Theory courses at Union are special because they are taught by composers; students are encouraged to employ newly acquired theoretical knowledge in compositions of their own almost from the start. An upper-level course devoted entirely to composition is offered on a regular basis. The music history sequence starts with a two-term chronological survey. The topics of upper-level music history courses vary from year to year. Students might study Baroque music one term and Mozart the next, while another year they might focus on Romanticism for a term and Bach and Handel another. Occasional field trips to interesting concert venues such as Tanglewood and the New York City Opera enhance classroom analysis and discussions. Students in twentieth-century music history study and perform everything from Debussy to Steve Reich, often composing short works in a variety of contemporary styles. Courses in American music often feature guest artists as well as trips to New York City to see relevant shows on Broadway. Courses in world music range from a general survey to more specific studies of Latin American and East Asian music cultures. Performance workshops are regularly offered in vocal music, chamber music, and jazz.
Introductory Courses
AMU-050. The Language of Music
AMU-051. Symbol and Sound
AMU-060. From Chant to Mozart
AMU-061. Beethoven to Bernstein
AMU-110. Class Piano
Music Theory Core Courses
AMU-100. Elements of Music Theory
AMU-101. Music Theory I
AMU-102 (201). Music Theory II
World Music and American Music
AMU-120. Introduction to World Music
AMU-125. World Religions and Music
AMU-130. American Music
AMU-131. Music of Black America
AMU-132. The History of Jazz
AMU-133. Music of Latin America
AMU-134. Music and Culture of Africa
AMU-136. Popular Music in Modern Japan
Intermediate Music Theory and Composition
AMU-200 (301). Listening Workshop
AMU-204. Introduction to Composition
Music History and Cultural Studies
AMU-212. Baroque Music
AMU-213. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven
AMU-214. Romanticism
AMU-215. Music in the 20th Century
AMU-220. Music and Culture
AMU-320 (221). Encounters with East Asian Music Cultures
AMU-340. Early Music Seminar
Performance Workshops
AMU-230. Vocal Workshop
AMU-231. Chamber Music Workshop
AMU-232. Jazz Workshop
AMU-233. Japanese Wadaiko Workshop
AMU-234. Balinese Gamelan Workshop
Special Topics in Music
AMU-302. Special Topics: Ethnomusicology Seminar
AMU-303. Special Topics: Conducting
AMU-304. Projects in Composition and Performance
AMU-305 (301). Special Topics: Vocal Arranging
AMU-306. The Evolution of Popular Song
Independent Work
AMU-295H-296H. Music Honors Independent Project 1 & 2
AMU-490-492. Independent Study
AMU-497. One-Term Senior Project
AMU-498-499. Two-Term Senior Project