Musicianship courses and experiences are at the heart of every degree program at the Mary Pappert School of Music. Undergraduates take a comprehensive suite of six foundational courses that bring together elements of music theory, musicology, music history, and ear training to provide the toolbox of fundamental skills you鈥檒l need for whatever career path in music lies ahead for you. No matter what kind of music you鈥檙e interested in, we鈥檝e got you covered 鈥� our curriculum ranges across musical genres from jazz to pop to classical to hip hop and beyond.
Both undergraduate and graduate students also choose from a wide variety of specialized courses that dive deep into advanced topics. Some recent examples include:
- Gender and Sexuality in Music
- J.S. Bach
- Adaptive Ensemble: Cuban Jazz
- Modern Musical Languages
- Songwriting
- Musics of Africa and the African Diaspora
- Music and Disability
Our musicianship faculty are performers, composers, scholars, historians, creatives, and critical thinkers. We鈥檝e traveled to Ghana to learn from traditional musicians and create new jazz albums in response. We鈥檝e worked with biologists and technology experts to reveal the music-making potential of plants. We鈥檝e created environmental soundwalk installations on campus and at institutions across Pittsburgh. We鈥檝e presented and published cutting-edge research on musical cultures of the past, present, and future. And we bring all of these experiences into our teaching, helping students to discover and pursue their own musical and intellectual passions.
