Course Catalog

Music

Theory, History and Applied Study Courses

001. Recital Attendance.
Fall semester - attendance at all music convocations, faculty, visiting artist, ensemble, opera and required degree recitals. Spring semester - attendance at 20 of the above designated events, including all music convocations, faculty and visiting artist recitals. No credit. Offered every semester.

014. Non-credit ensembles.
Brass Ensemble, Flute Choir, Percussion Ensemble, Saxophone Quartet, Trombone Quartet, Woodwind Ensemble. No credit. Every semester.

101. Survey of Music Literature.
(Open to non-majors with permission of the instructor.) The great periods of music history with particular attention to the development of listening skills. Growth of musical form and significant major works in all media of the medieval to the twentieth centuries as well as the interaction of the fine arts and their function within changing societies, including examination of non-western music traditions will be covered. Two credits. Offered every fall.

103. Discovering Music.
A study of the history of Western art, classical music and how music has helped shape and reflect the human spirit throughout various cultures and time periods from which it emanates. Students will come to realize that music moves beyond the realm of entertainment and that an understanding and appreciation of music can profoundly enrich the quality of living. This course will concentrate mainly on traditional Western art music, but there will also be studies of other genres, such as world folk music, ethnic music and different types of American popular music. ART. Four credits. Offered every semester.

151. Theory 1.
Study of scales, intervals, triads, seventh chords, and their inversions. Harmonization of melodies and basses, modulation, analysis. Creative use of materials. Prerequisite: placement examination. Three credits. Offered every fall. This 3-credit course is normally taken in conjunction with the Mus 153 1-credit course as a complete 4-credit course. However, either course may be taken separately if one of the two requirements has been completed.

152. Theory 2.
Study of scales, intervals, triads, seventh chords, and their inversions. Harmonization of melodies and basses, modulation, analysis. Creative use of materials. Prerequisite: Mus 151 or placement examination. Three credits. Offered every spring. This 3-credit course is normally taken in conjunction with the Mus 154 1-credit course as a complete 4-credit course. However, the either course may be taken separately if one of the two requirements has been completed.

153. Aural Skills 1.
Aural and vocal study of rhythmic patterns, scales, intervals, triads, seventh chords, and song and choral materials primarily in treble and bass clef. Prerequisite: placement examination. One credit. Offered every fall. This 1-credit course is normally taken in conjunction with the Mus 151 3-credit course as a complete 4-credit course. However, either course may be taken separately if one of the two requirements has been completed.

154. Aural Skills 2.
Aural and vocal study of rhythmic patterns, scales, intervals, triads, seventh chords, and song and choral materials primarily in treble and bass clef. Prerequisite: Mus 153 or placement examination. One credit. Offered every spring. This 1-credit course is normally taken in conjunction with the Mus 152 3-credit course as a complete 4-credit course. However, either course may be taken separately if one of the two requirements has been completed.

180. Independent Study in Music.

190. Special Topics in Music.

198. Independent Research in Music.

201. Medieval and Renaissance Music.
Monophonic sacred and secular musical expression in early periods; the emergence of polyphony and its development in the Romanesque and Gothic; the musical Renaissance throughout Europe. Four credits. Offered every fall.

202. Music of the 17th and 18th Centuries.
Vocal and instrumental music of the Baroque and classical periods. Great masters such as J. S. Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart considered in some depth. Four credits. Offered every spring.

203. Music of the 19th and 20th Centuries.
Romanticism as an important phenomenon in all of the arts at the turn of the nineteenth century; the decades of musical thought and creation that follow in its wake. Impressionism, expressionism, and the multiplicity of movements, philosophies, and systems that make up the music of Europe and America in the twentieth century. Four credits. Offered every fall.

205. World Music.
A study of non-Western music and how music reflects the history, culture and values of the society from which it develops. We will discuss the relationships between music and religion, geography, environment and language. Students will actively engage in performance as they dance, sing and play indigenous instruments. GLOBAL. Four credits.

214. Ensembles.
The Simpson College Chamber Singers, Choir, Chorale, Jazz Ensemble, Madrigal Singers, Symphonic Band. One credit for each ensemble. Offered every semester.

220-221. Diction for Singers.
The first semester will include the study of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and its application to singing English, German and Italian. The second semester will continue the study of IPA and will introduce its application to French and Spanish. Practical usage will be emphasized, employing examples from the repertoire and student performances in class. One credit. Offered every semester. Mus 220 fall in even years, Mus 221 spring in odd years.

251. Theory 3.
Study of chromatically altered triads and seventh chords; ninth, eleventh, Neopolitan, and augmented sixth chords; non-dominant resolutions. Creative use of materials. Prerequisite: Music 152 or placement examination. Three credits. Offered every fall. This 3-credit course is normally taken in conjunction with the Mus 253 1-credit course as a complete 4-credit course. However, either course may be taken separately if one of the two requirements has been completed.

252. Theory 4.
Study of chromatically altered triads and seventh chords; ninth, eleventh, Neopolitan, and augmented sixth chords; non-dominant resolutions. Creative use of materials. Prerequisite: Music 251 or placement examination. Three credits. Offered every spring. This 3-credit course is normally taken in conjunction with the Mus 154 1-credit course as a complete 4-credit course. However, either course may be taken separately if one of the two requirements has been completed.

253. Aural Skills 3.
Aural and vocal work in all clefs together with keyboard study emphasizing improvisation, transposition, score reading, and modulation. Prerequisite: Music 154 or placement examination. One credit. Offered every fall. This 1-credit course is normally taken in conjunction with the Mus 251 3-credit course as a complete 4-credit course. However, either course may be taken separately if one of the two requirements has been completed.

254. Aural Skills 4.
Aural and vocal work in all clefs together with keyboard study emphasizing improvisation, transposition, score reading, and modulation. Prerequisite: Music 154 or placement examination. One credit. Offered every spring. This 1-credit course is normally taken in conjunction with the Mus 252 3-credit course as a complete 4-credit course. However, either course may be taken separately if one of the two requirements has been completed.

261. Studies in Composition.
Students will explore, discuss and implement various compositional techniques resulting in original compositions. Musical elements will be analyzed, discussed and manipulated to better understand how music is created. Music of the masters, with assigned readings, will serve as resources for the course. May be taken more than once. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Two credits. Offered every semester.

270. Applied Music.
Private study in instruments and voice. One or two credits. Offered every semester.

280. Independent Study in Music.

281. Conducting.
Designed to develop ability in directing vocal and instrumental groups through the correct use of the baton, score reading, and useful rehearsal techniques. Two credits. Offered every fall.

283. Advanced Conducting.
Applied experiences in conducting with vocal and instrumental ensembles. Additional work in score reading and an introduction to the challenges of symphonic, oratorio and opera conducting. Prerequisite: Music 281. Two credits. Offered every spring.

290. Special Topics in Music.

292. Church Music Literature.
(Open to non-majors with the permission of the instructor.) Choral and organ literature with an awareness of the church year. Music for children's and youth choirs, as well as anthems, cantatas, and oratorios for adult choirs. Attention given to the organization and administration of church choirs. Two credits.

298. Independent Research in Music.

305. Counterpoint.
The study of tonal counterpoint in two and three voices. Course activities include exercises in modified species counterpoint and composition of original pieces in historical genres. Four credits. Offered spring semester in odd numbered years.

309. Orchestration.
A general study of the instruments of the orchestra, their ensemble possibilities, and limitations. Preparation of scores and parts using computer notation programs is emphasized, along with practical scoring for small ensembles. Four credits. Offered fall semester in odd numbered years.

310. Form and Analysis.
A study of the most significant musical forms of the 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-centuries with attention to historical context. Representative pieces for each form are considered in detail. Students write one major analysis paper on a piece of their choosing. Four credits. Offered spring semester in even numbered years.

321. Pedagogy - Voice.
Designed for prospective teachers of applied voice. A survey of teaching and performing materials and their specific use in terms of individual problems and general purposes. CRITTHNK. Two credits. Offered fall semester in odd numbered years.

324. Pedagogy – Piano.
Designed for prospective teachers of applied piano. A survey of teaching and performing materials appropriate for varying age and proficiency levels is emphasized as is the approach to various technical needs. Two credits. Fall every third year.

325. Pedagogy – Instrumental.
Designed for prospective teachers in applied instrumental areas. A survey of teaching techniques, literature appropriate for teaching and performing with emphasis on methods specific to a particular instrument. Where applicable, instrument repair, tuning and reed making will be addressed. Two credits. Offered as needed.

350. Romanticism in the Arts.
A seminar on the nature of Romanticism and the beginning of the romantic movement in the literature and art of the late eighteenth century; the social and artistic milieu of Beethoven and Schubert's Vienna--of Paris during the Napoleonic era and the reign of Louis Philippe; the intense nationalism in the arts in the last half of the nineteenth century. Two credits. Offered spring semesters as needed.

351. Symphonic Literature.
The repertory of the symphony orchestra, with the emphasis upon the literature frequently performed in the twentieth century concert hall. Two credits. Offered spring semesters in odd numbered years.

352. History of Opera.
A chronological approach to standard operatic literature. Though details of stylistic trends and the various schools of operatic composition are discussed, this is primarily a survey course dealing with major works for the operatic stage from Monteverdi's Orfeo to Adam’s Nixon in China. Two credits. Offered spring semesters in odd numbered years.

353. Music of the 20th Century.
A course combining an overview of compositional styles and significant groupings of composers in our century with score study and analysis. Some creative work by suggested plan and imitation will serve to illuminate systems and distinctive approaches to musical materials in the twentieth century. INFOLIT. Two credits. Offered fall semesters in even numbered years.

354. Piano Literature.
A history of the literature for keyboard from the virginalists of Elizabethan England to the recognized composers for the piano in the twentieth century; taught through lecture, performance projects, and score study. Two credits. Offered as needed.

355. Vocal Literature.
A chronological history of the solo song with stress on the German lied and French song of the nineteenth century as well as significant twentieth century contributions to the literature. Class performance will be an integral part of the study. Two credits. Offered spring semester in even numbered years.

357. History of Jazz.
Jazz is a broad stream of musical styles which originated in America. The class will explore the roots of jazz, follow its ethnic development from its origination in New Orleans through ragtime, Dixieland, swing, bebop, cool, hard bop, free jazz and mainstream jazz of the seventies and eighties. Emphasis will be placed on the elements of jazz and various jazz styles. Two credits. Offered every spring.

358. Chamber Music Literature.
An historical perspective of chamber music works from the 17th century to the present with an emphasis on major works from the 19th and 20th centuries. Two credits. Offered spring semester of even numbered years.

380. Independent Study.

390. Special Topics in Music.

398. Independent Research in Music.


Music Education Courses

181. Instrumental Methods: Brass.
An introduction to the discipline of the principal brass instruments (trumpet, cornet, horn, trombone, baritone, tuba). The nature of the instruments is discussed and brass instruments are presented. Practical experience is gained by playing one or more of these instruments in a class ensemble. One credit. Offered every spring.

182. Instrumental Methods: Woodwinds.
An introduction to the disciplines of the principal woodwind instruments (flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe and bassoon). The nature of the instruments is discussed and methods of teaching the various woodwinds are presented. Practical experience is gained by playing one or more of these instruments in a class ensemble. One credit. Offered every fall.

183. Instrumental Methods: Strings.
An introduction to stringed instruments. Practical experience is gained through a class ensemble. One credit. Offered every fall.

184. Instrumental Methods: Percussion.
An introduction to the disciplines of percussion instruments and miscellaneous percussion (e.g., bass drum, tambourine, maracas). The nature of the various instruments is discussed and teaching methods are presented. Practical experience is gained by playing one or more percussion instruments in a class ensemble situation. The acquisition of a good foundation in snare drumming will be emphasized. One credit. Offered every spring.

185. Vocal Methods.
An introduction to using the singing voice in elementary and secondary teaching. Pedagogical techniques and repertory for working with high school age singers will be presented. One credit. (This course is not open to voice majors and is required of all instrumental majors.) Offered as needed.

186. Instrumental Methods: Guitar.
An introduction to the guitar. Emphasis is placed on learning to play basic chords and strums. Practical experience is gained by using the guitar as an accompaniment instrument and learning a variety of folk songs useful in the music classroom. One credit. Offered every fall.

282. Choral Techniques.
Designed to furnish choral conductors with sound rehearsal techniques and materials and methods for preparing vocal groups for public performance. Special attention is given to program building. Prerequisite: Music 281. Two credits. Offered every spring.

284. Instrumental Techniques.
Procedures for administrating and directing instrumental music ensembles in elementary and secondary schools. Curriculum writing, administrative techniques, selecting instructional material and ensemble literature, organizational and rehearsal techniques for concert band, marching band, jazz band, and the small instrumental ensemble will be included. Two credits. Offered fall semesters in even years.

322. Elementary and Intermediate Methods.
A preparation for teaching music in the primary and intermediate grades. Singing, rhythm, listening, and creative activities. Four credits. Offered every fall.

323. Secondary School Methods.
Problems of teaching vocal and/or instrumental music in junior and senior high school. Management and organization. Four credits. Offered every spring.

381. Marching and Field Band Techniques.
Class and laboratory instruction in the fundamentals of the marching band through direct experience in a high school band program. Emphasis will be placed on all aspects of production of football half-time shows. Two credits. Offered fall semester in odd numbered years.

382. Jazz Methods.
An immersion in the stylistic elements of jazz methodologies and pedagogy through hands-on training by working with a jazz ensemble in a local high school. Jazz literature, appreciation, improvisation, resources and justification will be covered. Two credits. Offered fall semester in even numbered years.

390. Special Topics in Music Education.


Frequently Taught May Term Courses:

Opera Workshop (every other year)

History of Rock and Roll

European Madrigal Singers Tour (every other year)

World Music

Last Updated: 11/18/11