VoiceArts (BFA)

BFA Shared Curriculum Requirements

All undergraduate music students must complete the BFA Shared Curriculum requirements. This curriculum is intended to foster the development of skills in the essential areas of music cultures and literature, music theory and practice, performance experiences, making original work, new methods and technologies, professional development, and breadth of experience in the arts. Courses completed to meet Shared Curriculum requirements can also be used to meet Specialization Requirements.

Shared Curriculum: Summary Listing of Requirements

MUSIC CULTURES & LITERATURE

MAIC100 Worlds of Music I: Europe & N. Am. 1900-

MAIC101 Worlds of Music II: Africa, Asia, L. Am.

MUSICAL SKILLS & TECHNIQUES

MPRF103 Class Piano (or other approved keyboard course)

MTHY101 Practical Musicianship A

MTHY102 Practical Musicianship B

MTHY111 Tonal Theory & Applications A

MTHY112 Tonal Theory & Applications B (not required for the Music Technology Specialization)

MTHY210 Non-Tonal Theories ONE unit (minimum) of coursework chosen from

MTHY104 Global Rhythm & Notation

MTHY216 North Indian Music Theory

MTHY228 Journey to the Persian Music

MTHY226 Ghanaian Rhythm Theory

MTHY224 Java/Bali: Music-Dance-Theory

MTHY425 Tala Systems

MAKING ORIGINAL WORK

TWO units of coursework chosen from:

• MLSN001/101 Composition Lessons

• MCMP110 Introduction to Composition other coursework with

• MCMP subject prefixes

NEW METHODS & TECHNOLOGIES

FOUR units of coursework chosen from:

• ICOM101 Media & Web Development

• ICOM111 Intro to Sound Production

• ICOM201 Introduction to Programming I

• ICOM202 Introduction to Programming II

• ICOM301 Digital Fabrication

• MSCM310 Acoustics for Musicians

• MTEC150 Fundamentals of Computer Music

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

FOUR units of coursework chosen from:

• AAIC323 Practice & Pedagogy: ArtPilot

• ICOM101 Media & Web Development

• MAIC403 Pedagogy I: Teaching Artistry

• MAIC404 Pedagogy II: Best Practices

• MINTxxx Internship in Music

• MPCD350 Career Designs for Musicians

• MPCD351 Creative Producing for Music

• MPCD420 Teaching the Voice

• MPCD460 Creative Entrepreneurship Other professional development coursework as approved

MCMP290 Portfolio Review (in Spring semesters, 4 classes)

BREADTH IN THE ARTS

Winter Session (FOUR units of coursework completed in January)

FOUR units of coursework in Art, Dance, Film/Video, Theater, Creative Writing, or Digital Arts (IDAR) NOT taught by any Music faculty member

Shared Curriculum: World Music Ensemble Options

The following listing of world music ensemble electives is provided for ease of reference.

• MBLE104 Tabla Ensemble

• MBLE109 Advanced World Percussion Ensemble

• MBLE201 Beginning African Ensemble

• MBLE202 Advanced African Ensemble

• MBLE206 Talking Drum Ensemble

• MBLE210 Beginning Javanese Gamelan

• MBLE211 Advanced Javanese Gamelan

• MBLE220 Beginning Balinese Gamelan

• MBLE221 Advanced Balinese Gamelan

• MBLE222 Gender Wayang Ensemble

• MBLE223 Balinese Flute Ensemble

• MBLE224 Kecak Ensemble

• MBLE230 North Indian Ensemble

• MBLE240 Persia Electric Ensemble

• MBLE235 Japan Ensemble

• MPRF221 African Song

• MBLE250 African Dance

• MBLE252 Balinese Dance

• MBLE254 Javanese Dance (Women)

• MBLE256 Javanese Dance (Men)

• MBLE260 The Baltic Voice MPRF328 Latin Percussion

• MTHY120 Beginning Svar Graam (Vocal)

• MTHY121 Beginning Svar Graam (Instrumental)

• MTHY322 Advanced Svar Graam (Vocal)

• MTHY323 Advanced Svar Graam (Instrumental)

 VoiceArts (BFA)

Complete SHARED CURRICULUM (see above)

MLSN101 Voice Lessons, as assigned (8 classes)

MPRF115 VoiceArts Foundation

MPRF310 Advanced Vocal Coaching

MFOR103 Voice Forum (2 classes)

MTHY203 Practical Musicianship C

MTHY204 Practical Musicianship D

ONE class chosen from:

• MHST205 Western Music History I

• MHST206 Western Music History II

TWO units of coursework chosen from:

• MAIC240 Jazz History

• MAIC314 The Music of Flamenco

• MAIC316 Blues before 1960

• MAIC401 Improvisation: Uses & Lineage

• MHST30x Music Cultures

• MHST312 Ethnology of African Music

• MHST330 Topics in Experimental Pop I

• MHST331 Topics in Experimental Pop II

• MHST345 Topics in Vocal Literature

• MHST350 Stylists & Innovators 1961–Now

• MHST371 Jazz and Urban Experimentalism

• MHST410 The Elastic voice

• MHST425 Survey of Sound Art

• other music history/cultures class as approved by mentor

ONE class chosen from:

• MPCD420 Teaching the Voice

• MSCM410 Physiology of the Voice

MPRF454 Sounding the Voice 

FOUR Vocal Ensembles and/or Vocal Projects chosen from:

• MBLE106 Chamber Music

• MBLE201 Beginning African Ensemble

• MBLE260 The Baltic Voice

• MBLE301 Chamber Singers

• MBLE302 Contemporary Vocal Ensemble

• MBLE309 Period Instrument Ensemble

• MBLE325 Creative Electronic Ensemble

• MBLE328 Collaborative Music Ensemble

• MPRF221 African Song

• other vocal ensemble or project as approved by mentor

Keyboard Requirement (in addition to Shared Curriculum) as approved by mentor, chosen from:

• MLSN001 Non–Major Lesson in Piano (audition required)

• MTHY240 Jazz Keyboard Theory      

Techniques (1 class) chosen from:

• MCMP110 Introduction to Composition

• MCMP336 Writing for Voice

• MPCD420 Teaching the Voice

• MPRF101 Jazz Improvisation

• MPRF102 Jazz Improvisation

• MPRF126 Experimental Voice

• MPRF221 African Song

• MPRF452 Contemporary Vocal Techniques

• MPRF498B Mic Use for Vocalists

• MTEC212 Recording the Voice

• MTHY120 Beginning Svar Graam (vocal)

• MTHY215 Song Writing & Analysis

• MTHY305 Advanced Sight-Singing

• MTHY322 Advanced Svar Graam (vocal)

• other techniques course as approved by mentor

Language and Text (2 classes) chosen from:

• CCRW211 Hip Hop Poetics Workshop

• CCRW212 Intro to Creative Writing

• CCRW214 Adventures in Form and Chaos (poetry writing)

• CCRW222 Creative Writing Workshop

• CCRW310 Impossible Stage Directions

• CCRW311 Poetry Workshop

• CCRW336 Eco Writing

• CCRW362 Work the Document

• CCRW448 Source and Archive

• CCRW457 Feminist Poetics

• CCRW458 Advanced Experimental Writing

• CCRW464 Writing and Performing the Self

• MAIC470 Hip Hop Lab

• MCMP309 Words for Music

• MPRF453 What Kind of Text is That?

• TAIC300 Survey of World Theater—Text

• Other language and text course as approved by mentor

Contextualization (1 class) chosen from:

• MHST200+ any MHST (music history) course, 200-level or higher

• MPRF451 Singing the Books

• MPRF455 Dada Divas

• MPRF456 Readings in VoiceArts

• MPRF457 Land, Ritual, Performance

• TAIC305 Survey of World Theater—Performance Tactics

• TAIC310 Survey of World Theater—Arts Activism

• other contextualization course as approved by mentor

Performance and Interpretation (1 class) chosen from:

• MAIC455A Dada Divas

• MBLExxx any music ensemble course as vocalist

• MBLE325 Creative Electronic Ensemble

• MCMP325 Experimental Music Workshop I

• MCMP326 Experimental Music Workshop II

• MPRF126 Experimental Voice

• MPRF211 Bodies and Voice

• MPRF216 Singing the Standards

• MPRF221 African Song

• MPFR402 Opera Theater

• MPRF451 Singing the Books

• MPRF452 Contemporary Vocal Techniques

• MPRF453 What Kind of Text is That?

• MPRF498A Jazz Improv for the Vocalist

• Other performance or interpretation course as approved by mentor

MPRF290 Mid-Residence Performance Project/Recital

MCMP490 Graduation Portfolio/Website Review

MPRF490 Graduation Performance Project/Recital

Electives (to fulfill 120-unit degree requirement)

Shared Curriculum: A Typical Course Sequence Semester-by-Semester

There may be some variability as to when Shared Curriculum courses are taken depending on the individual student’s placement, experience and development. However, certain strict deadlines do apply (see Music Theory and Skills Deadlines below).

First Year First Semester (BFA1-1)

MTHY101 Practical Musicianship A

MTHY111 Tonal Theory & Applications A

MAIC100 Worlds of Music I: Europe & N. Am. 1900-

MPRF103 Class Piano Second Semester

(BFA1-2)

MTHY102 Practical Musicianship B

MTHY112 Tonal Theory & Applications B

MAIC101 Worlds of Music II: Africa, Asia, L. Am.

Second Year First Semester (BFA2-1)

MTHY203 Practical Musicianship C

MTHY210 Non-Tonal Theories M… World Music Ensemble elective (see the list of ensemble electives above)

Second Semester (BFA2-2)

MTHY204 Practical Musicianship D (if required)

MTHYxxx World Music Theory course

MTEC100 (or MTEC101 for Music Tech majors) Intro to Concert Production M… World Music Ensemble elective (see the list of ensemble electives above)

Third Year First Semester (BFA3-1)

course in Making Original Work (see course listing above)

course in New Methods & Technologies (see course listing above)

course in Art, Dance, Film/Video, Theater, Creative Writing, or Digital Arts (IDAR) NOT taught by any Music faculty member

MBLExxx Ensemble elective

Second Semester (BFA3-2)

course in Professional Development (see course listing above)

course in New Methods & Technologies (see course listing above)

course in Art, Dance, Film/Video, Theater, Creative Writing, or Digital Arts (IDAR) NOT taught by any Music faculty member

MBLExxx Ensemble elective

Fourth Year First Semester (BFA4-1)

course in Professional Development (see course listing above)

course in an artistic métier outside the School of Music (not taught by music faculty)

Second Semester (BFA4-2)

course in an artistic métier outside the School of Music (not taught by music faculty)

Music Theory and Skills Deadlines (DOs and DON’Ts)

⇒ DO finish Music Theory and Skills requirements on time

MTHY001 (Fundamental Musicianship), if required, must be completed by the end of the first year of residence in order to maintain eligibility to continue as a student in The Herb Alpert School of Music.

MTHY111 & MTHY112 (Tonal Theory & Applications A & B), and MTHY101 & MTHY102 (Practical Musicianship A & B) must all be completed by the end of the second year in residence, if required.

MTHY210 (Non-Tonal Theories) and MTHY203 & MTHY204 (Practical Musicianship C & D), if required, must all be completed by the end of the third year in residence.

⇒ DON’T take a vacation from Music Theory and Skills requirements

All undergraduate students must take and pass Shared Curriculum theory courses each semester until all required courses in the music theory sequence MTHY001, MTHY111, MTHY112, MTHY210 are completed. (See Individual Specialization Descriptions below for requirements by specialization.)

All undergraduate students must take and pass tonal musicianship skills courses each semester until all required courses in the Practical Musicianship sequence MTHY001, MTHY101, MTHY102, MTHY203, MTHY204 are completed. (See the descriptions of BFA Music Specializations below for requirements.)

⇒ DO fulfill Music Theory and Skills Incomplete grades on time

In any course that constitutes a prerequisite for another required course in the Music Theory or Skills curriculum, an Incomplete (I) grade must be made up before the student will be allowed to enroll in the next course in the sequence. Instructors are not obliged to permit enrollment in music theory or skills courses after classes begin, so Incomplete grades should be made up before the date on which the following semester's regular classes commence.

FAILURE TO FULFILL MUSIC THEORY AND SKILLS REQUIREMENTS ACCORDING TO THESE STIPULATIONS MAY RESULT IN ACADEMIC WARNING, INELIGIBILITY TO ADVANCE IN YEAR LEVEL, LOSS OF FINANCIAL AID, AND POSSIBLE DISMISSAL FROM THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC (see CalArts’ Metier Standing Policy).