Music

Associate Professor Mark Hall, Chair, Division of Fine Arts

AUDITIONS AND ADMISSION TO MUSIC CURRICULA

All students intending to pursue a major or minor in music or participate in an ensemble must complete the Music Placement Hearings during Fall Orientation prior to beginning study. Each student will then be counseled into the appropriate courses. All music majors must demonstrate proficiency in basic keyboard skills. Those who lack this preparation upon entering must take Keyboard Fundamentals for 0 credits every term until all six areas of the proficiency requirement are passed. All music majors must pass the piano proficiency requirement before enrolling in Senior Project 351-352.

Admission to a particular curriculum as a music major is conferred by the music faculty after the completion of Music 102 or, in the case of students with advanced standing, after one semester of study at Maryville College. Contact the Chair of the Division of Fine Arts for details.

French or German is recommended as the foreign language choice for singers and students planning graduate work in music.

THE BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE

The Major in Music for those pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree requires a minimum of 46 hours including Music 101-102, 111-112, 201-202, 211-212, 311-314, 351-352, 8 hours of applied music, and 4 hours of ensemble participation. Keyboard proficiency must be demonstrated. At least 66 hours must be earned in general studies.

The Minor in Music consists of 18 credit hours in music, including 101-102, 111-112, 6 credit hours at the 300 or 400 level, and 4 credit hours in courses, lessons, and/or ensembles.

THE BACHELOR OF MUSIC DEGREE

The Bachelor of Music is a professional degree, intended for students who plan to pursue a career in some aspect of music. It differs from the Bachelor of Arts degree in its general education core requirements (see General Education in this catalog) and the extent of specialization. As a professional degree, it affords more extensive study in the major field.

The College offers major programs in performance, music education, and theory-composition. All include preparation in theory, aural skills, and music history. Private lessons are a part of each major, as is sustained participation in a musical ensemble. Beyond these common elements, students take specialized courses appropriate to each major.

MUSIC EDUCATION

The Major in Music Education for Teacher Licensure in Vocal/General Music consists of 61 credits in music including Music 101-102, 111-112, 201-202, 211-212, 311-314, 321, 322, 323, 351-352, 14 hours of applied music (voice or voice and piano) and 8 hours of ensemble (at least 6 in choir). A senior recital is required. Additional liberal studies requirements are Psychology 101 and Sociology 271. Students pursuing this track must complete 29 credit hours of professional courses in teacher education. The professional courses are listed under Education in this catalog.

The Major in Music Education for Teacher Licensure in Instrumental Music consists of 62 credits in music including Music 101-102, 111-112, 201-202, 211-212, 311-314, 321, 322, 323, 324 (4 credits total), 351-352, 11 hours of applied music (major instrument), and 8 hours of ensemble (at least 6 in instrumental ensembles). A senior recital is required. Additional liberal studies requirements are Psychology 101 and Sociology 271. Students pursuing this track must complete 29 credit hours of professional courses in teacher education. The professional courses are listed under Education in this catalog.

PERFORMANCE

The Major in Piano or Vocal Performance consists of a total of 78 credit hours including Music 101-102, 111-112, 201-202, 211-212, 308, 311-314, 322, 323, 351-352, 401-402, 24 hours of applied music in the principal area, 8 hours of ensemble, and 4 hours of music electives (courses, lessons, ensembles, or a combination). Students pursuing this degree must qualify for the honors in applied music program and present a half recital in the junior year and a full recital in the senior year.

THEORY-COMPOSITION

The Major in Theory-Composition consists of a total of 78 credit hours including Music 101-102, 111-112, 201-202, 211-212, 305, 306, 308, 311-314, 322, 323, 343, 351-352, 20 hours of applied lessons in either theory or composition or a combination, including studies in music synthesis and MIDI technology, 8 hours of ensemble, and 2 hours of music electives (courses, lessons, ensembles, or a combination). Students pursuing this degree must present a full recital in the senior year.

Course Descriptions

101. Music Theory I
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music FUN 002 or placement | Co-requisite: Music 111
Basic elements of music, including notation, the overtone series, rhythm, intervals, transposition, scales, keys, modes, triads, and beginning melodic analysis. Students will write a short composition for solo voice or instrument. Computer-assisted instruction supplements course materials.
102. Music Theory II
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 101 | Co-requisite: Music 112
Introduction to harmonic function and analysis through study of harmonic progression, cadences, and non-chord tones. Voice leading principles in four-part chorale texture, including both analysis and composition. Study of binary and ternary forms and modulation to closely related keys. Students will write a composition for four voices or instruments. Computer-assisted instruction supplements course materials.
111. Aural Skills I
1 credit hour
Co-requisite: Music 101
Introduction to sight-singing and dictation, including intervals, scales, scale patterns, melodies, and triads. Methods of syllabication include solfege, numbers, and pitch names. Introduction to the major conducting patterns, to be used while singing. Major mode sight-singing and dictation in treble and bass clefs. Solo rhythmic improvisation as well as vocal and instrumental melodic improvisation. Composition of rhythms and melodies to be used for in-class singing and dictation practice. One hour in-class instruction and one hour computer-assisted lab instruction per week.
112. Aural Skills II
1 credit hour
Prerequisite: Music 111 | Co-requisite: Music 102
Diatonic sight-singing and dictation in treble, bass, and alto clefs in both major and minor modes. Expanded melodic dictations and continuation of interval dictation and singing. Beginning harmonic dictation, including functional hearing as well as diatonic four-part chorale texture. Rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic improvisation, both solo and in groups. Singing and perceiving modulations. One hour in-class instruction and one hour computer-assisted lab instruction per week.
201. Music Theory III
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 102 | Co-requisite: Music 211
Refinement of harmonic and form analysis skills, including formulation of sound theoretical arguments concerning music of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Chromatic elements of music, including secondary dominants, Neapolitan and augmented sixth chords, borrowed chords, and chromatic mediants. Analysis of contrapuntal procedures, including fugue. Study of forms, including theme-and-variation, sonata, and rondo. Students will write a melody with instrumental accompaniment, using the harmonic materials studied during the semester. Computer-assisted instruction supplements course materials.
202. Music Theory IV
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 201 | Co-requisite: Music 212
Continued exploration of analytical arguments, concerning works of the late 19th and 20th centuries. Chromatic modulation, enharmonic chords, expanded tonicization, and linear harmonies. Compositional styles of Debussy, Stravinsky, Bartok, Messiaen, Schoenberg, Cage, Reich, and others will be examined. Detailed analysis of intervallic organization and serialism. Students will write a work in a 20th-century style. Computer-assisted instruction supplements course materials.
211. Aural Skills III
1 credit hour
Prerequisite: Music 112 | Co-requisite: Music 201
Continuation of diatonic singing and dictation. Introduction to embellishing and functional chromaticism through singing and dictation. Further ear-training in functional harmony, including chromatic harmony. Improvisation of rhythms, melodies, and harmonies, with an emphasis on group improvisation. One hour in-class instruction and one hour computer-assisted lab instruction per week.
212. Aural Skills IV
1 credit hour
Prerequisite: Music 211 | Co-requisite: Music 202
Functional chromatic singing and dictation, including enharmonic chords and distant modulations. Continuation of functional harmonic ear-training. Singing and dictation of atonal music, especially interval cells and tone rows. Practice in hearing by interval rather than within a tonal context. Improvisation of tonal and atonal music. One hour in-class instruction and one hour computer-assisted lab instruction per week.
305. Analytical Techniques
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 202
A holistic examination of major methods and trends in theoretical analysis, with a focus on the development of independent theoretical perspectives. Advanced methods of analysis include style analysis, form and structure analysis, and Schenkerian analysis, as well as recently developed methods. Works from the classical canon provide materials for study.
306. Philosophy and Aesthetics of Music
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: FNA 140 (Music section) or permission of the instructor and junior standing
A survey of major philosophical writings about music, from Ancient Greece to the 20th century. Treatises of music theorists and historians as well as writings by philosophers such as Plato, Pythagoras, Hemlholtz, and Schopenhauer are included. The role of music in culture, including the aesthetic impetus for music making and music listening, are examined. Students are encouraged to engage in independent analysis, culminating in a substantial research project.
308. Pedagogy in the Applied Field
1 credit hour
A study of various teaching techniques and a practical introduction to materials and procedures. Includes observation and teaching.
312. History of Music in the United States
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 101, or the music section of Fine Arts 140/340, or permission of instructor
A study of music in the United States from the Pilgrims to the present, including both the cultivated and the vernacular traditions. Reading, listening, analysis, and a research project are required.
313. History of Western Fine Arts Music to 1750
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 102
A study of the western fine arts tradition in music in ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Baroque Era. Reading, listening, analysis, and a research project are required.
314. History of Western Fine Arts Music from 1750 to the Present
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 102
A study of the western fine arts tradition in music in the Classical, Romantic, and Modern eras. Reading, listening, analysis, and a research project are required.
315. Introduction to Ethnomusicology
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 101 or Fine Arts 140/340 (Music section) or permission of instructor
A study of non-art musics of the world from an ethnomusicological perspective. The course will introduce students to basic etnhomusicological concepts and methods, including field work, transcription, and analysis. Further areas of study may include historical, philosophical, and cultural study of non-art musics of the world.
321. Methods and Materials of Music Education K-12
2 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 202
The study of concepts and processes specific to and necessary for effective instruction in K-12 music education. Students explore various elementary and secondary music methods in both a classroom setting and in workshops by specialists in the field. Music 321 is an additional prerequisite for Education 343 for students majoring in Music Education for Teacher Licensure.
322. Conducting
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 102
Conducting patterns, rehearsal techniques, and score reading, with practical applications through exercises and through rehearsal and conducting of selected music literature. Students gain practical experience in conducting an ensemble along with their classroom work.
323. Orchestration and Arranging
2 credit hours
Prerequisite: Music 201
Aural and visual examination of writing techniques for string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments, with emphasis given to scoring applications appropriate for secondary school ensembles. Scoring for less frequently used instruments, including fretted instruments, and the human voice as an orchestral timbre. Includes computer-assisted scoring.
324. Introduction to Orchestral Instruments
4 credits total
Emphasis is placed on elementary performing ability on string, wind, and percussion instruments sufficient to teach students effectively in elementary and secondary school performing groups. Four semesters of instruments are required (one hour credit per semester) with variable emphasis according to the needs of the prospective teacher.
337. Internship
7 to 15 credit hours
Prerequisites: Music 102 and permission of instructor
Full-time supervised, field-based experience in professional settings, such as music publishing, music retail, performing arts organizations, arts councils, and church music programs.
343. Practicum
2 to 6 credit hours
Prerequisites: Music 102 and permission of instructor
Part-time supervised, field-based experience in professional settings, such as music publishing, music retail, performing arts organizations, arts councils, and church music programs.
349. Special Topics in Music
3 credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Topics, selected in accordance with student interest, may include advanced music theory, musical arranging, music and the other arts, and popular music.
351-352. Senior Project
6 credit hours
Prerequisites: FRS 140, English Proficiency Exam, junior standing, and successful completion of all areas of keyboard proficiency
The Senior Study requirement is fulfilled with this two-course sequence. The Senior Project involves individual research with the guidance of a faculty supervisor.
401. Literature in the Applied Field I
1 credit hour
A chronological survey of the standard repertoire of each performance medium through score study, record listening, and performance. Offered as demand warrants.
402. Literature in the Applied Field II
1 credit hour
A continuation of Music 401.

APPLIED MUSIC

The study of applied music is central to all curricula in music and is a valuable elective for students in majors other than music. One credit hour per semester is earned for a half-hour lesson and at least three hours practice per week. Two credit hours per semester are earned for an hour lesson or two half-hour lessons and at least six hours practice per week. Three credit hours, available only to music majors, are earned for a 90-minute lesson or two 45-minute lessons per week and at least nine hours practice per week. (Non-credit students are expected to practice the same amount of time as the parallel credit students).

Instruction and practice include both technique and a minimum standard repertoire. For music majors, the latter includes, over a period of time, standard repertoire for the given instrument from each appropriate historical era and genre. For non-majors, the instructor may tailor the selection of repertoire to the individual student’s particular goals and needs.

  • MUS APT Applied Theory
  • MUS BAR Baritone
  • MUS BON Trombone
  • MUS BSN Bassoon
  • MUS CLN Clarinet
  • MUS COM Composition

Development of basic techniques in the structure and craft of musical composition. Writing in all genres according to individual abilities and interests.

  • MUS FLU Flute
  • MUS FUN 1 Fundamentals of Music I

Preparatory applied lessons for music reading and study. This lesson is available by placement only and is taken non-credit on an S/U basis.

  • MUS FUN 2 Fundamentals of Music II

Prerequisite: Music FUN 1

Preparatory applied lessons for music reading and study. This lesson is available by placement only and is taken non-credit on an S/U basis.

  • MUS GUT Guitar
  • MUS HPT Harpsichord

Prerequisite: Demonstrated basic keyboard proficiency

  • MUS HRN Horn
  • MUS IMP Jazz Improvisation

Development of fundamental skills and techniques necessary for jazz improvisation performance.

  • MUS KBD Keyboard Fundamentals

Instruction in basic musicianship and keyboard technique, including principles of transposition and improvisation, to enable students to develop the skills necessary to pass the piano proficiency examination. A development course which can be taken for credit or non-credit. Credits earned in this course may not be applied to a music major.

  • MUS OBO Oboe
  • MUS ORG Organ

Prerequisite: Demonstrated basic keyboard proficiency

  • MUS PER Percussion
  • MUS PIA Piano

Prerequisite: Demonstrated basic keyboard proficiency

  • MUS STR Strings
  • MUS TMP Trumpet
  • MUS VOC Voice

ENSEMBLES

The following ensembles are open to all students who meet the stated requirements. One credit hour per semester may be earned for participation in one of these organizations.

  • MUS E12 The Maryville College Concert Choir *
  • MUS E13 The Maryville College Community Chorus
  • MUS E14 The Orchestra at Maryville: A College-Community Ensemble **
  • MUS E15 The Maryville College Jazz Band **
  • MUS E16 The Maryville College Community Concert Band **
  • MUS E17 Chamber Music
Ensemble
1/2 credit hour per semester
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Small instrumental and/or vocal ensembles, guided by music faculty in the performance of appropriate chamber music. Specific offerings will vary from year to year, depending upon student need.

* Audition required
** Some previous instrumental experience required