MUS 804 — Pop Music Small Ensemble IV
This course is the final semester in a four-semester sequence that focuses on small ensemble performance of popular music. The course provides an opportunity to study and perform popular music styles of the 20th and 21st century. The definition of “Popular Music'' within the context of this course is broad-ranging and can include genres such as Jazz, Rock, Latin, R&B, Hip-Hop, Country/Bluegrass, Gospel, Pop, Musical Theater, and original student compositions. The class will focus on developing the tools necessary to work in today’s popular music scene. Each ensemble will typically consist of a rhythm section (guitar and/or piano, bass, drums/percussion), with instrumentalists and vocalists (between 4-6 students total), as determined by the instructor following auditions. Each week students will have a 1.5 hr rehearsal with an assigned professor and in addition, all small ensembles are required to rehearse alone for 1.5 hr a week to adequately prepare for performances. All ensembles perform at least one concert per semester and students are required to participate in all performances.