i Please note:
To view the current calendar, go to
Music Extended Minor
Those who wish a bachelor of arts (BA) general degree, by completing a extended minor, are directed to the music extended minor. A balanced introduction to music composition, theory, history and performance is supplied at the lower division. A less concentrated upper division allows experience in a particular area. This minor may be used for teaching in the public and private school system.
Entry to specific courses that are required for the extended minor in music is by interview, usually scheduled for early spring and late summer. Contact the general office to make an appointment.
丁香园AV Requirements
Program and course admission is contingent upon University admission. Contact Student Services for admission procedures, requirements and deadlines. Entry to all programs and to many courses is by audition, interview or application. Contact the school’s office for information on procedures and deadlines.
Although the University operates on a trimester system, most FPA courses are planned in a two term (fall and spring) sequence. Consequently, students enter in the fall term (September) and are advised to contact the school in the preceding January for program entry and requirements information.
Entry to the music program requires that students read music staff notation at a good to excellent level and possess a solid understanding of music fundamentals. Students must pass the 丁香园AV Music Entrance exam with a grade of B (or better) OR take the course FPA 104 Music Fundamentals and achieve a grade of B (or better). 丁香园AV Music Entrance exams are held regularly throughout the year, so prospective students should contact the School for information regarding this requirement.
Transfer Credit and Advanced Standing
Unassigned or general elective (type 2 and 3, respectively) transfer credit awarded for courses completed at other recognized post-secondary institutions will not automatically entitle students to advanced standing in the school’s programs. Advanced standing is generally given on an individual basis as a result of an audition or interview.
About the School鈥檚 Course Offerings
Students are encouraged to take advantage of interdisciplinary offerings within the school. As many programs depend on a continuing sequence of courses completed in order, students should plan carefully to gain the maximum benefit and efficiency from their study. Note that not all courses are offered every term and several are offered on a rotational basis, i.e. every third or fourth term. An advisor is available to help plan study programs.
Students are reminded that the school is an interdisciplinary fine and performing arts department, and are strongly advised to acquaint themselves with the many disciplinary courses that are available.
Special Topics Courses
The subject matter (and prerequisites) of special or selected topics courses vary by term.
Prior Approval Prerequisite
Where a prerequisite is or includes 鈥榩rior approval,鈥� approval must be obtained before enrolling in the course. Contact the school for further information.
Program Requirements
Lower Division Requirements
Students complete a minimum total of 24 units, including all of
An introductory survey of major historical trends and practices of music in the 20th and 21st centuries as revealed by the study of selected music examples. Critical issues fundamental to an understanding of contemporary composition will be examined (e.g. impressionism, twelve-tone music, indeterminacy, the role of technology, improvisation). May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Breadth-Humanities. Breadth-Humanities.
This course introduces basic concepts of music composition such as melody and pitch organization, harmony, rhythm and form. The fundamental principles of theory and acoustics (e.g. voice-leading, overtone structure, metre) will be studied with particular reference to composition. Students will compose short works within given guidelines that address specific compositional issues. Prerequisite: FPA 104. Students who have completed a music theory/notation course at another institution but who have not received transfer credit as FPA 104 should seek a clearance/prerequisite waiver from the department.
Introduction to acoustics, psychoacoustics, sound synthesis, audio sampling and signal processing, and sound production in general as relating to music, film sound, radio, new media, art installations and live performance. Quantitative.
and four of
Practical and theoretical study of music for gamelan ensemble, based on, but not limited to, traditional Javanese music. This course is designed as an introduction to the study of the music of non-Western cultures and as a method of developing ensemble musicianship. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: Prior approval.
Composition for small instrumental groups, electroacoustic resources or combinations of instruments and electronics. Students are also encouraged to do work involving collaboration with dance, film, theatre and visual art. In addition to individual composition lessons, students will be required to attend a composition seminar where the practice of composition will be discussed. Seminar topics will include orchestration, world repertoire, and issues of music technology. Prerequisite: FPA 145 and prior approval.
This course is a continuation of FPA 245. Prerequisite: FPA 140 and 245, and prior approval from the area.
The theory and practice of electroacoustic music technology and composition. In addition to expanding upon the issues introduced in FPA 147, the course will examine through lecture and studio work the following topics: analog and digital synthesis, microcomputer use, the multi-track studio, signal processing, communication protocols such as MIDI and sampling techniques. Prerequisite: FPA 147: Introduction to Electroacoustic Music (Inactive). Quantitative.
Introduces basic elements of conducting technique including metrical patterns, quality of beat, cueing, score preparation, rehearsal technique, showing expression and dynamics, and score reading. The course is primarily designed for composers or prospective music teachers. Students will gain regular practical experience through conducting ensembles comprised of members of the class. Prerequisite: FPA 245: Music Composition I or Prerequisite: prior approval. Students who have received credit for FPA 249-3 Selected Topics in Music I: Conducting I may not receive further credit for FPA 248.
A specific topic in music which is not otherwise covered in-depth in regular courses. The work may be practical, theoretical or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. May repeat for credit. Prerequisite: FPA 140 and/or prior approval.
and one FPA lower division theory or history course outside music.
Upper Division Requirements
Students complete a minimum total of 15 units, including three of
The relationship of music and culture, with emphasis on traditional and contemporary music in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and indigenous cultures of North America. Specific cultural areas may be selected for intensive study in any particular term. May be of particular interest to students in other departments. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Continuation of FPA 243, with increased emphasis on the theoretical and ethnomusicological aspects of gamelan. Prerequisite: FPA 243.
An in-depth investigation of selected social, critical and theoretical issues associated with contemporary music, with special emphasis on the period c. 1945 to the present. Issues discussed might include such theoretical concerns as integral serialism; indeterminacy; process music; timbral concerns; or new approaches to melody, harmony and tonality. Critical topics such as music and technology; popular music and the mass media; or critical issues connected with world music might also be considered. The material of the course will be presented through the study of scores, recorded examples and when possible, live concerts. Prerequisite: FPA 244.
This course is a continuation of FPA 246. Prerequisite: FPA 246 or 247, and prior approval.
This course is a continuation of FPA 345. Prerequisite: FPA 345.
An advanced examination of the aesthetics, technology, and compositional approaches of electroacoustic music. Topics may include computer music programming, performance systems, compositional strategies and their relationship to technology, synthesis and processing techniques and the analysis of works. Prerequisite: FPA 247. Students with credit for FPA 347 under its former title may take this course for further credit.
Continuation of FPA 248, with an increased emphasis on more advanced conducting projects. Prerequisite: FPA 248 or FPA 249-3 Selected Topics in Music I: Conducting I. Students with credit for FPA 349-3 Selected Topics in Music II: Conducting II may not take this course for further credit.
A specific topic in music which is not otherwise covered in depth in regular courses. The work may be practical, theoretical or a combination of the two, depending on the particular topic in a given term. Prerequisite: FPA 245 and/or prior approval. (Prerequisite may vary according to the topic.).
This course examines the role of music in the viewer's experience of moving pictures. Beginning with the early 1900s, the lectures will introduce important composers, directors, films, genres and historical periods. Specific films and other works will be analyzed. Prerequisite: 60 credit hours. Students who have taken this course previously as special topics may not take it again for further credit.
Continuation of FPA 343 with emphasis on the technique of the elaborating instruments of the gamelan ensemble. Prerequisite: FPA 343.
This course is a continuation of FPA 346. Prerequisite: FPA 346.
Students will undertake a large-scale project in music composition as the culmination of their undergraduate composition studies. Prerequisite: FPA 445.
The theory and practice of digital techniques and computer systems as applied to sound synthesis and music composition. The course will consider the major types of hardware and software systems developed for music from 1955 to the present, and will discuss such issues as machine programmability, user interaction, acoustic models for sound synthesis, and compositional algorithms. Students will have the opportunity for practical compositional work. Prerequisite: FPA 347. Recommended: CMPT 001 or 110. Students with credit for FPA 348 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative.
and six additional units in upper division FPA courses. Additional music courses may be used to fulfil this requirement.