Creative Musical Arts Program
Courses
- The Science and Technology of Consciousness (STC 108-109) is a prerequisite for all of the courses below. MUM students take this as their first course at the university.
- A modest lab fee will be charged to cover the use of the equipment in some of these courses.
Click on any of the course titles below to see the course’s description:
Block-long courses
- MUS 204 Jazz Combos
- MUS 216 Sacred Music, Chants, and Recitations
- MUS 221 Developing a Musical Ear
- MUS 225 Creative Music Technology
- MUS 231 World Music — Asia, Australia, and the Americas
- MGT 232 The Music Business: Taking The Action That Leads To Achievement
- MUS 240 Basic Harmony and Keyboard Skills
- MUS 250 Moving Across the Arts I
- MUS 251 Moving Across the Arts II
This semester-long class can be taken on its own, although it is designed to work in conjunction with the block course MUS 203 Jazz Ensemble. The groups cover musical terrain that reflects the highly eclectic nature of the jazz idiom. Drawing from influences ranging from Blues, Ragtime, New Orleans Jazz, and Chicago Jazz to Harlem Renaissance, Modal, Avant Garde, and Global Fusion, the group will exemplify the interplay between grounding in tradition and exploration of new horizons that has been the driving force in this genre since its inception. The class will afford students opportunities for original composition and diverse approaches to improvisation. Open to instrumentalists and vocalists alike. Performance opportunities are available. Prerequisite: Audition. (variable credits, may be repeated)
Sacred Music, Chants, and Recitations: Diving Deeply Into the Power of Sound
This course investigates sacred music from a rich diversity of ancient traditions, including Native American, African, Hebrew Chant, Gregorian Chant, Gandharva Veda ragas, Vedic recitation, and others. Students explore new ways of musical self-expression through listening, chanting, creating, performing. There will also be readings and discussions on music as a vehicle for communication, health, community, and spirituality. We locate these universal themes within ourselves through self-knowledge — the experience of our own innermost field of consciousness, accessed directly in our daily Transcendental Meditation practice. Prior training in music or Sanskrit is welcome but not necessary. (4 credits)
Developing a Musical Ear: Gaining the Tools To Express The Finest Levels of Perception
This course is a laboratory for musical exploration and expression, designed to develop basic musicianship, build musical vocabulary, and learn to recognize and play music by ear. In a very hands-on atmosphere that nourishes imaginative expression, we explore pitch, intervals, scales and modes, chord structures, rhythm and time-feels though daily sight singing, notation drills, dictation, keyboard applications, and guided listening of specific musical patterns in a variety of styles. Included are lots of creative projects, both individually and in groups. (4 credits)
Creative Music Technology: Capturing Creativity Through Technology
This is an introduction to modern computer-based music composition, audio and MIDI recording, editing, mixing, and production, utilizing industry-standard software. The goal of the course is an overview of the basic skills necessary to initially capture, then organize, and finally polish the music that each student will create. More in-depth skills and techniques are offered to students who demonstrate readiness to go beyond the basics. Prerequisite: a music fundamentals course such as MUS221 or MUS240, or permission of instructor. (4 credits, may be repeated)
World Music — Asia, Australia, and the Americas: Discovering Universal Principles of Music
The goal of this course is to develop an understanding and appreciation for the richness and diversity of the world's music-cultures, and to realize that the unifying thread contained in all diverse musical expressions — the transcendent — is lively within all of us. We examine and learn to identify a variety of music-cultures in terms of genre and style, social contexts, cultural aesthetics and history. Visiting guest artists will share their music and cultural practices with us. Live performances, building traditional instruments, and making music together will enliven our own ability to compose, improvise, and interact musically. (4 credits)
The Music Business: Taking The Action That Leads To Achievement
This course takes a holistic approach as it teaches students to look at music "products" (audio, video, and merchandise) from the perspective of sales, publishing, promotion, marketing, social media, and TV/film. Music business models of the past, present, and future will be explored through discussion, online research, and trying on the various "hats" of a theoretical business. Although the focus will be on fundamentals, the course is also meant to help the student to expand beyond the business' previous paradigms, creating even newer models in the process. (Variable credits, may be repeated)
Basic Harmony and Keyboard Skills: Gaining the Keys to Musical Knowledge from Inside and Outside
This course covers fundamentals of keyboard application for beginning musicians, as well as for intuitive composers and performers who wish to demystify music theory through basic piano skills. Topics include reading treble and bass clef, fingering techniques, posture and hand coordination, pedaling, common rhythm patterns, scales, chord progressions and arpeggios in common keys. All this is set within a supportive environment where lessons come alive through creative assignments and group improvisations. (Variable credits, may be repeated)
Moving Across the Arts I: The Body as Instrument of Awareness and Creation
In this class, students explore the arts by means of their own organic and original movement. The interconnection of all arts is experienced physically through the dynamics of line, body articulation, spatial relationships, timing, gesture, 3-D form, and more. These improvisational elements are further integrated through various media including video and film, music, art objects, text, and the spoken word. A specific goal of this class is to enhance a student's ability to make informed artistic choices in any art form. Open to all students, sophomore and above, who want to move and create. (4 credits)
Moving Across the Arts II: The Power of Composition in Transforming Inner Concept to Outer Reality
This course brings to fruition the elements developed in 'Moving Across the Arts I.' Students learn to manage the enticing forces involved in giving concrete shape to their creative ideas. Compositional principles of unity, contrast, variation, dynamic line, continuity of idea and more are applied to varied assignments designed to stimulate innovative work. By the end of the course, all participants will be able to compose a complete, well-crafted and original movement piece that builds on their previous experience interconnecting movement, sound, visual arts, spoken word and video. Pre-requisite: Moving Across the Arts I. (4 credits)
Semester-long ensembles
- MUS 103 Drumming from Within
- MUS 202 Chamber Singers of Southeast Iowa
- MUS 203 Jazz Ensemble
Drumming from Within : Enlivening the primal rhythms of the individual in harmony with evolution.
In the words of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, "The ever-expanding mechanics of creation and evolution are all very rhythmical." Nowhere in the world is rhythm used more than Africa. This class will focus on ensemble playing of polyrhythms from Africa and the African Diaspora on traditional drums of the Malinke, Bambara and Yoruba peoples. Students will learn fundamentals of constructing polyrhythms, jamming, soloing, regional folk songs, performance etiquette, and how traditional societies used drumming to create different effects for celebrations, ceremonies and healing. This class meets weekly and includes one or more student performances with possible additional rehearsals. 1/2 – 1 credit. May be repeated. No prerequisites. Instrument fee $25 ($20 for students who bring their own djembe).
Chamber Singers of Southeast Iowa: Creating Harmony of Individuality Within a Larger Wholeness
For students with choral experience or singing experience who can read music. This group performs two concerts annually and affords an opportunity to further develop musicianship skills, listening skills, vocal technique, and professionalism in an advanced choral ensemble. Students will have exposure to a varied repertoire and a cappella literature. Opportunities for solo and small ensemble work are available. Students will develop confidence and a deeper connection to the self as they appreciate their role in the context of a larger musical wholeness. This ensemble meets off-campus; car-pooling can be arragned. Rehearsals are weekly with occasional extra rehearsals during the semester and preceding concerts. Prerequisite: Audition. (variable credits; may be repeated)
Jazz Ensemble: Music as the Swing of Unbounded Bliss
This ensemble covers musical terrain that reflects the highly eclectic nature of the jazz idiom. Drawing from influences ranging from Blues, Ragtime, New Orleans Jazz, and Chicago Jazz to Harlem Renaissance, Modal, Avant Garde, and Global Fusion, the group will exemplify the interplay between grounding in tradition and exploration of new horizons that has been the driving force in this genre since its inception. The class will also consider relevant stylistic/cultural/historical issues, as well as afford students opportunities for original composition and diverse approaches to improvisation. Open to instrumentalists and vocalists alike. Performance opportunities are available. Prerequisite: Audition. (4 credits, may be repeated)
Semester-long lessons
- MUS 101 Basic Music Instruction
- MUS 201 Intermediate Music Instruction
- MUS 206 Musical Artist Development
MUS 101 Basic Music Instruction: Music is an experience of bliss
The goal of music lessons is the experience that music is ultimately and fundamentally an experience of bliss. In the words of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: “Music originates where unity starts to swing in the bliss of its own unbounded existence.” This semester-based course in instrumental or vocal instruction is for students who are committed to practicing a minimum of 30 minutes per day. This course generally includes 12 lessons, although instructors may vary this structure as needed. Audition may be required. 0.5 credit. Fees vary according to the instructor; some scholarship may be available.
MUS 201 Intermediate Music Instruction: Music is an experience of bliss
The goal of music lessons is the experience that music is ultimately and fundamentally an experience of bliss. In the words of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: “Music originates where unity starts to swing in the bliss of its own unbounded existence.” This semester-based course in instrumental or vocal instruction is for students, who are committed to practicing a minimum of 1-2 hours per day. This course generally includes 12 lessons, although instructors may vary this structure as needed. Audition may be required. 1 credit. Fees vary according to the instructor; some scholarship may be available.
MUS 206 Musical Artist Development: Developing More Refined Levels of Expression Through Musicianship, Singing, Songwriting & Performance
This course is meant to help students access deeper levels of creativity from within and apply it to their musical art/craft. It is for serious students who want to progress by taking a holistic approach. We will focus on improving vocals, enhancing levels of songwriting, performance, and musical self-accompaniment. The goal is to help each student become a better artist by developing an understanding of who that “artist” is, exploring aspects of his or her unique vision, and creating self-realization through self-expression. The course also will include live performances, recorded to gauge ongoing success and introduce the concept of self-video recording. Prerequisites: Completion of at least one MUM music course that included basic skills, moderate proficiency in at least one instrument, and departmental permission.
The content of this page was reviewed in August 2011.
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