Creative music media minor begins in fall

A new minor in creative music media will be added to GCSU’s music department starting next fall. It will give interested students a foundation in music theory, music technology and improvisation in order to creatively use music technology.

The music department began discussing the addition of some type of music industry degree, such as music production or music business, about two years ago. However, the department did not have the space or equipment for a full music production degree, but once they were able to move the electronic studio to a larger room, they were able to create a minor from the creative aspect of music technology rather than the technical aspect. As a composer, Dr. Douglas O’Grady, an assistant professor of music, does a lot of electronic music composition and knew he could offer students some of his expertise.

“The beauty of it is we made this minor with existing courses that we already had,” O’Grady said. “We’re not really using new resources. We’ve got the classes in place, we’ve got the instructors and we’ve got the room. We’re just ordering which courses you take when and calling it a minor.”

There are currently four music technology classes, two of which were recently added. O’Grady noticed that students who were not music majors or even minors generally filled up the seats for these classes.

Students were coming in as other majors who were interested in music and wanted to work in the studio. The students were either self-taught or played an instrument not covered by the music department, such as electric guitar.

The minor will require 18 extra hours as with any other minor. The students will take two semesters of elementary music theory and three classes in music technology. Students will also be required to take two classes to learn piano.

“The reason I did that was because when we work in the studio, the main interface between us and the computer, is a piano keyboard so they need to have the skills, whatever their instrument,” O’Grady said.

Also required are two one-hour courses in improvisation. According to O’Grady, this class will teach students to improvise as well as gain performance experience through playing in a “jazz combo,” which allows all types of instruments.

Students wanting to become creative music media minors will not need to audition with their instrument like perspective music minors do. In addition, students will not be required to take private lessons, attend recitals or play in a campus ensemble since their instrument may not fit into an ensemble such as an orchestra.

“It’s similar to our music minor, but it’s just got those slight differences where we can accommodate for more students with varied backgrounds in music,” O’Grady said.

The music department wanted the minor to be implemented in the fall of 2009, but its proposal had to go through University Senate and its subcommittee as well as the state Board of Regents.

The department had to present their proposal to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Committee, the subcommittee in the University Senate that evaluates the GCSU’s curriculum and academic matters.

According to Dr. John Swinton, an associate professor of economic and finance and chair of CAPC, a proposal must demonstrate demand for the major or minor, its funding and application to GCSU’s liberal arts mission.

“We tend to be at the viewpoint that the departments know what’s best for themselves,” Swinton said. “If they can show it, we can support it.”

Hary Mitchell, a junior English major, began taking the necessary classes in anticipation that the minor would become official and now only needs two more classes for his minor to be complete.

Mitchell had been playing around on his own computer, doing things similar to what students in the minor will do. After seeing the Sound Sculptures concert last year, Mitchell decided he should put his musical background to use.

“I decided not to be a music major, which was a choice I thought long about. Then I got halfway through my college career and realized I hadn’t utilized the music program at all,” Mitchell said.

In February, Mitchell stepped in last minute to play guitar for the production of “RENT” that was put on by the theatre department. He was called the Sunday night before the Wednesday opening and learned everything in 24 hours.

“We would have never known who he was if we didn’t have this going on, so we’re getting students involved in our music program who we normally wouldn’t even know,” O’Grady said.

Students do not need to go into the classes knowing the programs used. According to Mitchell, students will learn all the basics in the first music technology class. O’Grady wants students to know that this minor, like it’s classes, is not just for music majors.

“They don’t have to play an orchestral instrument. They don’t have to come in here as a violin player,” O’Grady said. “They can come in here and be a rock drummer, and if they are musically inclined and want to take the time to learn music theory … they can come in and be successful and do some great things.”

Posted by Allison Bramlett on Apr 1 2010. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry