Music Class Instruction

This course (required for music majors each semester) is designed to expose students to a variety of repertory styles and to give students an opportunity to practice individual performance skills. Emphasis is placed on exposure to performances and lectures by guest artists, faculty or students, and on personal performance(s) in class each semester.

This is a survey course that requires no previous musical skills. The course covers a minimum of three stylistic periods of music, provides a multicultural perspective, and includes both vocal and instrumental genres. It includes the aesthetic/stylistic characteristics of historical periods and an aural perception of the elements of music.

This course is designed to provide rudimentary music knowledge and skills for the student with a limited music background. Topics include a study of notation, rhythm, scales, keys, intervals, chords and basic sight singing and ear training skills. Upon completion, students should be able to read and understand musical scores and demonstrate basic sight singing and ear training skills for rhythm, melody and harmony.

This course introduces the student to the diatonic harmonic practices in the Common Practice Period. Topics include fundamental musical materials (rhythm, pitch, scales, intervals, diatonic harmonies) and an introduction to the principles of voice leading and harmonic progression. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate a basic competency using diatonic harmony through analysis, writing, sight singing, dictation and keyboard skills.

This course completes the study of diatonic harmonic practices in the Common Practice Period and introduces simple musical forms. Topics include principles of voice leading used in three- and four-part triadic harmony and diatonic seventh chords, non-chord tones, cadences, phrases and periods. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate competence using diatonic harmony through analysis, writing, sight singing, dictation and keyboard skills.

This course is designed to teach the basic fundamentals of music and develop usable musical skills for the classroom teacher. Topics include rhythmic notation, simple and compound meters, pitch notation, correct singing techniques, phrases, keyboard awareness, key signatures, scales, intervals and harmony using I, IV, and V with a chordal instrument. Upon completion, students should be able to sing a song, harmonize a simple tune, demonstrate rhythmic patterns and identify musical concepts through written documentation.

This course introduces the history and use of computer applications in music. Topics include an introduction to computer skills, MIDI and the application of notation and sequencing software programs (i.e. Finale, Performer). Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate basic competency in the use of computers in music.

This course introduces the student to the chromatic harmonic practices in the Common Practice Period. Topics include secondary functions, modulatory techniques, and binary and ternary forms. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate competence using chromatic harmony through analysis, writing, sight singing, dictation and keyboard skills.

This course is designed to prepare the student with the theoretical background and improvisational techniques utilized in jazz performance. Emphasis is placed on the understanding of chord structures, chord progressions, scale structures and melodic design. Upon completion, students should be able to perform an improvisational solo with a jazz ensemble.

This course introduces the fundamentals of conducting choral and/or instrumental ensembles. Topics include a study of simple and compound meters, score reading and techniques for conducting effective rehearsals. Upon completion, students should be able to prepare and conduct a choral and/or instrumental score in a rehearsal or performance setting.

This course provides an introduction to the terminology, equipment and methods of commercial recording, and includes an internship in an operational recording studio. Emphasis is placed on recording techniques used in the modern recording studio, various aspects of sound and acoustics, and identifying recording problems in various musical examples. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate a mastery of basic recording techniques by producing, engineering and re-mixing a multitrack recording.