Music Humanities

Chair of Music Humanities

Prof. Elaine Sisman (fall 2023)
es53@columbia.edu

Prof. Benjamin Steege (spring 2024)
bas39@columbia.edu

Music Humanities Website

The focus of Music Humanities is on the many forms of the Western musical imagination in art music, through works studied in their historical and cultural contexts. The specific goals of the course are to awaken and encourage active, critical, and comparative listening practices, to provide tools to respond verbally to a variety of musical idioms, and to create engagement with the debates about the character and purposes of music that have occupied composers and musical thinkers since ancient times. The extraordinary richness of musical life in New York is an integral part of the course.

The course moves chronologically from the Middle Ages to the present, examining the choices and assumptions of composers, their patrons, audiences, and performers, and exploring what we can and can’t know about how music of the past may have sounded. Students’ critical perceptions and articulate responses to the music, and to the source readings that are a hallmark of the Core, will be a vital part of the class.

Registration Procedure

All information concerning registration in HUMA UN1123 MASTERPIECES OF WESTERN MUSIC is included in the registration materials sent to students. It is the expectation of the College that all students complete Music Humanities by the end of their third year.

All Core Curriculum courses, including Music Humanities, must be taken for a letter grade. Students may not drop or withdraw from Music Humanities after the Core drop deadline (which is also the end of the Change-of-Program period). For more information, see Registration—Dropping Core Courses.

Courses of Instruction

HUMA UN1123 MASTERPIECES OF WESTERN MUSIC. 3.00 points.

Analysis and discussion of representative works from the Middle Ages to the present

Spring 2023: HUMA UN1123
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
HUMA 1123 001/10709 M W 8:40am - 9:55am
404 Dodge Building
Julia Hamilton 3.00 23/25
HUMA 1123 002/10710 M W 8:40am - 9:55am
405 Dodge Building
Velia Ivanova 3.00 22/25
HUMA 1123 003/10711 M W 8:40am - 9:55am
622 Dodge Building
Saad Haddad 3.00 22/25
HUMA 1123 004/10712 M W 10:10am - 11:25am
404 Dodge Building
Julia Hamilton 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 005/10713 M W 10:10am - 11:25am
405 Dodge Building
Velia Ivanova 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 006/10714 M W 10:10am - 11:25am
716 Hamilton Hall
Demetrius Shahmehri 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 007/10715 M W 1:10pm - 2:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Thomas Wetmore 3.00 22/25
HUMA 1123 008/10716 M W 1:10pm - 2:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Mariusz Kozak 3.00 22/25
HUMA 1123 009/10717 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
404 Dodge Building
John McWhorter 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 010/10718 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
405 Dodge Building
Ralph Whyte 3.00 24/25
HUMA 1123 011/10719 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Magdalena Baczewska 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 012/10720 M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Audrey Amsellem 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 013/10721 M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm
405 Dodge Building
Marilyn McCoy 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 014/10722 M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Ratidzai Chikukwa 3.00 24/25
HUMA 1123 015/10723 M W 6:10pm - 7:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Audrey Amsellem 3.00 24/25
HUMA 1123 016/10724 M W 6:10pm - 7:25pm
405 Dodge Building
Artun Cekem 3.00 24/25
HUMA 1123 017/10725 M W 6:10pm - 7:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Nina Fukuoka 3.00 24/25
HUMA 1123 018/10726 T Th 8:40am - 9:55am
405 Dodge Building
Louis Goldford 3.00 22/25
HUMA 1123 019/10727 T Th 8:40am - 9:55am
622 Dodge Building
Laina Dawes 3.00 24/25
HUMA 1123 020/10728 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
404 Dodge Building
Madeleine Turner 3.00 23/25
HUMA 1123 021/10729 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
405 Dodge Building
Joshua Navon 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 022/10730 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
716 Hamilton Hall
Manuel Garcia Orozco 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 023/10731 T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Madeleine Turner 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 024/10732 T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Mary Kouyoumdjian 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 025/10735 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
404 Dodge Building
Benjamin Steege 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 026/10736 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
405 Dodge Building
Russell O'Rourke 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 027/10737 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Mary Kouyoumdjian 3.00 24/25
HUMA 1123 028/10738 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Ashkan Behzadi 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 029/10739 Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
405 Dodge Building
Russell O'Rourke 3.00 24/25
HUMA 1123 030/10740 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Ryan Pratt 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 031/10741 T Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Ashkan Behzadi 3.00 23/25
HUMA 1123 032/10742 T Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Unnur Evans 3.00 23/25
HUMA 1123 033/10743 T Th 8:40am - 9:55am
404 Dodge Building
Grant Woods 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 034/10744 T Th 8:40am - 9:55am
716 Hamilton Hall
3.00 22/25
HUMA 1123 035/10745 T Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
405 Dodge Building
Ashley Nail 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 036/15142 T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm
Online Only
Alexander Rothe 3.00 24/25
Fall 2023: HUMA UN1123
Course Number Section/Call Number Times/Location Instructor Points Enrollment
HUMA 1123 001/11544 M W 8:40am - 9:55am
404 Dodge Building
Ashkan Behzadi 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 002/11551 M W 8:40am - 9:55am
405 Dodge Building
Finola Merivale 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 003/11553 M W 8:40am - 9:55am
622 Dodge Building
Demetrius Shahmehri 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 004/11554 M W 10:10am - 11:25am
405 Dodge Building
Knar Abrahamyan 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 005/11556 M W 10:10am - 11:25am
404 Dodge Building
Thomas Wetmore 3.00 23/22
HUMA 1123 006/11557 M W 10:10am - 11:25am
622 Dodge Building
Mariusz Kozak 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 007/11558 M W 1:10pm - 2:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Thomas Wetmore 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 008/11559 M W 1:10pm - 2:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Russell O'Rourke 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 009/11560 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
404 Dodge Building
Magdalena Baczewska 3.00 25/25
HUMA 1123 010/11561 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
405 Dodge Building
Audrey Amsellem 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 011/11562 M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Russell O'Rourke 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 012/11563 M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Kristy Barbacane 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 013/11565 M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm
405 Dodge Building
Audrey Amsellem 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 014/11566 M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Ryan Pratt 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 015/11567 M W 6:10pm - 7:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Galen DeGraf 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 016/11568 M W 6:10pm - 7:25pm
405 Dodge Building
Ashley Nail 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 017/11569 M W 6:10pm - 7:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Dongmyung Ahn 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 018/11570 T Th 8:40am - 9:55am
405 Dodge Building
Velia Ivanova 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 019/11571 T Th 8:40am - 9:55am
622 Dodge Building
Callum Blackmore 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 020/11573 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
404 Dodge Building
Madeleine Turner 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 021/11574 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
405 Dodge Building
Velia Ivanova 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 022/11578 T Th 10:10am - 11:25am
716 Hamilton Hall
Scott Douglass 3.00 23/22
HUMA 1123 023/11580 T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Madeleine Turner 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 024/11582 T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Sonja Wermager 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 025/11589 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
404 Dodge Building
Ruth Opara 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 026/11591 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
405 Dodge Building
Saad Haddad 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 027/11592 T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Sonja Wermager 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 028/11594 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Joshua Mastel 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 029/11595 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
405 Dodge Building
Saad Haddad 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 030/11596 T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Manuel Garcia Orozco 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 031/11597 T Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
404 Dodge Building
Joshua Navon 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 032/11598 T Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
716 Hamilton Hall
Marilyn McCoy 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 033/11599 T Th 8:40am - 9:55am
404 Dodge Building
Ashkan Behzadi 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 034/11600 T Th 8:40am - 9:55am
716 Hamilton Hall
Anya Wilkening 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 035/11601 T Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm
405 Dodge Building
Ralph Whyte 3.00 22/22
HUMA 1123 036/18822 T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm
622 Dodge Building
Lauren Bernard 3.00 22/22

Exemption from Music Humanities

Although all Columbia students are expected to take Music Humanities, there are some students who enter with exceptional musical backgrounds that may qualify them for exemption. Exemption from Music Humanities may be obtained by passing an Exemption Exam. In the case of transfer students, exemption may also be obtained by filing a course substitution request.

Exemption Exam

The Exemption Exam is offered on the first Friday of the fall semester by the Music Department (621 Dodge Hall). Students who matriculate in the spring semester should take the exam in the following fall term. Students may take the exam only once during their first year at Columbia. If they do not pass the exam, they must enroll in a section of Music Humanities.

Course Substitution

In addition to the Exemption Exam, students with approved transfer credit have the option of requesting exemption on the basis of a similar music course passed with a grade of B or higher at another college or university. This exemption must be requested during the student’s first semester at Columbia. Petitions submitted in subsequent semesters will not be considered by the Center for the Core Curriculum.