Music and Language

This course engages the centuries-old debate about music?s ability to communicate, and investigates the types of evidence available to this discourse. We will look into the various ways scholars have argued for and against music?s connection to language, ranging from the philosophical to the neurological. We begin with a historical review of the topic, considering the viewpoints of philosophers such as Rousseau, Nietzsche, and Hegel as well as composers such as Wagner and Bernstein, focusing on the sorts of evidence they use to make their arguments.

Shakespeare and Music

This seminar is an exploration of opera, ballet, symphonic music, song, and incidental and film music inspired by Shakespeare?s dramatic and poetic works. It considers a variety of issues surrounding the music of Shakespeare?s day in Elizabethan and Jacobean England, the musical settings of his writings over the centuries, and the musical works inspired by his plays and sonnets.

Music History Pedagogy

This course equips graduate students of all disciplines to teach music history effectively to a variety of audiences. The course content ranges from the practical to the theoretical; students not only practice teaching, observe others teach, survey textbooks, and design their own syllabi, but also grapple with differing philosophies and methods of teaching. The course culminates with a symposium-style presentation of a creative pedagogical idea.
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