This course focuses on advanced concepts of analytical listening. Relying on established practices, the student will learn how to make sense of intricate and advanced musical concepts by creating a connection between aural processes and the student’s developed understanding of musical events. Topics in this class include demonstrating increasing fluency with 20th century tonalities such as modal, pentatonic, and octatonic scales, identifying tri-chord pitch-class sets, navigating exercises that modulate to distantly related keys through chromatic relationships, and auralizing advanced perceptual awareness of non-diatonic and post-tonal musical structures. Student’s will focus their efforts on two subdivisions that highlight important areas of skill development – aural acuity in recognizing advanced structures in order to identify their function in increasingly chromatic and post tonal music, and the ability to demonstrate this both through oral expression in performance and written notation of cognitively recalled exercises.
Prerequisite(s): MUSIC 2610 Music Theory III and MUSIC 2620 Musicianship III or permission of the instructor.
Corequisite(s): MUSIC 2630 Music Theory IV.
MUSIC 2610 Music Theory III (3 hours)
Seventh chords, including the diminished seventh chord; various types of modulation; introduction of secondary dominants; analysis and writing of the period, binary, and ternary song forms; choral harmonization; and modal scales.
Prerequisite(s): MUSIC 1630 Music Theory II or permission of the instructor.
MUSIC 2620 Musicianship III (1 hour)
A review of advanced sight-reading and ear training, drills in more complex rhythmic and melodic materials including chromatic formations, and increased emphasis on individual part-singing and harmonic dictation.
Prerequisite(s): MUSIC 1630 Music Theory II and MUSIC 1640 Musicianship II or permission of the instructor.
Corequisite(s): MUSIC 2610 Music Theory III.
MUSIC 2630 Music Theory IV (3 hours)
This course examines the development of new concepts and theories of music that led to significant departures from standard musical practices and ideals. Students will explore twentieth century pitch resources, and contrast late tonal techniques and styles of composers such as Debussy, Ives, Messiaen, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Webern and more. Analysis of specific works will promote discussions, tracing theoretical paths that led to the development of post tonal and avant-garde music. The content is designed to:
- Widen your knowledge of, appreciation for, and ability to identify, describe, and critically assess musical works in light of the innovative ideas that led to their creation.
- Give you a sophisticated understanding of the cultural, aesthetic, and stylistic relevance of these works in order to better comprehend the historical impact of radical departures from the norm.
- To practically apply your knowledge of musical elements in order to create informed and appropriate musical interpretations within the body of music that forms your own repertoire.
- To introduce you to the oral expression of your music in the style of a professional lecture presentation, so that you can improve your skills in verbally describing music and musical analysis.
Prerequisite(s): MUSIC 2610 Music Theory III or permission of the instructor.
Archway Curriculum: Essential Connections: Speaking Instructive
Archway Curriculum: Integrative Core: Chaos Thread
