Students who complete a Liturgical Music Minor will Be able to demonstrate an understanding of the key principles of the Church’s theology of the liturgy and its music relevant to being a church musician. Be able to show a working knowledge of the music proper to the Roman rite: Gregorian chant Be able to rehearse and conduct a choir and/or Gregorian schola. Be able to demonstrate a knowledge of the fundamentals of the history and theory of music in western civilization relevant to the liberally educated student. Organ Practica The organ practica is a practically oriented sequence of twelve credits. Besides some classes, it requires four semesters of organ lessons and a one-semester internship in a parish or at the college as well as the passing of the AGO Service Playing Certificate examination. MUSC 311 Organ Lessons MUSC 302 Music Theory MUSC 304 Gregorian Chant MUSC 310 Choir Apprenticeship AGO Service Playing Certificate examination
4 credits (four semesters) 3 credits (one semester) 3 credits (one semester) 2 credits (one semester)
Foundational Curriculum and Advanced Courses MUSC 101-102 (A-Modern and B-Chant) These courses involve learning how to read, respectively, basic modern and Gregorian notation, in preparation for other courses (MUSC 302 and MUSC 304 ) or for admission to the choir or schola at the director’s discretion. Exemption from the course may be earned by successfully passing a departmental exam. Each course is the equivalent work-load of a one-credit course. MUSC 101-102 do not count toward the student’s GPA or as fulfilling graduation requirements. MUSC 302–Music Theory and Composition This course begins with a brief review of the fundamentals of music and proceeds to the study of species counterpoint and figured bass. These two disciplines were considered prerequisites to the study of composition during what was known as the Common Practice Era (c. 1600-1900), a period of harmonic common practice which included the Baroque, the Classical, and the Romantic eras. Thus students will be drilled in some of the basic harmonic and part-writing principles learned by the greatest composers of Western civilization. Students will also learn to read melodies at sight and transcribe them by ear. At the end of the semester, the student will be required to write some simple compositions. (3 credits) Prerequisite: A basic reading knowledge of music (in both treble and bass clefs) is required.
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