Music: Theory (MUT)

Intensive study of the elements of music including pitch notation and reading, rhythmic notation, major and minor scales and key signatures, triads, and intervals, with correlated musicianship skills including keyboard, sightsinging and dictation.

Attain a deep understanding of the foundations of music through the study of melody, harmony, solfege, aural skills, composition, and analysis.

Music Theory II continues the study started in MUT 1111, adding to your understanding of theoretical and analytical concepts applicable primarily to the music of the Common Practice Period (c.1600-1900).

Development of music reading and comprehension skills through sight singing, dictation (rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic), and critical listening. Coordinated with concepts covered in Theory I.

This course is a continuation of MUT 1241 (Aural Skills 1). We will build our skills with pitch (by singing diatonic and chromatic melodies), rhythm (by performing rhythms while conducting as well as notating rhythms by ear), harmony (by singing as well as dictating harmonic progressions), and general aural skills (through melodic and rhythmic error detection as well as aural analysis of melody, harmony, and rhythm).

This course is a continuation of MUT 1112 (Music Theory 2). Our main topics will be mixture, chromatic predominant harmonies (Neapolitan, augmented sixth chords), distant modulations, and sonata and rondo forms. We will seek mastery largely through analysis of full works.

As the final course of the music theory core curriculum, this class will examine and consider various elements of music of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Topics will include modes, whole tone collections, octatonicism, integer notation, set theory, serialism, indeterminacy, and minimalism, as well as studies in timbre, notation systems, and form. We will achieve mastery through in-class practice, worksheets, analysis, and discussion.

Aural Skills III continues the development of musicianship skills, introduced through various types of written dictation (rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic), transcription assignments, sight singing, sight reading, and prepared individual hearings.

The development of music reading skills through sight singing. Melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic dictation, improvisation, and critical listening. Loosely coordinated with concepts covered in MUT 2117 - Music Theory IV.

Development of skills in scoring and arranging music for various combinations of instruments including strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion. Study of transpositions, ranges, and idiomatic scoring for individual instruments. Projects include transcriptions and arrangements.

Study of small song forms, variation, rondo, and sonata, with emphasis on score reading and aural analysis.