300,400-Level Art Courses

HMU 350    Music of the Eastern Mediterranean   (3-0-3)
This course is an introductory survey of the music of the Eastern Mediterranean as explored by Traditional and Modern Turkish music. It explores the Balkan, Greek and Persian influences from earliest times as well as Western composition and idioms. Modern jazz, rock, dance and video influences will be examined as well.

HMU 387    African-American Popular Music   (3-0-3)
This course traces the development of black popular music from its earliest roots in northwest Africa to the urban centers of the U.S.

HMU 392    Music Appreciation I   (3-0-3)
The development of listening techniques used to aid in the appreciation of classical music; and analysis of representative compositions covering the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern periods.

HMU 393    Music Appreciation II   (3-0-3)
A survey and analysis of representative composers through critical listening and analysis of important music literature.
Prerequisites:  HMU 392

HMU 394    History of Jazz   (3-0-3)
Techniques in how to listen and what to listen for. History of the idiom. Analysis of outstanding performances and styles.

HMU 395    Elementary Harmony   (3-0-3)
Course begins with a review of the rudiments of music (scales, modes, key signatures, time signatures, rhythm, meter, intervals and basic acoustical principles) and a review of important compositional trends that have affected the course of Western musical history. Students are then introduced to the triad and seventh chords in all inversions. All theoretical study is accompanied by listening, score analysis and actual writing. All incoming students should already know how to read music (treble and bass clefs).

HMU 396    Advanced Harmony   (3-0-3)

HMU 397    Orchestration I   (3-0-3)
This course is an exploration of traditional orchestral instruments. The student will learn fine details related to the characteristics of instruments in the orchestral family with classroom examples of masterpieces in the classical repertoire as well as by experiencing either live demonstrations or sampled demonstrations by the instructor. The student will learn the basics of expanding a piano score to woodwind, brass, and string quartets.

HMU 401    Music Through Multimedia Technology   (2-2-3)
This course involves production tools available in hardware and software utilized to make compositions and sound tracks for an array of visual and live performance environments. The course provides an introduction to these areas, offering background important to other courses in the program that students may take in the future. Topics include the music business, general recording studio protocol, MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), basic recording techniques with "ProTools," techno music production sequencing with "Digital Performer," synthesizer history and programming, electronic music and "synthestration," interactive applications such as "MAX," sound design, digital sampling for visual art support with "Mach 5," and sound-effect libraries, music programs for the Web: Quicktime, Real Audio, and Windows Media Player applications, mastering with ProTools "Plug-Ins," "Peak," "Roxio Jam" and "Toast," and "MP3" creation and web uploading and distribution with e-commerce.

HMU 402    MIDI and Electronic Music   (2-2-3)
The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) revolutionized the production world of Electronic Music. This course will explore the fine details of the code as well as the everyday studio and stage use of the protocol. The student will explore all types of synthesis techniques via keyboards, tone modules and software plug-ins. There will also be an overview of traditional electronic music from the last century to the present. In the weekly lab, the student will explore the software and hardware interconnection process and create an artistic experiment in electronic music as a final project.

HMU 403    Synthestration   (2-2-3)
Currently, the complexity of the tools of the trade, enable one person to perform a non-linear symphony. The art of "Synthestration" is commonly utilized in the motion picture and popular music industries. Synthestration is the art of utilizing sound synthesizers to emulate the sound of an orchestral instrument. In today's competitive hi-tech musical instrument world, any musician can now play virtually any sound from their performance device via the integration of keyboard, string or pitch, and velocity to digital converters. It has become quite mainstream for one musician to be expected realize an orchestral score with synthesizes to give the composer or the producer/director/client a sample of what the final orchestra performance may be like. Often, the "synthestration" becomes the final version in the contemporary market. This course will present and analyze both aesthetic and artistic issues in the field. The student will have the opportunity to create a digital performance of their Orchestration class experiments in a weekly lab session as well as on their laptop computer.
Prerequisites:  HMU 397

HMU 410    Audio Engineering Science I   (2-2-3)
In today's music composition world, artists may accelerate their potential by having a basic understanding of sound recording technology, since this competitive field is becoming more dependent on composer-operated tools to generate the art. This course will give students an understanding of the terms and basic skills needed to make quality recordings of their art on the "Pro Tools" non-linear-based system. Microphone, Monitor, Mixer, Digital Signal Processing "Plug-Ins," Dynamics, and basic studio acoustics will be explored. Students will meet in small groups for at least four hours a week to execute organized studio "hands on" lab exercises. Students will experience the producing and recording of a basic multi-track song project at the completion of the course.

HMU 411    Audio Engineering Science II   (2-2-3)
Mixing consoles in project studios will be explored and more advanced techniques in dynamics, equalization, reverberation, and signal processing. Students will meet in small groups for at least four hours a week to execute organized studio "hands on" lab exercises. Students will experience the producing and recording of a more advanced multi-track song project at the completion of the course.
Prerequisites:  HMU 410

HMU 450    Music Business   (3-0-3)
This course is an overview of the vast music business world and what a real and successful producer must know to compete in today’s commercial music environment. Topics include discovering an act, training, development, music union memberships, performance, music attorney expectations, management contracts, booking agents, promoters, publishing deals, performance rights organizations, production deals, recording studio management, record deals and labels, interactive media, and web promotion and distribution. Guest speakers may be invited to class and students may visit "indie" and major label headquarters. All students will be encouraged to participate in the student organized media label club.

HMU 490    Music Performance: Concert Band   (0.5 credits)
The study and performance of popular Concert Band repositories.

HMU 491    Music Performance: Jazz Ensemble   (0.5 credits)
The study and performance of modern music.

HMU 492    Music Performance: Stevens Choir   (0.5 Credits)
The study and performance of choral masterworks.

HMU 493    Music Through Multimedia and Technology   (3-0-3)
This lecture course, with interactive studio demonstrations, is an introduction and overview of the world of multimedia. The student explores the basics of audio, graphics, photography and video production through the use of digital audio, midi and music production, digital graphics, and photography and video software.

HMU 496    Music Performance: Private Lessons   (0.5 credits)
The student is required to play a musical instrument and is expected, according to the audition process, to have moderate skills on their primary instrument. The student may continue with private lessons on their primary instrument or they may take lessons on their secondary instruments. A faculty member or a professional in the tri-state, New York City professional musicians area, may conduct regular lessons as per the students level and artistic desires. The lessons may be on campus, or the student may commute to the musicians training studio. There will be one hour of lessons weekly with the instructor and the student is expected to rehearse for at least four additional hours. The lessons shall lead to a performance on campus during the same semester. The performance may be solo or part of an ensemble.

HMU 497    Music Performance: Recital   (0.5 credits)
Each student is encouraged to either give solo performances or to join a student ensemble and take part in a series of performances on campus as well as in other metropolitan New York City stages. Many of the performances will be recorded and marketed by the student run media label. The student will need to attend weekly rehearsals and participate in at least one performance each semester.