Major: Music History, Literature, and Theory
What did the earliest stringed instruments sound like? How did World War II affect the musical world? What is twelve-tone music? If you are fascinated by questions like these, then a program combining study in music history, literature, and theory might be for you.
In this broad-ranging field, you’ll be exposed to musical traditions from around the world and throughout human history. You’ll study such topics as the history of musical notation and the development of music theory as well as specific musical periods and cultural traditions.
Students in this major learn about the history of styles of music, musical instruments, and techniques. An important part of the major is studying what other people throughout history have written about music.
Did You Know?
- To make a career of writing about and teaching music history, you’ll most likely need a graduate degree.
Are You Ready To...?
- Listen to, discuss, and write about a great variety of music
- Read about musical traditions worldwide
- Study French and/or German
- Strengthen your sight-reading and sight-singing skills
- Identify chords by both sight and ear
- Spend long hours practicing
- Demonstrate basic piano skills
It Helps to Be...
An excellent researcher and writer. You’ll spend a lot of time hunting down and reading historical works about music.
College Checklist
- Is the program accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music?
- Is an audition required for admission?
- What are the backgrounds and interests of the professors?
- Visiting campus? Is there enough room for everyone to practice and rehearse? Are there good acoustics?
- How many and what kinds of performance opportunities are there?
- What kinds of internships and summer programs will be open to you?
Did You Know?
- Scholarly works about music were often written in French and German.
Course Spotlight
An upper-level class you may encounter is Performance Practice, which looks at how music was performed throughout history. In this kind of class, students ask questions like, How did early stringed instruments, such as gambas, sound different from modern violins? How did styles of ornamentation (the adding of notes) differ in the classical period versus the baroque period? When did vibrato (a trembling effect) come into fashion? You may even use period instruments to demonstrate the musical taste of a particular time period.
