Graduate Course Descriptions

Performance of contemporary music. Different sections represent active performance ensembles. A core requirement for graduate degree students as outlined in the curriculum. The number of units is based on work performed by agreement with instructor. See instructors for additional information. New students should attend graduate auditions during Welcome Week.
Additional Description: Rehearsals and performance of works by Reynolds, Stockhausen, Frey and Qingqing Wang.

Instructor: Aleck Karis

Performance of contemporary music. Different sections represent active performance ensembles. A core requirement for graduate degree students as outlined in the curriculum. The number of units is based on work performed by agreement with instructor. See instructors for additional information. New students should attend graduate auditions during Welcome Week.
Additional Description: "Kallisti Chamber Opera" Project. Three performances of chamber opera repertoire, TBD. Enrollment by permission of instructor.

Instructor: Susan Narucki

Performance of contemporary music. Different sections represent active performance ensembles. A core requirement for graduate degree students as outlined in the curriculum. The number of units is based on work performed by agreement with instructor. See instructors for additional information. New students should attend graduate auditions during Welcome Week.
Additional Description:

Instructor: Mark Dresser

Performance of contemporary music. Different sections represent active performance ensembles. A core requirement for graduate degree students as outlined in the curriculum. The number of units is based on work performed by agreement with instructor. See instructors for additional information.
Additional Description: Students will have the opportunity to explore and build different entrance ideas into sonic improvisational group possibilities. Major focus around approaches used in avant garde, fringe folk, creative, new music classical, and free jazz music. We will discuss various issues around the use of improvisational strategies and techniques in performance and generative group composition, where we will circulate dynamic collective feedback in a supportive environment. Students are expected to participate in each class, and regular attendance is important. This course is not so much about the individual improviser as it is about the collective body/ensemble. We will create an environment that will allow for a fostering of exciting collaboration, exploration, and possibility within a group dynamic. Some experience with Improvised music(s) is appreciated but not necessary. All welcomed.

Instructor: Matana Roberts

Performance of contemporary music. Different sections represent active performance ensembles. A core requirement for graduate degree students as outlined in the curriculum. The number of units is based on work performed by agreement with instructor. See instructors for additional information. New students should attend graduate auditions during Welcome Week.
Additional Description: Percussion Ensemble red fish blue fish.

Instructor: Steven Schick

Performance of contemporary music. Different sections represent active performance ensembles. A core requirement for graduate degree students as outlined in the curriculum. The number of units is based on work performed by agreement with instructor. See instructors for additional information. New students should attend graduate auditions during Welcome Week.
Additional Description: First year Collaborative Projects for Performers and Composers. Only first year performance students can enroll in this course.

Instructor: Steven Schick

Advanced performance of new music with members of the performance faculty (SONOR). Students taking this course do not need to take Music 201 that quarter. Enrollment by consent of instructor/director of SONOR.
Additional Description: Students must submit a Performance/Project Proposal Form (located on the Music Intranet) to the Graduate Advisor. This form must include titles, composers, instrumentation, duration, proposed course credit, performers, and have supervising faculty and Performance Chair approval. Each group will be mentored by a member of performance faculty. May be taken in lieu of 201. The number of units is based on work performed by agreement with instructor. See instructors for additional information. For FALL only: Students may (but are not required to) present the work(s) in public performance.

Meetings and laboratory sessions devoted to the study of composition in small groups. Consent of instructor required.
Additional Description: The composition seminar, required of all entering graduate composers, is taught on a rotating basis by the Music Department composition faculty and has several purposes: to intensify the collegiality of student composers both with regard to ideas and techniques and to become better acquainted with each other's outlooks and needs in order to achieve the most congenial and productive match-ups between faculty and students for subsequent individual study. Seminars typically include group meetings and individual attention as appropriate. Composition Juries - At the end of the first Fall quarter in residence (in January), and again following Spring quarter (in October), all new graduate composition students are reviewed in juries by the composition faculty. Following the performance and discussions of the day, the composition faculty meets to assess the students' work. Details about the jury process are provided during Welcome Week and throughout the quarter.

Instructor: Rand Steiger

The purpose of this seminar is to bring in the entire population of the graduate composition program (all students and faculty) for in-depth discussion of critical issues in music theory and composition. Each meeting will feature a formal presentation by either a student, faculty member, or visitor, followed by lively and challenging debate on relevant issues.
Additional Description: Seminar meets throughout the year on a biweekly basis in the evening. Participation is required of all enrolled graduate composition students every quarter in residence. Other students are welcome to participate. Each session begins with a one-hour talk (including recordings) by the featured composer, followed by at least one hour of discussion. Lively and challenging debate on relevant issues is encouraged. Instructors: Chinary Ung (Fall), Lei Liang (Winter), and Rand Steiger (Spring)

Meets on a biweekly basis to facilitate presentations by advanced students and invited guests and to encourage in-depth discussion between students, faculty, and visitors about theoretical and artistic issues of interest. Participation is required of all enrolled IS students until advanced to candidacy. Others are welcome to participate.
Additional Description: Instructors: Anthony Davis (Fall), Amy Cimini (Winter), and Sarah Hankins (Spring)

Seminars growing out of current faculty interests. The approach tends to be speculative and includes individual projects or papers as well as assigned readings. In the past, such areas as new instrumental and vocal resources, mixed media, and compositional linguistics have been offered.

Additional Description: Based on our ongoing collaborations with the scientists from Engineering Department and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Hearing Extremes seminar provides an unusual opportunity for artists and scientists to develop interdisciplinary projects outside the walls of their respective departments, to think of the entire campus as a place for great learning, to reconsider what each participants role might be in regard to the collaboration, and to create works that would not be possible without a fully integrated approach that reflects the knowledge, technology and global issues of our time. The seminar will provide participants the opportunity to work with the Chicago-based Dal Niente Ensemble at the end of the quarter, culminating in a public performance on May 26, 2023 at the Conrad Prebys Concert Hall. The concert is co-sponsored by the Dean of Art & Humanities office and the Calit2 IDEAS series.

Instructor: Lei Liang

Additional Description: This seminar is a continuation of my 2020 seminar with the same name, where we explored the concepts of free-energy principle (FEP) in culture, brain and machine learning to find broad musical equivalences and implications to these ideas and processes in experimental and enculturated musical practices. This time around we will extend the discussion to emphasize the active inference aspect of the FEP and link it to methods of reinforcement learning as it is applied to control and human-machine creative interaction with generative musical systems. Expected Background: The seminar is open for enrollment to music students without requiring prior background and to students from other departments upon instructor's approval. Although we will be dealing with rather advanced concepts in Machine Learning, the level of mathematical detail and the type of final project will depend on the student's background. Basic knowledge of statistics and programming is expected.

Instructor: Shlomo Dubnov

Additional Description: A hands-on discussion of the aesthetics of recording music and working with recordings. We'll think through the inter-relationship between the three title concepts through reading, discussion and through doing. I know that many of you have in-process recording projects or archives of material that you may not exactly know what to do with. We will workshop pieces and concepts together over the course of the quarter. No specific technical expertise required.

Instructor: Anthony Burr

Additional Description: Sound, whether organized (musical) or unwanted (noise) is steeped with political meaning and significance. The politics of sound are not limited to the auditory as silence also operates as a tool for social discipline, political repression and cultural homogenization by powers of authority and capitalist structures. How has noise itself become a resource for musicians, artists, and activists? Noise can be many things: disruptive, painful, annoying, OR it can be transgressive, liberating, and a critical expression of refusal. Noise can take on many forms: metaphorical, silent, visual, dissonant, literary, quiet or loud, but most importantly, powerfully subjective.This seminar is structured as a reading group. We will attempt to develop a foundation for our discussions through readings on the definitions and agency of noise and its metaphysical, political, critical, socio-cultural connotations. This is all ultimately aimed at collectively negotiating a path towards a speculative discussion on the thresholds of aesthetic and personal bodily encounters that noise can transgress through musical expression.

Instructor: Michelle Lou

Seminars on subject areas relating to the established dimensions of music and in which theoreticians have produced a substantial body of work. These include studies in analysis, timbre, rhythm, notation, and psychoacoustics. Offerings vary depending on faculty availability and interest. Analytical paper required.
Additional Description: In this course, we will examine the ethics, agency, and public spheres of music-making as relational. Each student will be asked to concentrate on a genre, medium, or a musician's body of works of their choice and examine how diverse musicians or populations of their choice engaged with it over time. The goal is to both share one's research and reflections with the class and confront difficulties that arise in doing this kind of work, hopefully leading to a publishable paper. For additional Information, see: Music-207-Music-as-Relation.pdf

Instructor: Jann Pasler

Seminars on subject areas relating to the established dimensions of music and in which theoreticians have produced a substantial body of work. These include studies in analysis, timbre, rhythm, notation, and psychoacoustics. Offerings vary depending on faculty availability and interest. Analytical paper required.
Additional Description: The primary aim of this seminar is for each student to submit an essay to a peer- reviewed journal by the end of the quarter. Another aim is to provide a venue for students who are in the final stages of writing substantial documents such as MA theses or PhD dissertations to workshop one or two chapters. Students will arrive on week two with a solid draft of the essay or chapter on which they plan to work throughout the quarter. For those aiming for publication, identifying a suitable publication venue, writing, and revising (with intensive feedback from other seminar participants) are key aspects of the seminar's activities. Seminar grades will be based on the improvement made in each student's writing as well as on class participation. Seminar students are expected to read and actively comment on all drafts circulated over the course of the quarter.

Instructor: Nancy Guy

The analysis of complex music. The course will assume that the student has a background in traditional musical analysis. The goal of the course is to investigate and develop analytical procedures that yield significant information about specific works of music, old and new. Reading, projects, and analytical papers.
Additional Description: Core course. May be offered in alternate years.

Instructor: Chinary Ung

Seminar discussions and individual meetings devoted to the interdisciplinary study of music, sound, and society. Students are introduced to key ideas, important thinkers, and influential practitioners in an array of related fields, and are invited to explore the intersecting roles of culture, cognition and creativity, and how musical behaviors and phenomena relate to matters of ideology, nationality, ethnicity, social class, race, and gender.
Additional Description: This course is part of a year-long core sequence required of all entering graduate students in the Integrative Studies program. It is taught on a rotating basis by faculty in the Integrative Studies area. Students are evaluated through regular writing assignments, and, on completion of the entire core sequence (MUS 215 A-B-C), students take a preliminary examination designed to evaluate one's command of the course materials and of scholarly research and writing conventions more broadly.

Instructor: David Borgo

Seminar discussions and individual meetings devoted to the interdisciplinary study of music, sound, and society. Students are introduced to key ideas, important thinkers, and influential practitioners in an array of related fields, and are invited to explore the intersecting roles of culture, cognition and creativity, and how musical behaviors and phenomena relate to matters of ideology, nationality, ethnicity, social class, race, and gender.

Seminar discussions and individual meetings devoted to the interdisciplinary study of music, sound, and society. Students are introduced to key ideas, important thinkers, and influential practitioners in an array of related fields, and are invited to explore the intersecting roles of culture, cognition and creativity, and how musical behaviors and phenomena relate to matters of ideology, nationality, ethnicity, social class, race, and gender.
Additional Description: This will course familiarize students with music scholarship that employs ethnographic and oral history research methods. Students will critique recent and classic works primarily drawn from the ethnomusicological literature, engage in practical writing exercises, and produce a writing project based on fieldwork conducted in the local San Diego community.

Instructor: Nancy Guy

Seminar discussions and individual meetings devoted to the interdisciplinary study of music, sound, and society. Students are introduced to key ideas, important thinkers, and influential practitioners in an array of related fields, and are invited to explore the intersecting roles of culture, cognition and creativity, and how musical behaviors and phenomena relate to matters of ideology, nationality, ethnicity, social class, race, and gender.
Additional Description: This course is part of a year-long core sequence required of all entering graduate students in the Integrative Studies program. It is taught on a rotating basis by faculty in the Integrative Studies area. Students are evaluated through regular writing assignments, and, on completion of the entire core sequence (MUS 215 A-B-C), students take a preliminary examination designed to evaluate one's command of the course materials and of scholarly research and writing conventions more broadly.

Meetings on a group basis with integrative studies faculty in support of individual student research projects.

This course will give practical experience in conducting a variety of works from various eras of instrumental and/or vocal music. Students will study problems of instrumental or vocal techniques, formal and expressive analysis of the music, and manners of rehearsal. Required of all graduate students.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (Offered in selected years.)
Additional Description: Core requirement for all graduate students. May be offered in alternate years.

Instructor: Steven Schick

A seminar to give practical experience in orchestration. Students will study works from various eras ofinstrumental music and will demonstrate their knowledgeby orchestrating works in the styles of these various eras, learning the capabilities, timbre, and articulation of all the instruments in the orchestra.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. (Offered in selected years.).
Additional Description:

Instructor: Chinary Ung

Individual or master class instruction in advanced instrumental/vocal performance.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor through audition.
Additional Description: Taken every quarter by students with an emphasis in Performance. Instructors: Performance faculty

Repertoire is drawn from the classic symphonic literature of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries with a strong emphasis on recently composed and new music. Distinguished soloists, as well as The La Jolla Symphony Chorus, frequently appear with the orchestra. The La Jolla Symphony Orchestra performs two full-length programs each quarter for a total of 6 concert series per season with 2 performances for each concert series. Prerequisites for enrolling: You will need to audition, be accepted to join the orchestra, and cleared by department before being permitted to enroll in the course.
Additional Description: Students participating are encouraged to enroll for credit. The course may be repeated six times for credit.

The purpose of this seminar is to bring together performance students, faculty, and guests for discussion, presentation of student and faculty projects, performances by guest artists, and master classes with different members of the performance faculty.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (S/U grade option only).
Additional Description: Due to the continued pandemic, Performers Focus this quarter, will be virtual. We will join together to perform for one another, to discuss, share, and brainstorm. In addition we will address what it means to perform virtually, its performance practice, potential audiences, as well as other topics relevant to performance.

Advanced topics in music technology and its application to composition and/or performance. Offerings vary according to faculty availability and interest.Maybe repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Music 173 or equivalent and consent of instructor.
Additional Description: TBD.

Instructor: Tamara Smyth

Advanced topics in music technology and its application to composition and/or performance. Offerings vary according to faculty availability and interest.Maybe repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Music 173 or equivalent and consent of instructor.

Digital techniques for analysis, synthesis, and processing of musical sounds. Sampling theory. Software synthesis techniques. Digital filter design. The short-time Fourier transform. Numerical accuracy considerations.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Additional Description: Part of the three-course sequence 270ABC for first year Computer Music students. Digital techniques for analysis, synthesis, and processing of musical sounds. Sampling theory. Software synthesis techniques. Digital filter design. The short-time Fourier transform. Numerical accuracy considerations. Tamara Smyth

Transformations in musical composition; series and intervalic structures; serial approaches to rhythm and dynamic. The stochastic music of Xenakis and Cage. Hiller's automatic composition. Improvisational models. Computer analysis of musical style. Neurally inspired and other quasiparallel algorithms.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Additional Description: M. Puckette. Part of first year computer music sequence.

Meetings on group basis with computer music faculty in support of individual student research projects. Prerequisites: consent of instructor and completion of Music 270A-B-C.
Additional Description: Taken by Computer Music emphasis MA students every quarter of the second year, and PhD students every quarter in residence, after completion of the 270ABC sequence.

A hands-on encounter with several important works from the classic electronic repertory, showing a representative subset of the electronic techniques available to musicians. Intended primarily for students in areas other than computer music.
Prerequisite: none.
Additional Description: Composition emphasis students may petition through the Graduate Advisor to substitute Music 271 for the Music 291 core requirement.

Consideration and development of research methods appropriate to graduate-level scholarship and practice-based research.
Additional Description: Composition emphasis students may petition through the Graduate Advisor to substitute Music 271 for the Music 291 core requirement. May be offered in alternate years.

Individual research. (S/U grades permitted.) May be repeated for credit. Enrollment by consent of instructor only.
Additional Description: Research with selected faculty on individual basis, with units per agreement between student and faculty. Six unit minimum required specifically for preparation of PhD/DMA qualifying exams, normally taken with each of the Music committee members for S/U grade.

Individual research projects relevant to the student's selected area of graduate interest conducted in continuing relationship with a faculty adviser in preparation for the master's thesis or doctoral dissertation.(S/Ugrades permitted.)
Additional Description: Six unit minimum required in preparation of MA thesis. Twelve units quarterly required after PhD/DMA qualifying exams, to prepare for doctoral dissertation; normally taken with music committee chair and/or members for S/U grade.

Participation in the undergraduate teaching program is required of all graduate students at the equivalentof 25 percent time for three quarters (six units is required for all graduate students).
Additional Description: All TAs must simultaneously enroll in Music 500 with the course instructor each quarter in which they are a TA. Participation in the undergraduate teaching program is required of all graduate students at the equivalent of 25% time for three quarters, or 33% for two quarters (6 units of Music 500). Units correspond to hours of work per week. Enroll as follows: 2 units = 10 hours (equivalent to 25% TA), 3 units = 13.5 hours (equivalent to 33% TA), and 4 units = 20 hours (equivalent to 50% TA.). It is the student's responsibility to seek out teaching experiences to acquire 6 units of Music 500 if no TA is assigned. NOTE: New TAs also enroll in FALL quarter for 1 unit of MUS 501 with the department Faculty TA Advisor for New TA Training.

Instructor: Wilfrido Terrazas

Consideration and development of pedagogical methods appropriate to undergraduate teaching.
Additional Description: TAs with appointments in a non-Music department or college (e.g. 6th College) with a MUSIC department instructor enroll in Music 501, instead of 500, as follows: 2 units = 10 hours (equivalent to 25% TA), 3 units = 13.5 hours (equivalent to 33% TA), and 4 units = 20 hours (equivalent to 50% TA.). TA's must enroll in MUS 501 in FALL quarter for New TA Training.

Instructor: Wilfrido Terrazas