MUP716 : Seminar in music literature / College of Creative Arts

This elective course aims to enable candidates to explore a particular topic related to a respective instrument(s) and produce an in-depth review of specific stylistic literature. The aim is to provide a synthesis of musicological, historical, analytical, and interpretational techniques. Students will familiarize themselves with representative literature of various periods/ composer(s) as it pertains to a selected timeframe, but will, more importantly, be tasked with placing this literature (the “canon”) in a critical cultural and social context. The course will be concerned with both musical and social aspects of instrumental/orchestral or voice literature, how those two have evolved or developed over a given time. Different literature may be covered for each semester. As a graduate seminar course, one is expected to do more than simply absorb the materials offered in this course. One is expected to respond to comments and ideas and to reflect upon the music discussed and how an understanding of an era can affect our time. The written term project in addition, may be orally presented to the class at the end of the semester.