Courses
Electronic Writing and Production
This course has two purposes: first, to provide the student with the necessary synthesis, sound design, and electronic creative tools to be competitive in the contemporary writing industry; and sec
Writing and Producing for Music/Media Libraries
This course covers advanced creative, technical, production, and business aspects of writing for music and media libraries.
Contemporary Writing and Production Internship
Monitored and evaluated professional work experience in an environment related to the contemporary writing and production major.
Writing in Folkloric Latin Styles
This course examines the folkloric music from Latin America that informs today's contemporary music.
Flamenco Music Composition and Arranging
This course examines the concepts and techniques of writing flamenco music, which is a vital and growing genre in contemporary music.
Advanced Writing in Latin Styles
An advanced study of writing in a variety of Latin styles, including modern and traditional orchestration concepts, style-specific aspects of form and structure, score analysis, score and part prep
Advanced Vocal Writing
This course presents an expanded development of material introduced in CW-216.
Brass Quintet
A brass quintet that performs a mixture of traditional and 20th-century music. Instrumentation: two trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba.
Arranging 1
A study of the musical concepts of melody, rhythm, harmony, and form as applied to the principles and techniques of writing and arranging for the rhythm section (drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, bas
Arranging 2
Study of the properties of the trumpet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trombone, and baritone saxophone, and the writing/arranging processes of standard and spread voicings, approach techniques,
Chord Scale Voicings for Arranging
Five- and six-part writing for instruments. Application of voicings in seconds, thirds, and fourths. Upper-structure triads, clusters, and other nonmechanical voicings derived from chord scales.
Survey of Jazz Composition and Arranging
A comprehensive study of the evolution of jazz arranging and composition from the 1920s to the present.
Scoring for Instrumental Ensembles in the Secondary School
Orchestration for wind, string, and percussion groups as used at the secondary school level. Principles of score layout/arranging for concert band and high school orchestra.
Arranging for Secondary Vocal Ensemble
Arranging for high school vocal groups. Principles of part-writing for various combinations of voices. Writing piano accompaniments. End-of-semester arranging project required.
Arranging for High School Jazz Ensemble
Principles of writing for high school jazz ensembles with standard and mixed instrumentation. Range problems, rhythm section parts, special considerations for high school musicians.
Contemporary Arranging and Composition
Development of individual writing creativity. Emphasis on the building of confidence in writing clear, memorable lead lines based on standard song forms.
Arranging for Contemporary Jazz Ensemble
The arranging of original tunes combining both traditional jazz techniques and contemporary compositional concepts. Analysis of taped examples.
Big Band Arranging and Score Analysis
Methodology of big band arranging. Analysis of scores by classic and contemporary big band arrangers. Library assignments and class discussion.
Jazz Arranging for Small Ensemble
Jazz arranging techniques for the rhythm section and various small-group instrumental combinations of up to three horns (melodic voices).
Advanced Jazz Arranging for Large Ensemble
Extended applications of standard big band scoring techniques. Analysis of devices found in the compositions of major jazz writers.