The best aspect of this course was the enjoyable lectures, which often involved listening to music. Students did not like the fast-paced lessons, most of which came from the textbook, and the homework assignments, which were tedious and overwhelming at times. The course would improve if it were more interactive and if it included a little more ear training so as to help students understand the material better. Prospective students should know that this is an enjoyable music course with enough homework to help them learn what they need to learn.

The best aspects of this course included the relaxed class atmosphere and the professor’s very engaging manner. Students liked the listening examples and felt that the professor was very passionate about the subject. Many students complained that the lectures were taught straight out of the book, and that at times the class went by too quickly for them to fol ow. Suggestions for improvement included adding more activities and practice analyses during the class to help students struggling with some of the skills. Students also wanted the professor to put down the book and lecture from memory, or intersperse the lesson with more discussion. Prospective students will find this an entertaining, if slightly challenging course that wil teach them the basics of music theory.

Students praised the dedicated instructor for this course that provided students with more advanced compositional techniques in a small class size. Students’ perceived issues with the course largely centered on a belief that the instructor’s pace was off in the course; students thought he tended to jump around during lecture or to speed or ramble through important explanations. Suggestions for improvement varied; multiple students requested additional practice creating compositions with some students asking for them to be included closer to the start of the course. Prospective students should know that students found the course did require a fair amount of work and that a solid background in music theory was necessary for success.

The best aspects of this course included listening to and analyzing pieces of music; also, the instructor required composition from his students. One student felt the class was, at times, disorganized. Another student felt that the instructor seemed more focused on lecturing than on interaction. Suggestions included adopting new composition pieces, a different textbook, and ensuring that there is ample participation/interaction between the instructor and students in class. Prospective students should have a solid background in music theory and, if possible, access to a piano/keyboard.

The best aspects of this course were the professor’s effective and clear teaching style and the experiences that each class period granted students. The professor encouraged students to participate and made it his duty to get acquainted with each of them. Classes were described as “fun” and “a pleasure to attend.” The bad aspect of this course was the time consuming homework assignments. According to students, the assignments took a couple of hours to complete. It was suggested that grades be made clearer on Blackboard and that homework assignments be shortened. Prospective students should be comfortable with composition.

The best aspects of the course included the interesting subject matter as well as the intelligent and approachable professor. Students appreciated the professor’s flexibility with assignment deadlines as well as his willingness to help struggling students. Some students found the class to be disorganized at times. Others claimed that the textbook was ineffective and did not mirror what was discussed in class. Suggestions for improvement included more availability for office hours and having more student participation in class. Prospective students should know that the course is great, as long they do the homework and study for tests.