Composition & Experimental Sound Practices (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 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

• CSOC300 Artist As Educator

• ICOM101 Media & Web Development

• MAIC403 Pedagogy I: Teaching Artistry

• 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)

Composition & Experimental Sound Practices (BFA)

• Complete SHARED CURRICULUM (see above)

• MLSN101 Hour Lesson as assigned (8 classes)

• MFOR101 Undergraduate Composers' Forum (first two Fall semesters in residence)

• MCMP105 Music Notation (in first Spring semester in residence)

• MCMP120 Instrumental Composition I

• MCMP121 Instrumental Composition II

• MTHY203 Musicianship Skills C

• MTHY204 Musicianship Skills D

• ICOM111 Introduction to Sound Production

• 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 (2 units)

  • MTHY217 Form (2 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)

• TWO units of coursework chosen from:

  • MCMP308 The Art of the Mix

  • MCMP369 Production as Composition

  • MCMP465 Composition with Max/MSP

  • MTEC270 History of Electronic Dance Music

  • MTEC365 Digital Recording Studio

  • MTEC367 Project Recording

• TWO units of coursework chosen from:

  • MAIC240 Jazz History

  • MAIC401 Improvisation: Uses & Lineage

  • 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

  • MHST300-309 Music Cultures

  • MHST312 Ethnology of African Music

• FOUR units of coursework in MCMP/MHST/MTHY4xx Advanced Composition, History or Theory Electives

• MCMP490 Graduation Portfolio and Website Review

• Electives (to fulfill 120-unit degree requirement)

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.

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 Musicianship Skills A

• MTHY111 Tonal Theory & Applications A

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

• MPRF103 Class Piano

Second Semester (BFA1-2)

• MTHY102 Musicianship Skills B

• MTHY112 Tonal Theory & Applications B

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

Second Year

First Semester (BFA2-1)

• MTHY203 Musicianship Skills C (if required)

• MTHY210 Non-Tonal Theories

• M… World Music Ensemble elective (see the list of ensemble electives above)

Second Semester (BFA2-2)

• MTHY204 Musicianship Skills 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 New Methods & Technologies (see course listing above)

• course in Art, Dance, Film/Video, Theater, Creative Writing, or Digital Arts (IDAR)

• MBLExxx Ensemble elective

Second Semester (BFA3-2)

• course in Professional Development (see course listing above)

• course in Art, Dance, Film/Video, Theater, Creative Writing, or Digital Arts (IDAR)

• MBLExxx Ensemble elective

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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 (Musicianship Skills A & B) must all be completed by the end of the second year in residence, if required.

• MTHY210 (Non-Tonal Theories) and MTHY203 & MTHY204 (Musicianship Skills 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 Musicianship Skills 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).