Course Catalog for MUSIC
MUSC 101
Understanding Music I
An introduction to the melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic structure of tonal music, with the emphasis on the development of a chordal vocabulary equally adaptable to classical and popular music. A required weekly practicum will stress ear-training (recognition of intervals, chords, rhythms, etc.) and its practical applications at the keyboard. Prerequisite for Music 201, may not be counted toward the major in music. (ART)
1.25 units, Lecture
MUSC 105
Instrumental Ensemble
Coached by Hartford-area professionals, chamber music ensembles are formed as a result of placement auditions with the Coordinator. Every effort is made to group students with others at the same skill level. Ensembles perform at least once each semester. Ensembles repertoire includes works from Western art musical traditions as well as arrangements of popular music songs and world music traditions. (ARTW)
0.50 units, Studio
MUSC 107
Lessons
Individual instruction in voice or an instrument is offered by teachers invited to the College campus; credit may also be granted for lessons taken from outside teachers who have been approved by the coordinator. Students must contact an instructor and schedule lessons before permission can be granted to register for the course. Lessons require an extra fee. Fees for Lessons are $600 for eleven one-hour lessons, payable directly to the instructor. Financial aid to cover instructors' fees is available on a limited basis to Trinity Grant students. Decisions on grant awards will be made on Friday of the first week of classes. (ART)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Music 101, which may be taken concurrently, permission of the coordinator/instructor.
0.50 units, Studio
MUSC 108
Steel Pan Ensemble
Students will learn the history and social significance of steel pan music in Trinidad. Additionally, students will understand the musical roles of each instrument in the ensemble and learn the techniques associated with playing each of them. Students will be expected to learn and memorize arrangements of classical, popular, and traditional calypso music. The music will be taught aurally and by rote by an instructor from Trinidad. (ARTW)
0.50 units, Studio
MUSC 109
Jazz Ensemble
Jazz is America's own art form! The Jazz Ensemble studies and performs the compositions of Ellington, Monk, Coltrane, Hancock, and others, as well as original works by Professor Allen and the group members. Styles span the gamut of jazz history, from traditional swing to fusion and jam band funk. We will work hard on improving individually and as a group, with focus on creative improvising, group interplay, and solid grooves. There are usually two performances per semester at various venues on campus. (ARTW)
0.50 units, Studio
MUSC 111
Samba Ensemble
Emphasis is on the study and performance of the Brazilian samba drumming tradition. Related musical styles and musical genres are also included. Previous performance experience is not required, and students may take this course for more than one semester. Membership by permission of the instructor. Also listed under International Studies – Latin American and Caribbean. (GLB1)
0.50 units, Studio
MUSC 113
Introduction to World Music
A comprehensive survey of global musical traditions that encompasses rural and urban music from Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, India, Asia, and the Americas. This course is designed to highlight the central role of musical expression in human life, exploring musical sound and movement in sacred, secular, ritual, and non-ritual contexts. No previous musical knowledge is required. Students are expected to learn basic listening skills and identify musical styles. The course culminates in a final research project about a world music tradition, ensemble, performer, or other related topic. Also listed in International Studies-African studies, International Studies-Asian studies, and International Studies-Latin American and Caribbean studies. (GLB1)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 119
Musical Theater Production
Participants in departmental musical theater productions will be enrolled for 0.50 credit by the Music Department and will be graded. (ART)
0.50 units, Studio
MUSC 121
Listen!
This course is intended for students who love listening to a range of music but who have had little or no formal instruction. Although rooted in classical music and its traditions, the course also explores other genres, including popular song, jazz standards, blues, rock and roll, and hip-hop. We will attend concerts on campus and in Hartford, and we will develop the language to talk knowledgeably about the music in our daily lives. Most importantly, we will do exactly what the title says: we will listen to a lot of music! (ART)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 133
Blues Women to Nicki Minaj
This course explores the music of Black American women in music from the era of blues queens of the 1920s through Nicki Minaj. Along the way we will listen to and read about the music of blues greats Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith; trailblazer Marian Anderson; jazz legends Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dinah Washington; Motown superstar Diana Ross and the fabulous Supremes; disco queen Donna Summer; gospel and soul diva Aretha Franklin; rocker Tina Turner; and, ultimately, women in hip-hop, among them Queen Latifah, Lil' Kim, and Nicki Minaj. Because context is critical to the understanding of the music of these women, course readings will situate the women in their social and musical times. (ARIP)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 150
Before Lady Gaga and Beyoncé
A broad survey of the music and music-making traditions of European and North American women from antiquity to the present. We explore the work and lives of women active as composers and performers in a range of genres, including the classical traditions, blues, jazz, and hip hop. No previous training or experience in music is required. (ARIP)
1.00 units, Seminar
MUSC 173
Sonic Arts
This course will focus on sound as material, concentrating on approaches that engage with sound outside of traditional musical practices. Topics addressed will include site-specific audio installation, sound walks, broadcast arts, and acoustic ecology. Regular readings and discussions will be combined with listening sessions and student projects. The goal of this course is to provide practical skills in contemporary sound creation and production, while providing necessary historical and theoretical context. (ART)
1.00 units, Studio
MUSC 175
Introduction to Recording Arts
This is a course in the basics of recording and producing music. Students learn to use the basic tools of the production studio, including an exploration of recording techniques and standard practices encountered at professional facilities. The course also incorporates connections between listening to professional recordings and making technical decisions when capturing a musical performance. (ART)
1.00 units, Studio
MUSC 200
Composition
Individual projects in free composition, with emphasis on acquiring and developing techniques of musical form and balance. When possible, student compositions will be performed. (ART)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Music 101 or permission of instructor.
1.00 units, Seminar
MUSC 201
Understanding Music II
Study of the harmonic practices of the 18th and 19th centuries, through exercises and the analysis of typical works. An intensive course with integrated practicum sessions, which focus on the development of skills in sight-singing, dictation, and keyboard proficiency, and written exercises modeled after those works. Simultaneous enrollment in the one-hour practicum is required. (ART)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Music 101 or equivalent preparation.
1.50 units, Seminar
MUSC 202
Understanding Music III
Further study of the harmonic practices of the 18th and 19th centuries, through exercises and the analysis of typical works. Weekly practicum sessions focus on the consolidation of skills in sight singing, dictation, and keyboard proficiency. Simultaneous enrollment in the one-hour practicum is required. (ART)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Music 201 or permission of instructor.
1.25 units, Lecture
MUSC 206
Latin American and Latinx Sound Cultures
This class explores how sound is made, used, and heard across the territories now known as Latin America and its diaspora. Through a survey of musical genres, soundscapes, and media expressions, we will examine the ways in which sound contributes to the formation and disruption of national identities since the early aughts of the 20th century to the present. Students will learn how to think critically through sound, as we make connections between sonic markers and political, historical, social, and economic turmoil in Latin America and beyond. In addition, students will have the option of choosing a creative final project to showcase what they have learned. The class will be taught entirely in English, although we will engage with products in various languages. (HUM)
0.50 units, Seminar
MUSC 209
Organists' Lab
An optional lab for students concurrently enrolled in MUSC-209 (organ). Students meet weekly to perform repertoire they are currently studying, discussing issues related to performance, practice techniques, registration, and console management. Collaborative accompanying skills and some improvisation techniques will also be covered. (ART)
0.25 units, Laboratory
MUSC 209
Organ Lessons
Private, applied lessons in organ. (ART)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Music 101, which may be taken concurrently, permission of the coordinator/instructor.
0.50 units, Studio
MUSC 218
American Popular Music
A broad survey of popular music in the United States from the late 19th century to the present. We will explore blackface minstrelsy, the music of Tin Pan Alley, ragtime and big band jazz, early blues and country music, post-war pop singers, the evolution of rock and roll, rhythm and blues and soul, folk music, alternative music, hip-hop, and MTV and the popular mainstream. Themes of music and identity, multi- cultural sources, the business of music, and the influence of technology will be followed throughout the course. No previous background in music is required. Also listed in American Studies. (ARIP)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 219
Toca Brasil! (Play Brazil!)
A comprehensive, interactive exploration of Brazilian music, this course will present an integrated approach through hands-on performance of Brazilian percussion music, combined with academic study of Afro-Brazilian culture, religion, and dance. Beginning with an overview of traditional Brazilian forms of musical expression, we will then analyze how these forms were incorporated into popular musical styles from the 1960s to the present. In recent years, fusions of new styles derived from traditional Brazilian and non-Brazilian music have emerged that reflect contemporary processes of globalization. The multi-faceted approach to be integrated into this course will include hands-on musical performance, readings, and audio/video recordings. No previous experience in music is required. Also listed under International Studies-Latin American and Caribbean studies. (GLB1)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 220
Music and Human Rights
This course highlights the role of music in relation to human rights throughout the world. Material to be covered includes theoretical approaches towards the study of human rights and how music can serve as an important indicator of diverse social relationships in various contexts. It will also compare and contrast historical and cultural aspects of musical movements that were strongly connected to human rights in countries and regions such as Latin America, the Caribbean, the United States, South Korea, and South Africa. (ARIP)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 234
Music as Protest
This course examines the ways in which social and political issues are expressed in music. We will look at music that was written, composed, and performed in Paris, Harlem, and Hartford in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, and explore the ramifications of the social and political issues for the music. Topics to be covered include: the music of the French Revolution; music of urban black America, 1960 to the present; Hector Berlioz, Ludwig van Beethoven, Claude Debussy, and “protests” in classical music. No previous experience in music is required. (ARIP)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 248
The Psychology of Music
A broad survey of human responses to music, from the physics and psychophysics of how we perceive musical sounds to the question of how and why music is emotionally powerful. Through reading from the primary literature in both music and psychology, students will develop an understanding of the cognitive processes by which we understand music; musical meaning and the formation of musical taste; the social and cultural factors that influence musical preferences; and the similarities and differences in music across cultures. Students MUST have the ability to read music. (ART)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 252
The Beatles and ‘60s Rock ‘n’ Roll
The Beatles were at the center of a revolution in rock ’n’ roll in the 1960s, affecting music in the US and around the world. This course will explore the enormous changes in rock music in that decade, seeking to understand them both musically and in terms of the important political and social changes that defined the 1960s. Our focus will combine detailed, critical listening (to musicians including Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys, the Byrds, the Supremes, and many others) with exploration of the numerous connections between the music and the rapidly changing society in which it was produced. (ART)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 260
Advanced Recording Arts
Building on the knowledge and techniques learned in MUSC-175 Introduction to Recording Arts, students will engage in recording projects of multiple musical genres. This class will incorporate more advanced recording and mixing philosophies and will continue development of technical critical listening skills in a studio environment. (ART)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Music 175, or permission of instructor.
1.00 units, Studio
MUSC 268
Mozart and Beethoven
"Wolfgang Amadè Mozart (1756-91) and Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) are two of the greatest and most famous composers in Western music. They also stand at a major turning point in music history, representing a shift from “music as entertainment” to “music as profoundly personal expression."" By investigating the lives, careers, and music of these two extraordinary figures, we will also explore this important cultural shift and its consequences for later music. This is an introductory course; there are no prerequisites, and students do not need to read music. It is a listening course, and students should expect to do several hours of listening each week (in addition to assigned readings and occasional video screenings). We will also attend live concerts of Mozart’s and Beethoven’s music." (ART)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 270
Synthesis and Sound Design
This course explores various methods of audio sound design and creation through several synthesis methods, and through creative recording and audio manipulation techniques. Students will learn about the building blocks of synthesis, from oscillator to output, and how these components interact to create certain timbres, via hands-on experimentation, demonstrations, in-class assignments, and creative projects. (ART)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Music 175, or permission of instructor.
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 271
Sound Design for Film and Animation
Change the description to: This course provides students with a foundation of techniques used in music scoring and sound design for film, animation, video games, and other various media. This is a creative course as well as a technical course to provide students with the skills to synchronize audio with video. Collaborative music scoring will be encouraged along with the exploration of a complete audio mix for video (dialogue, ADR, Foley, sound effects). The class will also engage in critical listening of landmark films and their sound designers. (ART)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 274
Jazz: 1900 to the Present
Through listening, discussion, and reading, this course will survey the development of jazz from ragtime and pre-jazz through New Orleans swing, be-bop, and modern jazz. Among composers and performers to be studied include Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Scott Joplin, Thelonious Monk, Charles Parker, and Woody Shaw. No previous training in music is required. Also listed under American Studies. (ART)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 275
The Business of Music
The music business is a changing and dynamic concept, ranging from individual entrepreneurs to multinational conglomerates. It encompasses single performances, tours, publishing and recording, promotion, management, and legal issues. This course will introduce you to an overview of the recording and music industry through a variety of hands-on projects. Since digital technologies have dramatically transformed music production, distribution, and consumption, this course will explore legal, technical, financial, and social issues of the music business. (ART)
1.00 units, Lecture
MUSC 290
Brazil in 3-D!
This course will provide an in-depth exploration of the music and culture of Afro-Brazilian traditions through performance process immersion in three sites within Brazil. Beginning in Salvador da Bahia, students will participate in drumming and movement workshops that may include capoeira (martial art/dance/game), candomblé (religious music), and samba reggae (a regional adaptation of samba drumming). The next site will be the state of Minas Gerais ("General Mines") where we will explore the Congado Mineiro, a religious drumming processional music, and more recent adaptations of this tradition, with the Meninos de Minas, a youth drumming project based on the rhythms of the Congado Mineiro. This site will include visits to the city of Itabira, and a visit to a quilombo (a village that was founded by Afro Brazilians following the abolition of slavery in the late 1800s). The final stop will be a visit to Rio de Janeiro, where students will explore Brazilian samba drumming traditions, including a workshop with members of the top-level Salgueiro samba school, and the Cidade de Samba, where the carnival parade floats are constructed by several groups. Other musical traditions to be explored in Rio will include pagode and other forms of Afro-Brazilian music and dance. Preference will be afforded to students who have performance experience in courses such as the Samba Ensemble (MUSC 111) and Toca Brasil! (MUSC 219). (GLB1)
0.50 units, Seminar
MUSC 313
Inventions and Revolutions in Music
In this course we will be exploring some of the most influential and revolutionary music artists, works, and ideas of the last 200 years, from Beethoven's symphonic insurgency in the 19th century, to the advent of Jazz, to the arrival of atonality in the early 20th century, to John Cage's antiestablishment in the 1950s and 60s, to the rise of Hip hop in the 1980s, to more recent styles and trends in music. Customized projects will allow students to focus on their musical skills and background but will also allow students with no prior musical knowledge or training to fully engage with the material, and even try their hand at creating new music. (ART)
1.00 units, Seminar
MUSC 314
Milestones in Music
This course considers milestones in music from the late twelfth century through the early twentieth century. The first unit begins with the work of Notre Dame's Léonin and Pérotin and moves on to explore masterworks by fourteenth- through seventeenth-century composers, among them Machaut, Josquin, Palestrina, and Monteverdi. The next unit, on milestones in eighteenth-century composition, looks at selected works of Bach, Vivaldi, and Handel. The second half of the course will consider milestones in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, with special focus on the music of Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Wagner, and Debussy. Students will write short, critical papers, attend concerts in Hartford and New York, and do a lot of listening. (ART)
1.00 units, Seminar
MUSC 328
Organ Literature and History
Knighted "the king of instruments" by Mozart, the pipe organ is one of the oldest and most complex of all musical instruments. This course will provide an overview of the development of the instrument itself and its repertoire, ranging from the organ's medieval origins through the present day. We will listen to recordings of music from every major period and national school of organ literature, as well as attend live performances and visit historic instruments in Connecticut. The course will culminate in a final performance and research project. (ART)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Music 101 or equivalent preparation.
1.00 units, Seminar
MUSC 399
Independent Study: Composition
Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (ART)
1.00 units, Independent Study
MUSC 399
Independent Study
Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (ART)
0.50 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study
MUSC 407
Senior Recital
The preparation and presentation of a full-length program. Enrollment is subject to the approval of the Music faculty. Interested students must meet with the department chairperson and obtain a copy of the senior recital guidelines in the spring semester of the junior year if planning a recital for the senior year. The course is open to both majors and non-majors. If the student is concurrently enrolled in Music 107 Music Lessons for 0.5 credit, then the senior recital will count for 0.5 credit. Submission of an independent study form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the department chair, are required for enrollment. (ART)
0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study
MUSC 415
Special Studies in Music
Individual or group study and research on a selected topic under the guidance of a member of the Music faculty. Permission is granted only to advanced students. Submission of a completed independent study form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (ART)
0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study
MUSC 418
Senior Project
Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment. (ART)
1.00 units, Independent Study
MUSC 420
Advanced Topics in Music History
This course will focus on the analytical and historical exploration of one or more specific repertories in Western music (such as Baroque sacred music, or the string quartets of Beethoven), along with a consideration of the relevant musicological literature. Topics will vary from year to year. (ART)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Music 312 or permission of instructor.
1.00 units, Seminar
MUSC 466
Teaching Assistantship
Submission of the special registration form, available online, and the approval of the instructor are required for enrollment. Guidelines are available in the College Bulletin. (0.5 - 1 course credit)
0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study
MUSC 497
Senior Thesis
Submission of the special registration form and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment in this single-semester thesis. (ART)
1.00 units, Independent Study
MUSC 498
Senior Thesis Part 1
This course is the first part of a two semester, two credit thesis. Submission of the special registration form and the approval of the thesis adviser and the director are required for enrollment. The registration form is required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (ART)
1.00 units, Independent Study
MUSC 499
Senior Thesis Part 2
This course is the second part of a two semester, two credit thesis. Submission of the special registration form and the approval of the thesis adviser and the director are required for enrollment. The registration form is required for each semester of this year-long thesis. (ART)
1.00 units, Independent Study