University of Virginia Library

Music Subjects
Added, Revised
To Boost Study

By Stefan Lopatkiewicz
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

"In order to offer a variety of
courses which do not require
prerequisites and that will be of
interest to students of the college as
a whole, the music department has
extensively changed its
curriculum," said Ernest C. Mad,
chairman of the Department of
Music, in an interview yesterday.

Most of the new courses, which
are designed to attract students not
concentrating in music, as well as
majors in the department, will be
offered for the first time in the
1969-1970 session and will all be
one-semester studies.

Philosophical Concern

"Part of our philosophy here
concerns the value of music in
interdisciplinary study, its relation
to man and his society," Mr. Mead
explained. "We went to encourage
this."

The only new course which the
department is initiating this year is
entitled "Music in World Cultures,"
and will be offered in the spring
semester. Mr. Mead describes the
new course as "an introduction to
non- Western art music," and said
that it would emphasize the music
of Asian cultures: Chinese,
Japanese, Indian and Javan.

Music's Meaning

"Another course is being
offered in response to a question
frequently asked by students: what
does music mean?" Mr. Mead
continued. The course, which will
be an entitled "Musical Criticism," will
be an inquiry into the meaning of
music.

Another course being initiated
next year is "Twentieth Century
Music," which will examine the
development of jazz and rock, as
well as the use of electronic media
in music. "The department staff
feels that some of the most
interesting things that are being
done currently are in rock," Mr.
Mead commented.

Request Response

"In response to many requests
from students over the years," he
continued, "We're offering courses
for credit in ensemble music." In
these courses, "students will have
the opportunity for the study and
performance of significant
compositions by audition and
participation in
departmental-approved ensembles.

The revision of the music
department's curriculum resulted
largely from what Mr. Mead calls
"the expression of great interest"
by both students and faculty in
subjects such as those which the
new courses deal with.

Alternate Years

Mr. Mead indicated that all
except for two of these courses -
probably those in opera and
twentieth century music, depending
on student response - will be
offered in alternate years. The
other two are expected to be
offered annually.

In addition to the creation of
new courses, the music
department's curriculum has been
modified by de-hyphenating the
popular introductory course to
musical literature. Mr. Mead hopes
in this way to make it easier for
more students to take at leas one
semester of an introductory music
course.