listener, thinker, and writer of both prose and mu- sical compositions. You can immerse yourself in an ensemble, building community through prac- ticing and performing together. To better under- stand the music you are learning to perform, you can pursue specific topics on European art music, musicals and opera, jazz, popular music, and ad- ditional music from around the world. You may wish to engage with technology—both analog and digital—to make music through recording or writing new works or designing new instruments. You may even be challenged to think about sound itself in new and interesting ways. The academic study of music is often divided into a variety of subdisciplines including music theory, composition, musicology, technology, ethnomusi- cology, and performance. Music theory helps one understand the language of music—how to speak
musically—which then can be applied to the creation of music through composition. Theory and composition combined provide the build- ing blocks that lead to further creation and un- derstanding of musicking most broadly. Tech- nology is used to both reinforce the sound of other instruments as well as in the production of new sound itself. More and more academic programs include digital musicking through software including Logic and Ableton, which leads to particularly rich intersections with other disciplines such as computer science. Students may learn how to reinforce and mix live sound as well, skills which can be applied to personal projects and long-range career goals. Musicology is a long-established field that explores the historical production of Euro - pean art music and its derivatives through deep listening, reading scores, and reviewing histori-
what do you learn musicking?
by Jennifer Milioto Matsue
Music is part of our everyday lives. From bang- ing on pots and pans as a toddler in the kitchen to downloading the latest track from TikTok, as human beings we engage with making music in myriad ways, which in turn mark important social moments. Whether listening to digital downloads, sitting in an audience enjoying a concert, or actively playing an instrument yourself, almost everyone has engaged with musicking—including every aspect of the process involved in the performance of mu- sic, from plugging in an amp to sweeping up tickets after a show—in some way or another. Studying music in college especially allows you to better understand the reason diverse musics sound the way they do, the historical Jennifer Matsue is happiest when with her horse "Oliver," but she also enjoys hitting large objects as hard as possible as Director of the Union College Japanese Drumming and Global Fusion Band. A Gen-Xer to the core, in addition to sharing her passion for global musics, she loves all sorts of alternative rock from around the world.
and cultural context of music, and ultimately question why musicking means such different things to so many different people. The act of musicking in college can take many forms. Music programs at different institutions vary tremendously—you may focus on devel- oping performing skills; professional programs also help you navigate arts administration or the music business, or train recording engi- neers and studio players; you may receive a degree in music education; and an increasing number of institutions offer courses on music and activism, with real world experience in the community. At the undergraduate level, full- credit courses help you develop your skills as a
134
Arts & Humanities
Don’t Leave College Without Them
135
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker