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Course 21M: Music |
 | | | 21M.100-21M.URG | | |  |
MusicThe Music subjects described below are grouped within seven areas: Introductory, Samplings, History/Culture, Composition/Theory, Performance, Advanced/Special Subjects, and Music and Media. Introductory Subjects21M.011 Introduction to Western Music
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Prereq: None Units: 4-0-8 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule  Lecture: W3.30-5 (4-270) Recitation: TR11 (4-152) or TR1 (4-152) or TR3 (4-152)
Provides a broad overview of Western music from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, with emphasis on late baroque, classical, romantic, and modernist styles. Designed to enhance the musical experience by developing listening skills and an understanding of diverse forms and genres. Major composers and works placed in social and cultural contexts. Weekly lectures feature demonstrations by professional performers and introduce topics to be discussed in sections. Enrollment limited. Fall: T. Neff, M. Goetjen Spring: E. Pollock, M. Goetjen No required or recommended textbooks 21M.013[J] The Supernatural in Music, Literature and Culture
()  Not offered regularly; consult department (Same subject as 21L.013[J]) Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9
Explores the relationship between music and the supernatural, focusing on the social history and context of supernatural beliefs as reflected in key literary and musical works from 1600 to the present. Provides an understanding of the place of ambiguity and the role of interpretation in culture, science and art. Explores great works of art by Shakespeare, Verdi, Goethe (in translation), Gounod, Henry James and Benjamin Britten. Readings also include selections from the most recent scholarship on magic and the supernatural. Writing assignments range from web-based projects to analytic essays. No previous experience in music is necessary. Projected guest lectures, musical performances, field trips. Limited to 36. Staff 21M.030 Introduction to Musics of the World
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Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW9.30-11 (4-158) or MW11-12.30 (4-158) or TR9.30-11 (4-364) or TR11-12.30 (4-364)
An introduction to diverse musical traditions of the world. Music from a wide range of geographical areas is studied in terms of structure, performance practice, social use, aesthetics, and cross-cultural contact. Includes music making, live demonstrations by guest artists, and ethnographic research projects. Enrollment limited by lottery. Fall: J. Maurer, P. Tang Spring: J. Maurer, P. Tang No textbook information available 21M.051 Fundamentals of Music
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Prereq: None Units: 3-2-7 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW11-12.30 (4-364) or MW2-3.30 (4-364) or TR3.30-5 (4-364) Lab: F1 (4-270) Recitation: TBA
Introduces students to the rudiments of Western music through oral, aural, and written practice utilizing rhythm, melody, intervals, scales, chords, and western staff notation. Individual skills are addressed through a variety of approaches, including the required piano and sight singing labs. Intended for students with little to no prior experience reading music or performing. Not open to students who have completed 21M.150, 21M.151, 21M.301, 21M.302, or are proficient in reading music. Limited to 18 per section. Fall: S. Iker Spring: L. Tilley, D. David, G. Saraydarian No textbook information available 21M.053 Rhythms of the World
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Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9
Experiential, fully-embodied exploration into the fundamentals of music through the lens of largely non-Western, aural music cultures. From Bali to Ghana, Cuba to India, Zimbabwe to Andalucía, and through popular musics across the globe, students think about, talk about, and make music in new ways. Examines some of the basic concepts of music — structure, melody-making, meter, rhythm, interaction, movement, etc. — studying their diverse incarnations in different music cultures and encouraging a breadth of perspective and engagement. Students engage with a diverse blend of musical practices through music-making, in-depth discussion, listening and analysis, and creative composition. No musical experience required. Limited to 18. L. Tilley 21M.065 Introduction to Musical Composition
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Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Through a progressive series of composition projects, students investigate the sonic organization of musical works and performances, focusing on fundamental questions of unity and variety. Aesthetic issues are considered in the pragmatic context of the instructions that composers provide to achieve a desired musical result, whether these instructions are notated in prose, as graphic images, or in symbolic notation. Weekly listening, reading, and composition assignments draw on a broad range of musical styles and intellectual traditions, from various cultures and historical periods. Basic music reading skills required. Limited to 18. E. Ziporyn 21M.080 Introduction to Music Technology
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(Subject meets with 21M.560) Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9 Lecture: MW3.30-5 (4-364)
Investigates how technology is used in the analysis, modeling, synthesis and composition of music, and its contribution to the artistic production practice. With an eye towards historical context as well as modern usage, topics include the physics of sound, digital representations of music, the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), analog and digital synthesis techniques, MIDI and sequencing, electronic instrument design, notation software, generative music systems, and computational analysis of music. Weekly assignments focus on both theory and practice, requiring technical proficiency, creative output, and aesthetic consideration. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. Enrollment limited. Fall: I. Hattwick Spring: I. Hattwick No textbook information available SamplingsStudents may combine any of the 6-unit subjects listed below for 12 units (one full subject) of credit toward the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) General Institute Requirement (GIR). Even-numbered subjects are offered the first half of term; odd-numbered subjects are offered the second half of term. Where noted, subjects may be repeated for 12 units of HASS GIR credit. See the HASS Requirement website for details. 21M.120 Tuning Systems and Temperament
(); first half of termNot offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4
Surveys selected tunings of the scale, including Pythagorean, just intonation, mean-tone, and equal temperaments, as well as non-Western systems and the impact of tunings and temperaments on musical composition and performance. Student projects will be based on live demonstrations as well as reading and listening assignments. T. Neff 21M.128 Moments in Music: History/Culture A
()  ; first half of term
Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4
Examines a particular moment in music history, an era, style, or even the composition of a major work through analysis and cultural context. Goes into further depth on a particular topic than would be possible in a longer survey. Periods and topics vary. Examples include minimalism, The Beatles, A Cappella, or The Lion King. May be repeated once for credit if content differs. Enrollment limited. Staff 21M.129 Moments in Music: History/Culture B
() ; second half of termNot offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule
Examines a particular moment in music history, an era, style, or even the composition of a major work through analysis and cultural context. Goes into further depth on a particular topic than would be possible in a longer survey. Periods and topics vary. Examples include minimalism, The Beatles, A Cappella, or The Lion King. May be repeated once for credit if content differs. Enrollment limited. M. Marks 21M.138 Moments in Music: Composition A
() ; first half of termNot offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4
Practice in a particular compositional technique not normally covered in the Harmony and Counterpoint or Musical Composition sequences. Possible topics include Renaissance counterpoint, fugue, ragtime, or indeterminacy. May be repeated once for credit if content differs. Enrollment limited. Staff 21M.139 Moments in Music: Composition B
 () ; second half of term
Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4 Begins Oct 21. Lecture: TR2-3.30 (4-158)
Practice in a particular compositional technique not normally covered in the Harmony and Counterpoint or Musical Composition sequences. Possible topics include Renaissance counterpoint, fugue, ragtime, or indeterminacy. May be repeated once for credit if content differs. Enrollment limited. G. Saraydarian No textbook information available 21M.150 Accelerated Fundamentals of Music
(, ); first half of term
Prereq: None Units: 1-1-4 Credit cannot also be received for 21M.151 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Ends Oct 18. Lecture: TR2-3.30 (4-158)
Accelerated half-semester study of the fundamentals of Western music. Requires ability to read Western staff notation in at least one clef. Coverage includes intervals, triads, major and minor keys, basic musical analysis over a variety of idioms in Western music. Also emphasizes developing the ear, voice, and keyboard skills. Not open to students who have completed or are enrolled in 21M.051, 21M.151, 21M.301, or 21M.302. Subject content is identical to 21M.151: 21M.150 is offered first half of term; 21M.151 is offered second half of term or during IAP. Limited to 18 per section. Fall: G. Saraydarian Spring: G. Saraydarian No textbook information available 21M.151 Accelerated Fundamentals of Music
(, ); second half of termNot offered regularly; consult department Prereq: None Units: 1-1-4 Credit cannot also be received for 21M.150
Accelerated half-semester study of the fundamentals of Western music. Requires ability to read Western staff notation in at least one clef. Coverage includes intervals, triads, major and minor keys, basic musical analysis over a variety of idioms in Western music. Also emphasizes developing the ear, voice, and keyboard skills. Not open to students who have completed or are enrolled in 21M.051, 21M.151, 21M.301 or 21M.302. Subject content is identical to 21M.150: 21M.150 is offered first half of term; 21M.151 is offered second half of term or during IAP. Limited to 18 per section. Staff 21M.158 Moments in Music: Theory and Analysis A
() ; first half of termNot offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4
Specific musical compositions or topics in music theory will provide the basis for analysis and close reading. Topics vary. Examples include a Bach Cantana, a Beethoven Quartet, Pierrot Lunaire, or cross-cultural musical analysis. May be repeated once for credit if content differs. Enrollment limited. Staff 21M.159 Moments in Music: Theory and Analysis B
() ; second half of termNot offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 2-0-4
Specific musical compositions or topics in music theory will provide the basis for analysis and close reading. Topics vary. Examples include a Bach Cantana, a Beethoven Quartet, Pierrot Lunaire, or cross-cultural musical analysis. May be repeated once for credit if content differs. Enrollment limited. Staff History/Culture21M.215 Music of the Americas
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Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
A survey of the music of North and South America from the Renaissance to the present, with emphasis on the cross-fertilizations of indigenous and European traditions. Listening assignments will focus on composers as varied as Copland and Still, Revueltas and Chihara. C. Shadle 21M.220 Medieval and Renaissance Music
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Prereq: None. Coreq: 21M.301 Units: 3-0-9 Lecture: MW2-3.30 (4-152)
Examines European, Mediterranean basin, and Latin American music in the ancient world, Middle Ages, and the Renaissance (to 1630). Interweaves a chronological survey with the intensive study of three topics, which are usually chant and its development, music in Italy 1340-1420, and music in Elizabethan England. Focuses on methods and pitfalls in studying music of the distant past. Students work with original sources and facsimiles in crafting research papers, presentation, and assignments. Staff No textbook information available 21M.223 Folk Music of the British Isles and North America
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Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW2-3.30 (4-162)
Examines the production, transmission, preservation and the qualities of folk music in the British Isles and North America from the 18th century to the folk revival of the 1960s and the present. Special emphasis on balladry, fiddle styles, and African-American influences. Enrollment limited. J. Maurer No textbook information available 21M.226 Jazz
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Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9
Historical survey from roots in African and American contexts, including spirituals, blues, and ragtime, through early jazz, Swing, bebop, and post-bop movements, with attention to recent developments. Key jazz styles, the relation of music and society, and major figures such as Armstrong, Ellington, Basie, Goodman, Parker, Monk, Mingus, Coltrane, and others are considered. Some investigation of cross-influences with popular, classical, folk, and rock musics. Enrollment may be limited. Cunningham 21M.235 Baroque and Classical Music
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Prereq: 21M.301 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Surveys genres from the Western tradition composed in the 17th and 18th centuries: opera, cantata, oratorio, sonata, concerto, quartet and symphony. Includes the composers Monteverdi, Purcell, Lully, Strozzi, Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Haydn, Bologne, and Mozart. Bases written essays, projects, and oral presentations on live performances as well as listening and reading assignments. Basic music score-reading ability required. Staff 21M.250 Nineteenth-Century Music
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Prereq: 21M.301 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Surveys 19th century Western concert music including Lied/song, choral music, opera, piano sonata/character piece, concerto, and symphony/symphonic poem. Includes the composers Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Chopin, Farrenc, Brahms, Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Beach, Smyth, and Mahler. Bases written work and oral presentations on live performances as well as listening and reading assignments. Basic score-reading ability recommended. T. Neff 21M.260 Music since 1900
()
Prereq: 21M.301 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Surveys musical works drawn from many genres, representing stylistic movements that have transformed classical music over the past hundred years. Focal topics include musical modernism, serialism, neoclassicism, nationalism and ideology, minimalism, and aleatoric and noise composition experiments. Discusses electronic and computer music, and new media and the postmodern present. Begins with Stravinsky's early ballets and ends with music by current MIT composers and other important figures active today. Ability to read music required. Instruction and practice in oral and written communication provided. Staff 21M.269 Studies in Western Music History
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Prereq: 21M.301 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9 Lecture: TR12.30-2 (4-162)
Explores particular questions or repertories in Western classical music. Requires individual participation, presentations, and writing. Topics vary each year. Examples include women in music, musical borrowing, the Ars Nova, Schumann, or music after 1990. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Fall: S. Iker Spring: T. Neff No textbook information available 21M.271 Symphony and Concerto
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Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9
Explores the style, form, and history of approximately two dozen pieces of canonical symphonic repertoire. Students write short reviews of musicological articles on the rich cultural history of selected works and complete one project about classical music in contemporary society. Basic score-reading ability required. Staff 21M.273 Opera
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Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW12.30-2 (4-158)
Focuses on the different styles and dramatic approaches exhibited by a range of operas. Important themes include dramatic and musical conventions, processes of adaptation, cultural and critical questions, and staging as a type of interpretation. Basic score-reading ability required. E. Pollock No required or recommended textbooks 21M.283 Musicals
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Prereq: One subject in film, music, or theater or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Covers Broadway works and Hollywood films in depth. Proceeds chronologically, exploring landmark stage musicals and films, within four historical categories: breakthrough musicals of the 1920s and '30s; classic "book musicals" of the '40s and '50s; modernist and concept musicals of the '60s and '70s; and postmodern and cutting-edge works of the '80s and '90s. Attention given to the role of music in relation to script, characterization, and dramatic structure. Final papers involve comparison of one stage and one film work, selected in consultation with the instructor. Oral presentations required and in-class performances encouraged. M. Marks 21M.284 Film Music
()
(Subject meets with CMS.925) Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW2-3.30 (4-158)
Provides a conceptual foundation and methodology for the study of music created for various types of (mainly) narrative films, from the medium's origins in the early twentieth century to the present. Close attention to select influential scores by composers active in Hollywood from the 1940s to the 1990s (e.g., Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann, Quincy Jones, John Williams, Philip Glass). Those works are juxtaposed with landmarks of alternative film and musical styles from other countries and centers of production. Subsidiary topics include the history and challenges of live musical accompaniment to silent films, and the evolution of recording and sound-editing technologies from the studio era to the global present. Students taking the graduate version complete different assignments. Some background in the study of film and/or music is desirable, but not a prerequisite. M. Marks Textbooks (Fall 2024) 21M.285 The Beatles
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Prereq: 21M.301 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Surveys the music of the Beatles, from the band's early years as the Quarrymen (1956-1960), through the rise of "Beatlemania" in the 1960s, and the break-up of the group with the turn of 1970. Listening and reading assignments focus on the construction and analysis of selected songs with the goal of mapping how the Beatles' musical style changed from skiffle and rock to studio-based experimentation and the concept album. Discussions include the cultural influences that helped shape not only the music, but also the image of the group and its individual members, as well as the Beatles' influence on both popular music and culture worldwide. Limited to 21. Staff 21M.289 Studies in Western Classical Genres
() Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: 21M.301 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Explores topics concerned with specific types of classical music, such as repertories for instrumental soloists and/or small ensembles, orchestral works, solo songs, choral works, or compositions for theater, film, or new media. Topics vary and may require additional prerequisites or specialized skills such as score-reading or playing an instrument. Examples include the English madrigal, Baroque chamber music, Beethoven's symphonies, French art song, Wagner's 'Ring' cycle, American choral music, Stravinsky's theater works, and the Hollywood film score. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Staff 21M.291 Music of India
() Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9
Focuses on Hindustani classical music of North India, and also involves learning about the ancient foundations of the rich classical traditions of music and dance of all Indian art and culture. Practice of the ragas and talas through the learning of songs, dance, and drumming compositions. Develops insights through listening, readings, and concert attendance. Staff 21M.292 Musics in Bali
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Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9 Lecture: TR2-3.30 (N52-199)
Studies diverse musical practices in Bali, Indonesia. Students encounter a broad spectrum of Balinese musics — from ancient ritual and court musics to popular genres, internationally renowned gamelan traditions to radical contemporary and fusion compositions — engaging with their structures and techniques through music-making, listening analysis, music theory, composition, and dance. Explores the cultural, political, social, and historical contexts of these musics, grappling with complex questions of identity, representation, power, and belief through readings and discussion forums, creative open-ended projects, and in-depth class discussion. No musical experience required. Limited to 15. L. Tilley No textbook information available 21M.293 Music of Africa
 ()
Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9
Studies musical traditions of sub-Saharan Africa, with focus on West Africa. Explores a variety of musical practices and their cultural contexts through listening, reading and writing assignments with an emphasis on class discussion. Includes in-class instruction in drumming, song and dance of Senegal, Ghana, and South Africa, as well as live lecture-demonstrations by guest performers from throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Limited to 15; preference to majors, minors, concentrators. Admittance may be controlled by lottery. P. Tang 21M.294 Popular Musics of the World
()
Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: TR12.30-2 (4-364)
Examines select popular music genres from around the world through audio-visual materials, reading assignments, and classroom discussion. Considers issues of globalization, appropriation, and the impact of social media. Case studies include bhangra, Latin pop, Afropop, reggae, Kpop, and global hip-hop. Limited to 25; preference to Music majors, minors, concentrators. Admittance may be controlled by lottery. E. Ziporyn No textbook information available 21M.295 American Popular Music
()
Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9
Surveys the development of popular music in the US, and in a cross-cultural milieu, relative to the history and sociology of the last two hundred years. Examines the ethnic mixture that characterizes modern music, and how it reflects many rich traditions and styles (minstrelsy, Tin Pan Alley, blues, country, rock, soul, rap, techno, etc.). Provides a background for understanding the musical vocabulary of current popular music styles. Limited to 20. W. Marshall 21M.296 Studies in Jazz and Popular Music
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Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: TR11-12.30 (4-162)
Studies of selected topics in popular music and/or jazz. Topics vary. Examples include Duke Ellington, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and the 1980s. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Fall: W. Marshall Spring: A. Boyles No textbook information available 21M.297[J] Cultures of Popular Music in East Asia: Japan, Korea, China
() Not offered regularly; consult department (Same subject as 21G.095[J], WGS.150[J]) (Subject meets with 21G.595) Prereq: None Units: 3-0-9
Explores a variety of music cultures in contemporary East Asia. Emphasizes examples from Japan, but forays elsewhere, including South Korea and China. Uses writings, videos, and recordings of musical performances, events, and objects in a variety of contexts to better understand how the concept of culture gives insight into gender, class, sexuality, race, ethnicity, nationhood, and individual identities. Explores ethnographic approaches to musical cultures with a focus on the last thirty years. Topics include Japanese hip-hop, K-Pop idols, Vocaloids (virtual idols), Chinese popular music and protest, street music, streaming and online distribution for global music, and experimental music. Students conduct ethnographic fieldwork and produce sonic presentations. No music experience nor technical expertise required. Taught in English. I. Condry 21M.299 Studies in Global Musics
()
Prereq: 21M.030 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Studies of selected topics in ethnomusicology (the study of music in culture). Topics vary. Examples include the social lives of musical instruments, music and storytelling, fieldwork methodologies, music and politics, and theories of global musics. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. J. Maurer Composition/Theory21M.301 Harmony and Counterpoint I
(, )
(Subject meets with 21M.541) Prereq: 21M.051, 21M.151, or permission of instructor Units: 3-3-6 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW11-12.30 (4-162) or TR2-3.30 (4-162) or TR3.30-5 (4-162) Lab: F2 (4-270)
Explores Western diatonic music through regular composition and analysis assignments. Engages a broad range of historical periods, traditions, and individuals. Topics include rhythm and meter, harmony and counterpoint within a single key, and a brief overview of form and modulation. Individual skills are addressed through a variety of approaches, including the required piano and sight singing labs. Local musicians perform final composition projects. Students should be proficient in reading Western staff notation in at least one clef and have experience with key signatures and scales. Students taking the graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 18 per section. Fall: E. Ruehr, D. David Spring: E. Ruehr, w. Cutter, D. David No textbook information available 21M.302 Harmony and Counterpoint II
(, )
Prereq: 21M.301 or permission of instructor Units: 3-2-7 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW3.30-5 (4-158) or TR9.30-11 (4-162) Lab: R4 (4-152) or F4 (4-162)
A continuation of 21M.301, including chromatic harmony and modulation, a more extensive composition project, keyboard laboratory, and musicianship laboratory. Limited to 20 per section. Fall: W. Cutter, D. Derek Spring: S. Iker, G. Saraydarian No textbook information available 21M.303 Writing in Tonal Forms I
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Prereq: 21M.302 Units: 3-1-8 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW3.30-5 (4-162) Lab: R4 (4-152) or F4 (4-162)
Written and analytic exercises based on 18th- and 19th-century small forms and harmonic practice found in music such as the chorale preludes of Bach; minuets and trios of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven; and the songs and character pieces of Schubert and Schumann. Musicianship laboratory is required. Limited to 20 per section. Fall: C. Shadle Spring: S. Iker, G. Saraydarian No textbook information available 21M.304 Writing in Tonal Forms II
()
Prereq: 21M.303 Units: 3-1-8
Further written and analytic exercises in tonal music, focusing on larger or more challenging forms. For example, students might compose a sonata-form movement for piano or a two-part invention in the style of Bach. Students have opportunities to write short works that experiment with the expanded tonal techniques of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Musicianship laboratory is required. Limited to 20. C. Shadle, G. Saraydarian 21M.310 Techniques of 20th-Century Composition
()
Prereq: 21M.302 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW12.30-2 (4-162)
Students complete written and analytical exercises based on compositional forms and practices from the first half of the 20th century. Areas covered include compositions based upon artificial scales and modes, as in Debussy, Bartok, and Stravinsky; compositions based on atonal pitch organizations, as with Schoenberg and Webern; compositions based on rhythmic process, timbral exploration, and/or non-Western influences. Basic instrumentation will be taught, and compositions will be performed in class. C. Shadle No textbook information available 21M.340 Jazz Harmony and Arranging
(, )
Prereq: 21M.051, 21M.226, or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: TR11-12.30 (24-033F)
Basic harmony and theory of mainstream jazz and blues; includes required listening in jazz, writing and analysis work, and two full-scale arrangements. Serves as preparation for more advanced work in jazz with application to rock and pop music. Performance of student arrangements. Limited to 15. Fall: L. Haruvi Spring: L. Haruvi No textbook information available 21M.341 Jazz Composition
() Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: 21M.226, 21M.340, or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule
Jazz writing using tonal, modal, and extended compositional approaches as applied to the blues, the 32-bar song form, and post-bop structural designs. Consideration given to a variety of styles and to the ways improvisation informs the compositional process. Study of works by Ellington, Mingus, Parker, Russell, Golson, Coleman, Coltrane, Hancock, Tyner, Davis, and others. Performance of student compositions. Limited to 15. Staff 21M.342 Composing for Jazz Orchestra
() Not offered regularly; consult department Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Explores composition and arrangement for the large jazz ensembles from 1920s foundations to current postmodern practice. Consideration given to a variety of styles and to the interaction of improvisation and composition. Study of works by Basie, Ellington, Evans, Gillespie, Golson, Mingus, Morris, Nelson, Williams, and others. Open rehearsals, workshops, and performances of student compositions by the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble and the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra. Limited to 15. Staff 21M.351 Music Composition
()
(Subject meets with 21M.505) Prereq: 21M.304, 21M.310, or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Directed composition of original writing involving voices and/or instruments. Includes a weekly seminar in composition for the presentation and discussion of work in progress. Students are expected to produce at least one substantive work that will be performed in public by the end of the term. Contemporary compositions and major works from 20th-century music literature are studied. Students taking the graduate version complete different assignments. C. Shadle 21M.355 Musical Improvisation
()
Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9
Students study concepts and practice techniques of improvisation in solo and ensemble contexts. Examines relationships between improvisation, composition, and performance based in traditional and experimental approaches. Topics, with occasional guest lectures, may include jazz, non-western music, and western concert music, as well as improvisation with film, spoken word, theater, and dance. Enrollment limited to 15; open by audition to instrumental or vocal performers. M. Zenon 21M.359 Studies in Musical Composition, Theory and Analysis
(, )
Prereq: 21M.051 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9 Lecture: MW9.30-11 (4-162)
Explores techniques associated with musical composition and/or analysis. Written exercises in the form of music (composition) and/or prose (papers) may be required, depending on the topic. Topics vary each year; examples include fugue, contemporary aesthetics of composition, orchestration, music analysis, or music and mathematics. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Limited to 18. Fall: L. Jaye Spring: L. Jaye No textbook information available Music Technology21M.361 Electronic Music Composition I
(, )
(Subject meets with 21M.561) Prereq: None Units: 2-1-9 Lecture: MW12.30-2 (24-033F) or TR2-3.30 (24-033F) or TR3.30-5 (24-033F)
Students develop basic skills in composition through weekly assignments focusing on sampling and audio processing. Source materials include samples of urban/natural environments, electronically generated sounds, inherent studio/recording noise, and pre-existing recordings. Audio processing includes digital signal processing (DSP) and analog devices. Covers compositional techniques, including mixing, algorithms, studio improvisation, and interaction. Students critique each other's work and give informal presentations on recordings drawn from sound art, experimental electronica, conventional and non-conventional classical electronic works, and popular music. Covers technology, math, and acoustics in varying detail. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. Limited to 15 per section; ; preference to Music Technology graduate students, Music majors, minors, and concentrators. Fall: I. Hattwick Spring: P. Whincop No textbook information available 21M.362 Electronic Music Composition II
()
(Subject meets with 21M.562) Prereq: 21M.361 or permission of instructor Units: 2-2-8
Explores sophisticated synthesis techniques, from finely tuned additive to noise filtering and distortion, granular synthesis to vintage emulation. Incorporates production techniques and use of multimedia, with guest lecturers/performers. Considers composing environments such as Max/MSP/Jitter, SPEAR, SoundHack, and Mathematica. Assignments include diverse listening sessions, followed by oral or written presentations, weekly sound studies, critiques, and modular compositions/soundscapes. Prior significant computer music experience preferred. Consult instructor for technical requirements. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. Limited to 10. P. Whincop 21M.369 Studies in Music Technology
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(Subject meets with 21M.569) Prereq: Permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: TR11-12.30 (4-158)
Explores various technologies in relation to musical analysis, composition, performance, culture, and quantitative methods. Topics vary each term and may include development and impact on society, generative and algorithmic music, recording techniques or procedural sound design. May involve hands-on components such as laptop music ensemble, new instrument building, or comparing the theory and practice of audio recording. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. Limited to 16. A. Haung No textbook information available 21M.370 Digital Instrument Design
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(Subject meets with 21M.570) Prereq: None Units: 3-6-3
Covers aesthetic and technical challenges in the creation of physical interfaces for musical performance. will engage in the design and creation of musical interfaces, and learn how to incorporate new technologies in their artistic practice. Topics covered include user experience design for artistic performance, musical human-computer interaction (HCI), hardware and software standards for digital musical systems, embedded programming and sound synthesis, analog and digital sensors, rapid prototyping and digital manufacturing, and creating performance practices around custom hardware. Students design and build their own digital musical instrument, and present a performance with the instrument as their final project. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. Limited to 18. I. Hattwick 21M.383 Computational Music Theory and Analysis
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(Subject meets with 21M.583) Prereq: 6.1010 and (21M.301 or 21M.302) Units: 3-0-9
Covers major approaches to analyzing musical scores using computers. Topics include AI/machine learning of style, musical similarity, encoding, music composition, music perception, and big data repertory studies. Programming assignments given in Python. Culminates in an original final project. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. Enrollment limited. J. VanderStel 21M.385[J] Interactive Music Systems
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(Same subject as 6.4550[J]) (Subject meets with 21M.585) Prereq: (6.1010 and 21M.301) or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-9 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: MW11-12.30 (4-270)
Explores audio synthesis, musical structure, human computer interaction (HCI), and visual presentation for the creation of interactive musical experiences. Topics include audio synthesis; mixing and looping; MIDI sequencing; generative composition; motion sensors; music games; and graphics for UI, visualization, and aesthetics. Includes weekly programming assignments in python. Teams build an original, dynamic, and engaging interactive music system for their final project. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. Limited to 36. Fall: E. Egozy Spring: E. Egozy, L. Kaelbling No textbook information available 21M.387[J] Fundamentals of Music Processing
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(Same subject as 6.3020[J]) (Subject meets with 21M.587) Prereq: 6.3000 and 21M.051 Units: 3-0-9 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: TR11-12.30 (4-270)
Analyzes recorded music in digital audio form using advanced signal processing and optimization techniques to understand higher-level musical meaning. Covers fundamental tools like windowing, feature extraction, discrete and short-time Fourier transforms, chromagrams, and onset detection. Addresses analysis methods including dynamic time warping, dynamic programming, self-similarity matrices, and matrix factorization. Explores a variety of applications, such as event classification, audio alignment, chord recognition, structural analysis, tempo and beat tracking, content-based audio retrieval, and audio decomposition. Students taking graduate version complete different assignments. E. Egozy No textbook information available PerformanceStudents may combine or repeat any of the 6-unit subjects listed below for 12 units (one full subject) of credit toward the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) General Institute Requirement (GIR). See the HASS Requirement website for details. 21M.401 MIT Concert Choir
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Prereq: None Units: 0-4-2 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule For audition info go to:. Mta.mit.edu. Lecture: TR EVE (7-9.30 PM) (4-270)
Rehearsals and performance of primarily large-scale works for chorus, soloists, and orchestra--from the Passions and Masses of J. S. Bach to oratorios of our own time. Open to graduate and undergraduate students by audition. R. Turner No textbook information available 21M.405 MIT Chamber Chorus
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Prereq: None Units: 3-0-3 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: TR9.30-11 (14W-111)
Rehearsal and performance of choral repertoire for small chorus, involving literature from the Renaissance to contemporary periods. Limited to 32 by audition. R. Turner No textbook information available 21M.410 Vocal Repertoire and Performance
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(Subject meets with 21M.515) Prereq: None. Coreq: Participation in ensemble for vocalists Units: 3-0-3
For the singer and/or pianist interested in collaborative study of solo vocal performance. Historical study of the repertoire includes listening assignments of representative French, German, Italian, and English works as sung by noted vocal artists of the genre. Topics include diction as facilitated by the study of the International Phonetic Alphabet; performance and audition techniques; and study of body awareness and alignment through the Alexander Technique and yoga. Admission by audition; Emerson Vocal Scholars contact department. R. Turner 21M.421 MIT Symphony
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Prereq: None Units: 0-4-2 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule For audition info go to:. Mta.mit.edu. Lecture: TR EVE (7.30-10 PM) (KRESGE)
Rehearsals prepare works for concerts and recordings. Analyses of musical style, structure, and performance practice are integrated into rehearsals as a means of enriching musical conception and the approach to performance. Likewise, additional scores of particular structural or stylistic interest are read whenever time permits. Admission by audition. Fall: A. Boyles Spring: A. Boyles No textbook information available 21M.423 Conducting and Score-Reading
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Prereq: 21M.302 or permission of instructor Units: 3-0-3 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule Lecture: TR2-3.30 (4-364)
Introduces ensemble conducting as a technical and artistic discipline. Incorporates ear training, score-reading skills and analysis, rehearsal technique, and studies of various philosophies. Attendance of rehearsals and specific concerts required. Opportunities include conducting students, professional musicians, and MIT Symphony Orchestra (when possible). Instrumental proficiency required, although vocalists with keyboard abilities will be accepted. May be repeated once for credit with permission of instructor. A. Boyles No textbook information available 21M.426 MIT Wind Ensemble
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Prereq: None Units: 0-4-2 URL: http://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule For audition info go to:. Mta.mit.edu. Lecture: MW EVE (7-9.30 PM) (KRESGE)
Designed for advanced instrumentalists who are committed to the analysis, performance, and recording of woodwind, brass, and percussion literature from the Renaissance through the 21st century. The repertoire consists primarily of music for small and large wind ensembles. May include ensemble music from Gabrieli to Grainger, Schuller, Mozart, Dvorak, and various mixed media including strings. Performance of newly commissioned works. Opportunities for solo work and work with recognized professional artists and composers. Admission by audition. Fall: F. Harris Spring: F. Harris No textbook information available 21M.442 MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble
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Prereq: None Units: 0-4-2 URL: https://mta.mit.edu/music/class-schedule For audition info go to:. Mta.mit.edu. Lecture: TR EVE (5-7.30 PM) (14W-111)
Designed for instrumentalists dedicated to the analysis, performance, and recording of traditional and contemporary jazz ensemble compositions. Instrumentation includes saxophones, trumpets, trombones, piano, guitar or vibraphone, bass, percussion and occasionally french horn, double reeds, and strings. Provides opportunities to work with professional jazz artists and perform commissioned works by recognized jazz composers. Experience in improvisation preferred but not required. Admission by audition. Fall: F. Harris Spring: F. Harris No textbook information available 21M.443 MIT Vocal Jazz Ensemble
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