Music (MUSI)

* MUSI 0035b / CPSC 0350b, Twenty-First Century Electronic and Computer Music TechniquesScott Petersen

Exploration of twenty-first century electronic and computer music through the diverse subjects and issues at the intersection of technology and new music. How computers have changed and challenged the analysis, composition, production, and appreciation of music over the last fifty years. Knowledge of basic music theory and the ability to read Western musical notation is assumed. Enrollment limited to first-year students.   QR
HTBA

* MUSI 0050a, Transformations in 20th and 21st Century MusicTrevor Baca

Introduction to outstanding pieces of 20th- and 21st-century instrumental music. Students examine details of the music and the social/historical context of each piece, in chronological order: one piece for each of the twelve decades from 1900 to the present. Composers include Mahler, Stravinsky, Ravel, Varèse, Copland, Cage, Reich,Xenakis, Eastman, Takemitsu, Czernowin, and Monk. Enrollment limited to first-year students. 
TTh 2:35pm-3:50pm

* MUSI 0081a / ER&M 0581a / SOCY 0074a, Race and Place in British New Wave, K-Pop, and BeyondGrace Kao

This seminar introduces you to several popular musical genres and explores how they are tied to racial, regional, and national identities. We examine how music is exported via migrants, return migrants, industry professionals, and the nation-state (in the case of Korean Popular Music, or K-Pop). Readings and discussions focus primarily on the British New Wave (from about 1979 to 1985) and K-Pop (1992-present), but we also discuss first-wave reggae, ska, rocksteady from the 1960s-70s, British and American punk rock music (1970s-1980s), the precursors of modern K-Pop, and have a brief discussion of Japanese City Pop. The class focuses mainly on the British New Wave and K-Pop because these two genres of popular music have strong ties to particular geographic areas, but they became or have become extremely popular in other parts of the world. We also investigate the importance of music videos in the development of these genres. Enrollment limited to first year students.   SO
MW 4pm-5:15pm

* MUSI 1006a, Musical GeniusLindsay Wright

Is there such a thing as “musical genius”? What exactly are the qualifications, and who gets to decide? In this course, we explore how the answers to these questions have shifted in the past three centuries, investigating when and where—and especially how and why—the notion of musical genius became so pervasive and powerful. To this end, the course draws upon a range of materials: we listen to music; parse primary historical sources; analyze news coverage and podcast episodes; and read from a range of academic subfields, including music history, ethnomusicology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, disability studies, critical race studies, gender and sexuality studies, and music education. We compare and critically analyze discourse about a range of figures dubbed musical geniuses, from L. v. Beethoven and W. A. Mozart to Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, Aretha Franklin, and Vijay Iyer. Building upon this historical context, we also interrogate the significance of musical genius in today’s world, considering the proliferation of genius-themed self-help literature, the politics and procedures of the Macarthur Genius Grant, invocations of genius and talent on social media, and additional issues of interest to students. Beyond gaining a robust understanding of the history of ideas like genius and talent, we contemplate the benefits and challenges of conceptual history as a scholarly enterprise more broadly.  HU
TTh 1:05pm-2:20pm

MUSI 1111a, Elements of Musical Pitch and TimeStaff

The fundamentals of musical language (notation, rhythm, scales, keys, melodies, and chords), including writing, analysis, singing, and dictation. Intended for students who have no music reading ability.  0 Course cr
HTBA

* MUSI 1137a / HUMS 1390a, Western Philosophy in Four Operas 1600-1900Gary Tomlinson

This course intensively study\ies four operas central to the western repertory, spanning the years from the early 17th to the late 19th century: Monteverdi's Orfeo, Mozart's Don Giovanni, Wagner's Die Walküre (from The Ring of the Nibelungs), and Verdi's Simon Boccanegra. The course explores the expression in these works of philosophical stances of their times on the human subject and human society, bringing to bear writings contemporary to them as well as from more recent times. Readings include works of Ficino, Descartes, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Douglass, Marx, Nietzsche, Freud, and Adorno. We discover that the expression of changing philosophical stances can be found not only in dramatic themes and the words sung, but in the changing natures of the musical styles deployed.  HU
MW 2:35pm-3:50pm

* MUSI 1154a, Music and Celebrity from Orpheus to GagaJessica Peritz and Hannah Schiller

We are all audiences for celebrity. Across film, television, sports, and, of course, music, celebrities profoundly shape our culture and our identities. We look to celebrities not only as entertainers, but also as friends, fashion advisors, and even thought leaders on political issues and current events. Yet celebrities are made, not born: these figures are created by a complex and contingent set of cultural, social, and economic factors. So where did the peculiarly modern phenomenon of “celebrity” come from? And how does it continue to evolve today under the pressures of social media and the broader “de-massification” of culture? This course takes up the figure of the musical celebrity across Western modernity, tracing the conditions of possibility that have formed and re-formed this figure at different historical moments. From early prototypes of musical celebrities (including Orpheus and 19th-century opera divas) to mainstream musical artists of the 20th century (like Bob Dylan and Madonna) to (para)social media-savvy performers of the 21st century (like Taylor Swift and TikTok influencers), we consider how social, political, and economic systems have inflected modes of musical celebrity throughout history. In so doing, we’ll also explore how technology and media innovations—from the printing press to sound recording technology to social media—have facilitated our fascination with musical celebrities. Ultimately, by examining the evolution of musical celebrity, this course invites students to critically examine their own relationships to music and to fandom more broadly. All students with interests in music, cultural history, media history, and popular culture are welcome in this course. No prior knowledge of Western music notation or Western art music history is required.  HU
TTh 2:35pm-3:50pm

MUSI 1175a, Listening to MusicStaff

Development of aural skills that lead to an understanding of Western music. The musical novice is introduced to the ways in which music is put together and is taught how to listen to a wide variety of musical styles, from Bach and Mozart, to Gregorian chant, to the blues.  HU0 Course cr
HTBA

* MUSI 1185a / TDPS 2502a, American Musical Theater HistoryDan Egan

Critical examination of relevance and context in the history of the American musical theater. Historical survey, including nonmusical trends, combined with text and musical analysis.  Limited enrollment. Interested students should contact dan.egan@yale.edu for application requirements.  WR, HU
W 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 1190a, Yale Wind EnsembleThomas Duffy

The Yale Concert Band, a group of 45-60 wind, brass, and percussion players, embraces the aesthetics of the traditional wind band and the contemporary experimental ensemble. Our repertoire consists of a panoply of wind band classics; premieres by and commissions of Yale students, faculty and established world-class composers; and the newest wind band literature that incorporates electro-acoustic sounds, folk/rock/hip hop music, soloists, and theatrical trappings. The Yale Concert Band regularly presents concerts to benefit causes and organizations, ranging from benefit concerts to support the work of New Haven’s IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (2017, 2018, 2019); to provide aid to the relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina (2005), floods in Myanmar (2007), tornadoes in the American midwest (2007), the earthquake in Haiti (2010), the tsunami in Japan (2011), and West African Ebola recovery efforts (2016).  In 1959, the Yale Concert Band became the first university band to produce an international concert tour, and, since then, has appeared in concerts in Japan, South Africa, Swaziland, Mexico, Brazil, Bermuda, Russia, Finland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Ireland, England, France, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ghana, Haiti, Greece, Australia, and Spain. This course cannot be applied toward the 36-course-credit requirement for the Yale bachelor's degree. By audition at the beginning of the academic year or by permission of instructor.  0 Course cr
TTh 4pm-6:15pm

* MUSI 1191a, Yale Glee ClubJeffrey Douma

The Yale Glee Club is the University’s principal undergraduate SATB choir and oldest musical organization. Led by a School of Music faculty conductor, the 85-voice ensemble is comprised of students from many backgrounds with diverse musical and academic interests and is committed to the collaborative pursuit of musical excellence as a formative component of a liberal arts education. The Glee Club’s repertoire spans eras, styles, and cultures, while acknowledging the tradition of concert music. The group promotes new contributions to the field of choral music through initiatives that highlight historically excluded voices, expanding the boundaries of collegiate choral singing and embracing change and the reflective conversations that come with it. The Glee Club aims to make a positive impact in our local community and beyond through musical collaborations and arts-related service work. The group strives to cultivate a welcoming and inclusive community, foster friendships and camaraderie, and prepare members with the skills and context needed for a lifelong appreciation of music-making. This course cannot be applied toward the 36-course-credit requirement for the Yale bachelor's degree. By audition at the beginning of the academic year.  0 Course cr
MW 7pm-9pm

* MUSI 1192a, Yale Symphony OrchestraElizabeth Askren

The YSO’s programming policy is a combination of - the Western Canon (Bach – Mahler), American Heritage (Beach  to Carter) and American Contemporary Music with invitations to living composers to visit the Campus and work with the Orchestra. The YSO has a proud history of presenting many premieres and commissioning new music. This course cannot be applied toward the 36-course-credit requirement for the Yale bachelor's degree. By audition at the beginning of the academic year.  0 Course cr
MW 4pm-6:30pm

* MUSI 1193a, Yale Jazz EnsemblesWayne Escoffery

The Yale Jazz Ensembles combine the combo and “big band” styles of jazz and present a variety of music from all styles of the genre: from classic pieces from the golden age of the big band to standards — including those from Yale’s Benny Goodman archive — to the newest, most progressive jazz compositions. The YJE has performed in the United States and internationally at such noted venues as New York’s Village Vanguard, Iridium Jazz Club, and Dizzy’s Club; Boston’s Scullers Club, and London’s Ronnie Scott’s. The YJE has played with or opened for the Mingus Big Band, the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band, the World Saxophone Quartet, Jane Ira Bloom, Jimmy Owens, and Branford Marsalis, Randy Brecker, George Coleman, and Wayne Escoffery. This course cannot be applied toward the 36-course-credit requirement for the Yale bachelor's degree. By audition at the beginning of the academic year.  0 Course cr
W 7pm-9:30pm

* MUSI 2100a, Score Reading and AnalysisElizabeth Askren

This beginner's class in Score Reading and Analysis builds the basic skills in the following - the ability to read a score both at the keyboard and through silent reading comprehending – clefs, transposition, orchestration, form, the instruments of the period, and discussing playing style of the period in question. During the semester the class builds a greater understanding of the characters (orchestral instruments) in the score, the historical context, formal analysis (sonata form, rondo, etc) and the keyboard skills to realize, understand, comprehend, and appreciate the works being studied and being able to play a minimum of 3 lines from the score. Some Keyboard skills. Ability to read the Treble and Bass clefs and, preferably, a skill on at least one orchestral instrument. 
T 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 2107a, Commercial and Popular Music TheoryStaff

An introduction to music-theory analysis of commercial and popular song (with a focus on American and British music of the past 50 years, across multiple genres). Coursework involves study of harmony, voice leading and text setting, rhythm and meter, and form, with assigned reading, listening, musical transcription and arranging, and written/oral presentation of analysis. Prerequisite: Completion of a 100- or 200-level music theory course or the corresponding placement exam, and/or permission of instructor.  HURP0 Course cr
HTBA

* MUSI 2122a, Vocal Counterpoint and ArrangingNathaniel Adam

This course approaches the study of counterpoint with a focus on arranging for voices (and singing arrangements in class). Exercises are modified from classical-music education, but adapted for contemporary popular song, to benefit Yale's "a cappella" performers as well as any other students interested in music theory and composition. Prerequisite: MUSI 218 and/or the following: ability to match pitch and sightsing tonal melodies; willingness to sing in class every day; fluency in treble/bass clefs and standard classical-music notation; knowledge of Roman-numeral analysis and triad inversions.
TTh 1:30pm-2:20pm

* MUSI 2220a, The Performance of Chamber MusicWendy Sharp

Coached chamber music emphasizing the development of ensemble skills, familiarization with the repertory, and musical analysis through performance. Admission by audition only. May be repeated for credit. For audition information e-mail wendy.sharp@yale.edu. Credit for MUSI 220 only on completion of MUSI 221.  ½ Course cr
HTBA

* MUSI 2223a, Near Eastern and Balkan EnsembleIan MacMillen

An introduction to the ensemble musics of West Asia/Southeast Europe and their theoretical, cultural, and aesthetic traditions. Students learn repertoire and approaches to ornamentation, improvisation, and meter (including additive aksak meters like 7/8 and 11/8) on their own instruments and voice parts. Instruction on traditional regional instruments is also offered. The course culminates in a public ensemble performance. This course may be repeated for credit. Some previous musical experience is required.  RP
T 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 2228a / TDPS 2500a, Musical Theater Performance IDan Egan and Andrea Burns

The structure, meaning, and performance of traditional and contemporary musical theater repertoire. Focus on ways to "read" a work, decipher compositional cues for character and action, facilitate internalization of material, and elicit lucid interpretations. This semester’s course also embraces the online format to address performing and recording virtually as a vital tool in the current field of musical theater. The course combines weekly synchronous learning and private coaching sessions. For singers, music directors, and directors. Admission by audition and application only. For registration requirements and audition information contact dan.egan@yale.edu. May be repeated for credit.  HURP
F 1:30pm-4:30pm

* MUSI 2230a, Composing for Musical TheaterJoshua Rosenblum

This course is open to all students (including graduate programs) and from any major, although priority is given to music majors. Knowledge of the basics of music theory and music notation is required, and some familiarity with the musical theater idiom is expected. Some prior composing experience is recommended. Piano skills are very helpful, but not required. Normally the class size is limited, so that all assignments can be performed and fully considered during the class meeting time.  Prerequisite: Enrollment limited to 12.  Please contact joshua.rosenblum@yale.edu with any questions about eligibility.  HURP
F 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 2232a, Central Javanese Gamelan EnsemblePhil Acimovic

An introduction to performing the orchestral music of central Java and to the theoretical and aesthetic discourses of the gamelan tradition. Students form the nucleus of a gamelan ensemble that consists primarily of tuned gongs and metallophones; interested students may arrange for additional private instruction on more challenging instruments. The course culminates in a public performance by the ensemble. This course may be repeated for credit. No previous musical experience required.  RP
HTBA

* MUSI 2240a, The Performance of Early MusicGrant Herreid

A study of musical styles of the twelfth through early eighteenth centuries, including examination of manuscripts, musicological research, transcription, score preparation, and performance. Students in this class form the nucleus of the Yale Collegium Musicum and participate in a concert series at the Beinecke Library. Admission by audition only. May be repeated for credit. For audition information e-mail grant.herreid@yale.edu.  HURP
M 3:30pm-5:20pm

* MUSI 3200a, The Performance of Contemporary MusicMaiani da Silva

This course explores contemporary music from the post-serial era to the present day through the study of musical repertoire and its performance. Emphasizing performance as a lens for musical inquiry, students engage in advanced musical analysis, expand their expressive and technical possibilities through extended techniques, improvisation, and creative arrangements, and cultivate a liberated artistic voice in shaping and realizing visionary works from the contemporary repertoire. Students study, play through, and perform late 20th and early 21st century music by a variety of contemporary composers, and tackle the music from a performer’s perspective, combining knowledge of musical context, theory, and technique to challenge themselves in creating engaging performances for their audiences. Open to all instrumentalists and vocalists. Students must have a strong command of western musical notation. No audition required. Students must bring their instruments to class.
M 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 3220a, Composition I: Genre, Style and TechniquesKathryn Alexander

Intermediate creative projects in music composition, instrumentation, and scoring for visual media. Study of compositional techniques throughout genres and styles.  Students may compose songs in any genre, write in jazz idioms, compose a classical string quartet, produce an EDM tune, score to animation or video; or other projects individually designed.  Group critique as an in-class activity and collaborative workshops with performers in Music 2238.  Questions? Contact the instructor at kathryn.alexander@yale.edu. Prerequisite: 200-level music theory course or equivalent experience.   HURP
Th 2:30pm-4:20pm

* MUSI 3228a, Introduction to ConductingElizabeth Askren

An introduction to conducting through a detailed study of the problems of baton technique. Skills applied to selected excerpts from the standard literature, including concertos, recitatives, and contemporary music.
M 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 3245a, LessonsKyung Yu

Individual instruction in the study and interpretation of musical literature. No more than four credits of lessons can be applied towards the 36-credit degree requirement. Auditions for assignment to instructors (for both credit and noncredit lessons) are required for first year and some returning students, and are held only at the beginning of the fall term. For details, see the Music department's program description in the YCPS.
HTBA

* MUSI 3350a, History of Western Music: Middle Ages and RenaissanceAZ (A. Zayaruznaya)

A detailed investigation of the history of musical style from A.D. 900 to 1600. Preference to Music majors according to class.  HU
TTh 9am-10:15am

* MUSI 3481a / AFAM 2753 / BLST 2753a, Jazz in Transition, 1960–2000Michael Veal

A survey of musicians, stylistic currents, and critical issues relevant to the evolution of jazz between 1960 and 2000. Topics include Third Stream, free jazz, jazz-rock fusion, the influence of world music, neo-classicism, jazz and hip-hop, and others.  HU
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

* MUSI 4105a, Improvising and Composing at the 18th-Century KeyboardDaniel Walden

Just about every celebrated composer of the Classical era—CPE Bach, Mozart, Beethoven—was an improviser first and foremost. This course offers a hands-on introduction to the art of keyboard improvisation as it was taught during the long eighteenth century, with a primary focus on two styles: the free fantasia and partimenti. We examine historical sources and test out the exercises they describe, inventing fantasies and sonata forms together. As we develop our keyboard skills, we also compose works in the Classical style and analyze a wide range of scores from the period (and beyond). Our primary goals are to investigate the continuities between the acts of improvisation and composition in the 18th century, and to probe how performance techniques at the instrument—not to mention the peculiar affordances and constraints of pianos, organs, harpsichords, clavichords, and the like—may have shaped theories of thoroughbass, harmony, counterpoint, and form in the common practice era. Prerequisites: an understanding of diatonic harmony equivalent to MUSI 1111, at minimum. Moderate proficiency in keyboard skills. There are no prerequisite courses/placement exams barring student entry into this course, but it will be difficult for students to keep up if they cannot satisfy points 1 or 2 above. Students who are uncertain about whether their skills are sufficient for enrolling in this course are advised to schedule a meeting with the instructor.
MW 9am-10:15am

* MUSI 4203a, The Media of Sound: Experimental Approaches to Sound Recording and Media DesignRoss Wightman

This course explores the multifaceted and multimedia approaches used in the industry of recording sound and designing the art objects that contain them. With a focus on experimental and conceptual applications of this technology, students engage in creating sonic/visual works that subvert, alter or synthesize the various media forms that go into ‘music production.’ Alongside creative projects, historical and contemporary works of sound art and music production are examined as case studies to exemplify both the norms of the industry and works that subvert them. Concepts related to the transmission and reception of sound through various media (tape, vinyl, MP3 etc.) are explored alongside the quirks, limitations and advantages of the milieu of hardware and software options (multi-track recording devices, DAWs etc.) both contemporary and antiquated that have been available to producers and artists alike over the last century and beyond. Topics include formatting artwork for sound recordings, recording and editing sound, collaboration on production of both digital and physical media, and more.
 
  This course is not available to students previously enrolled in CSGH 370.  RP
W 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 4220a, Composition Seminar IIIKonrad Kaczmarek

Advanced analytic and creative projects in music composition and instrumentation, with a focus on writing for chamber ensembles. Ongoing study of evolving contemporary procedures and compositional techniques. Group and individual lessons to supplement in-class lectures. Admission by audition only. May be repeated for credit. Enrollment limited to 10.  To audition, students should upload two PDF scores and MP3 recordings in a single zip file by 4 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the semester, to the designated Music 4220 audition assignment page at the Canvas site. Students with questions should contact the instructor at konrad.kaczmarek@yale.edu.  Prerequisites: Both MUSI 3220 and 3221.  RP
Th 2:30pm-4:20pm

MUSI 4222a / ART 3671a, Sound ArtMartin Kersels and Brian Kane

This cross-disciplinary course, a collaboration between the Department of Music and the School of Art, is aimed at students interested in both the theoretical underpinnings and practical production of sound art. Participants are asked to read texts, discuss issues in and around the subject of sound art, understand the basic history of sound art in relation to the history of music and art, create experimental sound works, and participate in critiques of sound work created during the course. Weekly readings and discussion as well as additional projects are required.  HU
M 1:30pm-5:30pm

* MUSI 4223a, Song, Power, and Identity: Reclaiming TruthsDawn Upshaw

This performance-based seminar invites singers and pianists to critically engage with the sociopolitical dimensions of the Western classical canon. Through a contemporary lens, students deconstruct 19th-century German Lieder and French Mélodie, identifying the misogynistic and homophobic tropes embedded in their foundational texts. The course challenges performers to balance historical performance practice with their own artistic integrity and social values. Mid-semester, the focus shifts to the 21st century. Students study and perform works, some by LGBTQ+ and gender-marginalized composers and poets, that offer inclusive alternatives to traditional narratives. The term culminates in a curated class concert where students pair "problematic" historical works with contemporary responses, demonstrating a mastery of inclusive programming and social relevance in the modern concert space. Potential Repertoire Includes: Historical: Schubert’s Die schöne Müllerin, Schumann’s Dichterliebe and Frauen-Liebe und Leben, and settings by Gabriel Fauré. Contemporary: Katherine Balch’s Estrangement, and works by Caroline Shaw, Nico Muhly, Jennifer Higdon, and John Harbison. Music reading proficiency and previous experience solo performing, either as singer or pianist.  HU
W 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 4225a, Electronic Instrument DesignKonrad Kaczmarek

Live audio and video processing using the visual programming environment Max/MSP/Jitter. Topics include human computer interaction (HCI), instrument design, alternative controllers, data mapping, algorithmic composition, real-time digital signal processing, communication over the network, and programming for mobile devices.  HURP
T 1:30pm-3:25pm

MUSI 4228a / CPSC 4310a, Computer Music: Algorithmic and Heuristic CompositionScott Petersen

Study of the theoretical and practical fundamentals of computer-generated music, with a focus on high-level representations of music, algorithmic and heuristic composition, and programming languages for computer music generation. Theoretical concepts are supplemented with pragmatic issues expressed in a high-level programming language. Ability to read music is assumed. After CPSC 2020 and 2230.  QR
MW 11:35am-12:50pm

* MUSI 4231a / TDPS 4028a, The Spirit of the Original: Adaptation LabJeanine Tesori

An advanced course in adaptation from multiple genres.  Exploration of source material and collaborative strategies. When relevant, scores by Jeanine Tesori and others will be mined for inherent structure, nuance, utility, and applicability for emerging writers.  Non-musical adaptation will also be explored (dependent on enrolled student expertise) involving film, dance, painting, and cross-practice work. Importance of honoring the original source even when the adaptation goes far afield.  Study examples will be chosen from adaptations of short stories, plays, musicals, films, Shakespeare, dance, and art.  What is salient in process and execution?  Possible guest artists include all Tesori collaborators.  Final project will be a presentation of a work in progress, pitched at midterm.  Open to students from all disciplines (e.g., choreographers, composers, directors, filmmakers, performers, playwrights, producers, visual artists, etc.). Musical experience is not required. Some prior experience with creating in response to a primary source will be beneficial, but is not absolutely necessary for enrollment.  Goal is to examine adaptation as specifically applied to students' practice. Applicants should submit a one-page statement outlining readiness for the course, experience, and goals for enrollment.  HU
M 11am-1:20pm

* MUSI 4240a / TDPS 4004a, Special Topics in Performance StudiesAmeera Nimjee and Amanda Reid

Theme: Sounding Dance. This semester's special topic performance studies be on the space between music and dance; sound and movement. We are motivated by questions like: How is the dance floor a musical one? How is choreography a core creativity in musical performance? How are spaces constructed by sound, and how do bodies move through them? Course texts include those that are central to the instructors' own scholarly research areas, in Caribbean Black and queer performance and South Asian and Muslim performance, respectively. Both instructors consider issues of migration and diaspora centrally, which reflect critical theories of sound-making and movement as bodies navigate geopolitical borders and vernacular structures of power. Students have the opportunity to delve into the specificity of performance methodologies while also benefiting from a series of scholars external to Yale who will come to conduct focused talks and workshops on their research between sound and movement throughout the semester.  HURP
Th 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 4245a, Advanced LessonsKyung Yu

Individual instruction for advanced performers in the study and interpretation of musical literature. No more than four credits of lessons can be applied towards the 36-credit degree requirement. Auditions for assignment to instructors (for both credit and noncredit lessons) are required for first year and some returning students, and are held only at the beginning of the fall term. For details, see the Music department's program description in the YCPS.
HTBA

* MUSI 4249a, Jazz ImprovisationWayne Escoffery

In this course students study basic, intermediate, and advanced concepts of improvisation and learn the essentials for the Jazz Language through solo transcription and analysis. Students learn how to use vocabulary (or musical phrases) and a variety of improvisational devices and techniques over common chords and chord progressions. Upon completion of the course students have a deeper understanding of what it takes to become a great improviser, what to practice and how to practice it, and how to go about expanding their Jazz Vocabulary in order to naturally develop a unique improvisational voice. Students are required to bring their instruments to class. This course is designed primarily for players of pitched instruments, as opposed to percussionists or vocalists, who may be admitted in rare circumstances on an individual basis. Students are required to bring their instruments to class; additionally, a basic understanding of jazz nomenclature and some experience improvising are advised. Students do not need the instructor's permission to add the course to their schedule. All interested students should attend the first class, during which the instructor will conduct an in-class evaluation to determine the final class list. Grades are based on completion of two to three solo transcription assignments (with one being committed to memory), two melody composition assignments, several small projects and assignments, one to two quizzes, class attendance, and each student’s personal development. Prerequisite: Basic understanding of Jazz nomenclature and some experience improvising is advised. Admission by audition only.  Permission of the instructor is required.  ½ Course cr
T 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 4365b / RSEE 2210b / RUSS 2210b / SLAV 3220b, Introduction to Russian & Soviet Music, 1800-1950Nari Shelekpayev

Through a blend of immersive listening assignments and reading materials this seminar invites an exploration of the world of Russian and Soviet music, with a particular focus on the genres and forms that have left a mark on the musical landscape. We listen and analyze excerpts from operas, suites, sonatas, concertos, symphonies, and other musical pieces to learn how the historical and musical contexts have shaped the evolution of these genres and forms in Russian and Soviet music. This seminar expects to go beyond a mere historical overview; it delves into the genealogy of Russian and Soviet musical traditions, connecting them with their Western counterparts. It suggests that Russian and Soviet composers not only absorbed the influences of European music but also reimagined musical structures, and crafted original texts that seamlessly wove together established canons and innovative concepts. Additionally, this seminar aligns music with the key themes of intellectual and political history in Russia and the Soviet Union. We analyze how the multifaceted relationship between nationalism and Orientalism, the debates between Slavophiles and Westernizers, and the challenges of and responses to modernity have left their mark on the musical expressions of the time. We examine the historical context where it holds particular significance: for example, in the case of Dmitry Shostakovich's 7th Symphony.  HU
TTh 4pm-5:15pm

* MUSI 4405a / BLST 3312a / HUMS 3312a / TDPS 3312a, The Sound of Freedom: Seeing Contemporary South Africa Through SoundThuthuka Sibisi

Thinking through and with the work of Njabulo S. Ndebele this course poses a number of questions through the sonic landscape of South Africa: How do we think about hybridity, multi-disciplinarity, and multi-form as a productive tool in the face of complex sociopolitical histories and lived experiences? How do we think about ritualised belonging through music, spirituality, and the body in a South African context riddled with a past of violent disregard for humanity and land? Also, how do we begin to name, categorize, and describe a truly South African performance medium that speaks to Ndebele’s formulation of the spectacular? This course should be of interest to students who are looking to engage with dance theatre, self-directed performance, embodiment, and the sonics, performance art, performance installation, and music theatre (20th-century instrumental and vocal composition that includes non-sonic gesture, movement, costume, and other visual elements within the score).  HU
Th 4pm-5:55pm

* MUSI 4410a / TDPS 4306a, Musical EthnographiesAmeera Nimjee

The course evaluates a range of monographs written during the past four decades in which a scholar focuses their ethnographic research on/in music. "Music" is conceived broadly to include dance, ritual, and other performance. We read and discuss a monograph each week, identifying the particularities of musical ethnography. Students have the opportunity to conduct their own ethnographic fieldwork, focused in some sort of music-making event.  HU
Th 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 4995a, Individual StudyNathaniel Adam

Original essay in ethnomusicology, music history, music theory, or music technology and/or multimedia art under the direction of a faculty adviser. Admission to the course upon submission to the department of the essay proposal by the registration deadline, and approval of the director of undergraduate studies.
HTBA

* MUSI 4996a, The Senior RecitalNathaniel Adam

Preparation and performance of a senior recital and accompanying essay under faculty supervision. Admission by permission of the director of undergraduate studies. Prerequisite: MUSI 461.
HTBA

* MUSI 4997a, The Senior Project in CompositionNathaniel Adam

Preparation of a senior composition project under faculty supervision. Admission by permission of the composition faculty of the Department of Music. Prerequisites: MUSI 320, 321, 420, and 421.
HTBA

* MUSI 4998a, The Senior Project in Musical Theater CompositionNathaniel Adam

Preparation of a senior composition project in the field of musical theater under faculty supervision. Admission by permission of the coordinator of the Shen Curriculum. Two terms of MUSI 314 or equivalent.
HTBA

* MUSI 4999a, The Senior EssayNathaniel Adam

Preparation of a senior essay under faculty supervision. Admission by permission of the director of undergraduate studies. 
HTBA