Department of Music

How sound is produced in instruments, and how those sounds are used in music making. Wave motion, resonance, sound perception, scales, harmony, and music theory. Collaborative laboratory exercises to investigate the acoustics of string, woodwind, and brass instruments as well as study of the physics of keyboard and percussion instruments. Students will make instruments from found objects and perform compositions on them, and can pursue their areas of special interest in a research paper.

Oklahoma!, Carousel, and South Pacific in their political, social, and cultural contexts.

A sociomusical study of rock 'n' roll in its first decades.

The perceived and actual relationships between music and magic in a range of historical periods.

Music and drama in Renaissance plays within the pastoral tradition.

Music and spectacle in the late medieval, Renaissance, and baroque courts of Europe.

Textual and musical analysis of Verdi's operas (libretto and score) in their sociohistorical contexts.

The relationship and interplay between musical genres and social dance in different communities and eras.

The relationship between music and the visual arts in the modernist and postmodernist periods viewed in their historical contexts.

Music in, and musical settings of, American literature of the Romantic, modern, and postmodern periods.

Musical crossovers in world musics and societies.

Vienna in the early 1900s as a locus for modernism. Honors version available.

Offers tools and techniques for understanding multimedia, staged musical works like opera, musical theater, and film. The goal of the seminar is to develop students' analytical skills in verbal and nonverbal media and to encourage their visualization of the potential and implications of artistic forms and structures. Honors version available.

Musical aesthetics, musical works, and the nature of musical art.

This seminar focuses on the variety of performances presented by Carolina Performing Arts at Memorial Hall. Through attendance at performances and through research on the performing artists and the works being performed, students explore questions such as, How does music reflect culture? How does the culture shape the art form?

Bring your own research ideas and learn how to design digital projects for them, including creating visualizations and audio widgets. Learn how to write grant applications for digital humanities, and explore virtual reality projects. Visit the immersion cave at NC State, talk with researchers at Duke's Wired! Lab, and work with programmers at UNC's own Digital Innovation Lab. This class has a particular focus on digital humanities, acoustics, and sound. Honors version available.

Special topics course. Content will vary each semester. Honors version available.

Individual lessons in piano, organ, or harpsichord. Sections by instructor.

Sections by instructor.

Individual lessons in violin, viola, cello, string bass, harp, guitar, banjo, or mandolin. Sections by instructor.

Individual lessons in flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, or recorder. Sections by instructor.

Individual lessons in horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, or euphonium. Sections by instructor.

Sections by instructor.

Group or individual instruction in a specified instrument offered by the department. Sections by instructor.

Beginning group piano for minors and nonmajors, including introduction to reading from score. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours. Sections by instructor.

Beginning and intermediate group lessons for minors and nonmajors. Sections by instructor.

Group lessons in violin, viola, cello, string bass, or guitar. Sections by instructor.

Group lessons in flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, or recorder. Sections by instructor.

Group lessons in horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, or euphonium. Sections by instructor.

Sections by instructor.

An introduction to concepts and methods fundamental to the study, practice, and performance of music. The course provides a foundation for undergraduate students interested in the study of music. Students will gain an appreciation for music's significance across repertories and develop the aptitude to think about music in different ways. Intended for music majors and minors.

Notational and theoretical materials of tonal music, with musicianship skills developed. Intended for the nonmajor who wishes to learn to express musical ideas in clear, correct notational form.

A continuation of MUSC 121 with the addition of basic instrumentation and arranging.

Basic principles of diction for singers in English/Italian presented through the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet.

Basic principles of diction and the International Phonetic Alphabet for singers in French.

Basic principles of diction and the International Phonetic Alphabet for singers in German.

This course is an introductory exploration of musical improvisation in non-style specific sound environments. An emphasis will be placed on learning through hands-on performance with one's instrument, voice, and/or computer.

This course is a study in ear-based performance and analysis, and engages with topics from applied music cognition. This course does not rely on conventional Western ''five-line staff'' musical notation.

Basic tonal musicianship skills, including music notation, basic composition, score analysis, keyboard, sight singing, and ear training.

Enrollment subject to a placement test. An introduction to tonal music theory and analysis for students who intend to pursue a music degree. Course covers basic principles of melody, counterpoint, rhythm, and meter. Honors version available.

A continuation of MUSC 131, covering more advanced topics of melody, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm, meter, and form. Honors version available.

A continuation of MUSC 130, with emphasis on intermediate-level musicianship skills.

An introduction to the musical materials of jazz, including chord/scale relationships, functional keyboard skills, and harmonic analysis.

Beginning group piano instruction for music majors.

This course provides an introduction to music theory--defined as an examination of the underlying patterns deployed by composers, performers, and listeners in creating and comprehending music within a style--for students whose background is primarily aural and/or outside of the notational practices of Western art music or who want to undertake a study of music theory from that perspective.

A chronological survey of the history of Western art music from the Middle Ages to the present. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours.

The study of selected works from the Western art tradition, with an emphasis on critical understanding. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours.

A survey of rock music history, culture, and musical styles. The course includes extensive listening and an overview of the music's development and evolution.

A survey and investigation of country music from 1920 to the present. This course addresses the music, history, culture, and meaning, across a broad and inclusive of styles, with, with emphasis on critical listening.

A survey of jazz music from its origins to the present. The course builds skills in critical listening and blends discussion of musical materials and historical and cultural contexts.

The study of music in and as culture. Topics may include the performance cultures of Native America, south Asia, Australia, Africa, east Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

An introduction to contemporary Latin(o) American popular music, focusing on how musicians have negotiated an increasingly global popular culture industry.

An introduction to black musical cultures with a focus on understanding how music is made within social, geographical, and political contexts. The course includes experiential learning, live concert attendance, and conversations with practicing musicians in various musical traditions.

Music and dance as human expression, social ritual, and artistic performance across a wide range of repertories, practices, and historical periods.

A topical survey of musical theater repertoire from its early inception in 18th-century Europe to current 21st-century incarnations. Various stylistic approaches, historical periods, and creative contributions to the genre will be explored. Examination of case studies through diverse perspectives of class, gender and race will situate the repertoire in a broad artistic and social context.

An exploration of the important, often misunderstood role of the DJ in modern musical life, with particular attention to the ways in which DJing challenges traditional notions of music, musicianship, and musical instruments. Guest lectures, demonstrations, and tutorials by visiting DJs form a significant component of the course.

An introductory hands-on study of the composition of electronic instrumental tracks for hip-hop and dance music. Students make beats, learn about the history and culture of the art form, and examine beat making as a case study in entrepreneurship.

A hands-on study of the art of emceeing. Students engage in a rigorous lyricism curriculum, developing the skills to write, recite, and improvise lyrics in live and recorded settings. Students also explore the history of hip-hop culture and analyze the aesthetics of emcees from around the world.

An introduction to issues of performance practice in rock music and related styles and genres including, but not limited to, soul, funk, new wave, and punk. Through intensive coaching and rehearsal students learn performance, transcription, arranging, and improvisation.

An in-depth study of vintage and modern music production techniques for jazz, classical, hip-hop, R&B, rock EDM, folk, and other popular forms of music. A focus on digital and analog recording, Pro Tools, and other DAW software basics, microphone techniques, consoles, signal flow, mixing and mastering techniques.

An introductory course in the development of improvisational skills for the jazz idiom. The primary focus is the introduction of nomenclature, the development of basic jazz vocabulary, and the application of this knowledge using basic jazz tune types.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the music of South Asia, focusing on India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The entire spectrum of musical genres will be covered.

The study of compositional techniques and the development of individual creative styles through imitative and original writing.

Practical exercises in scoring and arranging for various combinations from single instrumental choirs to full concert orchestra, with trial group performances.

Basic conducting techniques, score reading, and music performance evaluation for choral and instrumental groups.

The role of women in performance, composition, patronage, and the music business across a wide range of repertories.

Advanced individual lessons in piano, organ, or harpsichord. Sections by instructor. Honors version available.

Sections by instructor. Honors version available.

Advanced individual lessons in violin, viola, cello, string bass, harp, or guitar. Sections by instructor. Honors version available.

Advanced individual lessons in flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, or bassoon. Sections by instructor. Honors version available.

Advanced individual lessons in horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, or euphonium. Sections by instructor. Honors version available.

Sections by instructor. Honors version available.

Advanced instruction in a specified instrument offered by the department. Sections by instructor.

Sections by ensemble: Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, Carolina Choir, Chamber Singers, Glee Club (tenor/bass voices), Glee Club (soprano/alto voices), Piano Ensemble I, Piano Ensemble II, Collaborative Piano, Guitar Ensemble, Jazz Band.

Sections by ensemble: UNC Opera, Percussion Ensemble, Gamelan, Charanga Carolina, Global Rhythms, Bluegrass Band, Hip Hop.

Sections by ensemble: Marching/ Pep Band, Jazz Lab Band, Chamber Orchestra, University Band.

Sections by ensemble: University Chamber Players, String Chamber Ensembles, Woodwind Chamber Ensembles, Brass Chamber Ensembles, Piano Chamber Ensembles, Jazz Combos, Baroque Ensemble/Viol Consort, New Music Ensemble. Honors version available.

Survey of keyboard literature from the Baroque era to the present.

Problems, materials, and methods of teaching piano to students of all ages.

Practical methodology for teaching voice to students of all experience levels. Topics covered include anatomy, historical pedagogy, national vocal teaching styles, and current trends in voice science.

Primarily for students pursing teacher licensure. An introduction to basic performance skills on representative woodwind, brass, percussion, and string instruments.

Primarily for students pursuing teacher licensure. An introduction to basic performance skills in voice and piano, and approaches to teaching elementary music.

A continuation of MUSC 226 and 227, allowing students the opportunity to develop further performance skills and pedagogical techniques in music education. Offered in sections: instrumental, vocal, strings.

A continuation of MUSC 133, with emphasis on intermediate- to advanced-level musicianship skills.

A continuation of MUSC 132, covering topics including chromatic harmony and form. Honors version available.

The study of vocal and instrumental performances practices in specific periods and repertories.

Through the use of various ethnomusicological methodologies, students explore a range of non-Western musical systems in their cultural contexts. Topics of study may include aesthetic theories, cultural meaning, and conflict.

Continues group piano instruction for music majors begun in MUSC 136.

A practical study of selected aspects of computerized music technology, including one or more of music-notation software, MIDI sequencing, digital sound production and storage, and computer composition.

The study and comparison of contemporary Southeast Asian performance genres (music, theatre, dance, ritual) in historical and cultural contexts.

This course is concerned with the performance and interpretation of Indonesian dance. It covers three areas of study: practical learning of traditional Indonesian dance repertoire, theoretical analyses and interpretation, and learning the music accompanying the dance.

An exploration of gender on the musical stage in the past and present, with an emphasis on female-identified creators and characters, onstage and behind the scenes.

The study of music in its historical and cultural contexts in the medieval and early modern eras. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours.

A survey of music's development from antiquity to 1750, in its stylistic, geographical, political, social, and cultural contexts.

A continuation of MUSC 254, surveying music of the period since 1750 in its stylistic, geographical, political, social, and cultural contexts.

Building upon the foundations of MUSC 156, this course prepares students in professional beat making techniques within various settings of the music industry. The course implements a module-based instruction model, emphasizing student development in creating multiple extended play projects (EPs) with different utilizations (studio, live performance, screen) concluding with the development of a Final Portfolio review, using the computer-based DAW Ableton 11, MIDI controllers, and synthesizers and samplers accessed in the Music Department's Beat Lab.

The musical results of migrations of all types, voluntary or forced, by way of case studies drawn from historical and/or contemporary musics of Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

As a continuation of MUSC 161, this course will include more advanced techniques in mixing, mastering, and music production. Listening and ear training with practical exercises will be explored. The work of notable engineers and producers will be looked at with an ear towards their production values and critical listening of the material.

Continuation of MUSC 163, examining more advanced improvisational techniques, harmonic materials, and compositional tune types.

Composing and arranging for small- and large-group jazz ensembles.

May be repeated for credit. Original compositions in various forms.

Practical orchestral scoring with emphasis on understanding and imitating historical styles from Mozart through Ravel.

Connecting academic inquiry in community music with an experiential project in the making, organization, or documentation of music locally.

Critical approaches to the study of music through a variety of research approaches and sources, both visual and oral, examining meaning, expression, and values through close analysis.

Critical approaches to understanding music as a human activity, including questions of embodiment, dis/ability, difference, and power through a variety of research approaches and sources, both visual and oral.

Musical, historical, cultural, and social issues in jazz studied through the examination of innovative and influential jazz artists.

The relationship between popular song and culture in American society is explored by focusing on an important historical repertoire or interpretive theme.

The culmination of baroque music, emphasizing Bach's cantatas, concertos, organ music, and instrumental music, and Handel's oratorios and operas, all in their cultural contexts. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours.

The high point in Viennese music of the late 18th century, emphasizing Haydn's symphonies and quartets, and Mozart's operas and piano concertos. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours.

Beethoven's music will be studied in the context of social structures and concepts about artists during his lifetime. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours.

A study of the work of diverse composers characteristic of music since ca. 1880 viewed in their broader artistic and other contexts. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours.

May be repeated for credit if on a different topic. Music in the framework of its social, political, economic, and cultural contexts. Honors version available.

An introduction to music as related to drama, especially the development of opera and related genres. Study of selected works from different periods and styles. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours. Honors version available.

Study of the symphony orchestra, its instruments, and its historical development from the mid-18th century to the present, and the music it plays, including selected works in a variety of styles. May not count toward the requirements of the music major. May count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours.

Music's roles in war and revolution within various political, social, and cultural contexts. Part of the cluster "War, Revolution and Culture-Transatlantic Perspectives, 1750-1850."

The relationship between music and politics studied through a global range of historical and geographical contexts. The course covers specific musical and political manifestations as well as theoretical approaches to the issue.

The historical and ongoing tradition of protest by African artists with particular focus on the aesthetics, politics, and geography of innovative grassroots movements on the African continent that effect social change through music and film.

The history, culture, musical sound, and practice of bluegrass music, with an intensive focus on critical listening. Covers significant performers, musical styles, and both fan and performance culture and meaning.

Available only to music majors by permission of the director of undergraduate studies. Intensive study on a particular topic under faculty supervision.

Advanced individual keyboard lessons leading to a public recital.

Advanced individual voice lessons leading to a public recital. Honors version available.

Advanced individual string lessons leading to a public recital. Honors version available.

Advanced individual woodwind lessons leading to a public recital. Honors version available.

Advanced individual brass lessons leading to a public recital. Honors version available.

Advanced individual percussion lessons leading to a public recital. Honors version available.

This course is conceived as a culminating project that showcases a student's original musical compositions.

Intermediate conducting for instrumental or vocal ensembles.

May be repeated for up to six hours of credit. Advanced conducting for instrumental or choral ensembles.

This course will address a particular issue in music theory as it pertains to a genre, repertoire, composer, questions of harmony, rhythm, form or musical structure in Western, non-Western, jazz, or popular musics. Subject matter will vary with instructor. May be repeated for credit if on a different topic. Permission of instructor required.

The study of analytical techniques as applied to significant works of the period.

The study of two-, three-, and four-voice counterpoint, for example in the style of Palestrina, Bach, or 20th-century idioms.

Analysis and transcription of blues, rock, ballads, and jazz, with an emphasis on rock music since 1955.

The study of analytical techniques as applied to significant works of the period.

An intensive research-based course resulting in an original paper and/or creative work on a topic of the student's own development and presentation of the same.

Course will address a particular genre, composer, compositional issue, or repertoire, including non-Western and popular musics. Subject matter will vary with the instructor. May be repeated for credit if on a different topic. Honors version available.

May be repeated for credit if on a different topic. Advanced study on a selected topic in jazz. Topics will vary and may address a particular genre, composer, performance practice, compositional issue, or repertoire.

Lectures on theory and improvisation, small ensemble coaching, and instrument-specific master classes in a classroom/lecture format. Intensive listening component through required attendance at four evening concerts. Final public student concert for a community audience. Can be repeated for credit.

Practical, hands-on training in the art of composing music for film and video games. In addition to analyzing and discussing influential film/game music, the course develops skills such as orchestration, underscoring, musical narrative, and thematic development. Students enrolled in the course are expected to have some prior experience composing and notating music for a variety of instruments and ensembles.

Explore form, structure, and narrative in American popular song during the era of recorded sound. Students will analyze the elements of different songs -- melody, lyrics, harmony, musical arrangement, form, narrative, and structure. Students will write songs using different models and forms; edit and revise their songs; and perform those songs publicly. Familiarity with basic chords and melodies expected.

Detailed investigation of a specific musical topic from historical and/or theoretical perspectives. Honors version available.

Advanced study of selected performance issues.

Permission of the director of undergraduate studies. Internship directly related to the study, practice, or the business of music. Students must complete at least 100 hours and submit a journal and report upon completion of the internship. No more than three credit hours may count toward the requirements of the music major. Excess hours may count as credit hours toward graduation, subject to the overall limit on music hours.

Permission of the instructor for undergraduates. Intended for students from various majors, this course provides a foundation in the history, theory, and practice of developing live, technologically-intensive, multimedia performance works. The course analyzes new media masterworks, addresses techniques of interdisciplinary collaboration, and offers workshops in specific software/technology applications.

Admission by permission of the honors advisor. Independent study by a student who has been designated a candidate for undergraduate honors in music.

Continuance and completion of an honors thesis in music.