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Composition (MUCO)
- http://www.usc.edu/schools/music/programs/comp/
- D class assignments available in TMC200; phone (213) 740-4721.
- Students accepted into a graduate program must take entrance examinations prior to their first registration. Any deficiencies revealed must be removed prior to completion of two semesters of course work. Transferring undergraduate students registering for the first time who have previous course work must take the appropriate examination for placement. Contact the Thornton School Office of Student Affairs for information. INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION - 1 unit has a $350 fee, and includes 7.5 hours of total instruction. 2 units has a $700 fee, and includes 15 hours of total instruction. Contact school for course level guide.
An introductory course in music theory required for those majors in need of remedial training, and available to the general student who wishes to develop music writing skills. Not available for credit to B.M. and B.A. music majors. Recommended preparation: ability to read music
| 42701R | 001 | Lecture | 9:00-9:50am | Tue, Thu | 13 of 20 | Michael Lee | UUCB2 | |   |
Introduction to music theory; scales, intervals, principles of common practice and popular music harmony; melodic, harmonic, and structural analysis; 20th-century developments. Not available for credit to B.M. majors.
| 42708D | 001 | Lecture | 2:00-3:20pm | Mon, Wed | 13 of 25 | Veronika Krausas | UUCB3 | | |
Study of harmony used in the popular music idiom, as well as diminished chord patterns, modulation techniques, basic modal theory, and principles of melodic construction.
- Prerequisite: MUCO 131a
- Note: For Popular Music Majors Only
| 42711D | 001 | Lecture | 11:00-11:50am | Tue, Thu | 28 of 28 | Jonathan Patterson | TMCG128 | |  |
Sight-singing, dictation, related keyboard application.
- Prerequisite: MUCO 132a
- Note: Register for one lecture and lab listed immediately following that lecture
a: Notation, scales, intervals; introduction to counterpoint;harmonic principles of the common practice period; analysis,written work. b: Continuation of 133a; elements of form;application of analysis to performance. Concurrent registration inAural Skills required.
Practical understanding and perception of music coupled with the ability to follow a score and understand the work in relation to dance.
| 42795D | 001 | Lecture | 8:00-8:50am | Mon, Wed | 33 of 35 | Veronika Krausas | BMH100 | | |
Introduction to the composition of concert music. Includes set exercises, free composition, study of selected compositions. Intended for qualified students not majoring in composition. Not available for degree credit to composition majors.
| 42798D | 001 | Lecture | 4:00-5:50pm | Monday | 3 of 15 | Neal Desby | MUS213 | | |
- Prerequisite: MUCO 232a
- Note: Register for one lecture and lab listed immediately following that lecture
Studies in tonal counterpoint; two-, three-, and four-part counterpoint in 18th century style; polyphonic variations, inventions.
| 42870D | 001 | Lecture | 2:00-2:50pm | Tue, Thu | 15 of 18 | Mark Weiser | MUS303 | | |
Introduction to the principles of instrumentation; ranges, techniques, timbres, transpositions of orchestral instruments; beginning exercises in orchestration.
| 42875D | 001 | Lecture | 2:00-2:50pm | Mon, Wed | 9 of 18 | Sean Friar | MUS319 | | |
Review of materials covered in Theory I and II. For students whose entrance examination in music theory indicates the need for further study.
Individual instruction in composition for non-composition majors. Continuation of
MUCO 221abx. Not open to B.M. in Composition majors.
- Prerequisite: MUCO 221b
- Restriction: Registration closed to the following major(s): Composition
| 42916D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 6 of 25 | Mark Weiser | MUS308 | | |
Review of the materials covered in Aural Skills I, II, III. For students whose entrance examination in aural skills indicates the need for further study.
| 42920D | 001 | Lecture | 5:00-5:50pm | Mon, Wed | 10 of 20 | Sarah Gibson | MUS204 | | |
Continuation of
MUCO 237; composition in larger forms.
- Prerequisite: MUCO 337a
- Note: This course is setup as a lecture course with i.i. The lecture portion will be taught on Mondays and the i.i. on Wednesdays or any other day pending instructor availability. Register for lecture and lab.
| 42943D | 001 | Lecture | 12:00-1:50pm | Monday | 5 of 8 | Frank Ticheli | MUS204 | | |
| | | TBA
| Wednesday
| | | MUS308
| | |
| 42944D | 001 | Lab | 11:00-12:20pm | Friday | 5 of 8 | Frank Ticheli | BMH100 | | |
Range, techniques, timbre, transposition of orchestralinstruments; exercises in orchestration. Not available for credit to theory and composition majors.
Recommended preparation: MUCO 233b| 42950D | 001 | Lecture | 11:00-11:50am | Mon, Wed | 6 of 20 | Neal Desby | UUCB3 | | |
Review of materials covered in elementary orchestration; for students whose entrance examination in orchestration indicates a need for further study.
| 42955D | 001 | Lecture | 9:00-9:50am | Mon, Wed | 14 of 15 | Neal Desby | MUS102B | | |
Selected analytical topics.
| 43000D | 001 | Lecture | 4:00-5:50pm | Wednesday | 10 of 19 | Ted Hearne | MUS319 | | |
Individual instruction in composition; preparation for senior recital. Not intended for SMPTV students.
| 43017D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 5 of 15 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Characteristics and use of individual instruments; writing for separate choirs; chamber and solo writing; scoring piano, organ, and orchestral music for band.
| 43025D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 0 of 15 | Anthony Fox | MUS308 | | |
Planning, timing, composing, and orchestrating music for dramatic and documentary films and television programs.
- Prerequisite: MUCO 440A
- Note: SMPTV Only (meets off campus in a studio assigned by instructor)
| 43032D | 001 | Lecture | 7:30-9:30pm | Tuesday | 20 of 20 | Daniel Carlin,
Robert Young | TMC118 | | |
Arranging and composing for chorus.
| 43035D | 001 | 2.0 | Lecture | 12:00-1:50pm | Thursday | 9 of 12 | Morten Lauridsen | MUS102B | | |
A comprehensive survey of the craft of composing music for motion pictures and television, combining film music history and score analysis, geared specifically to composers. Open only to students in the Advanced Studies Certificate Program in Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television and the BM in Composition (Film Scoring).
- Prerequisite: MUCO 442A
- Restriction: Registration open to the following major(s): Composition (Film Scoring), Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television
- Note: SMPTV Only
Applied techniques in film music analysis and preparation for scoring.
Practical composition course covering the unique art, craft, and technology involved in composing and integrating video-game music. Prerequisite:
MUCO 133b.
Recommended preparation: Composition background,
MTEC 443 or
MTEC 445.
Individual research and readings. Not avaliable for graduate credit.
- Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Junior, Senior
| 43055D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 0 of 10 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Survey of common practice period (1650-1900) approaches to phrase design, tonal organization and type-forms (binary, ternary, rondo, sonata.)
| 43065D | 001 | Lecture | 5:00-6:50pm | Wednesday | 14 of 20 | Brian Head | MUS303 | | |
Introductory survey of 20th/21st century approaches to the organization of pitch (serial, modal, extended tonal, etc.), rhythm, texture and form.
| 43070D | 001 | Lecture | 12:00-1:50pm | Monday | 13 of 19 | Mark Weiser | MUS319 | | |
Individual instruction in composition. Not open to graduate students in composition. Prerequisite: submission of portfolio of musical compositions.
- Restriction: Registration closed to the following major(s): Composition
- Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, Senior
| 43079D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 5 of 25 | Mark Weiser | MUS308 | | |
Applying the techniques of music compositions, orchestration and conducting towards creating original dramatic scores for film and TV.
| 43083D | 001 | Lecture | 12:00-1:50pm | Tuesday | 20 of 20 | Patrick Kirst | TMCG150 | | |
Appliying advanced state of the art technologies to the art of film music, including synthesizers, samplers, digital audio workstations and hard disk recording.
| 43090D | 001 | Lecture | 10:00-11:50am | Friday | 20 of 20 | Daniel Carlin | TMCG147 | | |
Application of the Schenkerian methods to individual movements and short pieces.
| 43097D | 001 | Lecture | 10:00-11:50am | Wednesday | 6 of 15 | Bob Moore | MUS319 | | |
Continuation of Orchestration III with emphasis on contemporary techniques.
| 43105D | 001 | 2.0 | Lecture | 2:00-3:50pm | Friday | 12 of 15 | Andrew Norman | MUS319 | | |
For graduates with evidence of preparation for advanced work.
- Note: This course also has the per unit individual instruction fee attached.
| 43109D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 7 of 15 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Post-modernism of reaction, post-modernism of resistance, mannerist minimalism, anti-modernism.
| 43115D | 001 | Lecture | 12:00-1:50pm | Monday | 12 of 18 | Bob Moore | TMCG156 | | |
Applied techniques of music composition to video games. Includes conceptual and technical details which differentiate scoring for games.
Private instruction in composition and conducting for film and television.
| 43122D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 21 of 21 | Daniel Carlin | TMC118 | | |
Structured collaboration among composers and poets. Activities include fundamentals of poetry, comparative analysis, creative projects. Open to Literature and Creative Writing and Composition majors only; students with other majors require departmental approval.
- Restriction: Registration open to the following major(s): Literature and Creative Writing, Composition
| 43124D | 001 | Lecture | 2:00-3:50pm | Tuesday | 5 of 12 | Frank Ticheli | MUS102B | | |
Analytical survey of the development of a specific form or genre. Specific emphasis to be determined by the department.
Recommended preparation: MUCO 501.
- Note: Topic - Opera: Mythos and Logos
| 43130D | 001 | Lecture | 12:00-1:50pm | Monday | 5 of 15 | Veronika Krausas | UUCB3 | | |
Analytical study of major composers and/or problems in tonal music. Emphasis to be determined by the department.
Recommended preparation: MUCO 501.
- Note: Topic: Analysis of the American Song Book
| 43134D | 001 | Lecture | 12:00-1:50pm | Wednesday | 9 of 15 | Bob Moore | MUS102B | | |
Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.
| 43136D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 0 of 30 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Criticisms and extensions of Schenker, semiotic approaches, theories of rhythmic structure.
| 43157D | 001 | Lecture | 12:00-1:50pm | Wednesday | Canceled | Bob Moore | | | |
Continuation of
MUCO 537. For students holding the M.M. degree in composition.
- Note: This course also has the per unit individual instruction fee attached.
| 43170D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 5 of 10 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
- Prerequisite: (MUCO 536 and MUCO 637)
- Note: This course also has the per unit individual instruction fee attached.
| 43175D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 3 of 10 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.
| 43185D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 5 of 30 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded CR/NC.
- Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Doctoral Student
| 43190D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 0 of 30 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded CR/NC.
- Prerequisite: MUCO 794A
- Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Doctoral Student
| 43192D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 1 of 30 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded CR/NC.
- Prerequisite: MUCO 794B
- Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Doctoral Student
| 43194D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 1 of 30 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded CR/NC.
- Prerequisite: MUCO 794C
- Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Doctoral Student
| 43196D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 0 of 30 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |
Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded CR/NC.
- Prerequisite: MUCO 794D
- Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Doctoral Student
| 43198D | 001 | Lecture | TBA | TBA | 2 of 30 | Donald Crockett | MUS308 | | |