| LEC # | TOPICS | KEY DATES |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welcome - Ritual Reading of the Syllabus - Overview | |
| Unit One: The Big Picture Everyone will participate in Unit One large-group improvisations as a vocalist, even if you have no training. When you're assigned to participate in a small-group improvisation, you're free to choose your best instrument (where "instrument" includes your voice as an option). | ||
| 2 | What is "Music"? What is a "Score"? How are they Related? Cook: "Music: An Imaginary Object" | |
| 3 | Form and Proportion; Large-scale Rhythm and Phrase Rhythm (Special Guest: Jewlia Eisenberg, Composer-performer) | Drill 1 (solo piece) |
| 4 | Speed, Volume, and Register Quiz 1 | |
| 5 | Timbre | Revision of Drill 1 (trio piece) |
| 6 | Texture and Articulation | Assignment 1 (duo piece) due |
| Unit Two: Rhythm Everyone will participate in Unit Two large-group improvisations as a percussionist, even if you have no training. You are responsible to procure or construct your own instrument no later than Lec #8 class meeting. When you're assigned to participate in a small-group improvisation, you're free to choose your best instrument (where "instrument" includes your voice as an option). | ||
| 7 | Symmetric Meter | Assignment 2 (solo piece) due |
| 8 | Accent and Syncopation Quiz 2 | |
| 9 | Polyrhythm and Polymeter | Assignment 3 (duo piece) due |
| 10 | Asymmetric Meter | Assignment 4 (duo piece) due |
| 11 | Alternatives to Meter | Assignment 5 (trio piece) due |
| Unit Three: Melody and Harmony Use your best instrument (or voice) for all improvisations, whether large-group or small-group. Instrumentalists: this means you must bring your instrument to every class meeting. | ||
| 12 | Consonance and Dissonance | Assignment 6 (solo piece) due |
| 13 | Intervals and Harmony Quiz 3 | |
| 14 | Melodic Construction and Transformation | Assignment 7 (duo piece) due |
| 15 | Contrapuntal Relationships | Assignment 8 (duo piece) due |
| 16 | Drone, Ostinato, Chaconne and Passacaglia | Assignment 9 (trio piece) due |
| 17 | Contrasting Harmonic Areas Quiz 4 | |
| 18 | Deadline For Final Projects | |
| Unit Four: Onward and Beyond Instrumentalists: bring your instrument only for the rehearsals of the piece(s) in which you'll play it. | ||
| 19 | Sampling, Quotation, Paraphrase, and Allusion Read-through of Large-ensemble Compositions | Assignment 10 (trio piece) due |
| 20 | Polystylism Rehearsal of Large-ensemble Compositions | Assignment 11 (trio piece) due |
| 21 | What (and How) do Sounds Mean? | Assignment 12 (trio piece) due |
| 21 | Dress Rehearsal of Large-ensemble Compositions Quiz 5 | |
| 22-24 | Performances Of Final Projects Post-concert Discussion of Performances | |
| 25 | Report on Your Final Project | |
| Final Examination | ||