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| Apple's Logic Pro Software |
Having gotten several good hours of work done on my thesis this morning and afternoon, and with a couple hours to go before "Comp du Jour" begins, I figured I would take this opportunity to write about the classes I taking this semester. Not unlike February 2010, the last semester of my program has arrived rather unexpectedly. Interestingly enough, like my final semester in college, I am currently signed up for four different music classes. (Except here at Hartt, unlike at MIT, that's considered normal.)
In alphabetical order (by course code), here are my current classes:
- COM 540 - Advanced Orchestration
- COM 562 - Music Technology II
- COM 571 - Composers' Seminar
- COM 613 - Advanced Composition
- HLM 561 - History of Opera II
- IPO 511 - Capitol Winds
What follows is a quick overview of each class. I have only had nine days of classes so far (and some classes only twice) so I won't go into too much detail. Provided that I am able to maintain this blog as I have been doing so far this semester, I will be able to supplement the information here with more details as each class progresses.
Orchestration, not to be confused with instrumentation or arranging (though both are related), concerns the use and synthesis of the various instruments in an ensemble. Instrumentation focuses more on the specific properties of each instrument, and arranging is usually applied to a situation where the music for an existing group is being adapted to fit another. It is difficult (if not impossible) to be a skilled orchestrator without understanding instrumentation or arranging, but there are these distinctions. In this course specifically, we are expected already to have a solid grasp of the various instruments in the orchestra (figuratively speaking, that is).
So far in the class we have been studying scores, focusing on the use of the strings (violins, violas, cellos, and contrabasses) in pieces like Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf and Britten's Variations on a Theme by Frank Bridge. (The latter of these two pieces was written solely for string orchestra.) But just today, we got our first assignment -- to orchestrate a few piano reductions. While it may seem counterintuitive to orchestrate a de-orchestrated version of an orchestrated piece (which is exactly what we're doing), the exercise allows you to contrast your solution with the original, which will inevitably be different.
COM 562 - Music Technology II
My first semester at Hartt, I took Music Technology I, a class that focuses on Finale, the gold standard of music notation software...
Tangent: Yes, there is also a program called Sibelius, and no, Finale is not perfect, so perhaps 'gold standard' is not the best term to use. But now is not the time to get into the details of all this.Music Technology II focuses on Apple's Logic Pro software, the gold standard of digital audio workstations. It's just like GarageBand, except fancier, much like FinalCut is the fancier version of iMovie and Aperture is the fancier version of iPhoto.
While the bulk of the course will be various electronic music projects (or compositions, since this is a composition class, and not just in name), there is also a history component. We have talked a little bit about the old days of using physical tape (and how many terms carried over the digital interface), and we've also started listening to existing electronic music as well, like Steve Reich's Come Out. Because this class arguably contains the greatest amount of material that is completely foreign to me, I will likely be writing about this class again throughout the semester.
COM 571 - Composers' Seminar
This is a weekly seminar for the entire composition department, described in the syllabus as:
A forum for students to discuss issues related to their compositional activities. Topics include new compositions and contemporary composers, the role of the composer in contemporary society, issues of aesthetics and style, and the workings of professional organizations that support composers.If and when their is a particular week when both the guests sparks my interest and I have time to write about it, you will hear more about this class.
COM 613 - Advanced Composition
Following COM 610, COM 611, and COM 612 (all titled "Advanced Composition"), COM 613 represents the fourth (and final) semester of one-on-one composition lessons. Like last semester, I am studying with Robert Carl. This is the class where I present the work I am doing on my thesis. As such, there is little to add that wasn't articulated in my previous post or that won't be discussed in future posts.
HLM 561 - History of Opera II
The "second act" of a yearlong course in opera history. While I was not required to continue this semester, I certainly didn't want to walk out of the classroom at intermission. One thing I have learned from the transition to graduate school is that is important to take classes not just in subjects that intrigue me, but also in areas where I know little or nothing. Needing to take a music history elective last semester and knowing virtually nothing substantial about the history of opera, I elected to fill in one gap in my knowledge. (Or, at the very least, to start filling it in.)
In the first couple weeks or so, we have studied Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots and Berlioz's Les Troyens, two operas from the time of French Grand Opera (mid-19th century, in the wake of the French Revolution). Over the course of the semester, we will work our way to the present day. Even though we're lucky to have two semesters to cover the history of opera (when many other schools only allot a single semester), there is still not enough time to cover even just the highlights. Still, the amount we are able to cover is both interesting and rewarding. I hope to have the opportunity to write more about this class in the coming weeks as well.
IPO 511 - Capitol Winds
While I am not required to participate in a performing ensemble as part of my master's degree, I want to continue playing the French horn, not to mention the fact that I relish the opportunity to play in a larger ensemble. Because I am short on time, I will save the details for another time. Suffice it to say that the concert in May will include some works by Percy Grainger.
Next post on Park Your Ears: Comp du Jour (which starts in about an hour and a half!)
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