teaching with writing

music syllabi

Writing about music often requires the writer to translate ideas about what is heard (sound) into an entirely different medium (prose). This translation process integrates two different systems of notation (musical notes and written language) in order to communicate about ideas that exist in sound and time. Writers in the field of music also respond to musical works, analyze compositions and techniques, profile work of specific composers, write grants for support of their work, review others' compositions and productions, and promote musical events. The branch of this field called "musicology," not unlike the discipline of history, depends upon written reasoning to account for historical and cultural contexts for music. Many musicians, composers, and professors of music report that they spend as much time writing as they do composing or performing.

sample syllabi

• Music 3001, Foundations of Musical Thought: a writing-intensive course that incorporates both formal and informal writing assignments.
  
  
• Music 5201, Advanced Music History: Music and Society: a course requiring students to complete eight out of ten short writing assignments. The writing assignments are included in this syllabus.
  
  
• Music T251, Music Theory and Literature III: a course for honors students combining microtheme writing assignments with writing music notation.
  
  
• Music History 220, History of Western Music II: an upper-level course requiring two papers culminating in class presentations.

10 Nicholson Hall
216 Pillsbury Drive SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455