Music Theory

Music theory is a vital component in the education of musicians. Music theory instruction in The Hartt School provides students majoring in music, dance, and theatre with experiences in perceiving, analyzing, and performing music. The core music theory and ear training curriculum for undergraduates is two to five semesters of music theory with two to six semesters of ear training. Kodaly instruction is used for all levels of ear training at The Hartt School.

Applicants for the Bachelor of Music in music theory usually have preparatory training in music theory and performance. 137.5 credits are required for the bachelor's degree which is usually completed in eight full-time semesters. Music theory majors follow a carefully planned curriculum under the supervision of a faculty member of the music theory department. The undergraduate music theory program includes tonal harmony, tonal analysis, modern techniques, tonal counterpoint, modal counterpoint, keyboard harmony, score reading, orchestration and music theory pedagogy. An essay is completed during the senior year. The essay topic is selected by the student and is supervised by a faculty member of the music theory department. Music theory may be elected as either an independent major or as part of a double major degree program, such as theory and performance. Undergraduate music theory majors are required to maintain an overall grade point average of "B-" throughout their degree program.

Diverse areas of musicianship and scholarship are represented by the faculty, curriculum, and activities of the music theory department. Fields of faculty research include Kodaly instruction, Schenkerian analysis, contemporary music, film music, international music, popular music, and theory pedagogy. Graduate seminars in theory have included the music of Bartok, the Beatles, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Mozart, Stravinsky, Varese, and Wagner. The Hartt Music Theory Forum was established in 1988 for musicians and scholars to visit The Hartt School to share their theoretical ideas and research with students, faculty, and the community. Forum speakers have included James Baker, Elaine Barkin, Richard Bass, Benjamin Boretz, Charles Burkhart, Scott Burnham, Robert Cogan, Mark De Voto, Allen Forte, Marion Guck, All Keiler, Joel Lester, Robert Morgan, Dorothy Payne, Lee Rothfarb, Carl Schachter, Janet Schmalfeldt, Deborah Stein, and Robert Watson.

Major in Music Theory (137.5 credits)

First Year
Subject Code	Course Title	Credits	Credits
		Sem. 1	Sem. 2
TH 111-112	Diatonic1-Chromatic Harmony	2	2
TH 120-121	Elementary Ear Training I - II	2	2
TH 475, 476	Music Theory Colloquium	0	0
APC 122-123	Piano-Keyboard Class2	2	2
COM 110-111	First Course Composition	3	3
RPW 110, 111	Rhetoric and Writing I - II	3	3
AUC	All-University Curriculum	3	3
HLM 020	Information Literacy in the Performing Arts	0	-
MUS 110, 111	Paranov Performance Hour	.5	.5
	Performing Organization3	1	1
Total Credits		16.5	16.5
Second Year
APC 222-223	Piano-Keyboard Class2	2	2
TH 210-211	Tonal Form-Modern Techniques	2	2
TH 220-221	Intermediate Ear Training I-II	2	2
CON 314	Conducting Fundamentals	-	2
HLM 212	Music History: Perspectives on Music History	3	-
HLM 213	Music History: Classicism to the Present	-	3
GER 110-111	Elementary German I - II	3	3
AUC	All-University Curriculum	3	3
MUS 110, 111	Paranov Performance Hour	.5	.5
	Performing Organization3	1	1
Total Credits		16.5	18.5
Third Year
	Instrumental/Vocal Study or Elective	2	2
TH 330	Keyboard Harmony	2	-
TH 331	Keyboard Improvisation	-	1 .5
TH 400	Music Theory Pedagogy	-	3
TH 410	Advanced Form and Analysis	-	3
TH 475, 476	Music Theory Colloquium	0	0
COM 340	Orchestration	3	-
COM 461	Music Technology I	3	-
	Music Electives	-	3
HLM 316	Music History - Medieval through Baroque	3	-
HLM	Music History elective	-	3
	Performing organization3	1	1
	Music theory/comp./ history elective	-	2
	Mathematics elective	3	-
Total Credits		17	18.5
Fourth Year
	Instrumental/Vocal Study	2	2
TH 333	Score Reading	2	-
TH 405	Ear Training Pedagogy	-	3
TH 420	Modal Counterpoint	3	-
TH 421	Tonal Counterpoint	-	3
TH 475, 476	Music Theory Colloquium	0	0
TH 485	Senior Essay	-	2
	Performing organization3	1	1
	Music Electives	6	3
ES 562	Acoustics for Musicians	3	-
	Academic Elective	-	3
Total Credits		17	17

¹Enrollment dependent on placement exam.

²Exempted students take private instrumental/vocal study.

³Major choral or instrumental performing organization, eight semesters.

Note: A cumulative GPA of B- (2.67) or higher is required to remain in the Music Theory program.