Christian A. Johnson Professor of Music: Peter Hamlin (chair); Professor: Su Lian Tan; Associate Professors: Greg Vitercik; Assistant Professor: Larry Hamberlin (on leave 2009-10); Assistant Professor and Director of Choral Activities: Jeff Buettner; Conductor of the Orchestra: Andrew Massey; Conductor of the College-Community Chorus: Jeff Rehbach; Director of Jazz Activities: Dick Forman; Twilight Artist-in-Residence: François Clemmons; Department Coordinator: Deborah Young
The Department of Music offers a wide variety of courses in composition, history, theory, performance, and electronic music. See course listings below.
Required for the Major: Majors are required to take MUSC 0209, MUSC 0220-0221, MUSC 0260-0261; a performance elective such as MUSC 0240 or MUSC 0500; three 0200-level or above elective music courses; and MUSC 0400, senior seminar.
Piano proficiency: All music majors will be required to take a piano proficiency test in the semester when the major is declared. If the test isn’t passed, they will be required to take a semester of piano lessons geared to theory skills, arranged through the music office. Musicianship: All music majors will be required to take a sight singing test in the semester when the major is declared. If the test isn’t passed, they will be required to take Musicianship (MUSC 0259). If possible, Musicianship should be taken before or during Theory II (MUSC 0260).
In addition to the curricular requirements, majors are required to participate for three semesters in at least one departmentally approved ensemble. Those approved ensembles are Middlebury College Orchestra, Middlebury College Choir, Middlebury College/Community Choir, the Middlebury College Sound Investment Jazz Ensemble, and the Middlebury College Men's and Women's Glee Club Choirs.
Required for the Joint Major: A minimum of eight courses, which must include MUSC 0260-0261, MUSC 0220-0221, plus MUSC 0400 (Music Senior Seminar) and or completion of senior work.
In addition to the curricular requirements, joint majors must participate for three semesters in at least one departmentally approved ensemble. Please see above for approved ensembles.
Required for the Minor: Students who pursue the minor in music are required to complete five music courses, two of which may be general introductory courses (0100-level). The three other courses would all be at an upper level (0200-0400- level); all three may be in a specific area of specialization, or two may be in a specific area with the third in another area. Students may also do an independent project (MUSC 0500), which counts as one course toward the music minor.
Departmental Honors: Departmental honors in music reflect a student's overall achievement in and contribution to the department as well as excellence in a senior work project (MUSC 0704). To be eligible for senior work, a grade average of at least B+ in all music courses is required. Eligible students may propose a senior work project (MUSC 0704) of one or two semesters in length; proposals must be submitted by April 1 of the junior year. A grade of B+ in senior work and B+ in departmental courses will be eligible for honors; A- in senior work and A- in departmental courses will be eligible for high honors; A in senior work and A in departmental courses will be eligible for highest honors.
APPLIED MUSIC
Private instruction in musical instruments and voice is available through the department. Registration for these lessons takes place the first week of each term in the main lobby of the Center for the Arts. Contact the department at extension 5221 for further information. Contracts must be signed after the first lesson and are binding. The fee is to be paid to the cashier's office upon receipt of a bill at the mid-point of each term. No rebate is allowed for lessons missed except in the case of injury or continued illness. There are ten 45-minute applied music lessons per semester (four during winter term). Members of the Middlebury College Orchestra, Middlebury College Choir, Middlebury College Women's and Men's Glee Club Choirs, Middlebury College/Community Choir, the Middlebury College Sound Investment Jazz Ensemble, and MUSC 0240 are entitled to half-price lessons. The applied fee is waived for students who are music majors, music joint majors, or are enrolled in performance-related MUSC 0500 or MUSC 0704 projects. Music majors may receive a maximum of two complimentary series of private lessons each semester. Academic credit is not given for applied lessons.
Private instruction: piano: D. Fanning, C. Huard, N. Paden, D. Robson; harpsichord: C. Huard; jazz piano and jazz voice: R. Forman; cello: D. Davydov; violin: K. Winterstein; viola: P. Reynolds; double bass: G. Ingalls; flute: A. Janson; clarinet: Steven Klimowski; bassoon: R. Elliott; oboe: D. Frostman; trombone: B. Irwin; french horn: M. Fritze; trumpet: G. Ingalls; acoustic and electric guitar: P. Asbell, D. Huckett; classical guitar: Eric Despard; voice: C. Christensen, S. Peck, B. Thompson, D. Marcy; drums: R. Lawton; harmonica: M. Lavoie; traditional fiddle and banjo: P. Sutherland; bagpipes and celtic whistle: T. Cummings; carillon: G. Matthew; organ: E. Fanning.
The department will assist the student in securing instrumental instruction not provided by the staff. In some cases, however, it may not be possible to find a qualified instructor.
ENSEMBLES
Middlebury College Orchestra : The orchestra performs approximately four times a year in programs featuring music from all periods. Instrumentalists may arrange for an audition through the music department. Subsidized instrumental lessons with applied faculty members are available; see "Applied Music" above. See course listing for MUSC 0205. (A. Massey)
Middlebury College Choir: The College Choir performs concerts each fall and spring, participates in Baccalaureate and other College functions, and tours or engages in other projects annually. Audition required, with attention to sight-reading, listening skills and vocal production. Intent to participate full year/multiple semesters strongly encouraged. Open to all students without prerequisite. Subsidized voice lessons with applied faculty members are available; see "Applied Music" above. See course listing of MUSC 0205. (J. Buettner)
College Community Chorus. The Chorus performs concerts each fall and spring, usually including a major choral work for chorus and organ or orchestra. Open to all without audition; rehearsals focus on developing choral musicianship. Subsidized voice lessons with applied faculty members are available; see "Applied Music" above. See course listing of MUSC 0205. (J. Rehbach)
Middlebury College Women's Glee Club Choir: Women's Glee choir performs concerts each fall and spring. The choir meets twice weekly, Monday 7:00-8:30 PM and Thursday 4:30-6:00 PM in Mead Chapel. Women's Glee performs a wide range of repertoire from a cappella madrigals and world folk songs to accompanied classical and new music. Audition required, with attention to vocal production, listening and sight-singing. Open to all students without prerequisite. Subsidized voice lessons with applied faculty members are available; see "Applied Music" above. See course listing of MUSC 0205. (J. Allen)
Middlebury College Men's Glee Club Choir: Men’s Glee choir performs concerts each fall and spring. The choir meets weekly, Monday night 7:00-9:00 PM in the Center for the Arts. Men’s Glee performs a wide range of repertoire from traditional men’s repertoire to art song to world folk songs and new music. No prior singing experience necessary, but an informal audition is required. Open to all students without prerequisite. Subsidized voice lessons with applied faculty members are available; see "Applied Music" above. See course listing of MUSC 0205. (J. Buettner)
Sound Investment Jazz Ensemble: Using traditional big-band instrumentation, the Jazz Ensemble plays the best of contemporary jazz arrangements as well as classic charts from the 75 years of swing and jazz band history. The Ensemble also features student compositions and arrangements when available. An active performance schedule is typical. Subsidized lessons with applied faculty members are available; see "Applied Music" above. See course listing of MUSC 0205 (D. Forman)
Other Chamber Ensembles: String quartets, woodwind and brass ensembles can be formed and coached for interested students. Independent projects (MUSC 0500) can be arranged for these groups.
ARDV 0116 The Creative Process (Spring)
For course description please see "Divisional Courses" in the theatre and dance section of this catalog. 3 hrs. lect. ART (P. Campbell, Tiffany Rhynard, dance; A. Draper, theatre)
MUSC 0101 Introduction to Western Music (Spring)
This course is designed to introduce students to the music created by the men and women of Western civilization. The styles and genres of art music from the Middle Ages to the present will be a focus for the course. The relationship of music to society, historical context, and the other arts will also be examined. Music reading skills are not required. 3 hrs. lect./disc. ART EUR (G. Vitercik)
MUSC 0102 The Concert Experience (Not offered 2009-10)
Music exists primarily in performance. In this course we will examine a range of musical styles, forms, and genres - including both Western and non-Western "classical," popular, and jazz - as they are experienced in live performance. Through a variety of readings we will also explore the historical, social, cultural, and political contexts that shape this experience, both for the listener and performer. Guest lecturers will include composers and performers, as well as management and marketing professionals involved in the concerts we will be attending. Attendance at the concerts involved is mandatory. (No prerequisites; open to students who have taken MUSC 0101 by waiver only.) 2 hrs lect./1 hr disc. ART
MUSC 0130 Introductory Topics in Music History: Jazz from New Orleans to Now (Not offered 2009-10)
In this course we will trace the history of American popular music from the 1950's to the present, focusing on the use of new sounds and musical forms, the relationship between lyrics and musical setting, the opposition of commercial and artistic considerations, and the role of popular music in society. Three objectives underpin our studies: to develop critical listening skills with music that one often hears but perhaps rarely listens to intently; to determine how popular music reflects its cultural context; and to encounter the work of several innovative musicians in the history of rock and related genres. No previous musical experience is required. ART NOR.
MUSC 0131 Everything a cappella! Unaccompanied Vocal Music, Medieval to Modern (Spring)
The phenomenon of the a cappella group is, surprisingly enough, not one that developed on New England's liberal arts college campuses. From royal court entertainment to a few guys on the corner, vocal ensembles have sung about the important things in life for several centuries. In this course we will explore music for unaccompanied vocal groups of different time periods, places and cultures. Students will listen to, study, and experience a cappella music to develop understanding about its inspiration, function, and performance. Why voices-only, and why is a cappella always "in"? (Music reading ability is helpful but not required.) 3 hrs lect./disc. ART (J. Buettner)
MUSC 0160 Music Theory I: Fundamentals (Fall, Spring)
This course is an introduction to the basic elements and theoretical concepts of Western music. We will focus on such topics as basic keyboard skills, sight singing, musical notation, rhythm, and harmony. Theoretical work and drills will be combined with compositional and performance projects. The goal of the course is to expand students’ musical intuition and skill and to provide the technical basis for further music study. No prior musical experience is required. (Students who wish to take upper-level composition or music theory courses must either complete this course or pass a theory and musicianship test administered by the department to demonstrate equivalent experience.) (Formerly MUSC 0109). 2 hrs. lect./1 hr. lab. ART (J. Buettner, S. Tan)
MUSC 0205 Performance Lab (Fall, Spring)
Credit can be conferred for performance in faculty-supervised ensembles: Middlebury College Orchestra, Middlebury College Choir, Middlebury College/Community Choir, Middlebury College Women's Glee Club Choir, Middlebury College Men's Glee Club Choir, and the Middlebury College Sound Investment Jazz Ensemble (see "Ensembles" above), one unit of such credit to accrue over two semesters (spring and fall only). The appropriate supervising faculty will give grades, based on attendance and quality of performance. A student should inform the ensemble director of intent to sign up for this course before starting, and should actually register for MUSC 0205 only the SECOND of the two terms by adding it as a fifth course. MUSC 0205 does not fulfill any major course requirements and may not be taken more than once. (Approval required) ART (J. Buettner, D. Forman, A. Massey)
MUSC 0209 Music I (Fall, Spring)
Music I focuses on the materials and grammar of music through compositional exercises. As part of these explorations, we will examine the elements of harmony (scales, triads and seventh chords), notation, rhythm, polyrhythm, binary and ternary forms, two-voice counterpoint, variation, transposition, as well as skills in conducting, analysis, ear-training, and sight-singing. Students will write short pieces for a variety of instruments and ensembles, notate their pieces, and rehearse and perform them, thereby learning about music through discovery and observation. The assignments are designed for students with or without compositional experience. (Ability to play an instrument or sing; MUSC 0109 or 0160, or passing score on the MUSC0160 placement exam) 3 hrs. lect./1 hr. lab. ART (S. Tan, P. Hamlin)
MUSC 0210 Music II (Not offered 2009-10)
This course is a continuation of MUSC 0209. While using the same format, including composing and labs, as in MUSC 0209, the course covers elements of modality (western and non-western), functional harmony, heterophony, fugal processes, strophic forms, melodic analysis, serial processes, and extensions of tonality and atonality. (MUSC 0209) 3 hrs. lect./1 hr. lab. ART
MUSC 0212 History, Theory, and Practice of Electronic Music (Spring)
This course will provide a historical look at the development of electronic music from the earliest analog techniques to present-day computer technology. Students will learn about the theory of digital and analog sound, acoustics, and MIDI. Creative projects will guide the class through a range of techniques. Much of the focus will be on how the electronic medium enables composers to work with sound and musical forms in non-traditional ways. 3 hrs lect. ART (P. Hamlin)
MUSC 0220 Music History I (CW) (Fall)
In this course we will offer a survey of Western art music from the earliest notated Medieval music through the Renaissance and Baroque. Beginning with Gregorian chant and troubadour song, we will explore the music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance vocal polyphony, the development of opera and instrumental music in the seventeenth century, and the late Baroque music of Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel. Analysis of the music is supplemented by consideration of the ways in which music relates to the other arts and reflects the history and culture of its time. (Assumes ability to read music.) 3 hrs. lect. HIS ART EUR (G. Vitercik)
MUSC 0221 Music History II (Spring)
This course is a survey of the principle genres and forms of Western art music from the 18th-century classical style of Haydn, Mozart, and their contemporaries to the present day. The approach of the course is historical, analytical, and cultural; we will try to understand the music both as music and as it reflects its times and the concerns of composers and their audience. (Assumes ability to read music.) 3 hrs. lect. HIS ART EUR (G. Vitercik)
MUSC 0225 European and Asian Operas: Crowns, serpents and high Cs (Fall)
In this seminar we will study operas from early baroque and Mozart, to later works in the classical repertoire such as Madame Butterfly by Puccini and Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss, through to traditional music theater pieces from Asia. We will compare the text settings that are in Italian and German and hear how the music reflects these languages. As the tones and inflections are radically different in Chinese, we will examine the varying partnerships of libretto to music and discover the philosophy of our cultures embedded in these structures. Along with musical analysis, we will delve into issues of prosody and word painting and engage in discussions, research, and creative projects examining how opera comes about, its place in our culture, and its aesthetic. Along with research papers, students will give in-class presentations of creative work, and if possible, present them as a public performance. (Ability to read music) CMP (S. Tan
MUSC 0230 Topics in Music History: The Classic American Popular Song (Not offered 2009-10)
An essential part of American culture is its "songbook," the popular standards created in the "golden era" of the 1920s through the 1950s by songwriters such as Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, and Rodgers and Hart. In this course we will examine the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic features that make this music memorable, as well as the interplay of words and music that gives these songs their emotional resonance. In addition, we will consider the social contexts of the popular music industry during the golden era and survey the performance styles of several of the songbook's greatest interpreters. (Assumes ability to read music.) 3 hrs lect. ART NOR
MUSC 0232 Music in the United States (Not offered 2009-10)
In this course we will examine folk, classical, and popular music in the United States from the 18th century to the present. We will use historical and analytical approaches to gain insight into the music, the musicians, and the social and cultural forces that have shaped them. Students will explore music’s relation to historical events, other artistic movements, technological changes, and questions of national identity and ethnicity. Topics may include music in the British colonies, minstrelsy, American opera and orchestras, the rise of the popular music industry, and the experimentalist composers of the 20th century. (Assumes ability to read music.) 3 hrs lect./disc. ART NOR
MUSC 0240 Performing Chamber Music (Fall)
Students will play in small ensembles with intensive coaching by the professor and affiliate artists. We will discuss practical performance matters. At least one class meeting per week will be devoted to analysis of the works being performed within the appropriate historical perspective. Students will be asked to do research on the biographical details of the composers and the place of the works within the composer's oeuvre. Ensembles to be formed will be limited to the 'classical' repertoire (i.e., no jazz or popular styles) comprising instrumentalists and vocalists. Pre-existing ensembles are welcome. The course will culminate in a public performance. Approval Required. (Ability to play an instrument or sing. If you are interested in this course, please contact Greg Vitercik at vitercik@middlebury.edu.) 3 hrs lect/disc ART (G. Vitercik)
MUSC 0241 Performing Contemporary Music (Spring)
Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century, composers have sought to express the ever changing sounds of society and describe the accompanying emotions through music. We will focus on the performance and investigation of this body of work by exploring the extended techniques found in the orchestration. We will examine the ever-developing sense of harmony, the wealth of expression possible on the instruments, and the extension of this vocabulary into the realm of electronic music. In the practice rooms we will hold weekly coaching sessions and informal presentations leading to a public concert at the end of the semester. Students may take the course as members of formed ensembles. Choice of repertoire to be discussed with instructor. (Approval required; MUSC 0160 or equivalent; auditions will be held in the first week of November) 3 hrs. lect./disc. ART (S. Tan)
MUSC 0242 Performing Early Music (Not offered 2009-10)
In this course we will combine historical research with practical performance, with the goal of increasing our understanding of how music was played and sung in the late renaissance and baroque periods. Composers studied may include Monteverdi, Purcell, Rameau, Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi. We will read primary literature from 1550 to 1750 by the great performers of that time, as well as secondary writings by modern-day practitioners of early music. Topics will include pitch, tuning, vocal production, instrument construction, articulation, expression, and embellishment. Moreover, we will discuss such matters as the composer’s intent, social and cultural contexts of performance, and the concept of authenticity as it applies to the performance of music. Solo and small-ensemble works will be coached in class, and the course will culminate in a public performance. (Assumes ability to play or sing from notated music.) 3 hrs. lect./disc. ART EUR
MUSC/HIST 0256 Topics in European Culture and History:
Wagner, Nietzsche and the German Catastrophe (Spring)
See Department of History for course description. ART HIS EUR (G. Vitercik, J. West)
MUSC 0259 Musicianship (Fall)
In this course students will develop aural perception and listening skills, music reading ability, and enhanced ensemble performance skills. Daily work will include fundamental and advanced musicianship concepts in these areas along with the study of score analysis and interpretation in performance. Special topics will include musical styles and forms, world music, American music, and the avant garde. (MUSC 0109 or MUSC 0160 or passing score on the MUSC 0160 placement exam) 3 hrs. lect./disc. ART (J. Buettner)
MUSC 0260 Music Theory II: Diatonic Theory (Fall)
This course is an in-depth technical study of the materials of music, a study which expands one’s ability to analyze and create music and to understand different musical styles. We will cover harmonic materials, introduce musical form, and work with traditional compositional skills. These techniques are applied to the analysis of classical music, jazz and popular music. (MUSC 0109 or 0160 or passing score on the MUSC 0160 placement exam.) (Formerly MUSC 0301) 3 hrs. lect./disc. (P. Hamlin)
MUSC 0261 Music Theory III: Chromatic Theory (Spring)
This course is a continuation of MUSC 0260. Students study more advanced harmonic devices including modulation and chromaticism, jazz harmony and post-tonal techniques. In-depth analysis of classical music, jazz, and popular music supports a more advanced study of musical form. (MUSC 0260) (Formerly MUSC 0302) 3 hrs. lect./disc. (P. Hamlin)
MUSC 0309 Advanced Composition (Spring)
This course will focus on writing for string quartet, brass quintet, a cappella singing, piano, or performance art and involve issues of technique, style, and practical considerations, as well as study of selected elements of the literature. The course will culminate with a reading of student works by a professional ensemble or solo performer. (MUSC 0209 and 0210 or approval of instructor). 3 hrs. lect./disc. (S. Tan)
MUSC 0400 Senior Seminar: Sonata Form (Fall)
This is a course for all senior music majors that offers in-depth study of music and integrates the perspectives of the performer, historian, theorist, and composer. This seminar will focus on an advanced study of sonata form, beginning with the Classical-era works of Mozart and Haydn and then moving into large examples from the Romantic period including symphonic movements and concertos. We will also examine other works, ranging from pop songs, jazz charts, and 20th and 21st century music that make use of various sonata-like procedures. All music majors are required to take this course in the fall of their senior year. 3 hrs. lect. (P. Hamlin)
MUSC 0500 Independent Study (Fall, Winter, Spring )
Admission by approval. Please consult published departmental guidelines and paragraph below.
MUSC 0704 Senior Work (Fall, Winter, Spring)
Senior work is not required of all music majors and joint majors. However, students interested in and eligible for departmental honors (see guideline above, in "Departmental Honors" section) may propose one or two-semester Senior Work projects. Projects may be in history, composition, theory, ethnomusicology, performance, or electronic music, and should culminate in a written presentation, a public performance, or a combination of the two.
Project and budget proposals for Independent Study and Senior Work should be submitted by the previous April 1 for fall and winter term projects, and the previous October 15 for spring term projects. Budget proposals will not be considered after those dates. Project proposals will be considered after the deadline but are more likely not to be approved due to previous commitments of faculty advisors or other scheduling reasons.