The Big Band is a mixed instrumental group open to beginning, intermediate, and advanced musicians. Students learn a variety of classic and contemporary swing, Latin, jazz, and pop standards. The group performs in concert twice a semester and occasionally off campus as well.

The Vocal Jazz Ensemble is a select group of singers which performs classic and contemporary jazz vocal music. The group performs in concert twice a semester and occasionally off campus as well. Solo opportunities also exist with the Big Band and Chamber Jazz Ensemble for students enrolled in Vocal Jazz.

This course will focus on learning by ear and playing the polyrhythmic traditional music of the peoples of southern Ghana, Togo and Benin, including sections of Adjogbo and Agbekor. All students will learn drum, rattle and bell parts, some songs and some dance steps as well. Non musicians are welcome, but practicing between classes is required. The group will perform in a workshop at the end of the semester.

Studies and presents a variety of orchestra repertoire on and off campus. Multiple opportunities to perform each semester.

With varied repertoire, an intermediate-level women's choir providing excellent vocal training, occasional solo opportunities, and a structured sight-singing curriculum. Performs on and off campus, sometimes with men's choruses and orchestra. Previous ensemble experience is helpful, though not a prerequisite.

Students will explore a number of musical styles and approaches, including twentieth century techniques, in the process of creating their own works. Students will read compositions in class, with the possibility of performances at the end of the semester.

This course is a survey of selected musical traditions from different parts of the world, including Africa, Indonesia, Indian, the Caribbean, and the United States. The course adopts an ethnomusicological approach that explains music as a cultural phenomenon, and explores the social and aesthetic significance of musical traditions within their respective historical and cultural contexts. It examines how musical traditions change over time, and how such changes reflect and relate to social and political changes within a given society.

Studies two part counterpoint, four part harmony (part-writing, inversions, harmonization, figured bass and non-harmonic tones) and composition of simple period forms. Includes analysis, ear training, solfege, use of notation software and keyboard harmony.

This course provides a continued study of chromatic theory, including chromatically altered chords and modulations and an introduction to form. Includes part writing, analysis, ear training, and keyboard harmony.