Music
Overview
Students majoring in Music must choose, at the time of declaring the major, one of the following focuses to pursue: foundations of music creation, instrumental performance, vocal performance, or music studies. Students with no prior music theory experience must take MUSC 101, offered in the fall semester. Students with substantial experience in music theory should take the Music Theory Placement Exam to see if they can pass directly into MUSC 151, offered in the spring semester.
In addition, students who are pursuing the foundations of music creation focus may choose to concentrate in composition or production. The composition or production concentration must be declared by October of the junior year in order to prepare for the practice-based component of the Senior Comprehensive project.
To declare the Music major with any focus, students must have completed MUSC 151 with a grade of C or higher. In addition, to declare the music production concentration, students must have also completed MUSC 148 with a grade of C or higher. Moreover, for production students, both MUSC 151 and MUSC 148 must be completed by the end of the sophomore year.
Students intending to study abroad in their junior year must begin the music theory sequence in their first year and should only consider study abroad programs that can advance their progress in the Music major. Students who study abroad in their junior years and are pursuing a vocal or instrumental performance focus will be accommodated with online MUSA lessons.
Requirements
Major
All students pursuing a Music major must complete the following courses:
Required Courses:
In addition to these 26-units required of all Music majors, students majoring in Music must pursue one of the following focuses:
The Foundations of Music Creation Focus
Students who plan to concentrate in composition or production should pursue a focus in the foundations of music creation:
Foundational Courses
All students must take the following two courses (8-units):
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 148 | Introduction to Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) | 4 units |
Music Industry or Advanced Production
Students wishing to concentrate in music composition must take "Introduction to Music Industry" while those who plan to concentrate in music production may choose between "Introduction to Music Industry" and "Advanced Production" (4-units):
| MUSC 245 | Introduction to the Music Industry | 4 units |
| MUSC 248 | Advanced Production: Sampling and Synthesis | 4 units |
Electives
Students wishing to concentrate in music composition must take "Composition Seminar" while those who plan to concentrate in music production may choose one of the following electives (4-units):
| MUSC 201 | The Ethics and Aesthetics of Sampling | 4 units |
| MUSC 242/COMP 242 | Music and Artificial Intelligence | 4 units |
| MUSC 245 | Introduction to the Music Industry | 4 units |
| MUSC 246 | Live Sound Engineering | 4 units |
| MUSC 248 | Advanced Production: Sampling and Synthesis | 4 units |
| MUSC 252 | Introduction to Songwriting | 4 units |
| MUSC 257 | Composition Seminar | 4 units |
| MUSC 258 | Introduction to Film Scoring | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
Ensemble
Students must participate in two semesters of ensemble, selected from the courses below (2-units):
Instrumental Performance Focus
Students pursuing the instrumental performance focus are highly encouraged to participate in lessons and an ensemble starting their Freshman year.
Foundational Courses
Students must take all of the following courses (10-units):
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
Principal Instrument Private Study
Students must complete six semesters of private study (200-level MUSA courses) on their principal instrument during the Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Years (6-units):
Ensembles
Students must take six semesters of ensemble, including:
Ensemble A:
Students must take four semesters of ensemble to be chosen from the following courses (4-units):
Ensemble B:
Students must take one semester of ensemble to be chosen from the following courses (1-unit):
Ensemble C:
Students must take one semester of improvisation (1-unit):
Vocal Performance Focus
Students pursuing this focus are highly encouraged to participate in lessons and an ensemble starting their Freshman year and to take at least four semesters of Glee Club.
Foundational Courses
Students are required to take all of the following courses (12-units):
| MUSC 115 | Topics in Vocal Music | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
| MUSC 271 | Instrumental and Vocal Arranging | 2 |
| MUSC 473 | Senior Performance and Composition Comprehensives Preparation | 2-Units |
Private Voice Study
Students must complete six semesters of private voice study during their Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Years (6-units):
| MUSA 211 | Voice (Half Hour) | 0 or 1 unit |
| MUSA 212 | Voice (One Hour) | 0 or 1 unit |
| MUSA 213 | Jazz and Commercial Voice (Half Hour) | 0 or 1 unit |
| MUSA 214 | Jazz and Commercial Voice (One Hour) | 0 or 1 unit |
Ensemble
Students must participate in six semesters of ensemble, to be chosen from the following courses:
| MUSC 120 | College Chorus | 0 or 1 unit |
| MUSC 121 | Glee Club (Sopranos/Altos) | 0 or 2 units |
| MUSC 122 | Glee Club (Tenors/Basses) | 0 or 2 units |
Music Studies Focus
Foundational Courses
All students in this focus must take the following (8-units):
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
Advanced Research
Students must choose one of the following (2- to 4-units):
Elective A (100-level)
Students must complete a 100- level course, chosen from the following (4-units):
| MUSC 103 | Music of Asia and the Pacific Islands | 4 units |
| MUSC 104 | Music of Africa and the Middle East | 4 units |
| MUSC 105 | Topics in American Music | 4 units |
| MUSC 111 | Topics in Jazz History | 4 units |
| MUSC 115 | Topics in Vocal Music | 4 units |
| MUSC 116 | African American Music: From Slavery to the Present | 4 units |
| MUSC 117 | Copyright, Originality, and Theft in American Popular Music | 4 units |
Elective B (200-level)
Students must complete a 200-level course, chosen from the following (4-units):
| MUSC 200 | Music and Disease | 4 units |
| MUSC 201 | The Ethics and Aesthetics of Sampling | 4 units |
| MUSC 264 | The Total Artwork | 4 units |
| MUSC 266 | French Culture 1589-1848 | 4 units |
| MUSC 283 | Music of Los Angeles | 4 units |
| MUSC 286 | Music and Politics of the United States-Mexico Border | 4 units |
| MUSC 287 | Music and Social Protest | 4 units |
| MUSC 295 | Topics in Music: Composers | 4 units |
Private Lessons
Students pursuing this focus must complete two semesters of private lessons (200-level MUSA courses) (2-units):
Ensemble
Students must participate in two semesters of ensemble, selected from the courses below.
Minor
Students must complete a total of 24 units, in music theory, music history and culture, and in courses of one's choosing per the guidelines below. NB: MUSC 101 Music Theory I does not count towards this 24-unit requirement.
Foundational Courses
Students must complete both of the following (8-units):
Elective A
One course selected from the following (4-units):
| MUSC 200 | Music and Disease | 4 units |
| MUSC 201 | The Ethics and Aesthetics of Sampling | 4 units |
| MUSC 261 | Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 | 4 units |
| MUSC 263 | Western Music and Culture: 1830 to the Present | 4 units |
| MUSC 264 | The Total Artwork | 4 units |
| MUSC 266 | French Culture 1589-1848 | 4 units |
| MUSC 283 | Music of Los Angeles | 4 units |
| MUSC 286 | Music and Politics of the United States-Mexico Border | 4 units |
Elective B
One 4-unit MUSC course numbered at the 200-level or 300-level in your area of interest (4-units):
Elective C
Students must complete an additional eight units of electives filled by any combination of 1-, 2-, or 4-unit MUSA and/or MUSC courses (8-units):
Production Concentration
Required Courses
Senior Comprensive Project
Students must complete two semesters of MUSC 474 during their senior year and complete a senior comps project in production:
| MUSC 474 | Senior Production Comprehensives Preparation | 2 units |
Composition Concentration
Composition Seminar
Students must complete an additional three semesters (12-units) of "Composition Seminar" (MUSC 257).
Conducting
Students must complete the 2-unit course, "Conducting" (MUSC 272):
Comprehensive Project Requirement
Students must take "Composition Seminar" both semesters of their senior year and complete a senior comprehensive project in composition.
Second-Stage Writing
Students majoring in Music will satisfy the second-stage component of Occidental College's college-wide writing requirement by successfully completing MUSC 201, MUSC 261, or MUSC 263in the sophomore or junior year with a grade of B- or higher. Students receiving a C+ or lower will have to take another Music course that satisfies this requirement. Music majors who do not complete the Second-Stage Writing Requirement through the standard course-based mechanism will need to submit a satisfactory writing portfolio (consisting of 4000 to 5000 words) from 200-level Music courses to the Department Chair prior to the end of their Senior Fall semester.
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 final draft of argument-driven analytic paper 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. Music's "Senior Comprehensive Project" page provides details about the project proposal and the requirements of individual concentrations.
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.
Awards
The Elinor Remick Warren Award is presented each spring to the student who has written the most outstanding piece of music, in a Music course, that academic year.
The Peters Prize is awarded to the "Music major who, in the opinion of the faculty, had done the most during the year to advance the ideals and the prestige of music on the campus."
Transfer Credit Policies
Transfer courses may be used to fulfill major requirements if they are a very close match to a course that is offered by the Occidental Music department. Permission should be sought from the Music Department Chair before the course is taken and will require a description and syllabus of the potential course to be transferred. Online courses cannot be used to fulfill major requirements. Music courses taken at other institutions may be used to fulfill general education requirements but also require the permission of the Music Department Chair before the course is taken.
Advising Information
Music Transfer Student Advice
Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: No Limit
Designated Transfer Adviser
Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in Music:
-
Transfer students must complete two full years at Occidental, three if they plan to concentrate in composition or music production.
-
Transfer students should come in having met as many Core requirements as possible. However, there are courses required for the major that count toward the major that meet the Arts, Regional Focus, and Pre-1800 Core requirements. Depending on how many music courses they still need to complete, they may not have room for many Core requirement courses while at Occidental.
-
Students who wish to concentrate in music production or composition must begin Occidental during the first semester of their sophomore year and must enter in the fall.
General advice for transfer students wanting to major Music:
-
It is not possible to complete the major in two years if a student starts Occidental in the spring semester. For students who do enter in the spring semester, since the theory sequence begins in the fall they will need to wait until the fall to begin most major requirements.
-
The following six courses must be taken at Occidental: Music Theory III (MUSC 251), Music Theory IV (MUSC 351), Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 (MUSC 261), Western Music and Culture: 1830 to the Present (MUSC 263), Topics in the Critical Study of Music (MUSC 285), and Senior Seminar (MUSC 490)
What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?
-
Junior transfer students should enroll in the following courses: the Music Theory course that they place into (MUSC 101, MUSC 151, or MUSC 251), at least one of MUSC 261 or MUSC 263, and, depending on courses in transfer, either MUSC 231 or MUSC 232. They should also enroll in MUSC 285 if it is offered during their first semester, and depending on their intended focus in the major should take a course in that focus.
-
Students starting mid way through their sophomore year should enroll in the Music Theory course that they place into (MUSC 101, MUSC 151, or MUSC 251). They should also enroll in MUSC 285 if it is offered during their first semester, and, depending on courses in transfer, either MUSC 231 or MUSC 232. Those who wish to focus in vocal or instrumental performance should take instrumental and vocal lessons and participate in an ensemble beginning in the first semester.
-
Students starting as Rising Sophomores should enroll in the Music Theory course that they place into (MUSC 101, MUSC 151, or MUSC 251). Those who wish to focus in vocal or instrumental performance should take instrumental and vocal lessons and participate in an ensemble beginning in the first semester of their sophomore year.
Courses
MUSC - Music Courses
MUSA - Music Applied Study
Faculty
Tenure and Tenure Track Faculty
Shanna Lorenz, co-chair; designated transfer adviser
Associate Professor
B.A., Reed College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Ph.D., New York University
Desiree La Vertu, co-chair
Resident Professor; Director of Choral and Vocal Activities
B.Mus., California State University, Fullerton; M.M. University of Nevada, Reno
Ramona Gonzalez
Assistant Professor
A.B., Occidental College; M.A., University of California, Los Angeles
Stephen S. Hudson
Assistant Professor
B.A., University of California, Davis; Ph.D., Northwestern University
David Kasunic
Associate Professor
B.A., Amherst College; M.F.A., Ph.D., Princeton University
Adam Schoenberg
Associate Professor
B.M., Oberlin Conservatory of Music; M.M., D.M.A., The Juilliard School
Non-Tenure Track Faculty
Joe Addington
Visiting Instructor; Director of the Afro-Cuban Drumming Ensemble
Jongnic Bontemps
Stephen Cabell
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.M., The Curtis Institute; M.M., The Juilliard School
Anthony Cardella
B.A., Lawrence University; doctoral candidate, University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music
César Castro
Visiting Instructor
Craig Dietrich
Visiting Assistant Professor, Music
Max Foreman
Resident Assistant Professor; Director of the Choi Family Music Production Center
B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Julia Holter
Visiting Assistant Professor
A.B., Occidental College; M.A., University of California, Los Angeles
Edmond Johnson
Visiting Assistant Professor; Director of Advising
B.A., Lawrence University; M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
Chris Kim
Resident Professor; Choi Family Director of Instrumental Music
B.M., Northwestern University; M.M., University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Lauren Kop
Visiting Instructor
B.A., San Diego State University
Daniela Smolov Levy
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.A., Princeton University; M.A., New York University; Ph.D., Stanford University
Daniel Ryan Long
Visiting Instructor
B.A., University of Virginia
Celka Ojakangas
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.A., Drury University; M.M., D.M.A., University of Southern California
Fabio Paolizzo
Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, Audio/Music/Sound Engineering
B.A., M.A., Tor Vergata University of Rome; Ph.D., University of Kent
Angela Park
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.M., University of Texas at Austin; M.M., Yale University; D.M.A., University of Southern California
G. Simeon Pillich
Resident Professor
B.A., M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Jonathan Richards
Visiting Assistant Professor; Director of the Occidental Jazz Ensemble
B.A., University of Southern California; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Alexander Zhu
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.M., New England Conservatory; M.M., DMA, University of Southern California
Other faculty associated with the Music department can be viewed here.