Performer-Composer (BFA)

BFA Shared Curriculum Requirements 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

MTHY203 Practical Musicianship C (not required for the Music Technology Specialization)

MTHY111 Tonal Theory & Applications A

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

MTHY210 Non-Tonal Theories or MTHY216 Different Tonalities

ONE unit (minimum) of coursework chosen from:

• MTHY220 Global Rhythm & Notation

• MTHY222 North Indian Music Theory

• MTHY228 Journey to the Persian Music

• MTHY226 Ghanaian Rhythm Theory

• MTHY224 Java/Bali: Music-Dance-Theory

• MTHY425 Tala Systems

PERFORMANCE AND PRODUCTION EXPERIENCES

ONE course chosen from:

• MTEC100 Intro to Concert Production (BFA2 year)

• MTEC101 Concert Production I

MBLExxx TWO World Music Ensemble electives (see listing below)

MBLExxx TWO additional ensemble courses

NEW METHODS & TECHNOLOGIES

TWO units of coursework chosen from:

• ICOM101 Media & Web Development

• ICOM111 Intro to Sound Production

• ICOM120 Introduction to Programming I

• ICOM121 Introduction to Programming II

• ICOM301 Digital Fabrication

• MSCM150 Fundamentals of Computer Music

• MSCM310 Acoustics for Musicians

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

TWO units of coursework chosen from:

• AAIC323 Practice & Pedagogy: ArtPilot

• CSOC300 Artist As Educator

• ICOM101 Media & Web Development

• MAIC403 Teaching Artistry

• IINT398 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

MFOR110 First-Year Seminar in Music

MFOR200 Artists in Residence Week (4 classes)

Winter Session (FOUR units of coursework completed in January)

FOUR units of coursework in Art, Dance, Film/Video, Theater, Creative Writing, or Digital Arts

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

• MBLE216 Advanced 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

• MPRF221 African Song

• MPRF328 Latin Percussion

• 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)

Performer-Composer (BFA)

Complete SHARED CURRICULUM (see above)

MLSN001 Half-Hour Lesson in Composition & ESP (4 classes, each semester in BFA1&2)

MLSN001 Half-Hour Lesson in Performance (4 classes, each semester in BFA1&2)

MLSN101 Hour Lesson(s) in Composition or Performance (4 classes in BFA3&4)

MFOR305 Performer-Composer Forum (2 classes, offered in Spring semesters)

MCMP105 Music Notation (in first Spring semester in residence)

ICOM111 Introduction to Sound Production

MCMP130 Composer-Performer Laboratory I

MCMP131 Composer-Performer Laboratory II

MTHY204 Practical Musicianship D

MSCM310 Acoustics for Musicians

At least THREE different courses and SIX units of coursework chosen from :

• MTHY210 Non Tonal Theories (3 units)

• MTHY214 Counterpoint (3 units)

• MTHY215 Song Writing & Analysis (2 units)

• MTHY216 Different Tonalities (3 units)

• MTHY217 Form (3 units)

• MTHY108 Transcription Skills (2 units)

• MTHY240 Jazz Keyboard Theory (1 unit, may be repeated)

• MTHY306 The Experimenting Ear

• MPRF101 Jazz Improvisation, Group (1 unit, may be repeated)

• MPRF102 Jazz Improvisation, 1-on-1 (1 unit, may be repeated)

ONE class chosen from:

• MCMP314 Jazz Arranging

• MCMP316 Arranging for Experimental Pop

• MCMP402 Orchestration

• MTHY451 Orchestral Thought

ONE class chosen from:

• MCMP465 Composition with Max/MSP

• MCMP369 Production as Composition

• MTEC270 History of Electronic Dance Music

• MTEC360 Audio Signal Processing

• MTEC365 Digital Recording Studio

• MTEC367 Project Recording

ONE class chosen from:

• MBLE310 Improvisation Ensemble

• MBLE415 Networked Music Ensemble

• MBLE450 Sonic Boom Ensemble

• MBLE460 Golia Large Ensemble

• MCMP325 Experimental Music Workshop I

• MCMP326 Experimental Music Workshop II

MBLExxx / MPRFxxx Workshops, Ensembles or Performance studies appropriate to performance emphasis (THREE units)

TWO units of coursework chosen from:

• MAIC240 Jazz History

• MAIC420 Composing for Improvisors

• MHST205 Western Music History I

• MHST206 Western Music History II

• MHST331 Studies in Avant-Rock & Noise

• MHST350 Stylists & Innovators 1961-NOW

• MHST422 Experimental Music Post-Cage

• MHST425 Survey of Sound Art

TWO units of coursework chosen from:

• MAIC314 The Music of Flamenco

• MAIC316 Blues Before 1960

• MAIC370 DIY

• MAIC401 Improvisation: Uses & Lineage

• MAIC470 Hip-Hop Theory and Praxis

• MHST300 - 309

• MHST312 Ethnology of African Music

TWO units of coursework from MCMP/MTHY 300-498

MCMP490 Graduation Portfolio & Website Review (portfolio must include substantial original work)

MPRF490 Graduation Jury and 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).