MUS 102(F) Fundamentals of Music (W)
This course seeks to define and describe the fundamental nature of music in
Western society. Through a variety of exercises and projects, students will
develop an understanding of basic musical rudiments such as pitch, scales,
triads, rhythm, meter, and notation materials that form the foundation of Western
art and popular musics. By the end of the course, students will have begun the
study of basic four-part harmony. In addition, students will explore various
topics such as philosophies of music (including aesthetics), music cognition and
perception, popular musics, and acoustics, and their relationships to defining the
"fundamentals" of music. Students will be expected to complete weekly
argumentative papers reacting to the various philosophical readings; as the
semester progresses, these reaction papers will increase in both length and depth,
in preparation for a final project of each student's choice. Students will receive
frequent and detailed critiques (either in the form of written comments or verbal
discussions) of each writing assignment.The course has a musicianship
component: students attend a musicianship lab (sight-singing, dictation, and
keyboard skills) in addition to lectures.
Format: 2 weekly lectures and a weekly lab meeting. Evaluation will be based
on quizzes/exams, weekly reaction papers, a final research project, and a final
exam.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 15 (expected: 15). Preference based on
music reading proficiency.