Music Courses

Designed to teach students the basic tools and elements of music and its notation. Students learn to become literate in the fundamentals of music (reading and writing music notes, intervals, scales, chords, rhythms, structure...) and apply that knowledge to composition (e.g. a group project composing a brief " percussion " ensemble piece) and basic piano skills. Discussions of the importance of music in society and in education. Listening skills are developed over the course of the semester.

3 CreditsF 

Uses the historical development of " Western " music literature as the basis for forming a better understanding of the art of music. Listening skills are developed over the course of the semester.

3 CreditsF 

Introduces the aesthetic experience as a phenomenon of the human condition. Emphasizes an understanding of what the aesthetic experience is and learning to maximize the experience through perception of how the elements of an art work interact. Students learn to take from art what it uniquely offers.

3 CreditsF 

World Musics and Cultures is a survey class intended to educate students about a variety of different cultures and how music functions in human society. Cultures covered will include South Asia (India and Pakistan), East Asia (China, Japan, and Korea), the Caribbean (Jamaica, Trinidad, and Cuba), and Sub-Saharan Africa, along with other possibilities.

3 CreditsF, I, SWGH1 

This course explores concepts of form -- the use and organization of aesthetic space -- through studies of how " building and bridge architects " and " musical architects " (composers and producers) structure artforms. Artifacts include everything from Ellis Hall and Brumbaugh Academic Center to large-scale bridges and the works of Frank Gehry, and from simple A-B-A forms to advanced classical and " art rock " musical forms.

3 CreditsWK-FR

This course and its lab covers concepts of physics as applied to music. Topics include sound and resonance, pitch and tuning systems, psychoacoustics, anatomy of the ear, workings of musical instruments, electronic music fundamentals and literature, a review of musical notation, and aural recognition of intervals and pitches. Students will design and build a musical instrument, and participate in a performance.

4 CreditsF, N 

This course explores popular musics throughout American history, from Revolutionary War era through 20th century. Units on mainstream pop/rock, jazz and its ancestors, early town bands, musical theatre, country, fragmentation of the market in the 1960's, and other topics are included. Students complete various presentations and readings on topics affecting the development of mainstream pop music.

4 CreditsF,WK-CEPrerequisite: FYC-101 or EN-110 or EN-109.

Allows the departments to offer special topics not normally offered. Departments may offer more than one special topic. Prerequisites vary by title.

1-4 Credits  

Music Literacy provides student musicians an opportunity to complete the Ways of Knowing Creative Expression requirement by learning to speak and write knowledgeably about an instrument, the music they are performing, and music's cultural context, as well as music history and theory. Develops active listening skills. To enroll in this course and to earn the Creative Expression requirement, students must have taken prior to and/or concurrently with this course, 3 credits of MU courses, taken in the same instrument.

1 CreditWK-CEInstructor permission is required.

Allows the departments to offer special topics not normally offered. Departments may offer more than one special topic. Prerequisites vary by title.

1-4 Credits  

Provides supplements to the regular departmental program, exploring topics and areas not regularly scheduled.

1-4 Credits Note: abbreviated ST: (title). Students may take each ST course for credit.