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Opportunities for Non-Music Majors

Opportunities for Non-Music Majors

Photo: 30 non-Music students enrolled in Beginner Guitar pose after their culminating performance in Paul Davenport Theatre (April 2019)

There are many ways for you to add music or dance to your academic life at Western. Below is a list of course and performance opportunities for non-Music majors.

Ensembles

Do you play an instrument or sing? Consider auditioning for a place in one of Western's outstanding choral, opera, and instrumental ensembles!

All Western students – regardless of major – are eligible to audition for ensembles.

Minors

Dance
Consider taking a Dance Minor at Western or adding dance to your studies by choosing from the list below.

Music
The Minor in Music can be combined with a wide array of other programs or modules at Western.

Music Performance Studies
A three-year program designed for students who are also concurrently enrolled in a non-music degree. The Music Performance Studies program is flexible and permits students to focus exclusively on music study. It offers weekly one-hour lessons. Students already at Western should contact Diane Mills at pdmills@uwo.ca during the Intent to Register period.

2024–25 Courses

The following courses are available for registration for non-Music majors. Register via Student Central.

All course information can be found in the Western Academic Calendar.

Course listings are subject to change. See Western Academic Timetable for date, time, and location of specific courses. See Undergraduate Sessional Dates for more details and deadlines.

Applied Lessons

Music 1925 – Elective Applied Study 1 (Lessons)

1.0 course
Individual lessons. For students registered in a Faculty other than Music, and for Music students registered in a year in which Applied Music study is not required, or who are eligible for the study of more than one principal instrument. Non-Music students must contact the Faculty of Music before classes begin to receive audition information (Grade VI conservatory level).

Prerequisite
Audition and permission of the Dean

Fee
$2700 (billed upon registration)

Course Information
Music 1925 (lessons for non-Bachelor of Music students)

Auditions
To arrange an audition, please contact the following instructors:

Todd Wieczorek, voice
twieczor@uwo.ca

Bobbi Thompson, winds, brass and percussion
bthomp24@uwo.ca

Annette Barbara Vogel, strings
avogel@uwo.ca

Kyung Kim, keyboards
kkim487@uwo.ca

Please note: If a student is currently registered in Music 1925 and wants to use their year-end jury as an audition for BMus, they must take the following two steps:

Inform the Admissions Officer, Odilla Van Delinder in room TC210, or at ovandeli@uwo.ca, of their intent to do this so that she can get the information into her records and prepare an audition form.
Inform an Undergraduate Program Assistant in room TC210, or at mpsdept@uwo.ca, so that the jurors can be alerted that they will be filling out an audition form for BMus, as well as a jury report form.

Listening to Music

Music 1102A/B – Listening to Music

Mon, Wed & Fri | 12:30pm
3 hours
0.5 course
A basic course to acquaint students with the materials of music and to give a broad perspective of the history of music. Through guided listening, the student will be exposed to a wide variety of musical styles.

Foundations in Singing

Music 2104A/B – Foundations in Singing

Tue | 7-10pm
3 hours
0.5 course
The techniques of singing, vocal repertoire, and performance styles introduced in a group setting. Some solo and small group performances are assigned as determined by individual need and level of ability. Participants in this course should be able to read music. This course may not be counted for credit toward a program/module in Music.

Beginner Guitar

Music 2105A/B – Beginner Guitar (Online)

3 hours
0.5 course
This course will enable students with no prior musical training to develop guitar performance skills. Students will perform in a solo guitar format utilizing repertoire from a variety of musical traditions. This course may not be counted for credit toward a program/module in Music.

Dance

Dance 2174A – Dance Basics

Mon, Wed & Fri | 2:30–4:30pm
6 lecture/lab hours
0.5 course
Students with no previous dance training develop movement awareness, coordination and skill through practice and analysis of basic movements and combinations from dance types such as modern, ballet, theatre, character and ballroom. Learning will include rhythm components associated with step and movement patterns.

Drumming Across Cultures

Music 2801B – Drumming Across Cultures

Wed | 12:20–3:30pm
3 hours
0.5 course
Open to non-music majors, this course focuses on the rich cultural history and performance traditions of drum music from Africa, Brazil, Cuba and the Middle East. Students will perform within small and large ensembles, while learning correct playing procedures for a variety of percussion instruments including hand drums, bells, and shakers.

Music Research and Composition

Music 2700B – Post World War II Popular Music (Online)

3 hours
0.5 course
The history, nature, and function of popular music, with particular reference to rock music. The course will emphasize musical styles, form, instrumentation, vocal timbres, and performing style through a study of representative works.

Music 2701A – Musical Theatre

Tue | 7-10pm
3 hours
0.5 course
The contexts and forms of popular theatre in which music plays a vital part. Emphasis will be on such twentieth-century genres as the Musical, Rock Opera, Musical Comedy, Comic Opera, Operetta and Vaudeville.

Music 2702B – Introduction to Jazz

Wed| 7-10pm
3 hours
0.5 course
A survey of various styles of jazz. Consideration of artists, jazz ensembles, the harmonic and rhythmic language of jazz, and performing practices, including the nature and role of improvisation.

Music 2703A – Introduction to Hip Hop (Online)

3 hours
0.5 course
A survey of the musical art-form of Hip Hop. Consideration of artists, sub-genres, performance practice and cultural impact.

Music 2704B – Music and Gaming (Online)

3 hours
0.5 course
An introduction to composing and producing music for video games. Students will gain an understanding of the medium of gaming and the ways game composition differs from other modalities. It is recommended that students have a knowledge of DAWS.

Future Students