Music for Non-Majors (MUNM)

Prerequisites: None For non-music majors with no experience in the instrument/voice only. May be repeated for credit; maximum credit eight hours. Class instruction in basic performance/musicianship skills. This course does not count for major credit in the School of Music.

A "grand tour" of the esthetics and dramatic techniques of film music since 1895. Excerpts from commercial "silent era" and "sound era" films will be viewed and studied as examples of film music development and the composer's art. (Irreg.) [IV-AF]

This course covers the globally popular yet often socially and critically maligned rock music genre of heavy metal from its inception in the late 1960s to the present day. We will cover musical characteristics associated with the style, investigate its fan culture, social impact, and meaning, and explore its interaction with the music industry. Related musical styles will be discussed to give additional points of reference. Previous knowledge of music and the heavy metal genre is not required. The development of critical thinking and listening skills is an important element of this class. (Sp, Su) [IV-AF].

Prerequisite: junior standing. A study of the musical systems observed in the larger Arab world and parts of the Mediterranean. Explores overarching concepts of melody and rhythm in Middle Eastern music, namely the maqam and iqa', and their manifestation in various musical cultures of the East Arab world, North Africa, Turkey, and the Balkans. Topics will include gender and music-making in the Middle East; star-system and ethno-pop in Egypt; music and the intersection of Islamic, Judaic, and Christian religions; and, musical cross-influences in Greece, Turkey and the Balkans. Includes various pedagogical approaches such as class listening and musical analysis, reading and critical discussion, as well as video, live demonstrations, and workshops. This course does not count for major credit in the School of Music. (F, Sp) [IV-NW]