Music (MUSC)

This course examines how music works. Students will learn the central concepts of Western music theory (rhythm, meter, pitch, notation, harmony, and harmonic function), and how those concepts apply to writing music. Emphasis will be placed on developing basic musical literacy and a vocabulary for understanding musical language. No previous musical experience is required. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

In this course, students examine the ways in which musical creativity has been promoted, protected, and controlled in the United States. Topics of study include censorship, copyright battles, music and marketing, musical communities, and music and politics. Open to all students, no previous musical experience is necessary. C21:CL,HU.

Curriculum: CL,HU

This course will begin the process of understanding the physiological, psychological, and expressive aspects of vocal production. Students will explore the foundations of good singing: breathing, phonation, resonance, articulation, and to learn the fundamentals of diction. This course is appropriate for beginning-level students who are interested in studying applied voice.

This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of piano performance. Students will learn the foundations of good keyboard technique, music notation, chord progressions, scales, and beginning repertoire. This course will give students an opportunity to explore the principles of musical expression through group and individual performance. This course is appropriate for beginning-level students who are interested in studying applied piano.

A large, mixed-voice ensemble. Membership is open to all students by audition and with the permission of the director. The Concert Choir studies and performs traditional choral literature from the primary style periods (Renaissance through Contemporary), including spirituals/gospel and world music. On- and off-campus performances are scheduled throughout the college term. C21:AE,HU.

Open to campus wind, brass, and percussion musicians (includes guitar, harp, and piano), regardless of major. There is no audition required, but previous instrumental experience is encouraged. The Randolph-Macon Wind Ensemble performs a broad spectrum of band music in a variety of styles, ranging from traditional wind music to modern compositions. On- and off-campus performances are scheduled throughout the college term.

A mixed instrumental ensemble that studies and performs a diverse range of jazz styles and traditions. Emphasis on performance and improvisation. No improvisational experience necessary.

Open to campus string musicians (includes violin, viola, cello, string bass, harp, & piano), regardless of major. There is no audition required, but previous instrumental experience is encouraged. Wind, brass, and percussion musicians are placed in the ensemble by permission of the instructor. The Randolph-Macon Symphony Orchestra performs a broad spectrum of orchestral music in a variety of styles, ranging from the traditional canon to modern compositions. On- and off-campus performances are scheduled throughout the college term.

This course is an introduction to the theory of tonal music, including the concepts of simple and compound meter, keys, triads, inversions, chord progressions, simple part writing, and Roman numeral analysis. Students will also practice beginning skills in ear-training, sight-singing, and keyboard.

This course is a continuation of MUSC 221. Students will learn how to analyze diatonic harmony, chromatic harmony, and simple forms. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the historical context for how these concepts operate in Western music. Students will practice intermediate skills in ear-training, sight-singing, and keyboard.

Throughout history, philosophers, political leaders, and citizens have celebrated and feared music's political power. This course explores the various ways music has assumed political meaning over the past two hundred years, particularly within the contexts of the United States, Europe, and the former Soviet Union. Students will study and discuss a broad spectrum of music, ranging from opera to symphonies to popular song. Readings will include composer memoirs, philosophical arguments, and contemporary music criticism.

This course examines the historical development of Western music from antiquity to the late 18th century. Students will gain a detailed knowledge of significant works and composers, as well as develop an understanding for the stylistic differences that characterize music from Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods. Emphasis will be placed on critical listening and developing the skills to recognize, describe, and analyze music from varying historical periods. Some concert attendance required.

This course examines the historical development of Western music from 1750 to the 21st century. Students will gain a detailed knowledge of significant works and composers, as well as develop an understanding for the stylistic differences that characterize music from the Classical, Romantic, Modern, and contemporary periods. Emphasis will be placed on critical listening and developing the skills to recognize, describe, and analyze music from varying historical periods. Some concert attendance required.

The aim of this course is to familiarize the student with the objectives and methods of inquiry used in ethnomusicology. We will seek to answer some very fundamental questions about the meaning of music, and the nearly universal need for individuals and groups to create and practice it. By closely examining traditional music in Persia, Mande West Africa, Japan, and modern Brazil, we will investigate laws of physics that govern tone production, as well as methods of pedagogy (transmission), performance practices, instrument construction, and most importantly, how social, cultural, and personal identity is expressed through the activity of music making. C21:GE,HU,NW.

Curriculum: GE,HU,NW

The aim of this course is to familiarize students with the basic characteristics of a variety of popular music styles in Brazil and to begin to understand how the ongoing evolutions of these styles express the identities of those who practice them. The music will be studied with attention to the historical, social, and cultural forces which have influenced its making, and to how music may, in turn, exert its influences on those forces. We will learn about the objectives and methods of inquiry used in ethnomusicology and will seek to answer some fundamental questions about the meaning of music, and the nearly universal need for individuals and groups to create and practice it. The class will be of particular value to musicians and music students but is open to anyone with an interest in music and world culture. C21:GE,HU,NW.

Curriculum: GE,HU,NW

This travel course focuses on Japan’s rich history of innovative film music. The course begins on campus with a study of Japanese music and its use in film, then travels to Japan for two weeks, where students tour important historical and cultural sites, attend musical and theatrical performances, and visit a film studio. Along the way, students gain an understanding of Japan’s musical breadth and aesthetics, its noteworthy film composers, and its dynamic cultural and political history. No musical experience is required. Recommendation: one course in ASTU, FILM, or MUSC. C21:EL.

Curriculum: EL

This course provides an opportunity for students to perform choral music in selected locations abroad. Students will study the choral literature of a particular country or geographical area and perform the music in several concerts while traveling in the region. Repertoire will be representative of the locations visited during the semester. This course is performance intensive and provides an opportunity to polish music beyond what is possible in a single semester and single concert. Students will work on a deeper understanding of musical language (rhythms, phrases, and harmony), the ways the text relates to music, and the strategies necessary for understanding how those concepts relate to their individual parts and the musical whole, including the importance of vocal production and diction. Additional aspects of performance are added to include performance spaces that vary in their historical and acoustical significance. Further, students will have the opportunity to experience the performance of this music literature within other cultures. C21:EL.

Curriculum: EL

This course provides an opportunity for students to perform instrumental music in selected locations (domestically or abroad). Students will study instrumental literature relating to a particular country or geographical area and then immerse themselves in that musical culture by traveling to the region. Repertoire will be representative of the locations visited during the semester. While traveling, students will attend concerts and perform in master classes given by local musicians, gaining a deeper understanding of musical context and authentic performance practice. C21:AE,EL,HU.

Curriculum: AE,EL,HU

This travel course will focus on the history and evolution of jazz in New Orleans, culminating in the opportunity to travel to NOLA to experience its musical culture on location. Prior to the travel portion of the course, students will examine the social, cultural, and musical contexts that gave rise to jazz in New Orleans. Student will also come to understand the important venues and performers who put New Orleans jazz on the musical map, as well as the ways that other musical genres (such as blues, spirituals, sacred music of the Black Church, R&B, Hip Hop) have contributed to jazz's development in NOLA. The course will also examine the ways in which race and social justice have shaped jazz in New Orleans. The course is open to all students; no musical experience required.

Curriculum: AE,DI,EL,HU

This course serves as an introduction to the fundamentals of sound recording and production. Students will study the properties of sound, analogue and digital recording, and use of microphones. Students will be engaged in hands-on recording projects and the creation of multi-track recordings. Instruction in Protools and other digital software is included.

This class will cover the history of popular music from its roots in the African Diaspora through the blues, jazz, country, folk, and ultimately, rock and roll. As well as studying the great rock bands, album art, and history-making recordings, students will study the evolution of the protest song, Tin Pan Alley, and why certain geographic locations became hubs of musical innovation.

This course offers a historical survey of American film music, beginning with its origins in the early twentieth century and extending into the current period. Students will develop an understanding of how music contributes to the film experience by examining the ways in which film composers use orchestration, thematic unity, and stylistic diversity to complement, strengthen, and even undermine the action on the screen. Students will examine original film scores across a variety of film genres, as well as explore the various ways popular music has been integrated into American film soundtracks. C21:AE,HU.

This course explores the origins and transformations of jazz in the United States. Students will examine the musical language of jazz and the individuals who have contributed to the diversity and breadth of this distinctly American music. C21:AE,DI,HU.

Curriculum: AE,DI,HU

In these courses, students learn how to perform chamber music. Emphasis is placed on small ensemble rehearsal techniques, musical interpretation, and performance. 1 credit hour. Permission required

Private lessons. Students schedule a one-hour lesson per week for 14 weeks to receive one credit hour. Each student will present a recital to be juried by the music faculty at the end of each semester. Open to all students; music majors and audition required. A special fee ($75) is charged for this course. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

Private lessons. Students schedule a one-hour lesson per week for 14 weeks to receive one credit hour. Each student will present a recital to be juried by the music faculty at the end of each semester. Open to all students; music majors and audition required. A special fee ($75) is charged for this course. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

Private lessons. Students schedule a one-hour lesson per week for 14 weeks to receive one credit hour. Each student will present a recital to be juried by the music faculty at the end of each semester. Open to all students; music majors and audition required. A special fee ($75) is charged for this course. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

Private lessons. Students schedule a one-hour lesson per week for 14 weeks to receive one credit hour. Each student will present a recital to be juried by the music faculty at the end of each semester. Open to all students; music majors and audition required. A special fee ($75) is charged for this course. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

Private lessons. Students schedule a one-hour lesson per week for 14 weeks to receive one credit hour. Each student will present a recital to be juried by the music faculty at the end of each semester. Open to all students; music majors and audition required. A special fee ($75) is charged for this course. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

Private lessons. Students schedule a one-hour lesson per week for 14 weeks to receive one credit hour. Each student will present a recital to be juried by the music faculty at the end of each semester. Open to all students; music majors and audition required. A special fee ($75) is charged for this course. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

Private lessons. Students schedule a one-hour lesson per week for 14 weeks to receive one credit hour. Each student will present a recital to be juried by the music faculty at the end of each semester. Open to all students; music majors and audition required. A special fee ($75) is charged for this course. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

Private lessons. Students schedule a one-hour lesson per week for 14 weeks to receive one credit hour. Each student will present a recital to be juried by the music faculty at the end of each semester. Open to all students; music majors and audition required. A special fee ($75) is charged for this course. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

Private lessons. Students schedule a one-hour lesson per week for 14 weeks to receive one credit hour. Each student will present a recital to be juried by the music faculty at the end of each semester. Open to all students; music majors and audition required. A special fee ($75) is charged for this course. C21:AE,HU.

Curriculum: AE,HU

A select chamber vocal ensemble specializing in literature ranging from Renaissance to contemporary. Note: This course does not satisfy the ensemble requirement for the music major or minor.

The Pep Band provides support at athletic and campus events year-round, playing all types of popular and spirit music. Instrumentation is broad and all are welcome. Note: This course does not satisfy the ensemble requirement for the music major or minor.

This course is a continuation of MUSC 222. Students will learn how to analyze advanced chromatic harmony and large scale forms, as well as analytic techniques for understanding nontonal music. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the historical context for how these concepts operate in Western music. Students will practice advanced skills in ear-training, sight-singing, and keyboard.

This course provides an introduction to the current technological applications in music creation, including music notation, music sequencing, and MIDI software. Students will study the history of Music Technology, and complete several creative projects that focus on music arranging, orchestration, and composition.

Songs are powerful. They capture our emotions, shape our moods, document our history, and stimulate our thinking. But their appeal and efficacy can often be mysterious. Is it the lyrics? Melody? Timing? Composers have long struggled to find the right formula. This course focuses on a particular type of song the art song which first emerged in the nineteenth century in the works of Schubert and Schumann and soon developed into an influential vocal genre. Art songs are intense, musical miniatures that center on a seminal creative question: how can music take poetry to new places? This course examines the musical and poetic language of art songs beginning with the origins of the genre and extending that analysis to the present day, where the genre is represented in a wider range of musical genres. Throughout the course, students will analyze songs of various kinds, as well as explore the impact of grouping songs (song cycle) to tell more complex tales. Particular emphasis will be placed on the concept album, the contemporary equivalent of the song cycle. C21:CC.

This course examines the symphony orchestra as both a musical ensemble and a cultural institution. Students will have the opportunity to attend concerts, engage in musical analysis, and survey the contributions of composers from the 18th through the 21st centuries. We will explore the concepts of musical form, style, and orchestration through live performance and critical listening assignments. The course will also address the significant changes in audiences since the 18th century, and more specifically the symphony's relevance in today's musical climate.

This class is designed to provide an environment in which the students prepare for professional immersion in the schools as a middle/secondary music educator. Students will be guided to investigate materials and methods for middle and secondary music education, collect reference resources, and begin to formulate an individual resolve regarding his/her goal of becoming a music educator. The course will seek to cover aspects of curriculum, classroom management, rehearsal techniques, performance planning and implementation, organization of ensembles and recruitment, development of parent support groups, and rehearsal techniques and discipline procedures. Topics include instructional planning, choosing and implementing a variety of instructional strategies, technology, classroom management, measurement and evaluation of performance and achievement. Students will be required to create a comprehensive instructional unit of study to be used in student teaching.

This class is designed to provide an environment in which the students prepare for professional immersion in the schools as an elementary music educator. Students will be guided to investigate materials and methods for elementary music education, collect reference resources, and begin to formulate an individual resolve regarding his/her goal of becoming a music educator. The course will seek to cover aspects of curriculum, classroom management and rehearsal techniques. In addition, students will work to develop essential skills for the elementary music classroom, including keyboard, lesson planning and discipline procedures. Topics include instructional planning, choosing, and implementing a variety of instructional strategies, technology, classroom management, measurement, and evaluation of performance and achievement. Students will be required to create a comprehensive instructional unit of study to be used in student teaching.

This course offers a detailed study of a specific composer's, or group of composers', work and the cultural context in which it was created. Emphasis will be placed on understanding compositional style and the manner in which composers establish their musical voice. Topics will vary from year to year.

Advanced study of both traditional and contemporary topics in music. Students will attend live performances and rehearsals and explore historical developments.

Advanced study of both traditional and contemporary topics in music. Students will attend live performances and rehearsals and explore historical developments.

Music history represents a shifting landscape that requires interpretation. This course provides an introduction to the various methods for acquiring and evaluating primary musical sources. Emphasis will be placed on the correlation between musical performance and music research. Students will have an opportunity to conduct original research in a local archive and/or the Library of Congress. C21:EL.

Curriculum: EL

This course provides music majors with the opportunity, in consultation with the music faculty, to develop and present an in-depth study of a musical topic. This can include: 1) writing a major paper on an aspect of music history or music theory; 2) preparing and performing a public recital, including scheduling, program development, and musical analysis; 3) writing an original musical composition of suitable substance and length, including production of a manuscript and oral or written presentations about the newly composed work. Topics are subject to approval by the music faculty and must be formally proposed and juried in the semester prior to taking MUSC 422. C21:CS,EL.

Curriculum: CS,EL

Qualified students are placed in an aspect of the profession of music such as recording studios, management agencies, church music, and research. Open to music majors and minors only with permission of the music faculty. Application required; see Internship Program. C21:EL. A special fee ($200) is charged for this course.

Curriculum: EL

Qualified students are placed in an aspect of the profession of music such as recording studios, management agencies, church music, and research. Open to music majors and minors only with permission of the music faculty. Application required; see Internship Program.

A special studies course which gives music majors and minors the opportunity for a hands-on experience in some aspect of the profession of music. With approval of the music faculty only.