COURSES I TEACH AT LOYOLA
THESE ARE THE COURSES I TEACH AT LOYOLA:


A performance of Haydn's The Creation, Vienna, 1808.

MOZART TO MAHLERDESCRIPTION

MUSIC FUNDAMENTALSDESCRIPTION

20TH CENTURY MUSICDESCRIPTION

MUSIC OF THE ROMANTIC ERADESCRIPTION

MUSIC OF THE BAROQUEDESCRIPTION

MUSIC IN THE CLASSICAL ERADESCRIPTION

CLASSICAL GUITARDESCRIPTION

CLASSICAL GUITAR ENSEMBLEDESCRIPTION

NEW FOR SPRING 2000:WORLD MUSIC DESCRIPTION

Music of the 20th Century

Goals and Objectives: Musically, we live in a time of tremendous stylistic diversity; while all eras of the past have had a number of differing approaches to composition, there were always many strong common stylistic denominators. At present, this is not the case. How did this come to be? What social, artisitic, and political events caused this to occur? What were the trends and styles that led to such an era? These questions will be the impetus for this course, which is designed to give the student a solid background in the music of the 20th century, with an emphasis on music written after 1945. We will study the major, representative works of each decade with the focus on the stylistic trends; parallels will be drawn to other art, literary, and dramatic developments. The major styles covered will include: Primitivism, Impressionism, Expressionism, Neo-Classicism, Neo-Romanticism, Serialism, Chance/Chaos, and Minimalism. Other strands and developments will also be touched upon, time permitting. By the end of the semester, the student will be able to: identify works in each of these styles, as well as their representative composers; understand how these styles came to be; and, most importantly, see how these developments influence the music of our time.

Music Fundamentals

Objectives: This course will focus on the skills of basic music literacy. By the end of the semester, students will: be able to read a piece of music, play it on the piano, and transpose it to another key; write and play all the major and minor scales; write and play all types of triads and seventh chords; understand solfege, and how to apply it to sightsinging; write and play modes; identify, write, and play intervals; and acquire a basic understanding of musical structure. Note reading in treble and bass clefs Major and Minor scales Intervals Rhythm reading and notation Transposition Basic keyboard orientation Triads Seventh Chords Introduction to Solfege/Sight singing

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Mozart to Mahler

This course will explore the Classical and Romantic musical traditions and developments during the years 1775-1900. Why has this music endured? What about it classifies it as great art? How was it created? What forces, artistic, social, and political, shaped it? As this is the musical tradition from which the music of our time has developed, we need to understand the answers to these questions. We also need to begin to form a relationship to some of the greatest artisitic creations of our culture. This course is a place to begin. We will explore the forms, materials, and genres utilized in the period. Great emphasis will be placed on listening and aural awareness of composer's styles.

Music of the Romantic Era

Objectives: This course will focus on the music of the years from 1815 to 1900. These dates are often referred to as the Romantic Era. These dates, much like the term Romantic itself, are somewhat arbitrary. For some it is a narrow window of time: 1830 to 1848; for others it is far wider: 1790 to 1915. Our focus will fall between these two extremes, and thus generate several questions: What is Romanticism? When does it occur? How is it we can put in the same category the music of Brahms, Verdi, Rossini, Wagner, and Beethoven? In asking these questions, we will find an array of answers - at times as confusing, at times illuminating. Above all, they will provide us with a greater understanding of one of music's great eras.

Music of the Classical Period

This course is an in depth exploration of the music of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven. Emphasis is placed on the style and forms developed in this period, and how they relate to other social and artistic movements of the era. Specific points covered: Haydn's innovations in string quartet writing; Haydn's creative genius with the symphony; Mozart's sonatas, concertos, and operas; and Beethoven's ability to absorb Mozart and Haydn's developments, and expand them to new levels.

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Classical Guitar

Applied lessons are designed to develop the students technical control and musical sensitivity. This is accomplished through the careful study of appropriate pieces, and exercises/etudes. While each student's progress will proceed at an individual rate, consistent work will assure that minimum levels of proficiency will be attained. The levels are as follows, and correspond to the progress expected after a semester's worth of study for hour lessons; half hour students should have no problem reaching levels I-III in the same number of semesters. After that, progress should be one level per two semesters. Please see theGUITAR AT LOYOLA PAGE.

Classical Guitar Ensemble

Open to guitarists of all levels. Ensembles are formed so students all stages of development may experience the joy of making music with others. Repetoire is drawn from a wide variety of sources, ranging from Bach to contemporary composers such as Terry Riley and Gilbert Biberian. While ensemble meets once a week, students should plan on at least one more rehearsal a week for adequate progress to be made.

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World Music

This course is designed to introduce the student to the incredible varieties of music from around the world, and the cultures which create them. The focus will be be on non-western cultures, with special emphasis on placed on the music of India, Indonesia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and the Altiplano regions of Ecuador and Peru.

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