Music
Overview
The Occidental Music Department is a community that values and cultivates the creation, performance, and critical study of the world's music. We believe that music, as one of the original liberal arts, is best studied in the context of the liberal arts, and thus aspire for our students to become well-rounded scholar-musicians. Students majoring in Music develop an integrated understanding of music as creative work, cultural and historical expression, and performance. Through the rigorous study of composition, performance, music production, popular and vernacular music, conducting, music theory, musicianship, and music history, Music majors acquire a complete set of skills that they can apply to their own area of musical expertise.
In addition to offering courses requiring a knowledge of music theory, the Music Department offers private lessons from world-class performance faculty, as well as a wide array of courses in subjects including popular music, jazz, opera, and music from various world traditions. Students collaborate with local arts organizations, pursue for-credit internships in the music industry, and routinely attend lectures, master classes, and live concerts by renowned musical artists.
Because of the quality, breadth, and depth of Occidental College's liberal arts curriculum, the Music major enables students to pursue music professionally or begin careers in a wide variety of other fields. Recent alumni have gone on to careers in conducting, film composing, music publishing, arts management, music education, and singing, to name a few, as well as in medicine, geology, classics, and law.
The development of musical craft and artistry requires time as well as effort. Students considering a major or minor in Music are urged to begin taking music theory courses and private lessons in their first year. New students who are undecided about majoring in Music may begin their music studies in their second year and still complete the major. However, students planning to study abroad in their third year must begin their music theory studies during their first year. Students study, practice, and perform in Booth Music Hall (including our Music Library) and Thorne Hall, with an electronic music studio and 24-hour access to practice rooms.
Major Requirements
MAJOR
All students pursuing a Music major must complete the following courses:
Required Courses:
| MUSC 151 | Theory and Practice of Music I | 4 units |
| MUSC 250 | Theory and Practice of Music II | 4 units |
| MUSC 490 | Senior Seminar | 4 units |
In addition to these 12 units required of all Music majors, students majoring in Music must pursue one of the following concentrations: Music Production, Music Composition, Instrumental Performance, Vocal Performance, Ethnomusicology/Popular Music, Musicology, or Music Theory & Analysis.
Music Production
Music business instruction will be provided through academic advising, internships, and our music production guest speaker series.
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 148 | Introduction to Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) | 4 units |
| MUSC 248 | Advanced Production: Sampling and Synthesis | 4 units |
| MUSC 249 | Recording Techniques | 4 units |
| MUSC 348 | Mixing and Mastering | 4 units |
| MUSC 351 | Theory and Practice of Music III | 4 units |
| MUSC 263 | Western Music and Culture in the 20th Century | 4 units |
| | One 4-unit production elective (two, if they pass out of MUSC 148) | |
| | One MUSC 200-level or above popular or non-Western music course | 4 units |
| | Two semesters of piano study (if new to the piano, the first semester will be MUSA 102, for which declared majors will receive funding) | 2 units |
| | Two units of ensemble participation (MUSC 120-130) | 2 units |
Students may pass out of MUSC 148 after receiving the permission of the instructor of the course. If they do so, they must take an additional production elective.
Music Composition
| MUSC 148 | Introduction to Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) | 4 units |
| | Four semesters of MUSC 257 | 16 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1600-1789 | 4 units |
| MUSC 272 | Instrumental Conducting | 2 units |
| MUSC 351 | Theory and Practice of Music III | 4 units |
| | One MUSC 200-level or above popular or non-Western music course (must satisfy Second-Stage Writing) | 4 units |
| | Two semesters of ensemble participation (MUSC 120-130) | 2-4 units |
Instrumental Performance
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1600-1789 | 4 units |
| MUSC 272 | Instrumental Conducting | 2 units |
| MUSC 351 | Theory and Practice of Music III | 4 units |
| | One MUSC 200-level or above popular or non-Western music course (must satisfy Second-Stage Writing) | 4 units |
| | One 4-unit elective 200-level or above | 4 units |
| | Six semesters of private lessons on one's principal instrument (MUSA 200-level course) | 6 units |
| | Six semesters of ensemble participation (MUSC 127, MUSC 129, MUSC 130) | 6 units |
Vocal Performance
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 115 | Topics in Vocal Music | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1600-1789 | 4 units |
| MUSC 273 | Choral Conducting | 2 units |
| MUSC 351 | Theory and Practice of Music III | 4 units |
| | One MUSC 200-level or above popular or non-Western music course (must satisfy Second-Stage Writing) | 4 units |
| | Six semesters of private voice lessons (MUSA 200-level course) | 6 units |
| | Ensemble Participation (MUSC 120, MUSC 121, or MUSC 122) | 6-8 units |
Ethnomusicology or Popular Music
| | Four MUSC 200-level or above popular or non-Western music courses (one must satisfy Second-Stage Writing) | 16 units |
| | Two 100-level popular or non-Western music courses | 8 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1600-1789 | 4 units |
| MUSC 263 | Western Music and Culture in the 20th Century | 4 units |
| | Two semesters of participation in MUSC 123, MUSC 124, or MUSC 127 | 2 units |
| | Two semesters of private lessons (a MUSA 200-level course) | 2 units |
Musicology
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 115 | Topics in Vocal Music | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1600-1789 | 4 units |
| MUSC 263 | Western Music and Culture in the 20th Century | 4 units |
| MUSC 351 | Theory and Practice of Music III | 4 units |
| | Two MUSC 200- or 300-level history or culture electives chosen in consultation with one's Music major advisor, one of which must be a popular or non-Western music course | 8 units |
| | Two semesters of ensemble participation (MUSC 120-130) | 2-4 units |
| | Two semesters of private lessons (MUSA courses) | 2 units |
Music Theory and Analysis
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 257 | Composition Seminar | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1600-1789 | 4 units |
| MUSC 263 | Western Music and Culture in the 20th Century | 4 units |
| MUSC 351 | Theory and Practice of Music III | 4 units |
| | One MUSC 200- or 300-level analysis-rich course that fulfills the second-stage writing requirement | 4 units |
| | Two semesters of MUSC 350 | 4 units |
| | Two semesters of ensemble participation (MUSC 120-130) | 2-4 units |
| | Two semesters of private lessons (MUSA courses) | 2 units |
Second-Stage Writing Requirement
Students majoring in Music will satisfy the second-stage component of Occidental College's college-wide writing requirement by successfully completing a writing-intensive 200-level course in the sophomore or junior year with a grade of B- or better. The writing-intensive courses that qualify are indicated in their course description. These courses will adopt the First-Stage Writing Proficiency Requirement's 1-6 rubric to proficiency in writing music scholarship. A grade of B- or better in these courses thus means that students will have received the rubric rating of 4 or above. Students receiving a C+ or lower will have to take another Music course that satisfies this requirement. If the student fails to pass this requirement after taking this second course, the student will have to take and pass WRD 201 in order to satisfy this requirement for graduation.
Comprehensive Requirement
Senior music majors complete a senior project related to the student's area of interest. All senior projects involve both a written and an oral component. The written component (thesis draft; or analytic, final draft of argument-driven essay plus recital program notes) must be completed by the end of MUSC 490, which is offered in the fall semester. Each component is graded High Pass (HP), Pass (P), or Fail (F). A final grade of Pass with Distinction (PD) on the senior comprehensive will be awarded if all components (written, oral, and performance, if applicable) are graded High Pass.
In the Fall semester of their junior year, students submit a proposal for their senior project to the Music Department faculty for approval. Students pursuing concentrations in Ethnomusicology/Popular Music, Musicology, or Music Theory & Analysis will propose a senior thesis of 6500 words or more in length (excluding footnotes and bibliography). Students with a particular interest in composition will prepare a portfolio of original compositions, including both acoustic and electro-acoustic music, some of which will be presented in a composition recital during the senior year. Composers will write an argument-driven analytic paper of 2500 words or more in length, focusing on the work of a composer whose work has influenced their styles. Students with a demonstrated ability in performance will propose a junior and a senior recital, and will write an argument-driven analytic paper of 2500 words or more in length on a piece or pieces of music on the senior recital. Students pursuing music production will complete a project designed with their advisor and in consultation with the Music faculty, and will write an argument-driven analytic paper of 2500 words or more in length on an aspect of production relevant to their project.
All seniors will present their work in a public forum during the spring semester. If the Music faculty determines that the senior has not sufficiently prepared to complete the project in time, the senior must take a written examination in lieu of the recital or thesis submission/presentation in order to fulfill the senior comprehensive requirement. The faculty will supply questions drawn from the material of that senior’s course of music study at Occidental.
College Honors
Students who have achieved at least a 3.25 average in their Music courses and have demonstrated exceptional potential in their Music concentration of study (one of the concentrations listed above) may apply for the Honors Program at the end of their junior year. For information about the Honors Program, students should consult their Music Department faculty adviser. See the Honors Program for additional information.
Minor Requirements
Ethnomusicology and Popular Music
Students must complete a total of 20 units.
| MUSC 151 | Theory and Practice of Music I | 4 units |
| | Two additional electives at or above the 200-level | 8 units |
Choose one from:
Music Theory Placement
All Music students will begin their Music Theory and Musicianship study in one of two ways: by taking MUSC 101 (no prior experience with music fundamentals), or MUSC 151 (an AP Music Theory score of 4 or 5 or significant prior work in Music Theory).
Awards
The Elinor Remick Warren Award is presented for the most outstanding student composition.
The Peters Prize is awarded to the student who has done the most to promote music on the Occidental campus.
The James F. English and Marie E. English Award is given to the most promising vocal student, and is used for one year of private vocal study at Occidental College.
The Marcia Hannah Farmer Award is given to a vocal student and is applied toward private vocal study at Occidental College.
Transfer Credit Policies
The Music Department policy on transfer credit conforms to College policy. Students with a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Music Theory examination meet the prerequisite for taking MUSC 151. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for more details.
Courses
MUSC - Music Courses
MUSA - Music Applied Study
Faculty
Regular Faculty
David Kasunic, chair
Associate Professor
B.A., Amherst College; M.F.A., Ph.D., Princeton University
Irene Girton
Professor
B.Mus., Oberlin College Conservatory of Music; M.Phil., Ph.D., Yale University
Shanna Lorenz
Associate Professor
B.A., Reed College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Ph.D., New York University
Adam Schoenberg
Assistant Professor
B.M., Oberlin Conservatory of Music; M.M., D.M.A., The Juilliard School
On Special Appointment
Joe Addington
Non-Tenure Track Afro-Cuban Drumming Instructor
Director of the Afro-Cuban Drumming Ensemble
Jongnic Bontemps
Non-Tenure Track Instructor, Music Production
B.A., Yale University
Cesar Castro
Non-Tenure Track Instructor
Director of the Son Jarocho Ensemble
Shawn Costantino
Non-Tenure Track Instructor
Director of the Occidental Jazz Ensemble
B.Mus., Studio Music and Jazz, University of Miami; M.M., Jazz Studies, De Paul University
Ramona Gonzalez
Johnston-Fix Professor of the Practice of Songwriting
A.B., Occidental College
Edmond Johnson
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor
Director of Advising
B.A., Lawrence University; M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
Chris Kim
Director of Instrumental Activities
B.M., Northwestern University; M.M., University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Desiree La Vertu
Non-Tenure Track Associate Professor
Director of Choral and Vocal Activities
B.Mus., California State University, Fullerton; M.M. University of Nevada, Reno
Dina Ormenyi
Non-Tenure Track Assistant Professor
Piano Instructor
B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara; M.F.A., University of California, Los Angeles
G. Simeon Pillich
Non-Tenure Track Professor
B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Glenn Price
Director of the Caltech-Occidental Wind Orchestra
B.Mus., University of Toronto; M.M., Ph.D., Eastman School of Music