Courses

American Popular Music: From the Blues to Hip-Hop (and Beyond)
In this course we will use a broad historical approach to investigate the musical and cultural history of American Popular Music, from Minstrels and the Blues to the present moment, focusing on both the historical context and the social and political impacts of various musical styles, and centering on the contributions of culture and gender diversity of the artist. We will also explore how the business of the music industry and the technological developments and trends of the 20th and 21st Centuries have impacted - and been impacted by - the music itself. Class meetings will combine lectures with pointed discussion and critical listening to cover key points, and assignments will involve further listening.

Creativity and Musical Values
Composers and performers make countless decisions each day while creating their work. These choices are rooted, consciously or subconsciously, in aesthetics and priorities they have encountered throughout their lives. Such values can often be expressed in dualities: beautiful or sublime, poetry or prose, “authentic” or experimental, individual or universal, popular or underground, facile or meticulously-wrought, free or predetermined, Classicism or Romanticism, economy or virtuosity, art or entertainment—to name a few. Through reading, writing, listening, viewing, discussing, analyzing, and reflecting, we will examine how musical values have played out in a wide range of eras and styles, both classical and popular, and how they persist in our time. We will also design our own creative musical projects exploring these ideas.

Musicking Power and Resistance
Why has music been considered a threat to power, and thus been censured or banned in various geographic and historical moments? Why and how has it served as a form of resistance and protest that has given the oppressed a voice in others? We will use these questions as guiding frameworks for exploring how music has related with power and resistance in a global context. Engaging with music’s sonic and extra-sonic elements, we will develop skills for analyzing how these elements have shaped spiritual, political, social, and economic forms of power and resistance in a series of case studies drawn from different time periods and geographic locations. Course activities will include reading, writing, music and video analyses, performance-related activities and concert attendance, as well as lectures and discussions. No prior musical training required.

What in the World is Music?
In this course we will explore global musical cultures in order to better understand both those musical cultures and our own in relation to one another. The course has two goals: to introduce students to unfamiliar ways of listening to and thinking about different elements of music (including – but not limited to – rhythm, melody, timbre, texture, harmony, and form); and to develop skills for appreciating cultural significances of these elements. We will achieve these goals through readings, lectures, discussions, film screenings, listening sessions, workshops, concerts, and hands-on activities. 3 hrs. lect.

How to Improvise
Have you ever watched a friend while they jam away on their guitar, awed that they can make things up on the spot? This is called improvisation. Perhaps you would like to learn how to improvise. In this course we will learn how to best express what we hear and see in an improvised performance. We will discuss strategies for making the prospect of extemporaneous performance less daunting for a novice. Students will also learn about the foundational influence Black musicians have on the US American improvisational tradition through the study of the philosophies of such artists as Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, and George Lewis.

Introduction to Jazz Methods for Beginning and Intermediate Jazz Musicians
In this course we will explore several key methods used by jazz musicians to increase their mastery of the jazz language. Classwork will focus on using the voice to unlock jazz creativity, then using such methods as transcribing, backing tracks and developing critical listening ability as well as exploring a number of theoretical approaches to improvisation, and playing in small groups. Coursework will include transcription exercises, written analyses and recordings as well as an independent practice and rehearsal schedule. Instrumental or vocal proficiency is required; previous jazz experience is not. The ability to read music and basic theory knowledge are also required. Beginning and intermediate jazz players are encouraged to enroll. (Approval only)

Songwriting and Production Workshop
In this course we will offer student singer/songwriters a workshop setting for the creation and production of original songs. The course will revolve around student projects produced in the college’s electronic music studio and campus recording studio. Student projects will explore concepts of musical form and harmony, recording and production techniques, use of Digital Audio Workstations, and the incorporation of electronic sounds in a production. Lectures and demonstrations will provide theoretical and practical background to support those projects, and a collaborative environment will also allow students to learn from each other. (MUSC 0209 or permission).

Storytelling with Sound: The Sound Designer's Art
In this course, students will learn about the evocative storytelling power of sound and its use in music, theater, film, television, video games and narrative media like radio and podcasting. The course is structured around weekly creative projects and 4 larger projects exploring the possibilities of expressive sound. Students will acquire a foundation of knowledge in acoustics and recording techniques and will work with sound recording, processing, and mixing tools along with basic video editing tools. The course will also explore a wide variety of sound design examples in popular films and TV shows and other media, with opportunities for analytical writing.

African Soundscapes
This course will introduce students to musical cultures and practices from the African continent with a focus on particular regional styles. Through readings, lectures, discussions, film screenings, listening sessions, concerts, and hands-on activities, we will develop skills for analyzing and appreciating the diversity of African musical practices and their social, economic, and political value in traditional and contemporary contexts. Some background in music may be necessary. 3 hrs. lect.

Conducting
In this course students will develop basic skills of conducting including movement, aural skills, creative gesture, and score study. Daily work will include preparation to conduct an ensemble of classmates. Score reading ability and proficiency on an instrument or in singing is required. (MUSC 0160 or by approval of instructor. Score-reading ability is required.)

African Music and Dance Performance
This course will introduce students to various techniques of performing East African (primarily Ugandan) musical and dance traditions through regular rehearsals, culminating in an end-of-semester concert. As an ensemble, we will learn and master how to play and sing/dance to bow-harps, thumb-pianos, xylophones, tube-fiddles, bowl-lyres, gourd shakers, struck gourds, reed-box rattles, ankle bells, leg rattles, and various types of drums. Some background in performing music is recommended, but prior knowledge of performing African music and dance is not required. 3 hrs. lect./lab

A Cappella Ensemble Performance
Unaccompanied vocal music is rich in cultural expression and artistic beauty. Singing in an unaccompanied vocal ensemble enhances creativity, musicianship, and communication skills. This course affords an opportunity to develop analytical and ensemble skills that contribute to creative and informed performance. Through study of scores and source readings, students will explore vocal technique, performance, and cultural context in European art music, North American folk songs, and styles of improvisation. This course will conclude with a public performance and may include additional performances off campus. Music reading is required, prior singing experience is not. A preview of the reading requirement is available at go/Ensemble246.

Performing Jazz
In this course we will explore language, idiom, and improvisation in the mainstream and bop traditions of jazz. In-class work will focus on repertoire, jazz theory, approaches to improvisation and playing in a combo. Additional work will include written analyses, transcription exercises and self-recording, anchored by independent listening and practice. Instrumental or vocal proficiency is required; previous jazz experience is not. Basic theory knowledge and the ability to sight-read are advised. (Instructor approval) 3 hrs. lect/disc.

The Guitar in American Culture
Although it has European and African antecedents, modern acoustic and electric guitars are American inventions. From the genteel parlor guitars of the 19th century elite to the electric weaponry of today’s rock stars, the guitar is an essential artifact of American material culture. Drawing on histories, cultural critiques, interviews, and sound and video recordings, we will study both the evolution of the instrument and the builders and players who have helped define its role. Examining artifacts and talking with working guitar builders will illuminate the craft of guitar making. The culmination of the course will be a student-curated exhibition.

Bob Dylan's America
Few figures in American music have had the far-ranging influence of Bob Dylan, who, willingly or not, personified the social turmoil of the 1960s. In this course we will examine the musical and literary traditions on which Dylan draws (rock 'n' roll, country music, the urban folk revival, and the Beat poets), assess his art of crafting songs, and survey the principal phases of his career. Drawing on a range of biographical and historical materials, we will also consider the relationship between the social movements of the post-1960s and the carefully crafted public persona that Robert Zimmerman named Bob Dylan.

Music, Image, and Imagination
Music’s fusions with dance, visual art, theater, and film have produced some of the most iconic partnerships in our culture. From compelling artistic statements to political propaganda, music has always played a major role. This course will explore how we tell these stories through those alliances. How does it start? What comes first, music or the other medium? What makes them so powerful? Embracing European, American, and Asian traditions---from ballet, opera, and gamelan to theater, film, video, and intermedia art of the present day---students will study the many changing synergies these collaborations have accrued. Individual and collaborative exercises focused on developing relationships between music and image will extend to students creating their own fusions of music with other media.

Artistic Creation Through Breath
In this course we will explore what artistic creation and performance become when the artist connects their practice to their breathing. We will discuss the act of breathing, meet with artists who have centered breathing in their practices, and create work in which breathing is an integral part of the composition process. We will read James Nestor’s Breath and Pauline Oliveros’ Deep Listening. This discussion- and performance-based course will culminate in a performance and/or exhibition. All are welcome regardless of artistic discipline or artistic proficiency.

Live Coding - Computer Programming as Musical Performance
In this course we will learn the art of live coding, an electronic music improvisation/performance practice in which the computer programmer creates music in real time. Live coding is an excellent introduction to computer programming for beginners, and also offers opportunities for more advanced programmers. Students will learn the techniques of live coding, basics of sound design and acoustics, and fundamentals of music theory. Class projects will include solo and group performances and recordings. All students will need a laptop computer (Windows or Mac) with a reasonable amount of free disc space. No previous music or coding experience required.

Visualizing Sound - Creating Animated Computer Art from Music
In this course we explore the many ways that sound and music can be transformed into animated computer art using a software tool called Touch Designer. The project-driven course will offer a series of creative projects that explore various approaches to the topic. In the class, we will learn about and apply concepts of music theory, acoustics, and the psychology of music, as well as computer programming techniques used within Touch Designer. Students will need a laptop computer (Windows or Mac) with ample storage space. No previous music or coding experience required.

Peter Hamlin, Christian A. Johnson Professor Emeritus of Music at Middlebury, is a Middlebury alum who has worked as a radio host/producer, TV host, composer, performer, and music professor. At Middlebury, he taught courses in music theory, composition, electronic music, and served as Music Department Chair for many years./

The Music of Miles Davis
For almost fifty years, there was no greater catalyst in improvised music - and arguably, in all creative music - than Miles Davis. He repeatedly revolutionized Jazz and its associated styles, guiding them from bebop through cool jazz, post-bop, jazz-rock fusion, third stream, psychedelic rock, and hip-hop. In this course we will dive into this path of influence, through a comprehensive look at his music, his collaborators, and his life. In addition to in-class lectures, selected readings, and discussion, we will listen to and analyze Davis’ landmark recordings to chart his path of constant reinvention, and explore the ways in which he continues to influence modern creative music.

Kyle Saulnier is a composer, performer, and educator, specializing in modern American music./

Investigating Musical Theatre
In this course, we will explore what it means to be a collaborative performing artist in the 21st century through the lens of musical theatre. This course will function as both a seminar to discuss performance theory and processes as well as a lab for embodied practice. To engage with the latter, we will dedicate much of our class time to the three key elements of musical theatre: acting, singing, and dancing. Our engagement with these skills will culminate in a final performance at the end of the term. Readings include the likes of Stephen Sondheim, Linda Sabo, and Liz Lerman. Screenings include Falsettos, Allegiance, Leave It on the Floor, Into the Woods, Lift, and London Road.

Madison Middleton '22.5 is a multi-disciplinary artist with foci in theatre, music, and teaching artistry. They currently work at Middlebury College as an assistant director, sound designer, and program assistant for Beyond the Page./

Music in the United States
In this course we will examine folk, classical, and popular music in the United States from the 17th 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 will include music in the British colonies, minstrelsy, American opera and orchestras, jazz, popular music, and the experimentalist composers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Sing the World into Place
Would you enjoy spending your winter term...singing? Are you excited to learn and compare different ways of singing? Do you perceive singing as a way to develop community? In this course, we will address these questions as we explore singing of different places, purposes, and time periods. Through daily workshops supported by readings, listening, and discussion, we will build a broader understanding of how and why we sing. Our repertoire will span genres, including global folk, traditional, classical and popular music broadly defined. We will reinforce positive attributes of group singing and refine our narrative of the collective singing experience. No prerequisite or vocal performance experience required. go/singtheworldintoplace Lecture/disc.