Music courses and programs | Mount Allison

Courses

Music course descriptions

Read descriptions of all our course offerings in the Academic Calendar.

Music for non-majors

Are you interested in music but not enrolled in the Bachelor of Music program? There are plenty of ways to get involved in musical life at Mount Allison! 

Courses for non-majors

These courses are designed for non-majors:

Fundamentals of Music - MUSC 1001 (3cr, Winter)
This course is an introduction to fundamental concepts of music theory, including notation and technical terminology, as well as to listening, singing, and keyboard skills.

Introduction to Western Art Music History - MUSC 1201 (3cr, Fall)
This course introduces students to the history and literature of music in the Western World and provides an overview of the various styles, eras, and genres of Western Art Music. It considers and compares changing concepts, styles, forms, and media.

Introduction to Music, Culture, and Context - MUSC 1221 (3cr, Winter)
This course considers music's role in society and culture broadly through the comparison and consideration of musics from different locations and cultural contexts, including works of jazz, popular, Indigenous (resurgence), traditional, world, and art musics. The course aims to develop students' core research and critical thinking skills. It explores the theoretical frameworks of gender studies and decolonization, and their implications for music studies.

World Music - MUSC 2021 (3cr, Fall)
This course introduces different musical traditions from around the world and examines the innovative and eclectic mix that makes up world music today.

 

You may also receive permission to register for the following courses, depending on your background knowledge and experience in music. Contact the Department Head if interested.

Introduction to Music Theory - MUSC 1101 (3cr, Fall)
This course is an intensive review of the fundamentals of Western music in staff notation (rhythm and meter, scales and keys, intervals and chord qualities), coupled with an introduction to the field of music theory as a modern academic discipline.

Four-Part Writing - MUSC 1111 (3cr, Winter) 
This course explores methods of four-part composition from eighteenth-century Europe. Topics include chorale harmonization, figured bass realization in keyboard style, and model composition in various textures.

Aural Skills and Musicianship I - MUSC 1703 (3cr, Fall AND Winter)
This course covers the practical aspects of music theory. It includes practice in aural musicianship skills, including sight-singing, interval recognition, dictation, improvisation, and keyboard skills. 

Composition & Music Technology I & II - MUSC 2141/2151 (3cr, F/W)
Learn to compose and notate original musical ideas.

Women and Music - MUSC 3261 (3cr, Winter) 
This course explores the many roles women have played in music and music-making, as performers, composers, conductors, teachers, critics, patrons or subjects of musical composition. The main focus of the course is a detailed look at music and culture in diverse periods of history and from various styles, traditions, and ethnicities. It also looks at the role of feminist criticism and gender studies in challenging our perceptions and assumptions about music.

Ensembles

We welcome non-BMus students to participate in ensembles, most of which earn one credit per year. Ensembles include:

Concerts

Attend some of the many exciting concerts offered by the Department of Music each year. All concerts, including faculty and guest recitals, student recitals, masterclasses, ensemble concerts, collegia, and colloquia are FREE to current MtA students!  See our Calendar of events page for more details.

Mount Allison’s Performing Arts Series also offers deep discounts on student tickets and subscriptions
 

    Course timetable

    2022-23
    Term Course Title Location Days Time Instructor
    W23 MUSC-1111-A Four-Part Writing CONS204 M W F 8:30AM 9:20AM A Dodson
    W23 MUSC-1001-A Fundamentals of Music CONS004 M W F 11:30AM 12:20PM J Del Motte
    W23 MUSC-1221-A Intro to Music/Culture/Context CONS100 M W F 9:30AM 10:20AM D Pearse
    W23 MUSC-1221-B Intro to Music/Culture/Context CONS100 M W F 10:30AM 11:20AM D Pearse
    W23 MUSC-1601-A Collaborative Keyboard I CONS 100 T TH 11:30AM 12:50PM D Rogosin
    W23 MUSC-1/2/3/4629W-A Chamber Orchestra CONS 004 TH 07:00PM 09:20PM M Kleyn
    W23 MUSC-1/2/3/4639W-A Symphonic Band CONS 004 M W 06:00PM 07:20PM J Kalyn
    W23 MUSC-1/2/3/4649W-A Jazz Ensemble CONS M14 T 06:00PM 08:20PM J Kalyn
    W23 MUSC-1/2/3/4659W-A Elliott Chorale CONS 204 T TH 04:00PM 05:20PM K Galway
    W23 MUSC-1/2/3/4669W-A Choral Society CONS 204 T 07:00PM 09:20PM K Galway
    W23 MUSC-1703W-A Musicianship I CONS 204 T TH 10:00AM 10:50AM D Rogosin
    W23 MUSC-2121-A Post-Tonal Analysis CONS 004 M W F 10:30AM 11:20AM A Dodson
    W23 MUSC-2151-A Composition & Music Tech II CONS 100 T TH 01:00PM 02:20PM K Morse
    W23 MUSC-2211-A Hist of Art Music Since 1900 CONS 204 M W F 11:30AM 12:20PM E Wells
    W23 MUSC-2703W-A Musicianship II CONS 204 T TH 02:30PM 03:20PM G Martin
    W23 MUSC-3171-A Electronic Music Creation CONS 100 T TH 04:00PM 05:20PM K Morse
    W23 MUSC-3261-A Women and Music CONS 211 W 01:00PM 03:50PM E Wells
    W23 MUSC-3331-A Woodwind Methods CONS 004 M W F 08:30AM 09:20AM J Kalyn
    W23 MUSC-3361-A Ensemble Leadership CONS 004 T TH 02:30PM 03:50PM K Galway
    W23 MUSC-3411-A Choral Conducting CONS 204 T TH 11:30AM 12:50PM K Galway
    W23 MUSC-4221-A Proseminar in Music History   M 06:00PM 08:30PM E Wells
    W23 MUSC-4361-A Piano Pedagogy CONS 100 T TH 08:30AM 09:50AM S Runge

     


    Programs

    Bachelor of Music

    The Bachelor of Music program includes four years of weekly private lessons on your chosen instrument or voice, combined with academic studies in music and non-music courses. This program allows you much freedom to put emphasis on performance, music education, composition, music history, or music theory.

    The BMus degree is suitable for those who contemplate any professional career in music, including teaching, performance, musicology, music therapy, arts administration, recording, broadcasting, music librarianship, and music journalism. An audition is required.

    Bachelor of Arts (major and honours in music)

    Our BA programs balance music study with courses in other disciplines. The BA emphasizes the academic aspects of music and are designed for students who wish to combine their study of music with more non-music courses than are available in the BMus curriculum. Private lessons are not available in the BA major and honours programs.

    Bachelor of Arts (minor in music)

    The minor in music is a disciplinary minor taken by students pursuing a major or honours program in another degree, or as part of a program with three minors. It consists of a selection of core and elective music courses. A minor in music is available to students in Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Commerce, and Bachelor of Fine Arts programs. Private lessons are not available in the minor in music program.

    Bachelor of Arts (joint major in Computer Science and Music)

    The joint major allows students to combine their interests and abilities in both Computer Science and Music, focusing on the practical applications of technology and the production of creative outputs that use technology. Students will also develop important problem-solving skills as they apply their programming skills to audio-related issues. A critical component of this program is a capstone project jointly supervised by Music and Computer Science faculty. Students will create an artistic work that involves significant technology components (for example, using programming software, digital audio processing, or creating an interactive sound installation), or develop a computer program or application that involves significant music components.

    We also welcome non-Music students to enroll in individual courses and to audition for our large ensembles.