Undergraduate Courses

PLEASE NOTE:

Times and locations of courses are published in the Public Class Schedule.

Official Calendar Course Descriptions are available in the Undergraduate and Graduate Calendars.

Official Course Outlines will be distributed at the first class of the term.

Fall 2024/Winter 2025

MUSI 1000A Introduction to the Study of Music – Winter

PROFESSOR: James Deaville
DESCRIPTION: An introduction to the study of music at Carleton University. We cover the mechanics of how we study music, the writing the research paper, the fields of music study, etc. It is supposed to prepare the student for their undergraduate studies in music. We will also consider the role of AI in music research.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 1001B Classical Music History – Winter

PROFESSOR: Antonio Llaca Buznego
DESCRIPTION: .
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 1002A Issues in Popular Music – Fall

PROFESSOR: Jack Hui Litster
DESCRIPTION: History of popular musics globally from the 19th century to the present. This course explores current examples and origins of musical genres which are currently internationally popular, including blues, country, R&B, hip hop, electronic dance music (EDM), Indigenous music, K-pop, reggae, jazz and metal. Discussion topics include the Black Atlantic, evolution of the music industry, songwriting, music production techniques, cultural appropriation, censorship, the Ottawa pop music community, music and social justice, and sexuality.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: 10% Class Participation
10% Listening Quiz 1
10% Listening Quiz 2
10% Listening Quiz 3
20% Assignment 1 (song analysis/comparison)
20% Assignment 2 (live music report)
20% Final Exam
READINGS: Online reading and listening (no textbook).

MUSI 1003B Understanding Music – Winter

PROFESSOR: Jesse Stewart
DESCRIPTION: Through musical examples drawn from diverse cultures and historical periods, students develop the ability to describe and analyze different aspects of music and deepen their appreciation of music as a cultural experience. No credit for students in B.Mus, B.A. Honours Music or B.A. Music.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Attendance/participation (10%); 3 concert reports (45%); Comparative essay (20%); Final exam (25%)
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 1107A Elementary Materials of Music – Fall

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METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 1700A Foundations of Music Theory – Fall

PROFESSOR: James McGowan
DESCRIPTION: MUSI 1700A involves the study of the principles, materials, and techniques of tonal music using music analysis, notation, and ear training activities. The course starts with an overview and review of music theory fundamentals, followed by a study of chords, rhythm, and melody, an introduction to the study of tonal counterpoint, and the combination of all these elements with a study of harmony and voice leading of diatonic tonal music. A variety of musical examples will be studied, including jazz, popular, world, and classical styles; students will be encouraged and guided to make critical and analytical connections between the music-historical and cultural traditions of the music we study and theories of the tools, practices, and compositional craft that underlie it. Since the well-rounded musician must develop written skills hand-in-hand with aural skills, the importance of making the connection between the aural effect of musical examples, and their written form, will be stressed.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Assignments, Midterm Test, and Final Exam. No Essays
READINGS: Textbook is required (eBook version or a hard copy that has access to publishers’ online materials): L. Poundie Burstein and Joseph N. Straus. Concise Introduction to Tonal Harmony. 2nd edition, W.W.Norton; and Required access to additional web resources. Workbook is not required

MUSI 1701B Theoretical Studies: Tonal Music Literatcy– Winter

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METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
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MUSI 1711A Theory: Applied Rhythm Training I – Fall

PROFESSOR: Kathy Armstrong
DESCRIPTION: This applied rhythm course will immerse students in hands on activities that are designed to build facility with Western and non-Western rhythmic concepts and their practical applications. Through use of the rhythmic solfege system Takadimi, students will learn to recognize rhythmic patterns and groupings. A fundamental element of the course will be participation in traditional music-making practices from West Africa.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Skills tests, written and online assignments, group playing assignments, and attendance.
READINGS: Hoffman, Richard (2009). The Rhythm Book (2nd ed.). Franklin, Tennessee: Harpeth River Publishing

MUSI 1720B Vocal Musicianship – Winter

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MUSI 2005A Intro to Jazz History – Fall

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METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

PROFESSOR: William Echard
DESCRIPTION: This course provides students with an historical survey and stylistic analysis of the development of popular music (mostly in the US and UK) in the second half of the twentieth century (roughly between 1945 and the 1980s). The course will emphasize both the changing historical circumstances in which popular music was created and appreciated, and the changing characteristics of the music itself.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 2008A Music of the World's People – Fall

PROFESSOR: Kathy Armstrong
DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to Music of the World’s Peoples, and the socio-cultural contexts in which those musics are created and performed. We will investigate music from several different geographic areas (Africa, India, North America, South America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East) using relevant readings, discussion, and audio/visual examples.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Discussion Forum, Video Assignment, Written Term Project in Three Parts, Attendance
READINGS: Suggested: Titon, Jeff Todd (2018) Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the World (Shorter Version), fourth edition, New York: Cengage. (Online version available)

MUSI 2602B Introduction to Composition – Winter

PROFESSOR: James McGowan
DESCRIPTION: Introduction to theories and technicalities involved in original creative writing through the preparation of individual assignments; based in the practice of recent music in the Western Classical tradition while allowing for the music of other Western styles and traditions to be addressed.
Includes: Experiential Learning Activity
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Assignments (take-home and in-class), and final composition project
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 2605A Choral Conducting – Fall

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READINGS: TBA

MUSI 2607A Digital Music Literacy – Fall

PROFESSOR: Jack Hui Litster
DESCRIPTION: Introduction to music theories and approaches with a focus on knowledge of digital music practices. This course embraces a variety of musical styles and traditions, and introduces students to Digital Audio Workstations, sound synthesis, analytical techniques of sound, and related concepts. Students in this course will gain experience using sample instruments and basic MIDI programming, and will gain an understanding of the basics of audio recording and editing. Students enrolled in this course are expected to already be able to do one or more of the following: sing, play any instrument, or create music electronically.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Music production ear training quizzes (2) 15% each
Assignments (3) – 15% each
Class participation – 5%
Final exam – 20%
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 2700A Theory Common Practice II – Fall

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METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 2701A Theoretical Studies: Popular Music Practice – Winter

PROFESSOR: James McGowan
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MUSI 2710A Theoretical Studies: Aural Training – Fall

PROFESSOR: James McGowan
DESCRIPTION: MUSI 2710A is a practical study of music as an aural phenomenon, and is a continuation of the course MUSI 1710 or MUSI 1720. This experiential course focuses on three primary areas of musicianship development: ear training (aural analysis and transcription of melodic and harmonic structures), singing (sight reading, improvisation, and prepared solfège performance), and keyboard harmony. In this way, students develop musicianship skills of both audiation—intentional listening and internalizing musical phenomena—and musical representation—in notation, analysis, singing, and keyboard playing. Sound materials are drawn from a range of sources, live and recorded.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Ear training assignments and unit tests, sight singing and keyboard assessments, interactive class participation, and online assignments. No essays. The final exam is just one of the unit tests
READINGS:Course Pack is available for purchase at the Carleton Bookstore (with a PDF provided free of charge for reference purposes) on Brightspace. Required access to additional free web resources

MUSI 2711A Theory: Applied Rhythm Training II – Winter

PROFESSOR: Kathy Armstrong
DESCRIPTION: A continuation of 1711, this applied rhythm course will immerse students in hands on activities that are designed to build facility with Western and non-Western rhythmic concepts and their practical applications. Through the continued use of the rhythmic solfege system Takadimi, students will learn to recognize rhythmic patterns and groupings, and compare different notation systems. A fundamental element of the course will be participation in traditional music-making practices from West Africa.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Skills tests, written and online assignments, group playing assignments, and attendance
READINGS: Hoffman, Richard (2009). The Rhythm Book (2nd ed.). Franklin, Tennessee: Harpeth River Publishing

MUSI 3000B Careers in Music – Winter

PROFESSOR: Kalle Wainio
DESCRIPTION: MUSI3000 will equip students with a fundamental understanding of how the modern music industry functions, its many roles and essential components, how to generate profit from their music, and how to navigate the business side of music as an artist/songwriter/composer/musician or other professional participant across all genres. This course aims to be as inclusive as possible and provide a broad overview of the music industry as a whole, and will equip students with skills and information required to pursue a diverse range of careers in the music industry.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Approximate breakdown: 40% completed assignments (2 in total), 20% attendance and participation, 40% final project.
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 3103A Music in Canada – Fall

PROFESSOR: Gale Franklin
DESCRIPTION: Through an examination of many genres and styles, including classical, folk, popular, and jazz, this course explores the ways that music participates in shaping complex and often conflicting ideas about nation, belonging, and identity in Canada. In the course, students will examine relationships to “Canada” from a critical lens to consider sound and music in dialogue with social transformation and the contexts of race, gender, sexuality, disability, citizenship and other sociocultural factors
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 3104B Music in Canada – Winter

PROFESSOR: William Echard
DESCRIPTION: This course examines a range of popular music styles currently practiced in Canada. By working backwards from selected contemporary case studies, it also develops a survey of popular musics in Canada from early colonial times to the present, considering aesthetic and technical features along with related cultural and historical issues.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 3108B Musics of the Middle East & North Africa – Winter

PROFESSOR: Carolyn Ramzy
DESCRIPTION: In this course, we investigate the religious, classical, and folk music traditions that have propelled and accompanied these transformations known as the “Arab Uprising” beginning in 2011 and the cultural shifts that have followed in the region. We will listen, watch, and analyze how many traditional practices in the region have quickly reconfigured as urban traditions in popular spheres, including an eclectic mix of Algerian rai, Maghrebi electronic hip-hop, Egyptian nationalist pop songs, as well as Palestinian and Israeli rap, among many others.We will explore issues of identity, globalization, and governance following the Arab Uprisings through the lens of sound studies, anthropology, and ethnomusicology, while asking ourselves: what parallels of Middle Eastern music and culture echo in our own North American soundscapes and experiences?
And how are our music cultures in conversation with one another?
METHOD OF EVALUATION: In-Class Participation: 20%
Listening Quiz 1 – January 31: 10 %
Listening Quiz 2 – March 13: 10 %
Listening Quiz 3 – April 3: 10 %
In-Class Midterm – Feb 28: 25%
Final Exam: 25%
READINGS: Readings can be found at the MacOdrum Library Reserve Desk or are available online through ARES and Brightspace.
Cross-listed with: ANTH 2660

MUSI 3200A Jazz Improvising – Fall

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MUSI 3200B Race and Representation in the Arts - Winter

PROFESSORS: Kathy Armstrong, Malini Guha, Gül Kale
DESCRIPTION: This course takes a cross-disciplinary as well as intersectional approach to the topic of race and representation. Spanning a variety of artistic mediums including film, music, visual art and architecture, this course will explore the politics of representation, and the challenges as well as opportunities of producing works by artists, makers, and collectives from Black, Indigenous and racialized communities.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA
Cross-Listed With: ARTH 3809B & FILM 3901B

MUSI 3201A Special Topics: Voice, Body, Soma, Sense, Sound: Material Perspectives on Singing, 1830-Present – Fall

PROFESSOR: Catherine Schwartz
DESCRIPTION: What is a singing voice? What does it look like, sound like, feel like? How do listening practices affect voice? How do bodily and other material aspects of singing relate to the common view of “voice” as a metaphor for authenticity and agency? Whose voice is it, anyway? This course grapples with these questions by exploring somatic, sonic, visual, and other sensory aspects of singing inclusive of environmental, technological, spiritual, ethical, ideological, and cultural considerations. Through case studies of singers and singing practices encompassing various styles and genres from 1830 to the present, the course provides historical perspective while attending to pressing contemporary issues. Course materials have been selected to present a diverse range of vocal practices, artistic concerns, and scholarly thought. Using lectures, class discussions, small-group work, and experiential learning, this course aims to furnish students with knowledge of how particular singing voices can be understood through a material lens and equip them to engage with the broader cultural discourse on “voice” beyond the class. It is suitable for musicians and “non-musicians.”
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA, but to include some combination of quizzes, tests, and/or exams as well as experiential learning responses, group presentations, and individual short paper.
READINGS: Online readings.

MUSI 3201B Special Topic: Music Education Inside the Classroom and Out – Winter

PROFESSOR: Jazmin Ghent-Jackson
DESCRIPTION: This course provides an overview of music education’s historical, cultural, and philosophical developments. Students will explore the role of music education in studios, schools, and the community setting. Through in-class teaching demonstrations and observations, students will gain the necessary tools and hands-on experience to succeed. Key topics include classroom management, teaching resources, and crafting lesson plans. By exploring current trends, methodologies, and literature, MUSI 3201 will provide you with different perspectives to inform your decision on a career in music education.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Class Discussions: 10%
Class Presentations: 40%
Lesson Plans: 20%
Final Project: 20%
Observation & Interview: 10%
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 3201D Special Topic: Digital Media Production - Winter Term

PROFESSOR: Paul Jasen
DESCRIPTION: This course is designed for emerging arts (and design) professionals in any field. Our focus is on developing fundamental skills in digital media production that will be of use to students planning careers in the arts sector or related industries. Through lessons, case studies, workshopping and collaborative production sessions, students will gain experience in the following areas: website design and development, image editing, audio recording and podcasting, digital photography, streaming video, designing for print, social media integration and writing for the web. Students will leave this course having developed a multi-faceted portfolio project related to their field, as well as confidence and demonstrated proficiency using current media production tools and platforms.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: In-class workshopping activities; small, skills-building assignments; production of a multi-part media project on a topic related to your field or creative practice.
READINGS AND TECHNOLOGY: TBA
This course is cross-listed as ARTH 3809D and FILM 3901B.

MUSI 3402A Film Music – Winter

PROFESSOR: James Deaville
DESCRIPTION: A lecture course on the use of music and sound in film and television, from the silent era to the present day. We study the techniques, styles and theory of film music and sound through the examination of selected scenes from leading films of each era, with a focus on Hollywood productions by major composers (e.g. Steiner, Herrmann, Williams, Zimmer).
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 3408B European Art Music, 19th C. – Winter

PROFESSOR: James Deaville
DESCRIPTION: A survey of the history of 19th-century European classical music (from circa 1800 to circa 1900). Lecture topics will deal with selected composers and musical genre, including Beethoven and the evolution of the symphony, the German art song (Schubert and Schumann), the Romantic virtuosic repertoire (Chopin, Liszt, Paganini), the symphonic poem (Berlioz, Liszt, Richard Strauss), Verdi and Italian opera, Wagner and the music drama, 19th-century nationalism in music, and fin-de-siècle Vienna (Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler).
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 3606B Live Sound – Winter

PROFESSOR: John Rosefield
DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to give students an overview of all audio elements specific to the live sound mixing process. Students will learn about a wide range of topics such as specific audio equipment and their functions, pre production packages, microphones and cables, and signal routing and mixing on different types of mixing consoles. Each class will consist of some theoretical instruction on live sound principles and/or specific audio equipment followed by hands-on demonstrations and opportunities for students to work on the audio equipment.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Students will be evaluated through weekly ear training quizzes, two written assignments, and an in class presentation. Marks will also be allocated for class engagement and participation.
READINGS: There are no readings outside of the handouts students will receive through Brightspace each week.

MUSI 3701A Jazz Styles and Structures – Fall

PROFESSOR: Mark Ferguson
DESCRIPTION:
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MUSI 3710A Global Music Theories – Fall

PROFESSOR: Lyndsey Copeland
DESCRIPTION: A continuation of the study of aural skills, theory, and analysis that focuses on global musical traditions originating in the Middle East, southeast Asia, and southern Africa. Includes experiential learning activity. Prerequisite(s): MUSI 1700, MUSI 2710 and MUSI 2711, or permission of the instructor
METHOD OF EVALUATION: In-class engagement (20%)
Small assignments (20%)
Reflexive analysis (15%)
Collaborative research (15%)
Lamellophone project (30%)
READINGS:Readings and course materials will be available online via Brightspace.

MUSI 4007A Composers in Context – Fall

PROFESSOR: William Echard
DESCRIPTION: This course closely examines a selected composer, allowing a deep dive into the historical, social, cultural, and political factors that shaped the context within which they worked, as well as extensive exploration of the aesthetic and technical dimensions of their music. This year, the first half of the course will be focused on Esperanza Spalding, and the second on Steve Reich.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: TBA
READINGS: TBA

ANTH 4102B Ethnomusicology Theory & Practice – Winter

PROFESSOR: Anna Hoefnagles
DESCRIPTION: In this course students learn and apply research methods common to ethnomusicological research, developing an ethnographic project that draws on critical contemporary theories in ethnomusicology. Students will select and work with musicians or a music community in the Greater Ottawa Area and develop a project that explores music-making practices, histories and goals. Throughout the term, students will explore ethical considerations in conducting research, will explore current themes in ethnomusicological research, and will engage in fieldwork methods, including interviewing, participant observation and thick description.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Evaluation will include attendance and active participation in classroom discussions, weekly reading and reflection journals, a short presentation and written summary, and an extended and guided independent research project.
READINGS: Online readings
Cross-Listed with: MUSI 5200B

MUSI 4105B Study of Musics in Africa – Winter

PROFESSOR: Lyndsey Copeland
DESCRIPTION:
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MUSI 4200A Special Topic: Songwriting – Fall

PROFESSOR: Kalle Wainio
DESCRIPTION: MUSI4200A is designed to assist and motivate students to write original songs by educating them in the basic principles and diverse techniques of modern “pop” or contemporary songwriting. The course will cover various topics that explore the range of types of songwriting within the contemporary landscape from Taylor Swift and Drake to Bob Dylan and The Beatles. Students will listen and analyze “classic” songs and their structures (lyrics and musical), develop an understanding of how these songs are written and why they “work”, and execute these ideas and principles into their own writing.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Approximate breakdown: 50% completed writing assignments (8 in total), 20% attendance and participation in the workshop/listening/discussion component of each class, 30% final project.
READINGS: TBA

MUSI 4200B Special Topics: Music, Performance, and the Erotic – Fall

PROFESSOR: Lyndsey Copeland
DESCRIPTION: This “Music and Performance” seminar examines musical and sonic performance genres intended or perceived to be erotic. Students will read foundational literature in the study of performance, eroticism, gender and sexuality, the senses, and sound. Students will analyze erotic genres across historical periods and generic categories, including Sufi devotional music, underwater opera, drag lip-sync, Italian troubadour songs, whale calling, and audio pornography.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: In-class participation
Listening journal
Audio-visual production
Writing assignments
READINGS: Readings and course materials will be available online via Brightspace
Cross Listed with: MUSI 5013F

MUSI 4201A Special Topics: History of Guitar – Fall

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MUSI 4201A Special Topics: Music and Animals – Winter

PROFESSOR: Ian Copeland
DESCRIPTION: In this course we will study music and sound in animal life and explore how humans in different cultures think of, listen to, and make music with other animals. By engaging with recordings, compositions, and interdisciplinary scholarship that explore human relationships with birds, whales, mosquitoes, primates, dogs, and other animals, we will address questions such as: What are the sounds that animals make, and why are those sounds called (or not called) “music”? What roles have non-human animals played in human music-making? How have animals and their sounds been interpreted by different human cultures, and what might the consequences of listening to animals be for climate, diet, kinship, and art? Students in this course will acquire knowledge in the academic fields of ecomusicology, interspecies composition, music history, animal studies, and ethical philosophy, among others; develop and practice critical listening and writing skills; and expand their understanding of contemporary social issues such as environmental justice and food security.
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Participation and Discussion Leading (25%), Small Assignments (25%), Semester-Long Project (50%)
READINGS: Online readings, no textbook required

MUSI 4701B Introduction to Jazz Arranging – Winter

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Previous years:

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