"This Class Was Highly Useless": Reformulating an Unpopular Music Theory Course for Non-music Majors

Authors

  • Igor Coelho A. S. Marques Universidad Austral de Chile

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18061/es.v8i0.7694

Keywords:

music theory, repertoire relatability, in-class music making, assessment strategies

Abstract

This essay first examines how a course of music theory for non-music majors at the University at Buffalo experienced a serious drop in popularity between 2016-2019, suggesting the following as contributing factors: snowballing complexity, overtaxing homework expectations, reliance on non-relatable repertoire, and lack of in-class music-making. Then, it recounts in detail how the adoption of a new syllabus addressed these particular issues and how the students reacted to these new methodologies, hoping to provide the reader with an example of an emerging inclusivity-focused paradigm in music theory pedagogy.

Downloads

Published

2022-02-14

How to Cite

Coelho A. S. Marques, I. (2022). "This Class Was Highly Useless": Reformulating an Unpopular Music Theory Course for Non-music Majors. Engaging Students: Essays in Music Pedagogy, 8. https://doi.org/10.18061/es.v8i0.7694

Issue

Section

Challenging Norms