Fall 2025 Course List
Performing Ensembles
| CATEGORY | COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | FACULTY | CONCENTRATION CATEGORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | Music 110 | Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra | Federico Cortese | Creating Music |
| Performance | Music 114R | Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum | Andrew Clark | Creating Music |
| Performance | Music 115R | Harvard Glee Club | Andrew Clark | Creating Music |
| Performance | Music 116R | Radcliffe Choral Society | Andrew Clark | Creating Music |
| Performance | Music 118R | Harvard Jazz Orchestra | Yosvany Terry | Creating Music |
Harvard Ensembles Course Numbering Update
Beginning for the 25-26 academic year, Harvard’s faculty-led performing ensembles will change to a new course numbering system. Please note the updated course numbers below for the following ensembles:
Music 110, Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra
Music 114, Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium
Music 115, Harvard Glee Club
Music 116, Radcliffe Choral Society
Music 118, Harvard Jazz Orchestra
These course numbers replace previous 2-digit course numbers. Additionally, Music 107 will no longer be used. Music 110, 114, 115, 116, and 118 are all graded courses, with grades based on attendance, participation, and assigned coursework. These courses may be taken repeatedly and can contribute to the requirements for a concentration or secondary in Music.
If you have any questions on this new numbering system, please contact Department of Music administrators, or performing ensemble administrators.
Undergraduate Courses
| CATEGORY | COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | FACULTY | CONCENTRATION CATEGORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory | FYSEMR 24V | Broadway Musicals: History, Race, and Performance | Carol Oja | N/A |
| Introductory | Music 4 | Introduction to Composition | Yvette Jackson | Creating Music |
| Introductory | Music 30 | Music, Technology, and Ecology: Re-imagine the World with Sound | Jessie Cox | Creating Music |
| Introductory | Music 51a | Analyzing Tonal Music | Liam Hynes-Tawa | Music Theory |
| Concentrator Tutorial | Music 97F | Sophomore Tutorial: Storytelling With/About Music | Liam Hynes-Tawa | Concentrator Tutorial |
| Upper Level | Music 142r | Foundations of Modern Jazz: West African Musical Traditions | Yosvany Terry | History, Culture, Society |
| Upper Level | Music 150 | Musical Analysis and Interpretation in the Classical Style | Michèle Duguay | Music Theory |
| Upper Level | Music 157rw | South Indian Classical Music | Richard K. Wolf | Music Theory |
| Upper Level | Music 167 | Storytelling with Sounds | Hans Tutschku | Creating Music |
| Upper Level | Music 175 | Shostakovich | Federico Cortese | History, Culture, Society |
| Upper Level | Music 180r | The Harvard New Music Ensemble | Claire Chase | Creating Music |
| Upper Level | Music 186r | Contemporary Chamber Music | Claire Chase, Ken Hamao | Creating Music |
| Upper Level | Music 189r | Chamber Music Performance | Parker Quartet | Creating Music |
Graduate Courses
| COURSE NUMBER | COURSE TITLE | FACULTY |
|---|---|---|
| Music 207R | Ethnomusicology Seminar: Music and Language | Richard K. Wolf |
| Music 210R | Music Biography – Re-assessing a Genre | Alejandro Madrid |
| Music 218R | 20th Century Music Seminar: Opera, Empire, Modernity | Devon Borowski |
| Music 221R | Current Issues in Music Theory | Toru Momii |
| Music 230R | Topics in Music Theory: Timbre | Michèle Duguay |
| Music 247R | Sound Studies | Brian Kane |
| Music 250HF | Colloquium on Teaching Pedagogy | Vijay Iyer |
| Music 262R | Composition Seminar | Chaya Czernowin |
| Music 264R | Composing with Max/MSP | Hans Tutschku |
| Music 266R | CPCI Seminar: Emergent Musicalities | Vijay Iyer |
| Music 284R | CPCI Seminar: Soundscape Composition and Social Justice | Yvette Jackson |
Music Theory Course Placement
Department of Music courses in music theory will no longer require students to complete a placement exam. Instead, students are instructed to self-place into the course(s) that match their abilities and experience levels at the time of course registration.
Before registering for courses, students should review the prerequisite requirements for each class and follow the instructions provided via the button below.
Music 91: Supervised Reading and Research
Music 91 Supervised Reading and Research is an opportunity for advanced students to pursue an area of musical interest in great depth. Open to Music concentrators only, students are required to submit a detailed proposal to the DUS describing their anticipated project in detail, including an estimated timeline for benchmarks and pathway to completion. Music 91 may be taken for concentration credit as an elective with the approval of the DUS. Supervised Reading and Research will be approved by the DUS based on appropriateness of the proposed work, faculty availability, and with the understanding that all work must be fully self-directed by the student. Students may not take Music 91 more than once.
Before submitting the proposal below, students should schedule an advising session with the DUS to discuss their project in detail. Music 91 may not be used as an outlet for private lessons or instruction. Students must complete and submit the MUS 91 Proposal Form prior to course registration.
Artists in the Classroom
In addition to courses specifically in performance, performance of music is intrinsic to the study of all musics. Guest artists and lecturers frequently visit our classes to talk informally with students about a range of topics from the operas of Peter Sellars to how jazz relates to social movements to how Broadway artists think and work.
The Blodgett Artist-in-Residence Program of the Department of Music
The Blodgett Artist-in-Residence program is made possible through a gift from Mr. and Mrs. John W. Blodgett, Jr. The program provides for a distinguished string quartet to be in residence at the Harvard University Department of Music offering workshops, coachings, and serving as faculty for the Chamber Music course. The quartet is also available to read undergraduate and graduate student compositions, and to perform a composition by the winner of the annual Blodgett Composition Competition. The quartet gives four free public performances each year in Paine Hall, and others in the Harvard houses and other campus venues. The current Blodgett Artists-in-Residence are the Parker Quartet.
Additionally, the music department invites Blodgett Distinguished Artists to campus to lecture and perform in a variety of musical disciplines. Past artists have been Koo Nimo (Ghanaian music), The Clerks Group (medieval song), Sir Harrison Birtwistle (composer), TASHI (new music), Neba Solo (Malian balafon), Bahman Panahi (Persian music), jazz pioneer Geri Allen, and Wadada Leo Smith.
Master Classes and Coachings
The Parker Quartet are in residence at Harvard’s Music Department, and give weekly master classes to students enrolled in Music 189: Chamber Music Performance.
We also bring performing artists of all disciplines to campus to work with students; recent examples include singer Angelique Kidjo, conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner, choral conductor George Benjamin, Broadway artists Marsha Norman and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and pianist Jeremy Denk. Additionally, we arrange informal meetings between undergraduates and Music Department special guests such as Herbie Hancock and Laurie Anderson.
OFA Visiting Artist Programs
The Office for the Arts (OFA) is a rich resource for undergraduate performers as well. OFA operates a visiting artist program that provides opportunities for students to interact with professionals in all disciplines through master classes, workshops, informal discussions and other forums. The OFA also provides opportunities for students to work alongside professionals in producing visiting artist events, and runs several funding programs for student arts projects.