Core Year (Year 1)

The Music and Technology program at Selkirk College is a two-year diploma program developed to train musician performers for the commercial music and entertainment industry. The curriculum is based on the most relevant and up to date music industry standards.

Selkirk College’s music program is Canada’s first and only school that offers performance, engineering, and composition in a two-year program. It’s also the only program where students can play more than just classical or jazz. It is truly a contemporary music program.

Course of Studies

Semester 1

Course	Name	Credit
MUSC 150	Private Lesson I	1
MUSC 154	Basic Keyboard I	1
MUSC 158	Ensemble I	2
MUSC 160	Computer Applications to Music I	3
MUSC 162	Instrumental Lab I	1
MUSC 165	History of Jazz	2
MUSC 170	Arranging I	1.5
MUSC 174	Contemporary Harmony I	2
MUSC 180	Ear Training I	3
MUSC 100	MUSIC FORUM	1
Total		17.5

Semester 2

Course	Name	Credit
MUSC 151	Private Lesson II	1
MUSC 155	Basic Keyboard II	1
MUSC 159	Ensemble II	2
MUSC 161	Computer Applications to Music II	3
MUSC 163	Instrumental Lab II	1
MUSC 164	History of Rock	2
MUSC 171	Arranging II	1.5
MUSC 175	Contemporary Harmony II	2
MUSC 181	Ear Training II	3
MUSC 100	MUSIC FORUM	1
Total		17.5

Course Descriptions

MUSC 150 - Private Lesson I

A weekly one-hour private instrumental or vocal lesson is provided for all first year students. Instruction is available on keyboard, woodwinds, saxophone, percussion, guitar, electric and acoustic, bass, and voice. Lessons are designed to increase students’ technical and musical abilities.

MUSC 154 - Basic Keyboard I

A required course for all students except Keyboard majors. This course is designed to provide practical hands-on knowledge of the keyboard in today's music industry. Students will gain an understanding of chording (in nearest inversion) and will be required to create musical excerpts using upper structure triads.

MUSC 158 - Ensemble I

Ensembles, required of all students, are the focal point of the Music program. All students are placed by audition in one or more ensembles. Students must participate in a minimum of four ensembles to graduate. Types of ensembles offered will focus on contemporary music including rock, funk, fusion, jazz and vocal, with the goal of developing both the student's repertoire and improvisational abilities. Students are encouraged to participate in as many different types of ensembles as possible. A graduation showcasel will be required from all students majoring in Music Performance.

MUSC 160 - Computer Applications to Music I

This course covers the fundamentals and practical applications of digital audio system, as well as methods for functioning in an integrated MIDI/digital audio workstation (DAW) studio environment. An emphasis is put on musical projects designed to emulate professional practice and application. MIDI sequencing is done at computer-based workstations in the classroom. Fundamentals of digital audio recording are practiced and auxiliary buss send and return are introduced. Prior experience with Pro Tools or another DAW is not required.

MUSC 162 - Instrumental Lab I

This course is designed to help students develop instrumental skills. Grouped by instrument, students learn the fundamentals of reading, articulation, balance, dynamics, styles and technique as related to their particular instrument. This course is taught "instrument-in-hand” and also uses audio and visual aids to explore different techniques and styles. A requirement in all majors, students have weekly assignments.

MUSC 165 - History of Jazz

A survey of the music of the jazz idiom from its origins to the present. Included is a chronological study of important soloists, bands, vocalists, and composers. Classes will be partly lecture aided by video clips and partly analysis with intensive listening.

MUSC 151 - Private Lesson II

A weekly one-hour private instrumental or vocal lesson is provided for all first year music students. Instruction is available on keyboard, woodwinds, saxophone, percussion, guitar, electric and acoustic, bass, and voice. Lessons are designed to increase students’ technical and musical abilities.

Prerequisites: MUSC 150.

MUSC 155 - Basic Keyboard II

A required course for all students except Keyboard majors. This course continues to expand on chords and keyboard techniques. This term also focuses on musical grooves of various styles requiring more challenging coordination and technical skills.

Prerequisites: MUSC 154.

MUSC 159 - Ensemble II

Ensembles, required of all students, are the focal point of the Music program. All students are placed by audition in one or more ensembles. Students must participate in a minimum of four ensembles to graduate. Types of ensembles offered will focus on contemporary music including rock, funk, fusion, jazz and vocal, with the goal of developing both the student’s repertoire and improvisational abilities. Students are encouraged to participate in as many different types of ensembles as possible. A graduation showcase will be required from all students majoring in Music Performance.

Prerequisites: MUSC 158.

MUSC 170 - Arranging I

An introductory course in commercial arranging dealing primarily with the rhythm section. Specific topics will include ranges of instruments, arranging from lead sheets, planning an arrangement; as well as detailed analysis of the function and common practice notational systems for the electric bass, guitar, piano and drums. All assignments will be scored and copied by the student and played by either a project ensemble or the arranging class itself.

MUSC 174 - Contemporary Harmony I

This course covers basic harmonic theory and common musical notation used in the music industry today. Topics include clefs, note recognition, key signatures, scales, intervals, triad and seventh chord construction, available tensions and basic harmonic functions. Upon successful completion of the course students will have a comprehensive and literate vocabulary of basic musical terms and symbols, and a working knowledge of basic harmonic functions.

MUSC 180 - Ear Training I

This course is the first of a four level program focusing on aural recognition of intervals, triads, seventh chords, rhythms, melodies, diatonic chord progressions and diatonic relative pitch. Students begin to learn the language of solfege and sight singing. This ear training class provides aural perception of the theory learned in MUSC 174 which is taught concurrently. Recorded examples as well as live playing is used for developing dictation skills.

MUSC 100 - MUSIC FORUM

Music Forum is a course designed to provide an opportunity for all music students and faculty to share in a weekly educational experience. Each forum will have a different musical focus. Students will have opportunities to perform, witness performances by faculty and guest artists, as well as gain insights into the industry from guest lecturers and music professionals. Music Forum will also provide an opportunity for the presentation of collaborative audio-visual projects between departments.

*New content is being added for the Fall of 2019 giving students the skills necessary to embark on a career as a private lesson instructor.

Prerequisites: None. Attendance is mandatory for all music students.

MUSC 161 - Computer Applications to Music II

This course develops the student's ability to produce his or her own multi-track recordings with Protools digital audio workstation. Fundamentals of auxiliary buss, application of plug-ins inserts such as EQ, compression, noise gate, delay, and reverb are applied. Principals of analog and sample synthesis are applied to the development of projects. Fundamentals of microphone theory and application are introduced. Notation software is introduced as well as workstation components and application.

Prerequisites: MUSC 160.

MUSC 163 - Instrumental Lab II

This course is designed to help students develop their instrumental skills. Grouped by instrument, students learn the fundamentals of reading, articulation, balance, dynamics, styles and technique as related to their particular instrument. This course is taught “instrument-in-hand” and also uses audio and visual aids to explore different techniques and styles. A requirement in all majors, students have weekly assignments.

Prerequisites: MUSC 162.

MUSC 164 - History of Rock

A study of the evolution of rock music from its origins to the present. Classes will focus on musical characteristics of the different styles within the genre. Sociological, geographical, literary and other cultural aspects will be discussed. Both audio and video clips will be presented for in-class analysis.

MUSC 171 - Arranging II

Expanding on the concepts presented in the introductory level, this course deals with writing for horns and a rhythm section. Techniques include soli voicings, quartal voicings, and upper structure triads.

Prerequisites: MUSC 170.

MUSC 175 - Contemporary Harmony II

This course covers harmonic functions currently in use in all styles of popular music. Extensive use of recorded and written examples are used to show the harmony/melody relationships. Basic harmonic analysis as a tool is presented with an introduction to diatonic, extended diatonic, and basic minor key and Blues concepts. Students are required to demonstrate, through written projects, the current uses of these basic contemporary harmonic techniques.

Prerequisites: MUSC 174.

MUSC 181 - Ear Training II

A continuation of the skills learned in MUSC 180. The focus is on harmonically based melodies with larger intervallic skips. Rhythms are explored primarily through syncopated eighth notes, triplets and sixteenth notes. This ear training class provides an aural perception of MUSC 175, which is taught concurrently.

Prerequisites: MUSC 180.

Main Menu

The Arts

Core Year (Year 1)

Core Year (Year 1)

Course of Studies

Course Descriptions

FEES & COSTS

Search form

The Arts

Core Year (Year 1)

Course of Studies

Course Descriptions

FEES & COSTS