MUTH 270 - Writing in Style: The Grammar of Tonal Music

FC CNDP

4 credits
This course examines tonal styles as musical grammars. The semester begins with the class studying a single core style together through analysis, listening, and short model-composition exercises. Students explore the style’s harmonic vocabulary, phrase patterns, textures, and formal conventions. Mid-semester, they extend this shared foundation to related sub-styles of their choosing. Core styles may include bel canto aria idioms, jazz-inflected tonal writing, or Latin-American salon repertories. The course concludes with an original composition and a brief analytical reflection. No prior composition experience required.

Prerequisites: MUTH-132.