments, we will investigate historical and contemporary issues concerning self-representation and the representation of others. Who has the right to speak, and for whom? How can music convey ideas about identity? The many ways music communicates meaning will be explored through lectures, discussion, small-group presentations, and independent writing projects. Prerequisite(s): AMUS100 or permission of instructor.

A Mus 338 Survey of Opera (3)
An introduction to the forms and conventions of musical dramas. Selected works from its Florentine beginning through the 20th century. Video presentations and live performances will be arranged when possible. Only one of A Mus 208 and 338 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 100.

A Mus 432Z Music of the Baroque Period (3)
Study of the music of the period, approximately 1600–1750, from the invention of opera through the works of J. S. Bach and Handel. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 230.

A Mus 433Z Music of the Classical and Romantic Periods (3)
Intensive study of the music and the composers of these periods, emphasizing the various forms of genres. The music from J. S. Bach’s sons and Gluck to the symphonic works of Brahms, Mahler, and Richard Strauss. May not be taken for credit by students with credit for A Mus 434Z. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 230 and 231.

A Mus 435Z Music of the 20th Century (3)
Identifying and examining the major musical genres of the century, the literature of the principal media and the masterworks, as well as the influence of electronic instruments and sound, and non-Western music. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 230 and 231.

A Mus 436 Music Since 1950 (3)
The literature, aesthetics and techniques of contemporary music for instruments, voices and electronic media. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 230 and 231.

Music Theory
A Mus 110 Basic Music Theory (3)
Consideration of the rhythmic, melodic and harmonic elements of music through writing, dictation and analysis of rhythm, modes, intervals, keys, scales, triads in progression and form. Analysis of a variety of musical styles. Previous musical experience helpful but not necessary. Students with credit for A Mus 245 will not, subsequently, receive additional credit for A Mus 110. A Mus 110 and A Mus 245 may not be taken concurrently.

A Mus 245 Theory I (4)
An examination of fundamental materials basic to tonal music including chord structures harmonic function, and simple part writing with root position diatonic chords. Introduction to musical notation software. Ear-training and sight-singing work coordinated with written and analytical work.

A Mus 247 Theory II (4)
Inverted triads, nonharmonic tones, part-writing with seventh chords. Ear-training and sight-singing work coordinated with written and analytical work.

A Mus 345 (previously A Mus 240) Theory III (4)
Basic Chromatic Harmony: secondary chords, modulation and basic form from the harmonic standpoint, mode mixture chords, and an introduction to fugal analysis. Ear-training and sight-singing work coordinated with written and analytical work.

A Mus 347 (Previously A Mus 242) Theory IV (4)
Advanced Chromatic Harmony and Twentieth-Century Techniques: Augmented Sixth Chords, Enharmonic Modulation, And Other Chromatic Chords. Study of Sonata Form from a harmonic standpoint. Ear-training and sight-singing work coordinated with written and analytical work.

A Mus 350 Orchestration I (3)
Basic instrumental techniques, principles of orchestration and scoring for various instrumental ensembles. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 247.

A Mus 352 Tonal Counterpoint (3)
The art of combining musical lines in a tonal idiom. Analysis of models from the literature of the 18th and 19th centuries. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 247.

A Mus 455 Form and Analysis of Tonal Music (3)
Analysis of selected works of instrumental and vocal literature and their compositional techniques, with emphasis on the important formal types. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 345.

Composition and Electronic Music and Media
A Mus 321 Composition I (3)
Individual instruction in the fundamentals of music composition. Limited to departmental majors in composition. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 245 and permission of instructor.

A Mus 322 Advanced Composition (3)
A continuation of studies initiated in A Mus 320 or 321. Credit does not apply toward departmental programs in composition or music technology. May be repeated for a total of 12 credits. Only one of A Mus 322 or 420 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 321 and permission of instructor.

A Mus 325 Introduction to Electronic Music and Media (3)
An integrated approach to the history, theories, and aesthetics of electronic music, sound, and radiophonic art and multi-media, including basic acoustics, compositional techniques, and sensitive listening skills. This course is a prerequisite for A Mus 426.

A Mus 327 Computer Applications in Music I (3)
The course will provide students with practical experience employing music notation software in basic musical applications such as notation, sound design and audio editing. Students will be expected to become familiar with the MIDI studio and with four software packages: Finale, Nightingale, Overture, Digital Performer and Sound Tools. Enrollment will be limited to twelve students per term in order to give students ample opportunity to work in the music technology lab. Only one of A Mus 227, A Mus 327 and the former A Mus 254 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s):A Mus 245.

A Mus 420 Composition II (3)
Individualized instruction in musical composition to develop technical skills in creative expression. Limited to department majors in composition. May be repeated for a total of 12 credits; only one of A Mus 322 or 420 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 321.

A Mus 426 (=A Art 426 and A Thr 426) Studio Work in Electronic Music and Media (3)
This course will provide students with basic studio techniques for field recording, digital audio editing, signal processing, and composition. Projects will reflect a variety of aesthetic approaches and disciplines from the experimental tradition in Electronic Music to sound art, multimedia applications, and related fields. Only one of A Art 426, A Mus 426, and A Thr 426 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 325 or equivalent and/or permission of instructor.

A Mus 427 (=A Art 427 and A Thr 427) Seminar in Electronic Music and Media (3)
This course is an advanced seminar in sound design, audio art, electronic musical composition, and related fields, with an emphasis on evaluation and discussion of creative studio work produced by students. A continuation of studies initiated in A Mus 426/ A Art 426, with a focus on advanced techniques and aesthetics. Only one of A Art 427, A Mus 427, and A Thr 427 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Art 426/A Mus 426.

A Mus 428 (=A Art 428 and A Thr 428) Sound Design and Multimedia (3)
Theory and techniques of how sound and music are composed for use in multi-media fields, including Theatre, the World-Wide Web, installation art, CD-ROM, and video. Students will work on original projects in their respective disciplines. The focus of this course will vary. Only one of A Art 428, A Mus 428, and A Thr 428 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 426 or equivalent.

A Mus 429 (=A Art 429 and A Thr 429) Live Electronic Performance (3)
A survey of the history, techniques, and aesthetics of live electronic music and sound installation art, beginning in the 1960s. The course will include instruction in interactive and other forms of performance practice, as well as techniques for live sound production. Students will perform and tech original works and re-creations of historical works. May be repeated for a total of 12 credits. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 426 or equivalent.

A Mus 430 Electronic Music Studio Assistantship (2-4)
Faculty directed student supervision in the Electronic Music Studios. Course meets one hour each week in a seminar setting to discuss issues in electronic music computing, applications, and techniques. Students devote two hours for each credit hour (minus one hour for the weekly seminar session) to student supervision. May be repeated for a total of six credits. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

Performance Classes
A Mus 360 Conducting I (3)
Introduction to the elements of conducting, including score-reading, baton technique and aural perception. Emphasizes choral and orchestral literature of the 18th and 19th centuries. Concurrent participation in a university ensemble is required. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 247. or permission of instructor.

A Mus 361 Conducting II (Choral) (3)
Individual instruction in conducting. Further study of baton technique, rehearsal techniques, ensemble vocal techniques, and score study, covering literature of a broad spectrum but emphasizing the literature performed by department ensembles. Concurrent enrollment in an appropriate ensemble is required. Conducting and/or assisting with an ensemble may be part of a student’s work. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 360; A Mus 347 or concurrent enrollment therein; A Mus 270 or concurrent enrollment therein; and permission of instructor.

A Mus 373 String Instruments I (3)
Performance on the string instruments. Course includes the basic techniques and the fundamental problems involved in playing and teaching the violin, viola, cello and contrabass. Open to all students who can read music. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor.

A Mus 461 Conducting III (Choral) (3)
Advanced individual instruction in choral conducting. Further study of the areas defined in A Mus 361. Concurrent enrollment in an appropriate ensemble is required. Students at this level will be expected to function as assistant conductors of an ensemble. Normally, students will give a conducting recital at the end of their senior year, or participate as conductor in recitals several times over the year. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 361 at B- or better; concurrent enrollment in an appropriate ensemble; and permission of instructor.

Performance Study
The study of keyboard, voice or orchestral instruments. Functional Piano is limited to students enrolled in the music theory core courses (majors or minors) who have not satisfied the piano competency requirement. Secondary Performance Study is available for majors or minors and students in performing ensembles when funding or scheduling permits. Major Performance Study is limited to music majors accepted into the Departmental Program in Performance. Both Major and Secondary Performance Study require concurrent enrollment in an appropriate performing ensemble (keyboard & guitarists excepted) and permission of the instructor and the department chair.

A Mus 165 Functional Piano I (1)
Co-requisite: A Mus 245.

A Mus 166 Functional Piano II (1)
Prerequisite(s): A Mus 165 or permission of instructor.

A Mus 170 Secondary Performance (1)
May be repeated for credit.

A Mus 178 Major Performance Study I (3)

A Mus 270 Secondary Performance (3)
May be repeated for credit.

A Mus 278 Major Performance Study II (3)
Prerequisite(s): A Mus 178.

A Mus 378 Major Performance Study III (3)
Prerequisite(s): A Mus 278.

A Mus 379 Major Performance Study IV (3)
Prerequisite(s): A Mus 378.

A Mus 478 Major Performance Study V (3)
Prerequisite(s): A Mus 379.

A Mus 479 Major Performance Study VI (3)
Prerequisite(s): A Mus 478. May be repeated for credit.
Performance study is available in the following subject areas: piano, harpsichord, guitar, organ, voice, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, harp, viola, violin, violoncello and string bass.

Performing Ensembles
Open to all students by audition except where noted otherwise. May be repeated for credit.

A Mus 180 Chamber Ensembles (1)

A Mus 182 University Percussion Ensemble (1)

A Mus 183 Pep Band (1)
S/U graded.

A Mus 184 University Jazz Ensemble (1)

A Mus 185 University-Community Symphony Orchestra (1)

A Mus 186 University-Community Symphonic Band (1)

A Mus 187 University-Community Chorale (1)
No audition required.

A Mus 287 University Chamber Singers (2)

A Mus 289 Electric Music Ensemble (1)
A performance ensemble consisting of an eclectic mix of acoustic and electronic instruments. Repertoire will span a wide spectrum of musical forms, form art music and live electronic performance, to experimental popular music. Participants will be encouraged to direct their own works. There will be a special focus on realizations of important historical works. Prerequisite(s):Permission of instructor but successful completion of A Mus 325 preferred. S/U graded.

Additional Course Areas
A Mus 293 The Music Industry (3)
An introduction to the music industry in America including its impact on society and its creative, legal, and business components.

A Mus 295 Audio Recording Fundamentals (3)
An examination of the basic equipment used for audio recording and the technical application of this equipment. Recording projects will provide “hands on” experience. Limited class size. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 100 and permission of instructor.

A Mus 315 (= A Art 315 and A Thr 315) Arts Management (3)
An overview of the conceptual and practical management structures and systems in professional, not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations. The course focuses on areas of prime importance to the arts manager: organizational structure, planning, board/staff leadership, programming and budgeting. Term project required. Only one of A Mus 315 and A Thr 315 may be taken for credit.
Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor.

A Mus 393 The Music Industry (3)
Covers the same material as A Mus 293, but on a more advanced level. In addition to all other course work, students participate in a recording project and document the experience in a paper of approximately 2500 words. Prerequisite(s): A Mus 100.

A Mus 398 Special Topics in Music (1–4)
Subject matter varies. Consult fall and spring schedule of classes for specific topics. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

A Mus 490 Internship in Music (1-4)
Opportunities for qualified individual students for training in an internship capacity with respected professional organizations. Students write an internship report under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 12 credits provided the internship offers different learning and training. Prerequisite(s): music major and permission of department chair. S/U graded.

A Mus 497 Independent Study (1–4)
Intensive study in areas of specific interest to the music major. This restricted offering represents a culmination of concentration in one of the designated programs and serves as a basis for further study at the graduate level. The project report is completed under the direction of a staff member. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite(s): music major and permission of department chair.