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Applied Music Program: Instruction in Vocal or Instrumental Music - Voice
Half credit each semester. Restricted to skilled musicians. Openings are limited. Enrollment and re-enrollment is by audition and jury. Lessons are given by consultants to the Applied Music Program. A fee is charged for enrollment. Copies of the Applied Music Program Guidelines giving detailed information are available online at www.brown.edu/music. May be repeated up to four times for credit.
- Primary Instructor
- Selig
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Cole
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Finkel
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Plouffe
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Reddy
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Rovan
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
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Applied Music Program: Instruction in Vocal or Instrumental Music - Voice
Half credit each semester. Restricted to skilled musicians. Restricted to skilled musicians demonstrating mastery of an advanced repertory in their fields. Openings are limited. Enrollment and re-enrollment is by audition and jury. Lessons are given by consultants to the Applied Music Program. MUSC 0830, 0840 is prerequisite to this course. A fee is charged for enrollment. Copies of the Applied Music Program Guidelines giving detailed information are available online at www.brown.edu/music. Prerequisite: MUSC 0400, or MUSC 0550, MUSC 0560. Written permission required. May be repeated up to four times for credit.
- Primary Instructor
- Selig
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Cole
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Finkel
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Plouffe
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Reddy
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Rovan
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
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Individual Independent Study
Directed undergraduate research for advanced students. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Section numbers vary by instructor. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.
- Primary Instructor
- Warren
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Cole
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Momeni
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- McGarrell
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Obeng
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Perlman
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Seto
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Rovan
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Nathan
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Moses
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Miller
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Tucker
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Steinbach
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Jodry
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Osborn
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Gooley
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Wang
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
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Reading and Research
Directed graduate research. Section numbers vary by instructor. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.
- Primary Instructor
- Nathan
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Wang
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Cole
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Osborn
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- McGarrell
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Obeng
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Perlman
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Greenlee
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Rovan
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Warren
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Nathan
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Moses
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Miller
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Tucker
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Jodry
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Primary Instructor
- Gooley
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
- Schedule Code
- I: Independent Study/Research
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Preliminary Examination Preparation
For graduate students who have met the tuition requirement and are paying the registration fee to continue active enrollment while preparing for a preliminary examination.
- Schedule Code
- E: Graduate Thesis Prep
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Thesis Preparation
For graduate students who have met the residency requirement and are continuing research on a full time basis.
- Schedule Code
- E: Graduate Thesis Prep
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Computers and Music
Examine the history, literature, production and theory of music technology. Track development of musical inventions and their impact on musical thought, production and culture. Develop theoretical and practical knowledge of computer music based on first-hand experience in the Multimedia Lab, using computer music software and hardware to complete creative assignments. Gain an appreciation for the pioneering work done in previous decades, both in research and composition. Become familiar with the literature of electronic music and learn about the impact of technology on popular and experimental genres. Permission granted based on questionnaire given in first class. Preference given to lower-level students.
Computers and Music will be taught online, combining synchronous lectures and discussion groups with asynchronous viewing and listening assignments. The weekly one-hour online lab sections (TBA) offer synchronous feedback focusing on creating student-driven sound projects using the music software Reaper. No special knowledge in music or technology is expected.
Priority going to lower-level students and music concentrators. Upper-level students will be admitted as space allows.
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
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Theory of Tonal Music I
Intensive study of the building blocks of tonal music traditions including western and popular music with focus on melody, harmony, counterpoint, keyboard skills, ear training, sight-singing from musical notation, and composition. Prior keyboard experience helpful but not required. A required placement exam is administered at first class meeting. Students who do not have experience reading music notation should take MUSC 0400 prior to MUSC 0550. MUSC 0550 is a prerequisite to many music courses and is a requirement for the music concentration.
A placement exam will be given during the first class meeting of MUSC 550. This exam will only be offered during the first class meeting. To place into MUSC 550, you need to know key signatures, scales, intervals, and triads. Students taking this course are required to register for one of the MUSC 0550 labs.
- Primary Instructor
- Steinbach
A placement exam will be given during the first class meeting of MUSC 0550. This exam will only be offered during the first class meeting. To place into MUSC 0550, you need to know key signatures, scales, intervals, and triads. Students taking this course are required to register for one of the MUSC 0550 labs.
- Primary Instructor
- Wang
- Primary Instructor
- Cole
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Cole
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
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Advanced Musicianship I
Training in advanced musicianship skills relevant to Western art music from the sixteenth Century to the present, including sight singing, ear training, score reading, keyboard harmony, improvisation, and musical transcription. Prerequisite: MUSC 0560 or MUSC 0570, or permission of the instructor.
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Introduction to Composition
Composition students begin by using technical resources developed in their previous theoretical studies. Analysis and discussion of contemporary music provides examples of alternatives to traditional compositional strategies, which students integrate into later assignments. A study of contemporary notational practices and computer-based manuscripting and sequencing is also included. Prerequisite: MUSC 0560 or MUSC 0570 or permission of the instructor. Enrollment limited to 20 students.
- Primary Instructor
- Nathan
- Schedule Code
- C: Discussion Section/Conference
- Primary Instructor
- Nathan
- Schedule Code
- C: Discussion Section/Conference
- Primary Instructor
- Nathan
- Schedule Code
- C: Discussion Section/Conference
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Advanced Music Theory II
A study of theories of Western art music since Debussy. Exercises in analysis and composition, focusing on works of Debussy, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Webern, Bartok and Ives. Students give presentations on selected later composers. Prerequisite: MUSC 0560 with grade of B, or the equivalent.
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Digital Performance
A production seminar examining the artistic impact and creative potential of digital media in the context of live performance. Readings and analysis of work examine innovations in performance practice from dance, theatre, performance art and music. Collaborative assignments investigate video projection, sound design and interactive sensor technology, culminating in a final large-scale performance. Permission will be granted based upon a questionnaire given in the first class.
Digital Performance will be taught online synchronously with asynchronous creative assignments and viewing of digital performance works. In the current version of the course, students will examine models of multimedia performance (dance/theatre/spoken word/music) that have been realized in physical space and in online performances. Students will collaborate in small groups to co-create original performance works, specifically designed to be presented online. Course is limited to 12 and requires an override code to enroll.
The course is open to all graduate students and upper-level undergraduates with strong artistic practices.
- Primary Instructor
- Winkler
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Chorus
Half credit each semester. A practical study of choral literature, techniques, and performance practice from Gregorian chant to the present, offered through rehearsals, sectionals, and performance. Enrollment is by audition, based on voice quality, experience, and music-reading ability. Instructor permission required.
For the Fall semester the chorus will study choral repertoire, focusing on the Requiems of Victoria, Schutz, Mozart, Brahms, Faure and Britten. Limited outdoor singing will be included. Permission required.
- Primary Instructor
- Jodry
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Orchestra
Half credit each semester. A practical study of the orchestra repertory from Bach to the present, offered through coaching, rehearsals, and performances. Enrollment is by audition. Students will be notified of audition results within the first seven days of the semester. Restricted to skilled instrumentalists. May be repeated for credit.
In lieu of our usual rehearsal and performance activities, this semester MUSC 0610 will explore how orchestras (and by extension, musical ensembles in general) can engage in activism and advocate for social and racial justice. Topics will include artistic programming, community engagement, and educational initiatives. No audition will be held, but familiarity with orchestral music is strongly preferred. If more than 20 prospective students express interest in the course, a survey will be administered in the first class meeting to determine the course roster.
- Primary Instructor
- Seto
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Ghanaian Drumming and Dancing Ensemble
A dynamic introductory course on drumming, dancing, and singing of Ghana and the diaspora. Students learn to perform diverse types of African music, including Ewe, Akan, Ga, and Dagomba pieces on drums, bells, and shakers. No prerequisites. May be repeated for credit. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission required.
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World Music Ensemble
This ensemble focuses on global percussive and song traditions, especially those of the African diaspora (based on instructor's vast musical experiences). Here western instrumentalists fuse with traditional musicians from every culture: bongo, gyil, ukulele, tabla, etc. Students will grow and develop their musical skills by learning new techniques on their own instrument, exploring a range of repertoire representing genres such as highlife, reggae, salsa, afrobeat, Afro-jazz, and global fusions. There will be unique opportunities to work on improvisation taking influence from Steve Reich, Tito Puente, Randy Weston, Hugh Masekela, Paul Simon, Miriam Makeba, Ghanaba, and Milton Nasimiento.
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Javanese Gamelan
Half credit each semester. Instruction, rehearsals, and performances in the gamelan music of Java, on instruments owned by the department. No prerequisites. Enrollment limited to 18 students.
- Primary Instructor
- Perlman
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Old-Time String Band
Half course each semester. Instruction and ensemble playing. Music taught by ear. American (southern Appalachian Mountain) traditional music on violin (fiddle), 5-string banjo, mandolin, and guitar. Enrollment limited to 20 students.
- Primary Instructor
- Astrausky
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Chamber Music Performance
Half credit each semester. The practical study of the literature of chamber music through participation in a small ensemble. Regular rehearsals, coaching by department staff, and performances are required. Enrollment is by audition. Students will be notified of audition results within the first ten days of the semester. Restricted to skilled instrumentalists. May be repeated for credit.
Enrollment is by audition. Students will be notified of audition results within the first ten days of the semester. Restricted to skilled instrumentalists.
MUSC 0680: Chamber Music - enrollment open to strings and piano only by permission of the instructor. To receive permission all students must complete the following chamber form by September 2: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1u_tDfVjVesIQmrHdV0K6wG4G6_EQ4iYBg0kIPBZvJCY/edit?ts=5f0db2dd
Returning students are not required to re-audition. Students new to chamber music are required to upload an audition video to YouTube which should include a 3 octave scale and a solo(s) of your choice lasting approximately 3 minutes. The link to the URL must be submitted on the form.
Each group receives a one hour weekly coaching with a faculty member, and also rehearses once independently.
- Primary Instructor
- Finkel
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Introduction to Music Theory
An introduction to musical terms, elements, and techniques. Topics include notation, rhythm and meter, intervals, scales, chords, melody writing, harmonization, and form. Students will develop their musicianship skills, including sight-singing and keyboard, in labs which meet twice weekly. No prior musical experience is necessary. MUSC 0400A or 0400B may fulfill part of the theory requirement for the music concentration. Enrollment limited to 40. Permission granted based on questionnaire given in first class. Preference given to lower-level students.
Students should attend the first day of online classes and await further instructions about the class format.
- Primary Instructor
- Cheung
- Primary Instructor
- Cheung
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Cheung
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
- Primary Instructor
- Cheung
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
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Introduction to Popular Music Theory and Songwriting
An introduction to musical terms, elements, and techniques, with an emphasis on how they apply to Western popular music. Topics include notation, rhythm and meter, intervals, scales, chords, melody writing, harmonization, and form. Students will develop their musicianship skills, including sight-singing and keyboard, in labs which meet twice weekly. No prior musical experience is necessary. MUSC 0400A or MUSC 0400B may fulfill part of the theory requirement for the music concentration. Enrollment limited to 40. Permission granted based on questionnaire given in first class. Preference given to lower-level students.
Permission granted based on questionnaire given in first class. Preference given to lower-level students. This questionnaire will only be offered during the first class meeting. Students must also register for the MUSC 0400B lab.
- Primary Instructor
- Tan
- Primary Instructor
- Tan
- Schedule Code
- L: Lab
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Opera
A survey of the history, aesthetics, and politics of opera from 1600 to the present day. Analyzes operas and scenes by Monteverdi, Purcell, Mozart, Rossini, Verdi, Wagner, Strauss, and others. Ability to read music not required.
There are three screenings outside of class time that are required.
- Primary Instructor
- Gooley
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Critical Improvisation Studies
Advanced seminar exploring improvisation from various perspectives: historical, anthropological, philosophical, ethical, and creative. We study improvisation in diverse musical traditions, in other arts, and in problem-solving contexts such as business, technology, and games. Discussion topics include individual vs. group improvisation, the status of "freedom" in creative processes, and the social and artistic functions of improvisation. Instructor permission required.
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Issues of Time and Space in New Music
Time and space in music are rich and complex subjects of study. This seminar examines how these concepts complement and intertwine with one another in the music of contemporary composers such as Murail, Xenakis, and Brant. We will explore how composers have attempted to redefine musical temporalities and how they create acoustic and environmental spaces. We will consider how space is orchestrated, ways of engaging with the physicality of instruments, and how composers can use electronics to further convey and manipulate space and dimensionality. This seminar also considers the ways new experiments with increasingly complex timbral palettes changed compositions.
Undergraduate students who have successfully passed MUSC 0550, MUSIC 0560, or MUSC 0570 are welcome to register.
- Primary Instructor
- Wang
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Composing with Ableton
In Composing with Ableton, we will study and use the well known music-making software Ableton Live and its subsidiary Max for Live (M4L). We will consider sound in Live and M4L from a variety of perspectives, from popular music vocabularies to experimental sound practices. This project-based class teaches production techniques in tandem with critical investigation of genre and development of personal style. Topics include: DAW-style production, control information, interactivity, and digital signal processing. Override codes required; interested students must attend first day and complete questionnaire, only after which will override codes be distributed.
Must attend first online day of class.
Interested students: please click ADD TO CART for this course in
[email protected] This will provide access to the course Canvas page, where the Zoom link for first class will be posted plus other materials.
- Primary Instructor
- Warren
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Research Practice and Discourse
This half-credit workshop for seniors completing Music Honors / Capstones addresses questions including: What comprises musical research? How do different research practices - critical, creative, empirical, performative, etc - inflect one another and juxtapose to promote productive discourse? Through study of substantial music research projects, and discussion and workshare of student projects, we will examine the meaning of contemporary musical research. Preference given to music concentrators working on senior projects not linked to another class, but other students working on specific musical projects welcome. Interested students must attend first class; override codes are required and will be distributed after first class.
Interested students: please click ADD TO CART for this course in
[email protected] This will provide access to the course Canvas page, where the Zoom link for first class will be posted plus other materials.
- Primary Instructor
- Warren
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Major Masters and Repertoires of Music: Bach
An examination of the life and work of Bach, including its placce in German church music, views of his contemporaries and explanation of hi manuscript and publishing history.
Limited to eight people in person plus online students.
- Primary Instructor
- Jodry
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Seminar in Electronic Music: Advanced Studio Techniques
This course will focus on developing and reinforcing technical skills, musical concepts, and critical listening abilities associated with the practice of composition in an electronic music studio. These studies will be tied to a broad range of aesthetic approaches and discussions of sound synthesis and processing, spatialization, and recording techniques.
Through a series of projects and focused study, students will expand their knowledge and craft, and will provide each other with a forum for exploring their creative studio work. MUSC 1200 is a prerequisite, and preference will be given to students who have also taken MUSC 1210, and/or 1250.
In the fall of 2020, studio access at Steinert and Granoff will be more restricted than usual, but we are working to make the studios available on an appointment basis for carefully planned student sessions.
Classwork can be completed without using the studios by working in software and/or using recording equipment in residential or other spaces. Some checkout gear will be available for working outside the studios.
Class size needs to be limited to provide appropriate resources. Please fill out this questionnaire to apply to the class.
https://forms.gle/96jpxCXipEGpagPx6
The class roster will be determined following the first online meeting of the class.
- Primary Instructor
- Moses
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Music and Culture in Third Republic France
This course explores musical and cultural life in France during the Third Republic (1870-1940). Topics include: works by Bizet, Saint-Saëns, Debussy, Ravel, and Stravinsky; folk music in the French provinces; cabarets, music halls, and music in everyday life; and jazz in interwar Paris. More broadly, we will consider the relationship between music and broader cultural phenomena and events, such as: the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune; the Dreyfus Affair; nationalism, colonialism, and internationalization; gender politics; and “modernity” and “modernism” in their various manifestations. Prerequisite: MUSC 0550 (Theory of Tonal Music I) or permission of the instructor.
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Becoming a Bedroom Producer: History and Practice
Billie Eilish swept the Grammy’s with an album produced in a small bedroom studio. Bon Iver’s breakthrough album For Emma, Forever Ago was recorded in a remote cabin using an SM57 microphone. And Steve Lacy prefers an iPhone-based production style. Each of these artists could be classified as ‘bedroom producers,’ but what does that mean? How does one become a bedroom producer? This course engages the historical developments, technological innovations, and cultural conditions that enabled the rise of the bedroom producer. Participants will set-up a home studio and acquire the skills to record, mix, master, and release their own music.
Override Code required. Enrollment will be determined by Questionnaire. All students interested in registering for this course must complete the Questionnaire and attend the first on-line class meeting. Override Codes will be distributed following the first class meeting. There are no prerequisites for this course.
Link to Questionnaire: https://forms.gle/ijrFhnyfruRJwrVU7
- Primary Instructor
- Vistein
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MEME Ensemble: Games and Systems
Does music have to be structured linearly? Or can it be thought of as a web of interactions, with different choices leading to any number of possible outcomes? In this ensemble we will analyze, compose, and play game pieces: music that unfolds according to a set of rules, grants the performer/player decision-making power, and has no predetermined outcome. We will draw from a variety of sources including experimental music, interactive art, game design and systems theory to explore different approaches to rule-based composition. We will likewise employ a variety of tools and technologies to bring our games pieces to life.
The syllabus for this course is being revised to fit the modified semester. Because of the hybrid in-person/online format, the course will include a focus on telematic performance, with the final performance being streamed online. All technology used in the course will be free to students and taught as part of the curriculum. Enrollment will be determined via a survey on the first day of class.
- Primary Instructor
- Galvao
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The Jazz Orchestra and Orchestral Approaches to Jazz
This course offers several views of what it means to write for the “jazz orchestra.” As the history of jazz tends to prioritize the contributions of individuals and small groups, what does it mean for composers who have ambitions that extend beyond typical expectations of instrumental forces, duration, and form? We will focus on specific examples that have challenged conventions and redefined idioms. From the innovations in orchestration and scale of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and the classic Gil Evans/Miles Davis albums, to the “progressive” experiments of Stan Kenton (and later Don Ellis), to the intergalactic theater of the Sun Ra Arkestra, to works for full symphony orchestra, we will examine complex issues of tradition, community, and race that have accompanied these collaborations, and the compatibility (or not) of musical challenges regarding improvisation, notation, and pedagogy.
No prior background in jazz/improvised music is expected or required, but experience as a performer, composer, or active listener is encouraged. Our readings and discussions will make use of scores and analyses, which may assume an ability to read basic musical notation. Open to advanced undergraduates upon consultation with the instructor.
- Primary Instructor
- Cheung
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Music, Nation, and Nationalism
This course explores the relation between music and nationhood, as a historically particular form of collective identity, and a dominant political category in late modern societies. Students will work with key texts in the study of nationhood and nationalism, applying them to musical case studies from different world regions. Touching upon art and popular music, these cases will explore the use of nationalist rhetoric to draw citizens into state projects; the appropriation of minority expressions in defining a national self; efforts by postcolonial societies to forge national sentiment from the fragments left by decolonization; and the nation's fate after globalization.
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Advanced Ghanaian Drumming and Dancing Ensemble
Students with experience in African and related musical traditions perform drumming, dancing, and singing of Ghana and the diaspora. Focus on a more challenging repertoire with emphasis on multi-part, lead, and improvisational playing. Prerequisite: audition. May be repeatable for credit. Instructor permission required. Enrollment limited to 15 students.
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Gospel Titans, Divas, and Dynasties (AFRI 0690)
