Courses in Music
Music History, Musicology, and Ethnomusicology
A MUS 100 Introduction to Music (3)
Designed to acquaint students with important concepts and terminology underlying western music from the Middle Ages through the present. Active listening and discussion of relevant musical examples will help students enhance their enjoyment of music, develop critical perspectives, and understand the role of music in the humanities. No previous musical experience needed.
A MUS 102 The Golden Age of Piano Music (3)
This course will survey some of the great literature for piano with a special emphasis on specific works by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Weber, Chopin, and Brahms; we will explore piano repertoire from the 20th and 21st centuries as well. In addition to hearing performances of this music we will discuss our subjective responses to the music and also study the historical context and the architectural structure of the pieces, with an emphasis on sonata allegro form, minuet and trio form, and variation form. The course will include some discussion of the history of keyboard instruments, the great pianists, and some basic music theory. The piano in the context of duets, chamber music, and the concerto will also be discussed, and both student and faculty guests will come in to demonstrate this ensemble music. The course is designed to be integrated into the specific concert offerings at the University each term, and attendance at certain concerts of music for piano is mandatory. Near the end of the term we will devote some time to the music of today and the keyboard outside of the realm of classical music. Students will give presentations on a piece of their choosing (that includes keyboard of some type) and discuss it for the class in terms of the language learned during the course of the semester.
A MUS 105 Choral Music (3)
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 illustrations, listening examples and other appropriate materials will be included as part of the course content.
A MUS 183 Spirit Band (3)
(Formerly Pep Band) The UAlbany Spirit Band. May be repeated for credit. Offered spring semester only.
A MUS 122 Music Appreciation: Engaging Creatively with Music (3)
An introduction to analysis and theory through exposure to selected classical and popular Music. Concepts of rhythm, melody, harmony, and form will be explored in a variety of historical and modern musical styles. Students will attend concerts in the Performing Arts Center in conjunction with classroom activities and discussion, write a concert report, and present on music of their choice using vocabulary learned in the course.
A MUS 202 (formerly A CAS 202) Understanding the Arts (3)
Interdisciplinary course designed to foster an awareness and understanding the significance of major works of Western art, music, and literature. Special attention will be given to the influences of the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and South America placing Western art in a global perspective. Students will gain skills in perceiving and analyzing works of art drawn from various periods and cultures. Artistic genres to be covered include: music, visual arts including cinema and architecture, and literary arts.
A MUS 204 (= A PHY 204) Physics of Music (3)
Why does one musical chord sound consonant, the other dissonant? How does the human ear work? Why do musical instruments sound so distinctive? How can musical sound be faithfully recorded, and then reproduced in a life-like manner? In this course, the class will use physical methods and principles to answer these questions. The class will start with the physics of sound production, transmission, and reception. It will then investigate the workings of the ear, and its relation to the perception of sound; the origin and development of musical scales; the design and workings of musical instruments; and the spoken and singing voice. The class will end with the science of auditorium acoustics, and high-fidelity sound recording and reproduction. This is a course ideal for musicians with scientific curiosity, or for non-musicians curious to see how science illuminates and supports many facets of musical activity. Does not yield credit towards the majors or minors in Physics and in Music. Only one version may be taken for credit.
A MUS 208 Introduction to 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 209 (= A AFS 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 version of A MUS 209 may be taken for credit.
T MUS 209 Black American Music (3)
This introduction to Black American Music is often taught as a survey of music and musical aesthetics of the African Diaspora. Musical styles may include spirituals, gospel, blues, jazz and classical. Some semesters may feature a specialized area of emphasis. In Spring 2019, the focus will be on two important African American musicians of the late 20th century, Jimi Hendrix and Nina Simone, with an eye to their construction, representation, and self-understanding of personal, collective, and musical identity. T MUS 209 is the Honors College version of A MUS 209; only one may be taken for credit.
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 or 313Z may be taken for credit.
A MUS 214 American Music (3)
This course explores the history of music in the United States through the prism of the nation's most persistent cultural issue, race relations. From the earliest transatlantic contacts to the present day, the act of music-making is viewed as a complex response to both the inherited traditions of Europe and Africa and a changing environment. Topics include spirituals, gospel, and Protestantism; minstrelsy and the entertainment industry; nationalism and the symphony; experimental music of the 20th century; and vernacular genres such as folksong and the blues. Only one of A MUS 214, T MUS 214 or A MUS 334 may be taken for credit.
T MUS 214 American Music (3)
Formerly A MUS 214H. T MUS 214 is the Honors College version of A MUS 214. Only one of A MUS 214, T MUS 214, or A MUS 334 may be taken for credit.
A MUS 216/216Z (= A LCS 216/216Z) Music and Society in Latin America: Past and Present (3)
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. Only one version of A MUS 216 may be taken for credit.
T MUS 216 (= T LCS 216) Music and Society in Latin America: Past and Present (3)
T MUS 216 is the Honors College version of A MUS 216; only one 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 version of A MUS 217 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2018-2019.
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 or 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 musical 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, T MUS 223 or A MUS 323 may be taken for credit.
T MUS 223 Modern Jazz: Bebop to Free Jazz and Beyond (3)
T MUS 223 is the Honors College version of A MUS 223. Only one of A MUS 223, T MUS 223 or A MUS 323 may be taken for credit.
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 1970s New York to its global and commercial explosion in the late 1990s. 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 or 329 may be taken for credit.
A MUS 280 Music, Creativity, and the Law (3)
When a musician or other creator uses (copies, imitates, quotes, borrows, samples, alludes to) pre-existing material, who decides what kind of use is fair or unfair, legitimate, or illegitimate, borrowing or stealing—and how are those decisions reached? This course examines these questions through the lens of the law, in particular the law governing copyright. As the industry’s “currency,” copyright affects all aspects of how music is made, distributed, and consumed today. Equally important, copyright law affects our understanding of music’s very identity—our sense of what a “work” of music really is. Only one of A MUS 280 or A MUS 380 may be taken for credit.
A MUS 300 (formerly A MUS 230) Early Music (3)
An in-depth study of the musical traditions of Europe from antiquity to ca. 1750 with an emphasis on the evolution of notation. Topics include music of the Church, Ars Nova, courtly love tradition, Renaissance polyphony, Baroque opera, Vivaldi, and Bach. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100. Offered fall semester only.
A MUS 301 (formerly A MUS 231) Music History: Common Practice Era (3)
Formerly A MUS 231. An in-depth study of the musical culture of Europe from the 18th through early 20th centuries with an emphasis on score reading. Topics include opera seria and buffa; Viennese classicism from Mozart to Beethoven; Romanticism from Schubert to Wagner and Verdi; and modernists Schoenberg, Stravinsky, and Bartok. May not be taken for credit by students with credit for A MUS 231. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100. Offered spring semester only.
A MUS 311 Music and Social Justice (3)
What role do musicians and music institutions play in the pursuit of social justice? This course explores this question by examining recent works, genres, and practices in the United States and internationally from both "art" and popular realms. Our themes include social protest, resistance, and survival; access and accessibility; property and labor relations; and environmental justice. How is a concern for societal well-being expressed musically? How does it affect the listening experience, impact musicians' lives, and intervene in the historical record and contemporary developments? Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100 or permission of instructor.
A MUS 313Z Survey of Symphonic Music (3)
Study of symphonic literature. The growth of the orchestra, symphonic forms and major symphonies. 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 or 313Z may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 230 and A MUS 301.
A MUS 319Z 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. 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. Only one of A MUS 219 or 319Z may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100 or permission of the instructor.
A MUS 323 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. 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, T MUS 223, or A MUS 323 may be taken for credit.
A MUS 325 Analog and Digital: The Culture of Electronic Musical Composition (3)
An integrated approach to the history, theories, and aesthetics of electronic music and sound art, including basic acoustics, compositional techniques, and sensitive listening skills. Topics will be considered within historical and cultural context. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100 or permission of the instructor.
A MUS 329 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. 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 or A MUS 329 may be taken for credit.
A MUS 332 (= A JST 332; formerly 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. Issues to be addressed include musical implications of the multi-national, multi-ethnic nature of Jewish peoplehood; the complex interplay between Jewish identity and musical expression; the multi-faceted nature of the term "Jewish", and the dynamic interaction between Jewish communities and surrounding host cultures, as diverse influences have been perpetually refracted through the lens of the Jewish experience. Course work will include listening, reading and writing assignments, integrated within a lecture and discussion format. Only one version A MUS/A JST 332, A MUS 225 or A JST 215 may be taken for credit. May not be offered in 2019-2020.
A MUS 334 Survey of American Music (3)
This course explores the history of music in the United States through the prism of the nation's most persistent cultural issue, race relations. From the earliest transatlantic contacts to the present day, the act of music-making is viewed as a complex response to both the inherited traditions of Europe and Africa and a changing environment. Topics include spirituals, gospel, and Protestantism; minstrelsy and the entertainment industry; nationalism and the symphony; experimental music of the 20th century; and vernacular genres such as folksong and the blues. Students complete all the requirements for A MUS 214, plus additional readings, written work, and presentations. Only one of A MUS 214, T MUS 214 or A MUS 334 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s) A MUS 100.
A MUS 335/335W/335Y/335Z Music Since 1900: Art and the Popular (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. Only one version of A MUS 335 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100 or permission of instructor.
A MUS 336/336W/336Y/336Z (= A WSS 336/336W/336Y/336Z) 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. Only one version of A MUS 336 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100 or permission of instructor. May not be offered in 2018-2019.
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 or 338 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100.
A MUS 340 Film Sound, Music, and Musicals (3)
This course explores the hundred-year history of music's use in cinema from live accompaniment of silent film to synchronized soundtracks and digital technologies. Students will develop basic tools for analyzing audio-visual relationships and examine landmark uses of film sound and music in the context of technological and industry developments. We will explore major composers such as Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann, and John Williams, pop-based compilation scores, the introduction of Dolby noise reduction, and cultural analysis of the Hollywood musical. The objective is to develop a comparative understanding of the function and aesthetics of music and sound in cinema from its earliest days to the present. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100 or permission of the instructor.
A MUS 380 Forensic Musicology in Theory and Practice (3)
Forensic musicologists often serve as expert witnesses in court. In this course, students will (i) examine and evaluate the ways in which the techniques of music theory and analysis have been used in service of forensic musicology; (ii) assess the persuasiveness of existing forensic-musicological analyses by studying significant music copyright cases; (iii) prepare forensic analyses, both for and against claims of copyright infringement, using hypothetical cases; and (iv) be able to situate current standard of forensic-musicological within the larger history of music and intellectual property. Only one of A MUS 280 or A MUS 380 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 245 or permission of instructor.
A MUS 385 (= A WSS 385) Music, Power, and Digital Tech (3)
An introduction to critical digital studies in music and gaming. Music and technology, freedom of expression and equity, sound studies and apps, are explored using inter-disciplinary thinking from ethnomusicology, feminist studies, the digital humanities, sociology, human-computer interaction, and more. A pressing, real-world ethical issue in music and/or gaming is studied each term. Making content like the people we study is a critical research method. Only one version may be taken for credit.
A MUS 451 (= A AFS 451) Jazz, Identity and the Human Spirit (3)
This course will explore issues of identity, spirituality, entrepreneurship, cultural transmission and politics viewed through the lens of the musical tradition called jazz. Topics will include saxophonist John Coltrane's musical-spiritual search, the musical-mythos of bandleader Sun Ra, musician-led organizations and movements with a focus on the Chicago-based Association for the Advancement of Creative Music (AACM), jazz and social protest, ideas about black experimentalist traditions and controversies about the use of electronics in the work of Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock, the cultural roots of jazz and questions about the nature of musical genres and boundaries. The course will include lecture, listening, small group presentations and class discussion. Only one version of A MUS 451 may be taken for credit.
A MUS 495 Research Seminar (3)
A capstone course focused on writing about music from historical and theoretical perspectives. Discussion and analysis of seminal readings and repertory are based on skills and conceptual tools acquired through prior coursework in the major. Strategies for critical writing about music will be developed through examination of current methodologies and resources. The course culminates in the development of a substantial independent research project, which may include a performative component. May be repeated for credit when content varies. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 247 and A MUS 301.
Music Theory and Composition
A MUS 110 Rudiments of Music (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 245 may not be taken concurrently.
A MUS 245 Theory I (3-4)
An introduction to the foundational elements of music theory, including pitch and pitch class, rhythm and meter, major and minor scales, keys, intervals, triads, seventh chords, simple two-voice counterpoint, and simple four-part writing. Ear-training and sight-singing work are coordinated with written and analytical work. Keyboard Harmony and Performance (A MUS 265 or 270) and/or Aural Skills (A MUS 263 or 264) should be taken concurrently. Both A MUS 245 and A MUS 265 are offered in fall semester only.
A MUS 247 Theory II (3)
Part-writing with inverted triads and seventh chords, introduction to form through cadential types, nonharmonic tones, fundamentals of harmonic syntax in a diatonic context, introduction to chromatic harmony through secondary (applied) chords. Ear-training and sight-singing work are coordinated with written and analytical work. Keyboard Harmony (A MUS 265 or 270) and/or Aural Skills (A MUS 263 or 264) should be taken concurrently. A MUS 245 or permission of instructor. Offered spring semester only.
A MUS 321 Composition I (3)
Individual instruction in the fundamentals of music composition. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 245 or equivalent and permission of instructor.
A MUS 322 Advanced Composition (3)
A continuation of studies initiated in A MUS 321. Credit does not apply toward departmental programs in composition or music technology. May be repeated for a total of 12 credits. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 321 and permission of instructor.
A MUS 333 Songwriters and Songwriting (3)
This course delves into the nuts and bolts of songwriting in several popular idioms. All aspects of music and lyric writing will be explored using songs from the popular repertory as models. The learning will be active, a combination of analysis and composition.
A MUS 345 (formerly A MUS 240) Theory III (3-4)
Chromatic harmony, including: advanced uses of applied chords, mode mixture, Neapolitan and augmented sixth chords, enharmonic reinterpretation and modulation, chromatic sequences, omnibus and related progressions. Small forms, including: phrases, sentences, periods, binaries. Ear-training and sight-singing coordinated with written and analytical work. Prerequisite(s) A MUS 247, 263 or 264, and 265 or 270. Offered fall semester only.
A MUS 347 (formerly A MUS 242) Theory IV (3)
Advanced special topics such as form and analysis; post tonal theory; modal, tonal and dissonant counterpoint; post-common-practice tonality; model composition; schema theory; music and rhetoric. May be repeated for credit with different content.. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 247, 263 or 264, and 265 or 270.
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
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 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. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 321.
A MUS 426 (= A ART 426 & A THR 426) Music Composition in Electronic Media I (3)
An introduction to compositional and studio techniques for electronic music composition. Students will gain exposure to digital audio editing and sequencing, basic signal processing, and relevant musical structures. Projects will reflect a variety of aesthetic approaches and disciplines from experimental traditions, sound art, multimedia, and more popular forms. Only one version of A MUS 426 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 100 or permission of instructor.
A MUS 427 (= A ART 427 & A THR 427) Music Composition in Electronic Media II (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 version of A MUS 427 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 426, A ART 426, A THR 426 or permission of instructor.
A MUS 428 (= A ART 428 & A THR 428) Sound Design for Film, Theatre, and Media (3)
Studio projects grounded in theory and history of sound and musical composition for multimedia fields, among them film, video, and theater. Students will work on original studio projects in a variety of disciplines. Only one version of A MUS 428 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): at least one of the following: A MUS 426, A ART 426, A THR 426, A ART 282, A ART 383, A DOC 406, A HIS 406, or permission of instructor.
Performance Classes
A MUS 263 Aural Skills (2)
This laboratory-style course will develop the skills necessary to identify and reproduce the elements of music. We will train through active participation in interval identification, notation reading, sight-singing, and dictation. Students will learn to hear textures, chord function and cadential progressions, blues harmony, call and response, a variety of cultural styles, and more. Prior experience is not required.
A MUS 264 Aural Skills for Vocalists (3)
This laboratory-style course develops the skills necessary to identify and reproduce the elements of vocal music. We will train through active participation in interval identification, notation reading, sight-singing, and dictation, with special emphasis on vocal literature. Students will study the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and receive diction training. Students will also learn to hear textures, chord function and cadential progressions, blues harmony, call and response, a variety of cultural styles, and more. Prior experience is not required. Instrumentalists are welcome, but may prefer MUS 263 Aural Skills, with a broader focus on instrumental music.
A MUS 265 Keyboard Harmony and Performance (2)
A course aimed at developing basic keyboard skills, including hand technique, keyboard harmony, and sight reading. The course is reserved primarily for students enrolled in the Theory sequence (A MUS 245 and 247). Assignments include root position triads and seventh chords in every key; major and minor scales; and playing chorales, solos, and duet repertoire. A MUS 265 or 270 must be completed before taking A MUS 345.
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 375 Analysis and Synthesis: The Performer's World (3)
This course is designed for students who are performance majors or have considerable experience performing on their major instrument. We will dive into the world of preparing for a performance: repertoire selection and programming skills; practice habits and theoretical analysis; memorizing and performance anxiety; and lastly, program note writing and lecture/recitals. Music will be analyzed in detail and put into its historical context before the synthesis of performance can take place. Topics will vary from term to term and will be chosen to reflect the interests and instruments of the people in the class. The class will attend concerts en masse and discuss them. Each student's final project will consist of a presentation in the Recital Hall, which will include a performance, written document, and lecture to the class. Prerequisite(s): A MUS 245 or permission of the 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. 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 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.
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 181 Marching Band (1)
Fall only.
A MUS 182 University Percussion Ensemble (1)
A MUS 183 Pep Band (1)
Spring only.
A MUS 184 University-Community 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)
Additional Course Areas
A MUS 218 Special Topics in Music (1–4)
Consult fall and spring schedule of classes for specific topics. May be repeated for credit if content varies.
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 content varies. Prerequisite(s): 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.
