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Department: School of Music

The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts offers rigorous training in an unrivaled variety of musical styles and cultures.

The vibrant mix of offerings allows students to acquire the musical fluency to work across conventional boundaries, expand their artistic and cultural horizons, and develop a global creative vision. Qualitatively different from conventional music conservatories, technical excellence is only one part of the story, as The Herb Alpert School of Music seeks to empower students as complete makers of music.

The School stands above the field in several ways, including world-class musical innovators on faculty; a stylistically open approach to musical creativity; the ability for students to work with mentors from all areas of the School to construct individualized courses of study; ample opportunities for collaboration within CalArts’ multidisciplinary arts environment; flexibility for students to organize ensembles, often with faculty participation; and performances that are centered on original music and spontaneous creation alongside extant musical literature and interactive media.

For additional information please visit https://music.calarts.edu/

In addition to the Programs of Study, the School also offers the following Minor and Specializations:

Undergraduate Minor in Music Theory

The Minor in Music Theory affords eligible undergraduate students a non-degree credential that supplements their Major. If earned, the Minor is noted on CalArts transcripts. Course credit earned by a student can count simultaneously towards the requirements of a student’s specialization and this Minor. Interested students must visit the Music Office in order to formally declare in writing their intent to pursue the Minor. However, they must first have fulfilled all of the following prerequisites either by means of placement examination or by course completion with a grade of P or HP.

Prerequisites to the Music Theory Minor

  • MTHY112 Tonal Theory & Applications B

  • MTHY210 Non-Tonal Theories

  • MTHY203 Musicianship Skills C

The Minor is awarded to undergraduate students who formally declare their intention to pursue it before graduation and who complete all of the following course requirements.

Requirements for the Music Theory Minor

  • MTHY214 Counterpoint

  • MTHY240 Jazz Keyboard Theory (2 classes, 2 units in total)

  • MSCM310 Acoustics for Musicians

  • Music Perception Option: ONE class chosen from:

    • MSCM309 Psychoacoustics

    • MTHY306 The Experimenting Ear

    • MTHY403 Intonation Workshop I

    • MTHY404 Intonation Workshop II

  • Musical Forms Option: ONE class chosen from

    • MTHY217 Form and Analysis

    • MTHY215 Song Writing & Analysis

  • Analytical Survey Option: ONE class chosen from

    • MTHY216 Different Tonalities

    • MTHY450 Chamber Thought

    • MTHY451 Orchestral Thought

    • MTHY454 The String Quartet since 1900

    • MTHY455 The Piano since 1900

  • World Theory Options: TWO classes chosen from

    • MTHY216 North Indian Music Theory

    • MTHY220 Rhythm: A Global Perspective

    • MTHY228 Journey to the Persian Music

    • MTHY226 Ghanaian Rhythm Theory

    • MTHY224 Java/Bali: Music-Dance-Theory

    • MTHY425 Tala Systems

  • MTHYxxx music theory electives (2 units of additional coursework with subject code MTHY)

Good standing in the Major specialization is required for continued enrollment in the Music Theory Minor. Students on Academic Warning may be suspended from the Minor in Music Theory. Students may be permanently removed from the Minor after more than one semester on Academic Warning, at the recommendation of their Dean.

Optional Undergraduate Composition Concentrations

Interested undergraduate Composition and Performer-Composer students can earn one or more optional Concentrations within their major by completing additional requirements as indicated below. Earned Concentrations will be noted on CalArts transcripts. Course credits earned towards the Shared Curriculum or towards the BFA composition foundation can also count towards one or more of these Concentrations, and vice versa. Any student interested in pursuing one or more concentrations must declare this during their Graduation Review.

BFA Composition: Optional Concentration in Avant-Garde Rock & Noise

  • MTHY215 Song Writing & Analysis

  • ONE class chosen from:

    • MTEC212 Recording the Voice

    • MCMP308 The Art of the Mix

    • MTEC365 Digital Recording Studio

    • MCMP369 Production as Composition

    • MTEC367 Project Recording

  • THREE units of coursework chosen from:

    • MAIC316 Blues before 1960

    • MAIC370 DIY

    • MHST330 Studies in Experimental Pop

    • MHST331 Studies in Avant-Rock and Noise

    • MHST405–410 Focus Rock

    • other courses in pop musicology

  • FIVE units of coursework chosen from:

    • MBLE310 Improvisation Ensemble

    • MBLE325 Creative Electronic Ensemble

    • MBLE450 Sonic Boom Ensemble

    • MCMP325 Experimental Music Workshop I

    • MCMP326 Experimental Music Workshop II

    • MCMP336 Writing for Voice

    • MCRW209 Words for Music

    • MPRF217 Learning to Scream

    • MTEC420 Grids, Beats & Groups

    • Critical Studies course in creative poetic writing (mentor approval required)

BFA Composition: Optional Concentration in Electronic Music

  • TWO units of coursework chosen from:

    • MTHY306 The Experimenting Ear

    • MTHY411 Electroacoustic Music Analysis

    • MHST425 Survey of Sound Art

  • FOUR units of coursework chosen from:

    • MBLE415 Networked Music Ensemble

    • MCMP369 Production as Composition

    • MCMP465 Composition with Max/MSP

    • MTEC270 History of Electronic Dance Music

  • EIGHT units of additional coursework with ICOM or MTEC subject codes

BFA Composition: Optional Concentration in Experimental Music

  • MCMP325 Experimental Music Workshop I

  • MCMP326 Experimental Music Workshop II

  • ONE class chosen from

    • MSCM309 Psychoacoustics

    • MTHY403 Intonation Workshop I

    • MTHY404 Intonation Workshop II

  • THREE classes chosen from:

    • MBLE310 Improvisation Ensemble

    • MBLE325 Creative Electronic Ensemble

    • MBLE415 Networked Music Ensemble

    • MBLE450 Sonic Boom Ensemble

    • MBLE460 Golia Large Ensemble

    • MCMP465 Composition with Max/MSP

  • TWO classes chosen from:

    • MCMP343 Experiments in Film Sound

    • MHST350 Stylists and Innovators 1961–Now

    • MHST422 Experimental Music Post-Cage

    • MHST425 Survey of Sound Art

    • MHST472 John Cage: Music & Thought

    • MHST473 John Cage, Sun Ra, Musique Concrète and the Noise Uprising

    • MAIC412 Critical Reading (may be repeated for credit)

BFA Composition: Optional Concentration in Composition for Film & Video

  • MHST205 Western Music History I

  • MHST206 Western Music History II

  • MPCD350 Career Designs for Musicians

  • MPRF307 Conducting I

  • FPFV424 Aesthetics of Sound and Image

  • TWO classes chosen from:

    • MTHYP341 Film Music History & Analysis

    • MCMP342 Composition for Film & Video

    • MCMP343 Experiments in Film Sound

    • MTHY344 Non-Traditional Film Music

  • ONE class chosen from (taking all of these courses is strongly recommended):

    • FSFV435 Sound Student Technician Course

    • FPFV481 Sound Mixing and Editing

    • MTEC214 Sound Design for Moving Image

    • MTEC365 Digital Recording Studio

  • ONE class chosen from:

    • MCMP402 Orchestration

    • MTHY451 Orchestral Thought

BFA Composition: Optional Concentration in Instrumental Composition

  • MCMP330–339 Writing for … (2 classes)

  • MPRF307 Conducting I

  • MPRF408 Conducting II

  • MLSN001 Performance Lessons (2 different orchestral instruments as assigned, 2 courses total)*

  • One class chosen from:

    • MTHY450 Chamber Thought

    • MTHY454 The String Quartet since 1900

    • MTHY455 The Piano since 1900

  • One class chosen from:

    • MCMP402 Orchestration

    • MTHY451 Orchestral Thought

  • Two different classes chosen from:

    • MBLE106 Chamber Music

    • MBLE300 The Ensemble

    • MBLE310 Improvisation Ensemble

    • MBLE450 Sonic Boom Ensemble

    • MBLE460 Golia Large Ensemble

*In specializations or concentrations for which lessons are required, students who do not own an appropriate instrument may need to rent one. Further information is available from the Music Office.