Music

Director of Undergraduate Studies: Anne Robertson, Go H 201, 702-8668

Departmental Secretary: Katie Schafer, Go H 309, 702-8484

World Wide Web: http://humanities.uchicago.edu/humanities/music/

Program of Study

The Department of Music aims to broaden the exposure to and enrich the understanding of the various musical traditions of the world. Courses address the materials of tonal music in the Western tradition, the analysis of individual works, the study of composers and genres, non-Western and vernacular repertories, musical composition, critical approaches to music, and the role of music in society. The Bachelor of Arts program in music provides a background both for graduate work in music and for study in other fields. The department also sponsors a number of performance organizations and concert series.

Courses for Nonconcentrators: The Common Core. Students seeking to fulfill the one-quarter Common Core requirement in musical, visual, and dramatic arts should choose from among the following: Music 101 (Introduction to Western Music), Music 102 (Introduction to World Music), Music 103 (Introduction to Music: Materials and Design), or either quarter of Music 121-122 (Music History for Nonmajors). These courses are open to all students, regardless of previous musical background.

Other Courses for Nonconcentrators. In addition to the Common Core courses, the department offers a two-quarter Introduction to Music Theory (Music 141-142) for students who have had little or no exposure to reading music. Students who can read music comfortably can take a three-quarter sequence in Harmony (Music 151-152-153). Courses numbered from 200 to 249 are open to students who have passed a course at the 100 level or who have equivalent musical background. In addition, courses designed for the concentration (Music 250 to 299), and certain graduate courses, are open to qualified College students who are not concentrating in music, with consent of the instructor.

Program Requirements

B.A. Program. The program for the bachelor's degree with a concentration in music offers a well-balanced selection of practical, historical, and conceptual approaches to music.

All concentrators are required to take at least twelve music courses and participate in a campus performing organization (or comparable musical activity) for at least three quarters. Students should begin their concentration program by taking the three-quarter sequence in Harmony (Music 151-152-153) during their first or second year. The required course in musicianship skills (Music 285), offered every year, should also be taken at this time.

To develop their musical skills and historical knowledge, students should take the advanced music theory sequence (Music 251-252-253) and Topics in the History of Western Music (Music 271-272-273) during the next two years (another theory course or a course in performance or interpretation may be substituted for Music 253). Students complete their programs by choosing two additional courses: one in ethnomusicology and one in composition, computer music, or orchestration.

All concentrators must arrange a formal consultation with the director of undergraduate studies before declaring their concentration.

Summary of Requirements

3 Music 151-152-153

1 Music 285

3 Music 251, 252, and 253 (or another theory

or performance course in place of Music 253)

3 Music 271-272-273

1 one course in ethnomusicology (any course

numbered in the 230s)

1 one course in composition, computer music,

or orchestration (any course numbered in the 260s)

- performing organization (at least three quarters)

12

Advanced Standing. Those students who exhibit a competence in harmony sufficient to place out of Music 151-152-153 or knowledge of music history sufficient to place out of Music 271-272-273 may devise an alternative program with the director of undergraduate studies.

Grading. Courses taken in fulfillment of the Common Core requirement cannot be taken on a P/N basis. Music concentrators must take courses in the concentration for letter grades.

Honors. Students who have a grade point average of at least 3.0 overall and of at least 3.5 in the concentration, and who present a senior essay or composition written in an advanced course or a special tutorial (Music 299) may be recommended for honors. Students seeking honors should speak with the director of undergraduate studies no later than autumn quarter of their senior year.

Musical Performance. The Department of Music is committed to the idea that the study of music is incomplete without some participation in the making of music. Students concentrating in music must participate for at least three quarters in the activities of at least one of the performance organizations on campus, either through the larger ensembles (the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, the Choruses and Choirs, the Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Ensemble, and the New Music Ensemble) or through the Chamber Music Ensembles program. A student may, by petition to the director of undergraduate studies, show evidence of outside musical activity to fulfill this performance requirement.

Performance Organizations

Membership in the Department of Music performance organizations is open to qualified students from all areas of the University through competitive auditions held at the beginning of autumn quarter. Most organizations rehearse weekly. For further information, students should consult the brochure "Performance Opportunities at the University of Chicago" or contact Barbara Schubert, director of performing programs.

Symphony Orchestra. The one-hundred-member University Symphony Orchestra presents six concerts per season. Familiar and unusual repertoire from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is featured. A major performance with the University Chorus every season, the biennial University Concerto Competition, and a regular summer opera production with the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists are highlights of the symphony's activities. Wednesday evening rehearsals. B. Schubert. Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Chamber Orchestra. The University Chamber Orchestra is a string ensemble that specializes in baroque, early classical, and twentieth-century repertoire. Supplemented by wind players for particular pieces, the group presents three concerts per season. Members often play in the University Symphony as well. Monday evening rehearsals. A. Arnold. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Wind Ensemble. The University Wind Ensemble performs both symphonic wind ensemble literature and transcriptions of major orchestral repertoire. The group presents one concert each quarter and occasionally performs at informal activities and social events on campus. Monday evening rehearsals. W. Gordon. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Chorus. The one-hundred-thirty-member University Chorus performs choral literature of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, accompanied by keyboard, small instrumental ensembles, or the University Symphony. One major concert per quarter plus supplemental performances on campus and elsewhere in the city make up the season. Tuesday evening rehearsals. R. Von Ellefson. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Motet Choir. The thirty-member University Motet Choir is a select group that specializes in a cappella choral literature of all periods, plus Renaissance and baroque works accompanied by period instruments. The ensemble presents one major concert per quarter on campus and frequent performances elsewhere in Chicago. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday noontime rehearsals. R. Von Ellefson. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Jazz Ensemble. The Jazz Ensemble is an eight- to ten-piece group dedicated to the exploration of small-group improvisation and ensemble performance in traditional jazz styles. The ensemble's repertoire ranges from standards to new compositions written for the group to collaborative works. The group presents one major concert per quarter on campus, as well as supplemental performances on campus and elsewhere in the city. Wednesday evening rehearsals. M. Bowden. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

New Music Ensemble. The University New Music Ensemble performs a wide variety of twentieth-century repertoire, with each of its quarterly concerts including solo and ensemble works for singers and instrumentalists. Experimental music, world premieres, and multimedia programs are an integral part of every season, along with twentieth-century masterworks and compositions by students in the Department of Music. Saturday afternoon rehearsals. B. Schubert. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Javanese Gamelan Ensemble. The Javanese Gamelan Ensemble is part of the department's expanded offerings in ethnomusicology. The group focuses on authentic performance practice and makes use of numerous opportunities to rehearse and perform with visiting artists from Java and around the United States. The ensemble's performances feature contemporary Indonesian and American compositions in addition to traditional Javanese gamelan pieces. Rehearsals by arrangement. P. Minaro. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Chamber Music Ensembles. Chamber Music Ensembles are open to students from all areas of the University and at all levels of proficiency. The Department of Music organizes various ensembles in accordance with players' tastes and skills, and provides opportunities for musical coaching and performance. Master classes with area professionals and visiting artists are organized each quarter through the chamber music program. Rehearsals by arrangement. I. Levinson. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Other Campus Activities. A variety of other musical activities is available at the University, including the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, a jazz band and stage band, a brass society, several residence hall recital series, and several student-run theater groups.

Faculty

PHILIP V. BOHLMAN, Associate Professor, Department of Music and the College

RICHARD COHN, Associate Professor, Department of Music and the College

JOHN EATON, Professor, Department of Music and the College

MARTHA FELDMAN, Associate Professor, Department of Music and the College

PHILIP GOSSETT, Robert W. Reneker Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Music, Committee on General Studies in the Humanities, and the College; Dean, Division of the Humanities

BERTHOLD HOECKNER, Assistant Professor, Department of Music and the College

ROBERT KENDRICK, Associate Professor, Department of Music and the College

SHULAMIT RAN, William H. Colvin Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Music and the College

ANNE WALTERS ROBERTSON, Professor, Department of Music and the College; Chairman, Department of Music

HOWARD SANDROFF, Senior Lecturer, Department of Music; Director, Computer Music Studio

BARBARA SCHUBERT, Senior Lecturer, Department of Music; Director, Student Performing Programs

RANDI VON ELLEFSON, Senior Lecturer, Department of Music and Rockefeller Memorial Chapel; Director, Choral Activities

LAWRENCE ZBIKOWSKI, Assistant Professor, Department of Music and the College

Courses

Information about additional undergraduate course offerings can be obtained from the Department of Music office and on the World Wide Web at http://humanities.uchicago.edu/humanities/music/.

101. Introduction to Western Music. This course fulfills the Common Core requirement in the musical, visual, and dramatic arts. Background in music not required. Students must confirm enrollment by attending one of the first two sessions of class. A one-quarter course designed to enrich the listening experience of students, particularly with respect to the art music of the Western European and American concert tradition. Students are introduced to the basic elements of music and the ways that they are integrated to create masterworks in various styles. Particular emphasis is placed on musical form and on the potential for music to refer to and interact with aspects of the world outside. Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

102. Introduction to World Music. This course fulfills the Common Core requirement in the musical, visual, and dramatic arts. Background in music not required. Students must confirm enrollment by attending one of the first two sessions of class. A selected survey of classical, popular, and folk music traditions from around the world. The goal is not only to expand our skills as listeners, but also to redefine what we consider music to be, in the process stimulating a fresh approach to our own diverse musical traditions. In addition, the role of music as ritual, aesthetic experience, mode of communication, and artistic expression is explored. Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

103. Introduction to Music: Materials and Design. This course fulfills the Common Core requirement in the musical, visual, and dramatic arts. Background in music not required. Students must confirm enrollment by attending one of the first two sessions of class. In this variant of the introductory course in music, students explore the language of music through coordinated listening, analysis, and exercises in composition. A study of a wide diversity of musical styles serves as an incentive for student compositions in those styles. Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

121-122. History of Music for Nonmajors. Either course fulfills the Common Core requirement in the musical, visual, and dramatic arts and may be taken individually. Students must confirm enrollment by attending one of the first two sessions of class. A two-quarter sequence in the history of Western music from its origins through the present, emphasizing the evolution of musical style. Music 121 covers music up to 1750, including the medieval, Renaissance, and baroque periods; Music 122 covers music from the classical era until the present. A. Robertson, Winter; R. Kendrick, Spring.

141-142. Introduction to Music Theory for Nonmajors. These courses may not be used to satisfy the Common Core requirement in the musical, visual, and dramatic arts. This two-quarter sequence covers the basic elements of music theory, including music reading, intervals, chords, meter, and rhythm. The emphasis is on practical and analytical skills leading to simple melodic and contrapuntal composition, and a more profound appreciation of music. Adrian Childs. Autumn, Winter.

151-152-153. Harmony. PQ: Ability to read music. A three-quarter sequence in four-part harmonization of figured basses for students who have some background in music and are familiar with musical notation. Triads, seventh chords, and diatonic harmony are covered in the autumn quarter; sequences, chromatic harmony, and modulation are covered in the winter and spring quarters. R. Cohn. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

223. Early Music and Performance History. PQ: Music 271-272 or consent of instructor. This course explores the history of the early music movement, the types of expectations that underwrote European performance styles in art music traditions up to the early nineteenth century, and the question of what might currently constitute historically grounded performance. We study selected reconstructions of a range of repertories from the twelfth through the early nineteenth centuries and also devote some attention to historiographical questions. Students are encouraged to perform from given repertories on suitable instruments if they so choose. M. Feldman. Autumn.

225. The String Quartets of Beethoven. PQ: Any 100-level music course, or the ability to read music. This course examines the Beethoven string quartets from multiple perspectives. Through close listening and analysis, we discuss their structure and style, and trace their relationship to the string quartets of Haydn and Mozart. We consider the social context in which chamber music was performed and asses the historical reception of the Beethoven quartets. We also compare various contemporary critical traditions pertaining to the works of Beethoven (both musical and cultural), with particular attention to the string quartets. Attendance at four concerts devoted to the Beethoven String Quartets is required. P. Gossett. Winter.

227. Music and Politics in Twentieth-Century China. PQ: Any 100-level music course, or the ability to read music. Taking twentieth-century China as a case study, this course examines a wide range of issues in the relationship between the cultural life and the politics of the modern state. We focus on two central questions: (1) Why would a particular musical tradition be chosen (or left out) in a political discourse? and (2) How is the chosen musical tradition manipulated in the political discourse? In addition to weekly readings, students study recordings of musical compositions and videos of Chinese films, theatrical works, and concert performances. M. Chow. Spring.

231/331. Jazz (=AfAfAm 202, Music 221/331). PQ: Any 100-level music course, or the ability to read music. This survey examines the history and development of jazz from its West African roots to the so-called free jazz of the 1960s and 1970s. Representative works in various styles are selected for intensive formal and stylistic analysis. Traditional forms and genres are traced from the New Orleans beginnings to their contemporary manifestations in the avant garde. The resources of the Chicago Jazz Archive in the Regenstein Library provide primary source materials. R. Wang. Winter.

233. "Americas." PQ: Any 100-level music course, or the ability to read music. In this course we examine a repertory of pieces called "America" to investigate the different meanings and representations of place and nation in American history. By naming a piece or movement "America," composers and performers deliberately attempt to evoke some sense of the nation and of nationalism. This may be connected with an immigrant experience (for example, Varese and Bloch), the sacred journey of the frontier (for example, Billings), or the contested spaces of the modern city (for example, Bernstein). Our examinations attempt to get inside the meanings of the music to construct the narratives of the nation. P. Bohlman. Autumn.

236/336. Area Studies: Music of the Mediterranean. The modern study of musical "others" began in the Mediterranean. An examination of Mediterranean musics provides an opportunity to reflect critically on the disciplinary history of ethnomusicology, and a number of current theoretical concerns. This course of lectures and discussions will look at the following issues: constructions of "the Mediterranean", the Mediterranean and early ethnomusicologists; music in relation to North-South movement, migration, contact, gypsies, the colonial encounter; the musical organization of state and regional identities; Mediterranean diasporas; constructions of and relations between "high"/"low"/"popular" music cultures; music/dance performance; morality and gender. M. Stokes. Autumn.

239/339. Jewish Music. PQ: Any 100-level music course, or the ability to read music. This course allows students to experience Jewish music from diverse historical and geographic perspectives. Jewish music is examined in historical contexts, ranging from biblical concepts to the music of modern Jewish communities. The musical tensions created by oral traditions in diaspora are contrasted with modern processes of return and revival. Jewish music is further understood to consist of many different genres and practices of music making: liturgy and prayer, ritual and dance, folk and popular music, and classical music in the Jewish communities of the diaspora and the Middle East. P. Bohlman. Winter.

251. Theory and Analysis I. PQ: Music 153 or equivalent. This course continues the investigation of harmony and voice-leading begun in Music 153 and extends it to standard chromatic harmonies (including augmented-sixth chords and the Neapolitan), exploring these topics through model composition and analysis. The course also covers the analysis of standard tonal forms, including sonata form. Eytan Agmon. Autumn.

252. Theory and Analysis II. PQ: Music 251 or equivalent. This course ventures further into extended chromatic techniques, and the analysis of music of the late nineteenth century, and continues the development of analytical skills for the study of tonal forms. The course also offers an introduction to post-tonal theory and analysis. Clifton Callender. Winter.

253. Theory and Analysis III. PQ: Music 252 or equivalent. This course focuses on the theory and analysis of rhythm and meter, in both Western and non-Western repertoires. Further work in the theory and analysis of pitch-structure in twentieth-century music is also offered. L. Zbikowski. Spring.

261. Introduction to Composition. PQ: Music 142 or 153 or equivalent. Some of the essential elements of music, such as melody, rhythm, harmony, and form, are explored through composition in various styles. A series of closely structured exercises leads the way to integration of the various elements into larger formal designs. The use of pitched, nonpitched, tonal, and nontonal materials is encouraged. J. Eaton. Spring.

262. Advanced Composition. PQ: Music 261 or equivalent. This course is a continuation of the study of composition undertaken in Music 261. Credit will be awarded in the Winter term. John Eaton.

263-264/347-348. Introduction to Computer Music. PQ: Consent of instructor. This course provides students with instruction in the concepts and methods of digital sound synthesis using the technique of frequency modulation. The course presents the theory of FM synthesis, introduces the discipline of psychoacoustics as it applies to the perception of electronically generated sounds, and provides an opportunity to exploit the hardware and software of the Computer Music Studio for creative musical work. Staff. Not offered 1997-98; will be offered 1998-99.

266/346. Instrumentation and Orchestration II. PQ: Open to nonconcentrators with consent of instructor. The objectives of this course are twofold: (1) to acquaint students with the instruments used in the standard symphony orchestra: their capabilities, limitations, and characteristic uses; and (2) to pinpoint, through analysis of a wide variety of excerpts from orchestral literature, specific solutions to problems of balance and voicing. Through selected projects in orchestration, students begin to acquire the tools needed to score for various instrumental combinations. E. Blackwood. Autumn.

268/368. Studies in Computer Music. PQ: Music 264 or consent of instructor. This course, for students who have experience with the equipment of the Computer Music Studio, consists of advanced work in creative composition at those facilities. H. Sandroff. Autumn.

271-272-273. Topics in the History of Western Music. PQ: Music 142 or 153; open to nonconcentrators with consent of instructor. A three-quarter investigation into Western art music, with primary emphasis on the vocal and instrumental repertories of Western Europe and the United States. Music 271 begins with the earliest notated music and considers monophonic liturgical chant and the development of sacred and secular vocal polyphony through the sixteenth century. Music 272 addresses topics in music from 1600 to 1800, including early opera, music developed for the Protestant church, the emergence of instrumental genres, the coalescing of the tonal language, and the Viennese classicism of Haydn and Mozart. Music 273 treats music since 1800. Topics include the music of Beethoven and his influence on later composers; the rise of public concerts, German opera, programmatic instrumental music, and nationalist trends; the confrontation with modernism; and the impact of technology on the expansion of musical boundaries. Staff. Not offered 1997-98; will be offered 1998-99.

281. Orchestral Conducting. PQ: Consent of instructor. This yearlong course deals with the art, the craft, and the practice of orchestral conducting. The students acquire practical conducting experience through classroom work and through a variety of outside rehearsals and performances. A large assortment of practical and theoretical readings supplement the podium work, and several analytical papers are assigned. Credit is granted only in the spring quarter, after successful completion of the year's work. B. Schubert. Spring.

285. Musicianship Skills. PQ: Music 153; open only to music concentrators. This is a yearlong course in ear training, keyboard progressions, realization of figured basses at the keyboard, and reading of chamber and orchestral scores. Classes consist of one hour-long dictation lab and one-half hour-long keyboard lab per week. Credit is granted in the spring quarter only, after successful completion of the year's work. I. Levinson. Spring.

297. Independent Study in Music. PQ: Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies. This course is for students who wish to pursue specialized readings in the history or theory of music, or to do advanced work in composition. Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

299. Undergraduate Tutorials in Music. PQ: Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies. This course is for students who wish to work on a senior essay or composition. Staff. Autumn, Winter, Spring.