* MUSI 0035b / CPSC 0350b, Twenty-First Century Electronic and Computer Music Techniques  Scott 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 Music  Trevor 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 Beyond  Grace 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 Genius  Lindsay 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 or b, Elements of Musical Pitch and Time  Staff

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 1600-1900  Gary 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 Gaga  Jessica 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 Music  Staff

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.  HU  0 Course cr
HTBA

* MUSI 1185a / TDPS 2502a, American Musical Theater History  Dan 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 or b, Yale Wind Ensemble  Thomas 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
HTBA

* MUSI 1191a or b, Yale Glee Club  Jeffrey 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
HTBA

* MUSI 1192a or b, Yale Symphony Orchestra  Elizabeth 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
HTBA

* MUSI 1193a or b, Yale Jazz Ensembles  Wayne 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
HTBA

* MUSI 2100a, Score Reading and Analysis  Elizabeth 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 Theory  Staff

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.  HU  RP  0 Course cr
HTBA

* MUSI 2121b, Modal Counterpoint: Analysis and Composition  Nathaniel Adam

Studies in the theory, analysis, and composition of sixteenth-century modal polyphony. Knowledge of basic staff notation, intervals, and triads.  0 Course cr
TTh 1:30pm-2:20pm

* MUSI 2122a, Vocal Counterpoint and Arranging  Nathaniel 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 and MUSI 2221b, The Performance of Chamber Music  Wendy 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 per term
HTBA

* MUSI 2223a, Near Eastern and Balkan Ensemble  Ian 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 I  Dan 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.  HU  RP
F 1:30pm-4:30pm

* MUSI 2230a, Composing for Musical Theater  Joshua 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.  HU  RP
F 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 2231b, Laptop Ensemble: Study and Performance  Konrad Kaczmarek

Investigations into music technology through a combination of classroom learning and live performance. The appropriation of music technology through software and hardware hacking; laptop-based production and performance tools; hybrid electroacoustic instruments and electronic chamber music; live audio processing; novel approaches to notation and conducting. Students create new works and perform in a concert at the end of the term.  RP
T 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 2232a or b, Central Javanese Gamelan Ensemble  Phil 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 or b, The Performance of Early Music  Grant 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.  HU  RP
HTBA

* MUSI 2480b / SAST 2590b, Music of South Asia  Ameera Nimjee

An introduction to some of the music traditions that hail from South Asia—a region defined by the countries of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives, and their diasporas. “Music” in this course is considered broadly, and refers to performance and ritual traditions in which music, movement, dance, poetry, and theater all figure. The course approaches music from the disciplinary vantage point of ethnomusicology, where music is studied with respect to its complex intersections with culture, daily life, and society. Course content is introduced weekly through a series of analytical lenses, such as gender, sexuality, caste, and migration, through which South Asian music can be understood in their social and cultural contexts.   HU
Th 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 2490b / FILM 3590b, Introduction to Sound Studies  Brian Kane

A broad introduction to sound studies, an emerging field that analyzes both the technologies and the cultural techniques involved in the production, reception, and meaning of sound and listening. Topics include soundscapes, voice, modes of listening, audio technologies, electronic music, and noise. How sound studies intersects with more traditional methods of music studies.  HU
M 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 3200a or b, The Performance of Contemporary Music  Maiani 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.
HTBA

* MUSI 3220a, Composition I: Genre, Style and Techniques  Kathryn 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.   HU  RP
Th 2:30pm-4:20pm

* MUSI 3221b, Composition II: Studio-Based Music Production  Konrad Kaczmarek

Intermediate creative projects in music composition with a focus on the electronic medium. Study of compositional techniques across genres and styles.  Students may compose in any genre and projects are individually designed.  Group critique as an in-class activity and collaborative workshops with performers in Music 2238. Contact the instructor at konrad.kaczmarek@yale.edu with questions. Prerequisite: 200-level music theory or equivalent experience  RP
HTBA

* MUSI 3228a, Introduction to Conducting  Elizabeth 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 3229b, Intermediate Conducting  Elizabeth Askren

Intermediate studies in baton technique and score preparation. After MUSI 3228.
M 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 3230b, Musical Theater Composition II  Dan Egan and Scott Frankel

Intermediate and advanced project-oriented studies in composition of musical theater. Prerequisite: MUSI 2110, MUSI 2230. Enrollment limited to 12.  HU  RP
HTBA

* MUSI 3240b / TDPS 3013b, Analyzing, Directing, and Performing Early Opera  Grant Herreid and Toni Dorfman

Study of a seventeenth-century Venetian opera, with attention to structural analysis of text and music. Exploration of period performance practice, including rhetorical expression, musical style, gesture, dance, Italian elocution, and visual design. Production of the opera in conjunction with the Yale Baroque Opera Project. Open to all students, but designed especially for singers, instrumentalists, and directors. Admission by audition only. May be repeated for credit. For audition information e-mail grant.herreid@yale.edu.  HU  RP
Th 4pm-5:55pm

* MUSI 3245a or b, Lessons  Kyung 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 Renaissance  AZ (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 3351b, European Music in the Early Modern World  Jessica Peritz

A detailed investigation of the history of musical style from 1600 to 1800. Preference to Music majors according to class.  HU  0 Course cr
TTh 11:35am-12:50pm

* MUSI 3478b, American Neighborhood Musics  Trevor Baca

Introduction to American regional musics. Five units, including go-go in Washington, DC; Tejano music in South Texas; Detroit techno and its influence on global EDM; Puerto Rican reggaeton; and the American reception of K-pop. Extensive listening lists and select readings help students understand both the musical attributes and social context of all musics studied in the course.  HU
TTh 2:35pm-3:50pm

* MUSI 3481a / AFAM 2753 / BLST 2753a, Jazz in Transition, 1960–2000  Michael 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 4102a, Writing (About) Music: Music and Meaning  Rachel Gain

What is musical “meaning”? What are the different ways that a piece of music can produce meaning? Does music have a fixed meaning determined by its composer, is meaning communicated by the performer, or is meaning something that the listener brings to the music? The issue of meaning occupies an interesting position within Music Studies. On the one hand, the question of what and how (and for whom) music means has been a central concern of philosophizing for decades. On the other hand, questions of musical meaning are the unspoken motivator behind much music-theoretical and musicological writing. To contemplate musical meaning is thus to grapple with the most fundamental activities of music scholarship. In this writing-intensive course, students will learn and practice the norms of writing within the disciplines of Musicology and Music Theory (and across the humanities) through targeted writing exercises and in-class discussion of course readings about musical meaning. We will pay particular attention to communicating clearly and effectively, focusing on developing prose that summarizes, evaluates, and argues. The course will culminate in a piece of writing about musical meaning through a philosophical or analytical lens, depending on students’ individual interests.  WR, HU
MW 4pm-5:15pm

* MUSI 4105a, Improvising and Composing at the 18th-Century Keyboard  Daniel 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 4107b, Commercial and Popular Music Theory II  Nathaniel Adam

This course is a continuation of MUSI 207 Commercial and Popular Music Theory I. While 207 covered fundamentals of analysis, 407 involves further research and more complex analysis, with more presentations and transcription projects in addition to a final paper. Beyond harmonic and formal analysis, 407 explores intersectional topics such as history, video, politics, race, gender, and sexuality in the context of popular music. Completion of MUSI 2107 (seniors and graduate students may request instructor's permission without taking 2107).  HU  RP
TTh 2:35pm-3:50pm

* MUSI 4113b, Score Reading and Analysis Intermediate  Elizabeth Askren

This course advances the student through more complex and densely orchestrated scores through distilling to short score (piano version). The music of Debussy, Schoenberg, and Copland will form the basis of repertoire for the class. This Intermediate class in Score Reading focuses and continues the building of the basic skills in the following - the ability to read a score both at the keyboard and through silent reading comprehending – clef (Soprano), transposition (alto flute, eb clarinet, cor-anglais), orchestration and form. During the semester the class builds a greater understanding of the characters (orchestral instruments) in the score, each work's historical context, influences, formal analysis (sonata form, rondo, etc) and the keyboard skills to realize, understand, comprehend, and appreciate the works being studied. Some keyboard skills. Ability to fluently read, Treble, Alto, Tenor and Bass Clefs. Transposing instruments in Bb, A and F. 
HTBA

* MUSI 4203a, The Media of Sound: Experimental Approaches to Sound Recording and Media Design  Ross 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 III  Konrad 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 4221b, Composition IV: Genre, Form and Techniques  Kathryn Alexander

Advanced creative projects in music composition, structure and syntax, and scoring for visual media. Study of compositional techniques throughout genres and form structures.  Students may compose a song cycle in any style, write for jazz big band, compose a classical symphony, produce tracks for an EDM EP, score to film or video; or any other projects individually designed. Group critique as an in-class activity and collaborative workshops with performers in Music 2238.  Individual lessons as assigned.  May be repeated for credit. Enrollment limited to 12.  Questions? Contact the instructor at kathryn.alexander@yale.edu. Prerequisites: MUSI 3220 and/or 3221 or equivalent experience.  RP
HTBA

MUSI 4222a / ART 3671a, Sound Art  Martin 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 Truths  Dawn 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 Design  Konrad 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.  HU  RP
T 1:30pm-3:25pm

MUSI 4228a / CPSC 4310a, Computer Music: Algorithmic and Heuristic Composition  Scott 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 Lab  Jeanine 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 Studies  Ameera Nimjee and Amanda Reid

Theme: Sounding Dance. This semester's special topic performance studies will 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.  HU  RP
Th 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 4245a or b, Advanced Lessons  Kyung 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.
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MUSI 4246a or b, Lessons in Gospel  Braxton Shelley

Individual instruction in the study and interpretation of gospel music. Instruction in keyboards, percussion, and voice is available. No more than four credits of lessons can be applied towards the 36-credit degree requirement. Interested students should submit a recording of their playing or singing to eric.donnelly@yale.edu no later than 7 days before the start of term. Students will be notified if their recorded audition is successful by the beginning of term. Students must enroll in 2 academic music classes concurrent with their first two terms of MUSI 4256; one of these must be MUSI 4483 and the other may be any MUSI class in groups I, III, or IV. For details, see the Music department's program description in the YCPS.  ½ Course cr
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* MUSI 4249a or b, Jazz Improvisation  Wayne 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
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* MUSI 4364b / TDPS 3043b, American Opera Today: Explorations of a Burgeoning Industry  Gundula Kreuzer

Contemporary opera constitutes one of the most vibrant sectors of classical music in the United States today. The past decade has seen a range of experimental performances that excitingly challenge stylistic and generic boundaries, and a widening spectrum of creators have been reaching to opera as a medium to center and (re)present stories of historically marginalized communities. Beyond introducing students to the richness of this new repertory, the seminar addresses the broad socio-political and economic currents underlying these recent changes in American opera, including institutional and funding structures; the role of PR, criticism, awards, and other taste-making agents; and cultural reckonings with systemic racism, engrained injustices, and white supremacy. A selection of recent operas or scenes—available as video recordings or audio files—allows us to explore aesthetic issues, such as narrative structures, diverse treatments of the (singing) voice, embodiment, interactivity, immersion, the role of digital media, mobility, site-specificity, and new online formats for opera. Students learn how to write about contemporary performances and works for which little scholarship is yet available; practice both public-facing and academic writing; recognize and critique contemporary canon-formation processes; and relate contemporary artistic practices to a larger institutional and economic ecosystem. At least one trip to the Metropolitan Opera is anticipated, for Anthony Davis and Thulani Davis’ X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X.  HU
W 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 4365b / RSEE 2210b / RUSS 2210b / SLAV 3220b, Introduction to Russian & Soviet Music, 1800-1950  Nari 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 4372b / TDPS 3500b, Stephen Sondheim and the American Musical Theater Tradition  Dan Egan

The musical theater of Stephen Sondheim, both as a popular phenomenon of the contemporary Broadway stage and in relation to models and forms employed in the past.  HU  RP
W 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 4405a / BLST 3312a / HUMS 3312a / TDPS 3312a, The Sound of Freedom: Seeing Contemporary South Africa Through Sound  Thuthuka 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 Ethnographies  Ameera 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 4481b, Electronic Dance Music  Kathryn Alexander

Survey of creative techniques used in electronic dance music, such as digital sampling, synthesis, MIDI sequencing, DSP, and mixing. Focus on evolving EDM genres and repertoire. Prerequisite: MUSI 110 or 200 level music theory course or equivalent.  HU  RP
W 1:30pm-3:25pm

* MUSI 4484b / EDST 1272b / EDST 272b, Music as Education  Lindsay Wright

What are the most prominent approaches to teaching and learning music in the United States? Which pedagogical philosophies and practices preserve the norms of a musical tradition, and which are capable of inciting musical and social change? How do scholars and practitioners in the disciplines of education, music education, musicology, and music performance differently understand music learning processes? And, how might music offer a particularly valuable window into the study of education more broadly? This course seeks to answer each of these questions, drawing upon readings across education studies, music education, music history, ethnomusicology, childhood studies, disability studies, and elsewhere.   HU
W 9:25am-11:20am

* MUSI 4995a or b, Individual Study  Nathaniel 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.
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* MUSI 4996a or b, The Senior Recital  Nathaniel 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.
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* MUSI 4997a or b, The Senior Project in Composition  Nathaniel 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.
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* MUSI 4998a or b, The Senior Project in Musical Theater Composition  Nathaniel 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.
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* MUSI 4999a or b, The Senior Essay  Nathaniel Adam

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