For complete information as to courses offered in the current year, students should consult the schedule of course offerings available each semester in the Registrar’s Office. Courses numbered 100 through 499 are undergraduate level; courses numbered 500 through 999 are graduate level. Course numbers preceded by a “»” are typically offered each academic year. Course numbers followed by a “T” are taught to mixed classes of undergraduates and graduates. Undergraduate students may register for graduate-level courses with the instructor’s permission.
CONTEMPORARY IMPROVISATION
»CI 181T – Development of Long-Term Melodic Memory
Aural training through memorization of melodies and bass lines from diverse musical sources, including music from African-American, Greek, and Spanish traditions. Develops interval recognition and understanding of harmonic implications.
(2 credits) Blake
»CI 283T – Advanced Aural Training
Study of 20th-century music with emphasis on advanced ear training, recognition of vertical structures up to thirteenth chords, swing and bebop phrasing and improvisation, as well as advanced transcription skills. (2 credits) Netsky
»CI 284T – Development of Long-Term Harmonic Memory
Continuation of CI 283T. Examination of non-diatonic chord progressions. Skill building and creativity will be emphasized through the study of triads with irregular root motion. Students will apply topics learned in class through compositional assignments. Prerequisite: CI 283T. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 385T – Development of Personal Style
Compositional and improvisational models and visual imagery are used as an inspiration for creative musical projects.
(2 credits) Blake
»CI 386T – Development of Personal Style
Focuses on specific pieces that will be used as a basis for original compositions. The curriculum will consist of several discrete units including the following: composition with restricted pitch sets, time as a parameter, extended tonality and re-composition. (2 credits) Coleman
CI 451T – Issues and Trends in American Music
Through presentations from many voices within and outside the conservatory, readings and group discussions, the class will explore the dimensions of American music, learn something about various streams of musical activity in America, attempt to understand what is “American” about American music, consider the impact of regional and ethnic musical subcultures and “world music,” grapple with the potential impact of technology, and consider today’s trends as indicators of the future. (2 credits) Coleman
CI 461T – Eastern European Jewish Music Traditions
Introduces various types of Jewish music that flourished in Eastern Europe and the Americas. Surveys such styles as folk, theater, cantorial, Hassidic, and klezmer. Individual and group performance projects. (2 credits) Netsky
»CI 464T – Film Noir
Introduces such post–World War II themes as victimization and character. Attention is given to film music; students create their own music based on plot, theme, and character. Film viewing required outside of class. Films: Spiral Staircase, etc. Film choices will not necessarily be limited to those in the classic film noir genre. (2 credits) Blake
CI 477T – Introduction to Indian Modal Improvisation
A course designed to offer beginning instruction in Indian musical performance to western musicians on western instruments. Special attention is given to the basics of improvisational procedures, centered on the study of composed and improvised forms in the context of two simple ragas and talas. (2 credits) Row
»CI 057 – Graduate Third-Stream Ear Training
Builds the aural skills required for graduate-level study in Contemporary Improvisation, including perception, recognition, and recall of melodic and harmonic intervals, chords, chord progressions, rhythms, and melodic interpretation and expression. Students develop melodic understanding and memory by learning diverse music from recordings without the aid of notation, using voices and instruments. (0 credit) Netsky
»CI 517T – Development of Long-Term Melodic Memory
Aural training through memorization of melodies and bass lines from diverse musical sources, including music from African-American, Greek, and Spanish traditions. Develops interval recognition and understanding of harmonic implications.
(2 credits) Blake
CI 551T – Issues and Trends in American Music
Through presentations from many voices within and outside the conservatory, readings and group discussions, the class will explore the dimensions of American music, learn something about various streams of musical activity in America, attempt to understand what is “American” about American music, consider the impact of regional and ethnic musical subcultures and “world music,” grapple with the potential impact of technology, and consider today’s trends as indicators of the future.
(2 credits) Coleman
CI 553 – Open Forms, Graphic Scores and Structured Improvisation
This class will explore the links and differences between the Open Form scores that emerged out of the post-Cagean world of the ‘50s and ‘60s and the Controlled Improvisation strategies that many composer-performers who come from the worlds of Jazz and Free Improvisation have utilized. This class will combine historical and theoretical perspectives; many of the challenges inherent in looking at these two approaches to music together were raised in Composer/Performer/ Educator George Lewis’ essay “Improvised Music after 1950: Afrological and Eurological Perspectives.” (Black Music Research Journal, Vol. 16, No. 1, Spring 1996) and this will function as a key text, as will John Cage’s “Writings on Indeterminacy.” Composers studied will include John Cage, Earle Brown, Christian Wolff, Cornelius Cardew, Stockhausen, Alvin Lucier, Anthony Braxton, Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, John Zorn and others. In-class performance will be a crucial part of the class, with an eventual goal of at least one public performance. (2 credits) Coleman
CI 561T – Eastern European Jewish Music Performance Traditions
Introduces various types of Jewish music that flourished in Eastern Europe and the Americas. Surveys such styles as folk, theater, cantorial, Hassidic, and klezmer. Individual and group performance projects. (2 credits) Netsky
»CI 564T – Film Noir
Introduces such post–World War II themes as victimization and character. Attention is given to film music; students create their own music based on plot, theme, and character. Film viewing required outside of class. Films: Spiral Staircase, etc. Film choices will not necessarily be limited to those in the classic film noir genre. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 571 – Third-Stream Methodology
A four-semester series of seminars required of Contemporary Improvisation majors. This semester, topics will include the history and theory of musical collage from Ives to the present (Berio,Cage, Public Enemy, John Zorn, etc.). Other semesters cover composition projects based on non-Western models, composition projects based on Western models, and studies in improvisational techniques. (2 credits) Eade
»CI 572 – Third-Stream Methodology
Composition projects based on non-Western models. (2 credits) Netsky
CI 577T – Introduction to Indian Modal Improvisation
A course designed to offer beginning instruction in Indian musical performance to western musicians on western instruments. Special attention is given to the basics of improvisational procedures, centered on the study of composed and improvised forms in the context of two simple ragas and talas. (2 credits) Row
»CI 583T – Advanced Aural Training
Study of 20th-century music with emphasis on advanced ear training, recognition of vertical structures up to thirteenth chords, swing and bebop phrasing and improvisation, as well as advanced transcription skills. (2 credits) Netsky
»CI 584T – Development of Long-Term Harmonic Memory
Continuation of CI 583T. Examination of non-diatonic chord progressions. Skill building and creativity will be emphasized through the study of triads with irregular root motion. Students will apply topics learned in class through compositional assignments. Prerequisite: CI 583T. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 585T – Development of Personal Style
Compositional and improvisational models and visual imagery are used as an inspiration for creative musical projects. For non-majors; not available to graduate CI majors. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 586T – Development of Personal Style
Focuses on specific pieces that will be used as a basis for original compositions. The curriculum will consist of several discrete units including the following: composition with restricted pitch sets, time as a parameter, extended tonality and re-composition. For non-majors; not available to graduate CI majors. (2 credits) Coleman
CI 587T – Seminar in Performance
Focuses on developing and expanding students’ artistic sensibility through performance and discussion. Integrates advanced aural, theoretical, compositional and performance skills into individual aesthetics. Provides insights into concert preparation, career strategies, and development of repertoire. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 671 – Third-Stream Methodology
Studies in improvisational techniques. (2 credits) Coleman
»CI 672 – Third-Stream Methodology
Composition projects based on Western models. (2 credits) Row
2010-08-16
DUKE ELLINGTON