For complete information as to courses offered in the current year, students
should consult the schedule of course offerings available each semester in the
Registrar’s Office. Courses numbered 100 through 499 are undergraduate
level; courses numbered 500 through 999 are graduate level. Course numbers
preceded by a “»” are typically offered each academic year. Course numbers
followed by a “T” are taught to mixed classes of undergraduates and graduates.
Undergraduate students may register for graduate-level courses with the
instructor’s permission. Courses followed by a “*” are repeatable for credit.
Courses followed by a “**” are repeatable for credit if the topic has changed
(permission from Academic Advisor required).
CONTEMPORARY IMPROVISATION
Undergraduate Curriculum
»CI 181T – Development of Long-Term Melodic Memory
Aural training through memorization of melodies and bass lines from
diverse musical sources, including music from African-American, Greek,
and Spanish traditions. Develops interval recognition and understanding of
harmonic implications. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 283T – Advanced Aural Training
Study of 20th-century music with emphasis on advanced ear training,
recognition of vertical structures up to thirteenth chords, swing and
bebop phrasing and improvisation, as well as advanced transcription skills.
Prerequisite: JS 263 or instructor’s permission. (2 credits) Netsky
»CI 284T – Development of Long-Term Harmonic Memory
Continuation of CI 283T. Examination of non-diatonic chord progressions.
Skill building and creativity will be emphasized through the study of triads
with irregular root motion. Students will apply topics learned in class
through compositional assignments. Prerequisite: CI 283T. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 385T – Development of Personal Style
Compositional and improvisational models and visual imagery are used
as an inspiration for creative musical projects. Prerequisite: CI 283T or
instructor’s permission. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 386T – Development of Personal Style
Focuses on specific pieces that will be used as a basis for original compositions.
The curriculum will consist of several discrete units including the
following: composition with restricted pitch sets, time as a parameter,
extended tonality and re-composition. Prerequisite: CI 283T or instructor’s
permission. (2 credits) Coleman
CI 451T – Issues and Trends in American Music
Through presentations from many voices within and outside the conservatory,
readings and group discussions, the class will explore the
dimensions of American music, learn something about various streams
of musical activity in America, attempt to understand what is “American”
about American music, consider the impact of regional and ethnic
musical subcultures and “world music,” grapple with the potential impact
of technology, and consider today’s trends as indicators of the future.
(2 credits) Coleman
CI 455T – The Properties of Free Music
Examines the non-harmony based materials that are consistently used and
redefined by improvising musicians. Includes the study of several seminal
methodologies (Unit Structures, Tri-Axiom theory and European Free
Improvisation) with the focus on how they inform individual and group
improvisation. Students will perform in class, compose short pieces – some
with text descriptions – and create graphic scores. (2 credits) Morris
CI 461T – Eastern European Jewish Music Traditions
Introduces various types of Jewish music that flourished in Eastern Europe
and the Americas. Surveys such styles as folk, theater, cantorial, Hassidic,
and klezmer. Individual and group performance projects. (2 credits) Netsky
»CI 464T – Film Noir
Introduces such post–World War II themes as victimization and character.
Attention is given to film music; students create their own music based on
plot, theme, and character. Film viewing required outside of class. Films:
Spiral Staircase, etc. Film choices will not necessarily be limited to those in
the classic film noir genre. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 466T – Film Noir II
Continuation of CI 464T. Prerequisite: CI 464T (2 credits) Blake
»CI 487T – Seminar in Performance
Focuses on developing and expanding students’ artistic sensibility through
performance and discussion. Integrates advanced aural, theoretical,
compositional and performance skills into individual aesthetics. Provides
insights into concert preparation, career strategies, and development of
repertoire. Recommended for students in their final semester, in preparation
for their degree recitals. (2 credits) Bergonzi
»CI 488T – Seminar in Performance
See course description for CI 487T. (2 credits) Blake
Graduate Curriculum
»CI 057 – Graduate Third-Stream Ear Training
Builds the aural skills required for graduate-level study in Contemporary
Improvisation, including perception, recognition, and recall of melodic
and harmonic intervals, chords, chord progressions, rhythms, and melodic
interpretation and expression. Students develop melodic understanding
and memory by learning diverse music from recordings without the aid of
notation, using voices and instruments. (0 credit) Netsky
»CI 517T – Development of Long-Term Melodic Memory
Aural training through memorization of melodies and bass lines from
diverse musical sources, including music from African-American, Greek,
and Spanish traditions. Develops interval recognition and understanding
of harmonic implications. (2 credits) Blake
CI 551T – Issues and Trends in American Music
Through presentations from many voices within and outside the conservatory,
readings and group discussions, the class will explore the dimensions of
American music, learn something about various streams of musical activity
in America, attempt to understand what is “American” about American
music, consider the impact of regional and ethnic musical subcultures and
“world music,” grapple with the potential impact of technology, and consider
today’s trends as indicators of the future. (2 credits) Coleman
CI 553 – Open Forms, Graphic Scores and Structured Improvisation
This class will explore the links and differences between the Open Form
scores that emerged out of the post-Cagean world of the ’50s and ’60s and
the Controlled Improvisation strategies that many composer-performers
who come from the worlds of Jazz and Free Improvisation have utilized.
This class will combine historical and theoretical perspectives; many of the
challenges inherent in looking at these two approaches to music together
were raised in Composer/Performer/Educator George Lewis’ essay
“Improvised Music after 1950: Afrological and Eurological Perspectives.”
(Black Music Research Journal, Vol. 16, No. 1, Spring 1996) and this will
function as a key text, as will John Cage’s “Writings on Indeterminacy.”
Composers studied will include John Cage, Earle Brown, Christian Wolff,
Cornelius Cardew, Stockhausen, Alvin Lucier, Anthony Braxton, Roscoe
Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, John Zorn and others. In-class performance
will be a crucial part of the class, with an eventual goal of at least one public
performance. (2 credits) Coleman
CI 555T – The Properties of Free Music
Graduate offering of CI 455T. (2 credits) Morris
CI 561T – Eastern European Jewish Music Performance Traditions
Introduces various types of Jewish music that flourished in Eastern Europe
and the Americas. Surveys such styles as folk, theater, cantorial, Hassidic,
and klezmer. Individual and group performance projects. (2 credits) Netsky
»CI 564T – Film Noir
Graduate offering of CI 464T. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 566T – Film Noir II
Continuation of CI 564T. Prerequisite: CI 564T. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 571 – Third-Stream Methodology
A four-semester series of seminars required of Contemporary Improvisation
majors enrolled in our Masters and Graduate Diploma programs. This course
will focus on readings relevant to the study of contemporary improvisation
and on related musical projects. (2 credits) Eade
»CI 572 – Third-Stream Methodology
Composition projects based on Western models. (2 credits) Netsky
CI 577T – Introduction to Indian Modal Improvisation
A course designed to offer beginning instruction in Indian musical performance
to western musicians on western instruments. Special attention
is given to the basics of improvisational procedures, centered on the study
of composed and improvised forms in the context of two simple ragas and
talas. (2 credits) Row
»CI 583T – Advanced Aural Training
Study of 20th-century music with emphasis on advanced ear training, recognition
of vertical structures up to thirteenth chords, swing and bebop
phrasing and improvisation, as well as advanced transcription skills. Prerequisite:
Instructor’s permission required for non-majors. (2 credits) Netsky
»CI 584T – Development of Long-Term Harmonic Memory
Continuation of CI 583T. Examination of non-diatonic chord progressions.
Skill building and creativity will be emphasized through the study of triads
with irregular root motion. Students will apply topics learned in class
through compositional assignments. Prerequisite: CI 583T. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 585T – Development of Personal Style
Compositional and improvisational models and visual imagery are used as
an inspiration for creative musical projects. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 586T – Development of Personal Style
Focuses on specific pieces that will be used as a basis for original compositions.
The curriculum will consist of several discrete units including the
following: composition with restricted pitch sets, time as a parameter,
extended tonality and re-composition. (2 credits) Coleman
»CI 587T – Seminar in Performance
Graduate offering of CI 487T. (2 credits) Bergonzi
»CI 588T – Seminar in Performance
Graduate offering of CI 488T. (2 credits) Blake
»CI 671 – Third-Stream Methodology
Studies in contemporary improvisational techniques. (2 credits) Coleman
»CI 672 – Third-Stream Methodology
Composition projects based on non-Western models. (2 credits) Row
2012-08-14
CHARLES IVES