Music
Overview
Students majoring in Music must choose, at the time of declaring the major, one of the following focuses (up to 48 units) and may choose to pursue an additional concentration (60 units): music creation (focus), instrumental performance (focus), vocal performance (focus), music studies (focus), composition (focus or concentration) or production (focus or concentration). Students who pursue a composition concentration must complete a composition focus. And similarly, students who pursue a production concentration must complete a production focus.
Students with no prior music theory experience must take MUSC 101, offered in the fall semester. Students with substantial experience in music theory should take the Music Theory Placement Exam to see if they can pass directly into MUSC 151, offered in the spring semester.
To declare the Music major, students must have completed MUSC 151 with a grade of C or higher. In addition, to declare the music production concentration, students must have also completed MUSC 148 with a grade of C or higher. Moreover, for production students, both MUSC 151 and MUSC 148 must be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Those declaring the composition concentration must complete MUSC 113 by the end of their sophomore year.
Students intending to study abroad in their junior year must begin the music theory sequence in their first year and should only consider study abroad programs that can advance their progress in the Music major. Students who study abroad in their junior year and are pursuing a vocal or instrumental performance focus will be accommodated with online MUSA lessons. Please note that MUSC 261, MUSC 263, and MUSC 285 are all prerequisites to MUSC 490. If you are studying abroad, or if you are a transfer student, at least two of the prerequisites must be fulfilled before the fall semester of your senior year.
Requirements
Major
Required Courses (26 units):
All students pursuing a Music major must complete the following courses:
| MUSC 151 | Music Theory II | 4 units |
| MUSC 231 | Keyboard Musicianship I | 1 unit |
| MUSC 232 | Keyboard Musicianship II | 1 unit |
| MUSC 251 | Music Theory III | 4 units |
| MUSC 263 | Western Music and Culture: 1830 to the Present | 4 units |
| MUSC 285 | Topics in the Critical Study of Popular and Non-Western Music | 4 units |
| MUSC 351 | Music Theory IV | 4 units |
| MUSC 490 | Senior Seminar | 4 units |
Please note the following: 1) All Theory courses include a 0-unit Musicianship, and 2)
MUSC 261 (Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829), offered in the fall semester, is a prerequisite for
MUSC 490 (Senior Seminar) and thus must be taken before one's senior year.
In addition to these 26 units required of all Music majors, students majoring in Music must choose one of the following focuses and may choose to pursue an additional concentration. Students who pursue a composition concentration must complete a composition focus. And similarly, students who pursue a production concentration must complete a production focus.
Production Focus (44 total units)
Required Courses (16 units):
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 148 | Introduction to Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) | 4 units |
| MUSC 245 | Introduction to the Music Industry | 4 units |
| MUSC 247 | Pro Tools Fundamentals | 4 units |
Required Ensemble Participation (2 units):
Students must participate in two semesters of a faculty-led large Ensemble.
Production Concentration (60 total units):
Students must complete two semesters (4 units total) of MUSC 474 (Senior Production Comprehensive Preparation), which is required in the fall and spring semesters of their senior year.
Required Courses in addition to the Production Focus (12 units):
Required Elective (4 units):
Students must complete one 200-level Production or Composition elective: MUSC 242 (Music and Artificial Intelligence), MUSC 246 (Live Sound Engineering), MUSC 248 (Advanced Production: Sampling and Synthesis), MUSC 252 (Introduction to Songwriting), MUSC 257 (Composition Seminar) or MUSC 258 (Introduction to Film Scoring)
Composition Focus (44 total units):
Required Courses (16 units):
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 148 | Introduction to Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) | 4 units |
| MUSC 245 | Introduction to the Music Industry | 4 units |
| MUSC 257 | Composition Seminar | 4 units |
Required Ensembles Participation (2 units):
Students must participate in two semesters of a faculty-led large Ensemble.
Composition Concentration (60 total units):
Students must complete at least three additional semesters (12 units minimum) of MUSC 257 (Composition Seminar). MUSC 257 is required in the fall and spring semesters of their senior year.
Required Courses in addition to the Composition Focus (14 units):
Required Lessons Participation (2 units):
Students must participate in at least two semesters of private study (200-level MUSA) courses.
Music Creation Focus (48 total units):
Required Courses (16 units):
| MUSC 113 | Learning to Compose | 4 units |
| MUSC 148 | Introduction to Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) | 4 units |
| MUSC 245 | Introduction to the Music Industry | 4 units |
| MUSC 257 | Composition Seminar | 4 units |
Required Elective, Lessons, and Ensembles Participation (6 units):
Students must complete one 200-level Production or Composition elective: MUSC 242 (Music and Artificial Intelligence), MUSC 246 (Live Sound Engineering), MUSC 248 (Advanced Production: Sampling and Synthesis), MUSC 252 (Introduction to Songwriting), MUSC 257 (Composition Seminar) or MUSC 258 (Introduction to Film Scoring) (4 units).
Students must participate in at least one semester of private study (200-level MUSA) courses (1-unit).
Students must participate in at least one semester of a faculty-led large Ensemble (1-unit).
Instrumental Performance Focus (48 total units):
Students pursuing the instrumental performance focus are highly encouraged to participate in lessons and an ensemble starting their Freshman year.
Required Courses (9 units):
Required Lessons and Ensembles (13 units):
Students must complete six semesters of private study (200-level MUSA courses) on their principal instrument during the Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Years (6 units).
Students must complete six semesters of ensemble participation MUSC 127 (Jazz Ensemble) or MUSC 130 (Symphony Orchestra) or a combination of both (6 units).
Students must complete at least one semester of MUSC 129 (Chamber Music) or MUSC 128 (Chamber Jazz) (1-unit).
Vocal Performance Focus (46 total units):
Students pursuing the vocal performance focus are highly encouraged to participate in lessons and an ensemble starting their Freshman year and to take at least six semesters of Glee Club.
Required Courses (8 units):
Required Lessons and Ensembles (12 units):
Students must complete six semesters of private study (200-level MUSA courses) in Voice or Jazz and Commercial Voice during the Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Years (6 units).
Students must complete six semesters of MUSC 121 (Glee Club: Sopranos/Altos) or MUSC 122 (Glee Club: Tenor/Basses) (6 units required at minimum).
Music Studies Focus (46 total units):
Students wanting to pursue musicology, ethnomusicology, or music theory should elect this focus.
Required Courses (12 units):
Required Elective, Lessons, and Ensembles Participation (8 units):
Students must complete one 100-level MUSC course elective (4 units).
Students must participate in two semesters of private study (200-level MUSA) courses (2 units).
Students must participate in two semesters of a faculty-led large Ensemble.
Minor (22-23 total units):
Required Courses (16 units):
Required Elective, Lessons and Ensembles Participation (6-7 units):
Students must complete one 200-level or 300-level MUSC elective in their area of interest (4 units).
Students must participate in at least one semester of private study (200-level MUSA) courses (1-unit).
Students must participate in at least one semester of a faculty-led large Ensemble (1-2 units).
Note: MUSC 101 (Music Theory I) does not count towards this 22-23 unit requirement.
Second-Stage Writing
Students majoring in Music will satisfy the second-stage component of Occidental College's college-wide writing requirement by receiving a grade of B- or higher in
MUSC 261,
MUSC 263, or
MUSC 285. All three courses must be completed by the end of the junior year to enroll in
MUSC 490 unless you are a transfer student or a junior studying abroad, whereupon two of these three courses must be completed before one’s senior year. Please refer to the
Music Overview. Music majors who do not complete the Second-Stage Writing Requirement through the standard course-based mechanism will need to submit a satisfactory writing portfolio (consisting of 4,000 to 5,000 words) from 200- and/or 300-level Music courses to the Department Chair prior to the end of their Senior Fall semester.
Comprehensive Requirement
Senior music majors complete a senior project related to the student's area of interest. All senior projects involve both a written and a public performance/presentation component. The written component (thesis draft; or final draft of argument-driven analytic paper) must be completed by the end of
MUSC 490, which is offered in the fall semester. Each component is graded Pass with Distinction, Pass, or Fail. A final grade of Pass with Distinction on the senior comprehensive will be awarded if both components (written and public performance/presentation) are graded Pass with Distinction.
By January 15th of their junior year, students submit a proposal for their senior project to the Music Department faculty for approval. Music's "
Senior Comprehensive Project" page provides details about the project proposal and the requirements of individual concentrations and focuses.
All seniors will present their work in a public forum during their last semester. At any point in the senior comprehensive preparation process, if the Music faculty determines that the student has not sufficiently prepared to complete the project in time, the student must take a written examination in lieu of the recital or thesis submission/presentation to fulfill the senior comprehensive requirement. The faculty will supply questions drawn from the material of that student’s course of music study at Occidental.
Awards
The Elinor Remick Warren Award is presented each spring to the student who has written the most outstanding piece of music, in a Music course, that academic year.
The Peters Prize is awarded to the "Music major who, in the opinion of the faculty, had done the most during the year to advance the ideals and the prestige of music on the campus."
Transfer Credit Policies
Transfer courses may be used to fulfill major requirements if they are a very close match to a course that is offered by the Occidental Music Department and there is no feasible way for the student to take the course at Occidental in a timely manner. Please refer to the
transfer credit policy. Students must obtain permission from the Music Department Chair
before the course is taken and will require a description and syllabus of the potential course to be transferred; the course description and syllabus will be reviewed by the department faculty with that area of expertise, who will make a recommendation to the Department Chair.
Advising Information
Music Transfer Student Advice
Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: No Limit
Designated Transfer Adviser
Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in Music:
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Transfer students must complete two full years at Occidental, three if they plan to concentrate in composition or music production.
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Transfer students should come in having met as many Core requirements as possible. However, there are courses required for the major that count toward the major that meet the Arts, Regional Focus, and Pre-1800 Core requirements. Depending on how many music courses they still need to complete, they may not have room for many Core requirement courses while at Occidental.
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Students who wish to concentrate in music production or composition must begin Occidental during the first semester of their sophomore year and must enter in the fall.
General advice for transfer students wanting to major Music:
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It is not possible to complete the major in two years if a student starts Occidental in the spring semester. For students who do enter in the spring semester, since the theory sequence begins in the fall they will need to wait until the fall to begin most major requirements.
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The following six courses must be taken at Occidental: Music Theory III (MUSC 251), Music Theory IV (MUSC 351), Western Music and Culture: 1580-1829 (MUSC 261), Western Music and Culture: 1830 to the Present (MUSC 263), Topics in the Critical Study of Music (MUSC 285), and Senior Seminar (MUSC 490)
What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?
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Junior transfer students should enroll in the following courses: the Music Theory course that they place into (MUSC 101, MUSC 151, or MUSC 251), at least one of MUSC 261 or MUSC 263, and, depending on courses in transfer, either MUSC 231 or MUSC 232. They should also enroll in MUSC 285 if it is offered during their first semester, and depending on their intended focus in the major should take a course in that focus.
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Students starting mid way through their sophomore year should enroll in the Music Theory course that they place into (MUSC 101, MUSC 151, or MUSC 251). They should also enroll in MUSC 285 if it is offered during their first semester, and, depending on courses in transfer, either MUSC 231 or MUSC 232. Those who wish to focus in vocal or instrumental performance should take instrumental and vocal lessons and participate in an ensemble beginning in the first semester.
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Students starting as Rising Sophomores should enroll in the Music Theory course that they place into (MUSC 101, MUSC 151, or MUSC 251). Those who wish to focus in vocal or instrumental performance should take instrumental and vocal lessons and participate in an ensemble beginning in the first semester of their sophomore year.
Courses
MUSC - Music Courses
MUSA - Music Applied Study
Faculty
Tenure and Tenure Track Faculty
Adam Schoenberg, chair; designated transfer adviser
Associate Professor
B.M., Oberlin Conservatory of Music; M.M., D.M.A., The Juilliard School
Ramona Gonzalez
Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, Music
A.B., Occidental College; M.A., University of California, Los Angeles
Stephen S. Hudson
Assistant Professor
B.A., University of California, Davis; Ph.D., Northwestern University
David Kasunic
Professor
Director of the John Branca Institute for Music
B.A., Amherst College; M.F.A., Ph.D., Princeton University
Shanna Lorenz
Associate Professor
B.A., Reed College; M.A., Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Ph.D., New York University
Non-Tenure Track Faculty
Desiree La Vertu, associate chair
Resident Professor; Director of Choral and Vocal Activities
B.Mus., California State University, Fullerton; M.M. University of Nevada, Reno
Joe Addington
Visiting Instructor; Director of the Afro-Cuban Drumming Ensemble
Stephen Cabell
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.M., The Curtis Institute; M.M., The Juilliard School
Anthony Cardella
B.A., Lawrence University; doctoral candidate, University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music
César Castro
Visiting Instructor
Max Foreman
Resident Assistant Professor; Director of the Choi Family Music Production Center
B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Edmond Johnson
Affiliated Faculty; Senior Director of Advising
B.A., Lawrence University; M.A., Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara
Chris Kim
Resident Professor; Choi Family Director of Instrumental Music
B.M., Northwestern University; M.M., University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Daniela Smolov Levy
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.A., Princeton University; M.A., New York University; Ph.D., Stanford University
Daniel Ryan Long
Visiting Instructor
B.A., University of Virginia
Celka Ojakangas
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.A., Drury University; M.M., D.M.A., University of Southern California
Jonathan Richards
Visiting Assistant Professor; Director of the Occidental Jazz Ensemble
B.A., University of Southern California; M.F.A., California Institute of the Arts
Daniel Rotem
Visiting Instructor
B.M., Berklee College of Music
Daniel Wohl
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.A., Bard College; M.A., University of Michigan School of Music; Ph.D.., Yale School of Music
Alexander Zhu
Visiting Assistant Professor
B.M., New England Conservatory; M.M., DMA, University of Southern California
Other faculty associated with the Music department can be viewed here.