Catalog

Academics > Catalog > 2004-2006 > Courses of Instruction > MUS

Music

The Department of Music gives students the opportunity to study music from cultural, historical, ethnomusicological, theoretical, creative, and interpretive perspectives. The courses offered are suitable for general liberal arts students and for music majors, and include study of Western and non-Western musical traditions. In recent years, students have completed a number of interdisciplinary and double-major programs including substantial work in music.

The department sponsors the following faculty-led extracurricular performing organizations: the College Choir, the Concert Band, the Fiddle Band, the "Fighting Bobcat" Orchestra, the Javanese Gamelan Mawar Mekar, the Jazz Ensemble, the Steel Pan Ensemble, and ad hoc vocal and instrumental ensembles performing chamber music or jazz.

Music 101, 102, and 103 are three independent introductions to the study of music, through different repertoires and methodologies. Each of them, however, introduces students to a common set of analytical concepts and the vocabulary essential to further work in the department. Students considering a major or secondary concentration in music should enroll in Music 231 as their first course in the department.

More information on the music department is available on the Web site (www.bates.edu/MUS.xml).

Cross-listed Courses

Note that unless otherwise specified, when a department/program references a course or unit in the department/program, it includes courses and units cross-listed with the department/program.

Major Requirements

All students majoring in music are required to take four courses in music theory (Music 231, 232, 331, and 332), one two-semester course of applied music, two 200-level courses other than applied music, Music 399, Music s28, and Music 457 or 458. Honors candidates or others pursuing full-year theses register for both 457 and 458.

In addition to these courses, music majors have requirements specific to their field of specialization. Performers take two additional credits of applied music and participate in at least four semesters of small and large departmental performing ensembles. Composers take Music 235 and Music 237. History and theory students take two additional 200- or 300-level courses of their choice. Ethnomusicology students take Music 262 and an additional course in ethnomusicology.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

Pass/fail grading may be elected for courses applied towards the major.

Secondary Concentration

The secondary concentration in music consists of seven courses: Music 231-232, 331-332, and three additional 200- or 300-level courses (one, but no more than one, of which may be a two-semester credit in applied music).

Pass/Fail Grading Option

Pass/fail grading may be elected for courses applied toward the secondary concentration.

Study of foreign languages is strongly recommended for students planning graduate work in music.

Private instruction for credit is normally offered in banjo (Mr. Anthony Shostak); bass trombone (Ms. Anita Jerosch), bassoon (Ms. Ardith Keef); clarinet (Ms. Carol Furman); double bass (Mr. George Rubino); drum set (Mr. Stephen Grover); electric bass (Mr. Kenneth Labrecque); euphonium (Ms. Anita Jerosch); fiddle (Mr. Gregory Boardman); flute (Ms. Kay Hamlin); French horn (Ms. Andrea Lynch); guitar (Mr. Kenneth Labrecque); harpsichord (Mr. Marion R. Anderson); jazz piano (Mr. Stephen Grover); oboe (Mr. Louis Hall); organ (Mr. Marion R. Anderson); piano (Mrs. Natasha Chances, Mr. John Corrie, Mr. Frank Glazer); saxophone (Mr. Sean Potter); sitar (Mr. David Pontbriand), trombone (Mr. Sebastian Jerosch); trumpet (Mr. John Furman); tuba (Ms. Anita Jerosch); viola (Ms. Julia Adams); violin (Mr. Stephen Kecskemethy); violoncello (Ms. Kathleen Foster); and voice (Ms. Susan Brownfield, Mr. John Corrie). For 2005-2006 the following instructors replace those noted below: flute (Lee Humphreys); French horn (Mr. Scott Burditt); harpsichord (Mr. John Corrie); jazz piano (Tom Snow); piano (Mrs. Natasha Chances, Mr. Frank Glazer); organ (Mr. John Corrie); percussion (Nancy Smith); saxophone (Mr. David Wells). Instructors are available to teach other classical, jazz, folk and non-Western instruments when demand exists. The conditions for taking applied music are set out below under Music 270.

General Education

Music s28 (Survey of Western Music) may serve as an option for the fifth humanities course. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or A-Level credit awarded by the department may not be used towards fulfillment of any General Education requirements.

Courses

MUS 101. Introduction to Listening.

Reading and listening assignments, demonstrations, and class discussion provide opportunity to become familiar with the structures of music. The elements of music and the sociology of music making are studied, using repertoire from various cultures and historical periods, chosen mostly from music of the United States. Emphasis is placed on the student's perception of and involvement in the musical work. The course is open to, and directed toward, students unskilled in reading music as well as those with considerable musical experience. Enrollment limited to 96. Normally offered every year. J. Parakilas.

MUS 102. Composers, Performers, and Audiences.

Designed for students with little or no previous experience of the subject, this course considers the ways composers, performers, and audiences have affected one another in the history of Western music making. What were the employment conditions for composers? What is the relation between the composer and the performer? What sorts of audiences have different composers addressed, and how? The lives of a small number of composers, including Hildegard von Bingen, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Clara Schumann, and Duke Ellington serve as case studies as students address these questions, and basic musical vocabulary is introduced both at the beginning of the course and along the way. Enrollment limited to 96. Normally offered every year. M. Anderson.

MUS 103. Music Cultures of the World.

This course introduces students to the fundamental elements of music in selected music cultures of the world. Lectures include use of recordings, films, live performance, and hands-on workshops with great musicians to enhance the student's understanding of performance practices, aesthetic foundations, and musical belief systems. The course explores the basic principles of ethnomusicology; musical connections to dance and ritual; cross-cultural interactions and influences, and specific performance contexts in various cultural areas of the globe. Enrollment limited to 40. Normally offered every year. G. Fatone.

MUS 231. Music Theory I.

Beginning with a study of notation, scales, intervals, and rhythm, the course proceeds through composition and analysis of melodic forms, a study of harmonic motion, an introduction to the principles of counterpoint, and the analysis and composition of complete works from several popular and classical styles. The course includes practical ear-training and keyboard work in additional regularly scheduled laboratory sessions. Prerequisite(s): a reading knowledge of music. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every year. M. Anderson.

MUS 232. Music Theory II.

A continuation of Music Theory I. Prerequisite(s): Music 231. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every year. G. Fatone.

MUS 233. Jazz Performance Workshop.

Participants study jazz composition and harmonic theory and apply that knowledge to the practice and performance of small-group jazz improvisation. Course activities include the transcription and analysis of historical performances, composing and/or arranging, individual practice, group rehearsals on a common repertoire of standards, and at least two public performances. Vocalists and performers on any instrument may enroll. Prerequisite(s): Music 231. Recommended background: instrumental or vocal performance experience. Open to first-year students. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every year. Staff.

MUS 235. Music Composition.

Composition may be pursued by students at various levels of expertise and training. The course includes a weekly seminar and private lessons, and concentrates upon—without being limited to—contemporary idioms. Prerequisite(s): Music 232. Open to first-year students. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every year. P. Carlsen.

MUS 237. Computers, Music, and the Arts.

A hands-on study of music making with computers, using the facilities of the Bates Computer Music Studio. Topics include digital synthesis, sampling, MIDI communications, simple programming, and the aesthetics of art made with computers. No computing experience is presumed, and the course is especially designed for students of the arts who wish to learn about new tools. Work produced in the course is performed in concert. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 18. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every year. W. Matthews.

INDS 239. Black Women in Music.

Angela Davis states, "Black people were able to create with their music an aesthetic community of resistance, which in turn encouraged and nurtured a political community of active struggle for freedom." This course examines the role of black women as critics, composers, and performers who challenge externally defined controlling images. Topics include: black women in the music industry; black women in music of the African diaspora; and black women as rappers, jazz innovators, and musicians in the classical and gospel traditions. Cross-listed in African American studies, music, and women and gender studies. Not open to students who have received credit for African American Studies 239, Music 239, or Women's Studies 239. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

MUS 240. Music in Its Time and Place.

Study of the music and musical culture of a single historical time and place.

MUS 240A. Music and Identity, 1600-1789.

Music played an important role in the formation of cultural identities in early modern Europe. Italy could take credit for the invention of opera—the realization of a union of drama and music—while the French laid claim to the dance, for instance. Grand theatrical spectacles often accompanied important state events like weddings, coronations, funerals, and victory celebrations. In this course, students read from primary sources in translation, master the historical outlines of the period, and develop an understanding of the ways musical spectacle displayed, revealed, and manipulated cultural identity and power in this era. Students examine a wide range of musical materials from theatrical spectacle to broadsheet ballads. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Music 101, 102, 103, or 231. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.

MUS 240C. Politics and Pop since 1960.

This course examines folk rock of the 1960s, British and American punk of the 1970s, hip hop, the women's music of Lilith Fair, and contemporary white-supremacist rock. Students listen to and analyze recordings, transcribe lyrics, read historical and critical materials, write a number of short papers, and complete final projects. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Music 101, 102, 103, or 231. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 40. Offered with varying frequency. W. Matthews.

MUS 240D. The Romantic Ideal: Robert and Clara Schumann.

Using the music, letters, and critical writings of the Schumanns and their peers, students explore Romanticism in European music from the 1830s to the 1850s. Musicians include Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, Nicolai Paganini, Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, Johannes Brahms, Richard Wagner, and Hector Berlioz.New course beginning Winter 2005. Offered with varying frequency. W. Matthews.

MUS 243. Music of the Classical Period.

What to us is music of the Classical period or simply "classical music," the epitome of perfection and equilibrium in music, was actually created in a revolutionary age: the age of the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution. This course examines not just music by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, but the dynamics of musical life, musical institutions, the music business, and the musical trends in which those composers and their contemporaries participated. It examines music and music making in the cultural capitals of Paris, London, and Vienna, but also elsewhere in Europe and the Americas. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Music 101, 102, 103, or 231. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

MUS 245. Music Literature of the Twentieth Century.

A study of music from Debussy and the expressionistic compositions of Schoenberg through the development of twelve-tone techniques. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Music 101, 102, or 231. Open to first-year students. M. Anderson.

MUS 247. Jazz and Blues: History and Practice.

American jazz and blues offer two rich traditions through which one can study music, race, and American history. Through extensive listening, reading assignments, and interaction with musicians themselves, students explore the recorded history and contemporary practice of jazz and blues. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Music 101, 102, 103, or 231. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 96. Normally offered every other year. W. Matthews.

MUS 248. Music in Contemporary Popular Culture.

The last thirty years have witnessed a sea change in contemporary society, as dramatic technological and economic transformations have altered the way we see the world. This course addresses recent developments in popular music, jazz, and "art" music, examining how trends running from minimalism to hip hop and MTV comment upon this cultural environment. The course raises many questions: How has information technology altered our worldview? How does recent music reflect our ideas about race, class, gender, and sexuality? How does it disrupt conventional ideas about the separation between "high" and "low" culture? Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. D. Chapman.

AA/MU 249. African American Popular Music.

When Americans stared at their black-and-white television sets in the early 1950s, they saw only a white world. Variety shows primarily spotlighted the talent of white performers. Change came slowly, and during the late 1950s American Bandstand introduced viewers to African American artists. Over the last two decades, however, the emergence of music videos has created the need for a critical and scholarly understanding of the emerging forces of African American music. Not open to students who have received credit for African American Studies 249 or Music 249. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 40. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

MUS 250. Musical Theater in Central Java: Shadow Puppetry and Music.

This course introduces students to the history and practice of the primary musical-theatrical form of Central Java, shadow-puppet theater (wayang kulit). Traditionally performed with the accompaniment of a gong-chime orchestra (gamelan), wayang kulit depicts tales drawn from the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Through songs, narrative, and manipulation of intricately carved puppets behind a light screen, the puppeteer (dalang) brings these ancient texts to life. Combining hands-on experience of puppet making and playing gamelan, with historical study of wayang kulit as well as contemporary innovations, this course offers students an in-depth experience of one of the most prominent art forms of Indonesia. The course expands students' understanding of musical theater beyond Broadway, and offers one way to explore the historically dominant culture of Indonesia, that of the Central Javanese. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. J. Susilo.

MUS 254. Music and Drama.

How do music and drama go together, and how are the possible relationships between them exploited in different media? This course is a study of dramas that use music, not only opera, but also musicals, movies, and non-Western musical theater. Works are heard and seen on audio and video recordings, and the class may attend an opera performance in Boston or Portland. Gender issues pertaining to all genres are discussed throughout the course. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every other year. J. Parakilas.

MUS 255. The Orchestra.

The orchestra has come to represent a stronghold of Western culture—the massive and serious ensemble for which the "masters" set down their most profound musical ideas. Challenging notions of the "masterwork" and the transcendence of orchestral music, this course explores the origins of the ensemble—grounded in the dance—and presents changing cultural contexts and the concurrent changes in the status of orchestral music across time. Students listen to repertory ranging from the music of Louis XIV's court to Duke Ellington's jazz orchestra through the filter of cultural studies. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Music 101, 102, 103, or 231. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.

MUS 260. Women in Music.

This course explores the multiple ways women have made their voices heard in music—as performers, composers, patrons, and listeners—across time and culture. Taking a broad concept of voice from musical instrument to a powerful expression of individuality, students examine a range of women's musical experience and the ways performance, composition, and patronage have interacted to construct musical expression and women's articulation of their experiences. Case studies cover a range of material, from the nuns for whom Hildegard von Bingen composed her distinctive liturgical chants to the female singers of the Javanese gamelan ensemble. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Music 101, 102, 103, or 231, or any course in women and gender studies. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.

INDS 262. Ethnomusicology: African Diaspora.

This introductory course is a survey of key concepts, problems, and perspectives in ethnomusicological theory drawing upon the African diaspora as a cross-cultural framework. This course focuses on the social, political, and intellectual forces of African culture that contributed to the growth of ethnomusicology from the late nineteenth century to the present. Cross-listed in African American studies, anthropology, and music. Not open to students who have received credit for African American Studies 262, Anthropology 262, or Music 262. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every other year. Staff.

MUS 265. Great Composers.

A study of the works of one or two composers. Open to first-year students.

MUS 265D. Ludwig van Beethoven.

This course examines the life, compositions, and reception of Beethoven. Through a close reading of his connection to German Romanticism and the French Revolution, and through theoretical analysis of his sonatas, string quartets, and symphonies, students evaluate Beethoven's position as a link between the Classical and Romantic eras of musical style. The course also considers the myths and legends surrounding the figure of Beethoven, as well as the momentous reception—both musical and scholarly—his work received during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Music 101, 102, or 103. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.

MUS 265E. Igor Stravinsky.

Stravinsky's music, including instrumental and vocal music for the concert hall and the ballet, is studied in the context of the work of other major twentieth-century composers such as Arnold Schoenberg, Béla Bartók, and Aaron Copland. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. M. Anderson.

MUS 265F. Miles Davis.

This course explores the life, music, and cultural significance of Miles Davis, using his work and persona as windows into the turbulence of mid-twentieth-century America. The course considers such issues as his role in challenging historically entrenched representations of race, as well as his controversial defiance of musical conventions. Students develop a critical understanding of his musical output, from his early work with Charlie Parker to his late explorations of funk, psychedelic rock, and hip hop. Miles Davis is studied in the context of other major jazz musicians such as John Coltrane, Gil Evans, Wayne Shorter, and Wynton Marsalis. Prerequisite(s): Music 231 or 247.New course beginning Winter 2006. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. D. Chapman.

MUS 270. Applied Music.

An exploration of the literature for voice or a solo instrument through weekly instruction. Problems of performance practice, style, and form are emphasized equally to build technique. One course credit is granted upon completion of every two consecutive semesters of lessons. A maximum of four course credits may be earned in Music 270. Students register for Music 270 whenever they take the course; the actual sequential course number (271- 278) is recorded in the student's registration. Those who register for applied music instruction on an instrument must have at least a beginner's facility with that instrument. Corequisite(s): Participation in a department ensemble during both semesters of applied music study or enrollment in one departmental course other than applied music during that year. A special fee of $290 per semester is charged for each course. Written permission of the department chair is required for the first semester of applied music (270A), but not for subsequent semesters (270B). Open to first-year students. Normally offered every semester. M. Anderson.

MUS 280. Applied Music II.

See Music 270 for course description. Students register for both Music 270 and 280 if they are studying two musical instruments (or an instrument and voice) during the same semester. Students register for Music 280 whenever they take the course; the actual sequential course number (281-288) is recorded in the student's registration. A maximum of four course credits may be earned in Music 280. Those who register for applied music instruction on an instrument must have at least a beginner's facility with that instrument. A special fee of $290 is charged for each course. Written permission of the department chair is required for the first semester of applied music (280A), but not for any subsequent semester (280B). Corequisite(s): Music 270. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every semester. M. Anderson.

MUS 331. Music Theory III.

A continuation of Music Theory II, emphasizing four-voice textures, modulation, chromatic harmony, and sonata forms. Students compose music in several forms and styles, and continue practical ear-training and keyboard work. Regularly scheduled laboratory sessions. Prerequisite(s): Music 232. Normally offered every year. M. Anderson.

MUS 332. Music Theory IV.

A continuation of Music Theory III, emphasizing chromatic harmony and the post-tonal styles of the twentieth century. Regularly scheduled laboratory sessions. Prerequisite(s): Music 331. Normally offered every year. M. Anderson.

MUS 335. Jazz Harmony.

A study of jazz harmony and composition, focusing on piano music by Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Thelonius Monk, and Bill Evans. Students transcribe and analyze representative compositions and complete exercises to expand their own understanding of jazz harmony. A large component of the course consists of keyboard practice and performance. Prerequisite(s): Music 232. Enrollment limited to 12. Offered with varying frequency. W. Matthews.

DN/MU 337. Atelier.

The atelier offers composers, performers, choreographers, and other artists the opportunity to collaborate using new technologies. Meeting in the Olin Computer Music Studio, students work together with interactive music and video software to create performances. Work in progress is shown weekly, then performed in public on and off campus. Recommended background for music majors: Music 233 and either 235 or 237.New course beginning Winter 2006. Enrollment limited to 16. Instructor permission is required. Normally offered every year. W. Matthews.

MUS 360. Independent Study.

Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.

MUS 365. Special Topics.

A course or seminar offered from time to time and reserved for a special topic selected by the department. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.

MUS 399. Junior-Senior Seminar.

Intensive analytical or theoretical study for advanced students. The particular topics vary from year to year according to the needs and interests of students and instructor. At least one junior-senior seminar is offered each year.

MUS 399B. Junior-Senior Seminar in Ethnomusicology.

This course introduces students to ethnomusicological methods by encouraging the development of critical and analytical tools of inquiry necessary for fieldwork and research. The course focuses on the social, cultural, political, and intellectual forces that shaped the growth of ethnomusicology in the United States and abroad. Students are expected to undertake an innovative research project on a theoretical approach for musical study in its cultural and historical context. They incorporate into their projects musical analysis, current philosophical thoughts on ethnomusicology, and their own personal interviews with musicians. Prerequisite(s): Music 232. Enrollment limited to 15. Offered with varying frequency. G. Fatone.

MUS 399D. Junior-Senior Seminar in Analysis: Musical Variations.

Variation is such a pervasive and universal musical procedure that it almost seems to define music. It works very differently, though, in a jazz improvisation, a Baroque dance, an Indian raga, and a minimalist ensemble. In this course music from a wide variety of musical traditions and repertories is explored and the following questions are asked: How broadly can the concept of the variation be usefully applied? What purposes are served by variation in music? Is it best analyzed as a form or as a process, or in some other way? Musical analysis is the main activity in the course, but opportunities are provided for performance and composition as well. Prerequisite(s): Music 332. Offered with varying frequency. J. Parakilas.

MUS 399E. Junior-Senior Seminar in Analysis: Recent and Contemporary Topics.

This seminar offers opportunities for intensive research and analytical study of music in all styles composed after 1950. Students choose a particular stylistic area they wish to consider, and during the semester they examine that music's development, its forms and sound sources, performance practices, historical context, and economic and political place in society. Students polish writing and research skills and give frequent class presentations. Prerequisite(s): Music 332. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.

MUS 399G. Junior-Senior Seminar in Musicology: Texts, Performances, Recordings.

The field of musicology was created with the purpose of perpetuating the notated music of past eras as a musical tradition. Musicologists have created canons of works, editing their texts and offering guidance to their performance. But the field has increasingly concerned itself with unnotated kinds of music as well, especially folk music and jazz. Some scholars have treated this unnotated music as texts—through transcriptions, recordings, and film—while others have demanded more appropriate approaches to it. At the same time, scholars working on notated music have challenged the field's tradition of text worship. This course introduces the debates. Prerequisite(s): Music 232. Offered with varying frequency. J. Parakilas.

MUS 457. Senior Thesis.

An independent study program culminating in: a) an essay on a musical topic; b) an original composition accompanied by an essay on the work; or c) a recital accompanied by an essay devoted to analysis of works included in the recital. Students register for Music 457 in the fall semester and for Music 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Music 457 and 458. Normally offered every year. Staff.

MUS 457, 458. Senior Thesis.

MUS 458. Senior Thesis.

An independent study program culminating in: a) an essay on a musical topic; b) an original composition accompanied by an essay on the work; or c) a recital accompanied by an essay devoted to analysis of works included in the recital. Students register for Music 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both Music 457 and 458. Normally offered every year. Staff.

Short Term Courses

MUS s22. Making Music.

Independent or group study of a particular form of musical composition or performance. Prerequisite(s): an ability to perform. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.

MUS s24. History of Electronic Dance Music.

This unit explores the development of electronic dance music, from its inception in the house and techno subcultures of Chicago and Detroit to its global apotheosis as the soundtrack for rave culture. The enormous popularity of this music challenges some of our most deeply held cultural assumptions, and raises crucial questions about the relationships between music, technology, the body, and culture: How do various subgenres of electronic dance music map out our sense of postindustrial reality? In what ways do the use (and deliberate misuse) of such sound technologies as turntables, digital samplers, drum machines, and musical software challenge traditional notions of musical authorship and authenticy? In what sense do these genres and subcultures present alternative models of sexuality, or different ways of understanding the politics of the body?New course beginning Short Term 2005. Enrollment limited to 30. Offered with varying frequency. D. Chapman.

MUS s25. Performing Musical Art of Indonesia.

This unit introduces students to traditional music of Indonesia through study and performance of Javanese gamelan (gong-chime orchestra) and related theater arts under the leadership of a resident Indonesian artist/scholar. Students develop collaborative rehearsal and performance skills in a largely oral transmission setting, experiencing alternative modes of both conceptualizing and learning music. Class members have the additional opportunity to study independently with the resident artist. Study culminates in a series of local/regional public ensemble performances. Students learn to locate Indonesian gamelan in the larger context of Southeast Asian performing arts. Enrollment limited to 20. Offered with varying frequency. G. Fatone.

MUS s27. Exploring Jazz Guitar.

This unit explores the nature of the guitar in jazz. A historical survey of jazz guitarists includes extensive listening and viewing of video performances, with special attention to the techniques that established their individual voices on the instrument. Elements of guitar acoustics are discussed and demonstrated in the laboratory. While the unit is designed for players and nonplayers, it includes a discussion of jazz theory and analysis. Private lessons are available for guitarists. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. Offered with varying frequency. J. Smedley.

MUS s28. Survey of Western Music.

A survey of Western music from circa 1000 C.E. to the present. Compositions are studied chronologically and within their cultural context. Extensive listening assignments provide material for daily class lectures and discussion. Prerequisite(s): ability to read music. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every year. Staff.

MUS s29. American Musicals on Film.

From The Jazz Singer of 1927 to Chicago of 2002, American musicals on film have been remarkably reflexive: "show business about show business." On closer analysis, they provide us with fascinating clues about American popular taste and our culture in general. The unit examines more than twenty films and includes the videotaping of a class production. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.

MUS s50. Independent Study.

Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. Staff.