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MUSI 100 Music Fundamentals (EA)

Introduces and develops basic skills in reading and writing musical notation, keyboard, sight-singing and aural skills. For all students.

MUSI 101 Introduction to Music Studies (EA)

A course for music majors, music minors, and students contemplating the music major. An introduction to skills required for advanced music study and success in professional music careers. Emphasis on research, oral and written communication, and the acquisition of appropriate listening skills through the study of history and literature. Course includes an introduction to concepts associated with the study of music outside the Western tradition.

MUSI 150 Introduction to Western Classical Music (EA)

A course designed to develop skills in listening to music and to introduce the literature of Western art music. For all students regardless of background.

MUSI 180 Film Music

An overview of film music from the silent era to the present, covering important composers and discussing the various techniques and aesthetic approaches involved in combining music and film. Designed for all students.

MUSI 201 Musicianship Skills (EA)

Develops sight-singing, keyboard, and aural skills begun in MUSI 100, and introduces rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic principles of tonal music. Development of ear training and music writing skills. Students may elect to test out of MUSI 201 and receive credit upon successful completion of MUSI 202. For students with an interest in music as a major or minor; students must successfully complete or test out of MUSI 100 in order to enroll in MUSI 201. Prerequisite: MUSI 100 or successful completion of a placement exam. Corequisite: Concurrent enrollment in MUSA 300 voice and/or piano lessons as needed.

MUSI 202 Introduction to Diatonic Harmony (EA)

Continues the development of solfege, aural, composition, analysis, and keyboard skills begun in MUSI 201 and introduces the principles of diatonic harmony, counterpoint, and structural analysis. Students must successfully complete or test out of MUSI 201 in order to enroll in MUSI 202. Lab. Prerequisite: MUSI 201. Corequisite: MUSA 300 piano (or equivalent).

MUSI 230 History of Jazz (EA)

A study of America’s true art form, jazz music, in its various forms and styles, with a goal of understanding and appreciating how jazz music reflects the culture and society of its time. For all students regardless of background.

MUSI 240 Pedagogy (EA)

A study of the principles and techniques of teaching applied music. Offered as needed.

MUSI 250 Introduction to Opera (EA, W2)

An introduction to some of the major works in the active operatic repertoire. Designed for all students regardless of background.

MUSI 260 Classical and Popular Music since 1900 (EA)

An introduction to classical and popular music since 1900. Works covered range from the late 19th century up to today. Designed for all students.

MUSI 270 Introduction to World Music and Dance (EA, W2)

Introduces and develops listening and communication skills through the study of selected folk, popular, and classic musics, dance, and cultures around the world including those of Africa, Asia, Europe, and Native and Ethnic America. Field study, research, written projects, and oral presentations emphasized. Designed For all students regardless of background. No prerequisite, although an introductory music, anthropology, or sociology course may be helpful.

MUSI 280 Topics in Music (EA)

An introduction to individual composers, specific musical genres, or the art music of a particular country. For all students regardless of background.

MUSI 301 Introduction to Chromatic Harmony and Twentieth-Century Practices (EA)

Continues the development of solfege, aural, composition, and keyboard skills and introduces the principles of chromatic and twentieth-century harmony, counterpoint, and structural analysis. Lab. Offered in alternate years. Prerequisite: MUSI 202. Corequisite: MUSA 300 Piano

MUSI 302 Form and Analysis in Western Music (EA)

Form and analysis of music. Offered in alternate years. Prerequisite: MUSI 301.

MUSI 310 Conducting (EA)

The study of scores, interpretation, and movement. Emphasis is on the development of a non-verbal vocabulary to artistically communicate with members of an ensemble to solicit a predetermined musical result. Prerequisite: MUSI 202 or permission of instructor.

MUSI 340 Choral Literature and Techniques (EA)

A study of choral literature, performance practice, rehearsal techniques, and various aspects of administration related to choral ensembles. Offered as needed. Prerequisite: MUSI 310 and permission of instructor.

MUSI 350 Instrumental Literature and Techniques (EA)

A study of instrumental music literature, performance practice, conducting, and pedagogy. Offered as needed. Prerequisite: MUSI 310 and permission of instructor.

MUSI 360 Instrumental Methods (EA)

A study of instrumental performance techniques for winds, strings, and percussion. Offered as needed.

MUSI 370 Composition I (EA) [AC]

Introduces principles of compositional craft, listening skills, and musical philosophies and develops musical creativity through written projects, score study, readings, and listening assignments. Required before the senior year for students pursuing a senior project in composition. Offered as needed. Prerequisite: MUSI 201 and permission of instructor.

MUSI 380 Composition II (EA)

Continuation of MUSI 370. Offered as needed. Prerequisite: MUSI 370 and permission of instructor.

MUSI 401 Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Music (EA, HP, W2)

A study of the history and literature of Western art music from Antiquity through the Baroque period. Offered in alternate years. Prerequisite: MUSI 101 or MUSI 150, and MUSI 202, or permission of instructor.

MUSI 402 Classic, Romantic, and Modern Music (EA, HP, W2)

A study of the history and literature of Western art music of the late eighteenth through early twenty-first-centuries. Offered in alternate years. Prerequisite: MUSI 101 or MUSI 150, and MUSI 202, or permission of instructor.

MUSI 430 Orchestration (EA)

Introduces ranges, transpositions, and characteristics of the standard orchestral instruments, and techniques and characteristics of effective writing for various instrumental combinations. Offered as needed. Recommended elective for students pursuing a senior project in composition. Prerequisite: MUSI 202.

MUSI 440 Counterpoint (EA)

Development of principles introduced in MUSI 202 using a standard species approach to tonal contrapuntal techniques. Offered as needed. Recommended elective for students pursuing a senior project in composition or music theory. Prerequisite: MUSI 202.

MUSI 497 Senior Seminar

A culminating seminar course for music majors intended to synthesize analytical techniques, stylistic sensitivity, and interpretive or creative skills. Emphasis on oral and written communication. A primary focus is the preparation of the senior project. Prerequisite: senior standing.

Lessons and Ensembles

Students interested in taking private music lessons and/or participating in any music ensemble should not pre-register. Instead, they should contact the appropriate member of the music faculty during the week of orientation and registration in the fall or during the first week of classes in the spring. Ensembles and lessons are open to all ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students regardless of major.

The grade earned in each semester of a Music Activity class is included in the computation of the student’s grade point average. However, to receive one complete course credit towards graduation, students must complete either

•  four activity courses at the 200- or 300-level, or
•  two activity courses at the 400-level, or
•  one activity course at the 400-level and two at the 200- or 300-level.

A complete course credit earned in this manner may be used to satisfy the Expressive Arts Learning Domain, except in the case where the student has opted to take a MUSA 300 private lesson on a credit-only basis with no grade.

Any number of individual activity courses may be taken by a student. However, non-music majors may count only two course credits from music activity courses toward graduation. Music majors may earn up to two additional course credits toward graduation (for a total of four) from music activity classes. Music activity fractional credits may NOT be combined with any non-music activity fractional credit for whole course credits.

MUSA 000 Non-Credit Music Ensembles

The following music ensembles are open to all students by permission of the instructor. No credit is offered for participation in these ensembles.

• Chamber Chorale. Chosen from the membership of the Choir, the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Chamber Chorale is a small select group that specializes in vocal chamber works from the Renaissance to the present. The Chamber Chorale rehearses two hours weekly. Prerequisite: concurrent participation in Choir.
• Women’s Ensemble. Open to all women without audition, the Women’s Ensemble performs music of all styles for treble voices. The ensemble rehearses two hours weekly.
• Jazz Ensemble. The ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Jazz Ensemble is open to musicians interested in performing jazz literature that ranges from big band arrangements to progressive jazz. The ensemble rehearses ninety minutes weekly. Prerequisite: concurrent participation in Wind Ensemble except for guitar.
  
• Chamber Players. Chamber music ensembles at ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ such as string quartet, brass quintet, woodwind quintet, percussion ensemble, flute choir and others. Corequisite: concurrent participation in wind ensemble or orchestra.

MUSA 1RA Recital Attendance

In order to broaden their understanding of the protocol and challenges of concert work and to gain a deeper acquaintance with the literature, music majors are required to attend a majority of department-sponsored concerts and recitals during each of six semesters. Although no course credit is awarded for this requirement, attendance is monitored, and each successfully completed semester is recorded on the student transcript. For specifics, majors should consult the Music Department Handbook.

MUSA 2CH Choir (EA) [AC]

Open to all students by audition, the Choir performs standard choral repertoire from all stylistic periods. The ensemble performs both on campus and on tours within Arkansas and to neighboring states. The Choir rehearses 80 minutes three times weekly. Must be taken for a grade.

MUSA 2OR Chamber Orchestra (EA) [AC]

Open to all instrumental students by audition. The group performs classical repertoire from all orchestral style periods on at least two concerts each semester. The Chamber Orchestra rehearses 80 minutes three times weekly. Must be taken for a grade.

MUSA 2PB Pep Band

Open to all woodwind, brass, and percussion students with appropriate background. Pep Band rehearses for 110 minutes per week and performs at home football games. Students must perform an audition at the beginning of fall semester. Pep Band may not be used to satisfy the music major ensemble requirement. Pep Band carries neither EA Learning Domain nor Odyssey coding. The Pep Band is led by Dr. Gretchen Renshaw. (Taken for letter-grade only with 1/4 credit weight.)

MUSA 2WE Wind Ensemble (Band) (EA) [AC]

Open to all woodwind, brass, and percussion players on campus with appropriate music background. Drawing from symphonic band, wind ensemble and chamber winds repertoire, the ensemble performs a variety of traditional and contemporary works. The Wind Ensemble performs four concerts annually and rehearses 80 minutes three times weekly. Must be taken for a grade.

MUSA 2A1 Accompanying (EA)

Piano students may receive music activity credit if they rehearse and accompany lessons for at least four hours each week during the course of a semester. Must be taken for a grade.

MUSA 300 Applied Music (EA)

One half-hour instruction weekly. Fee: Private instruction—$150 per semester. Fee is waived for students who must study piano or voice in order to complete MUSI 201 or MUSI 202 successfully. Private and class instruction in piano, organ, voice, and string, wind, and percussion instruments. Adequate piano proficiency is a prerequisite for organ study. Three hours practice (30 minutes daily for six days) required each week. Nonmajors and music majors taking MUSA 300 in a secondary area may elect to take MUSA 300 on a credit-only basis. In this case the student must declare intention to take this course for credit only within the first two weeks of the semester at the Office of the Registrar. All other policies regarding Credit Only courses also apply. A module bearing AC Odyssey credit may be awarded.

MUSA 400 Applied Music (EA) [AC]

One hour instruction weekly. Fee: $300 per semester. Private instruction in piano, organ, voice, and string, wind, and percussion instruments. Adequate piano proficiency is a prerequisite for organ study. Six hours practice (60 minutes daily for six days) required each week.

Students may enroll in MUSA 400 only after successful completion of an audition before the music faculty. MUSA 400 is intended primarily for music majors and minors. After successful completion of the audition, nonmajors may enroll in MUSA 400 if there is space available. MUSA 400 must be taken for a grade.

Proficiency

All music majors are required to pass proficiency examinations in piano, solfege (sight singing), and aural skills. Music majors may attempt these exams at any time during their course of study, but no later than the semester in which MUSI 302 is completed. In addition, students are required to study piano each semester during the theory sequence until this part of the requirement is met. If a given Proficiency Exam is passed early, the student is not required to enroll in further study in this area of examination. Students who are unable to pass proficiencies in any of these areas are required to take the exams each successive semester until they are successfully completed. No grade will be awarded for MUSI 302 until all three examinations are passed.

• MUSA 1AS Aural Skills Proficiency
• MUSA 1PP Piano Proficiency
• MUSA 1SS Sight Singing Proficiency