Courses for Non-Music Majors

Two woman sit beside each other looking at each other, both sitting in front of a piano.

BRING MUSIC TO YOUR DEGREE AT BROCK

The Department of Music at Brock, part of the Marilyn I Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, offers a full and rich calendar of musical events through the academic year. Taking place in the Walker School and the adjacent FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in downtown St Catharines, our musical activities are a cornerstone of the University’s cultural profile in the Niagara region. In addition, we offer several academic degrees in Music, and music making is an integral part of our courses. If you are majoring in a subject other than Music, but music is an important part of your life that you wish to continue at University, then there are a number of options for you. Students with some background in music may receive special permission of the department to enroll in other more specialized courses in music. For more information, please email us at music@brocku.ca.

An exciting place to be!

There is a lot of music-making happening in and around the Music Department! Even if you’re majoring in something else we would love to have you join us.

Taking place in the stunning Marilyn I Walker School and adjacent FirstOntrio Performing Arts Centre in downtown St. Catharines, our musical activities are a central part of the region’s cultural offerings.

Ensembles – experience the buzz of group music making at its very best!

Ensembles are open to everyone! Current students in any program may choose to do ensembles for credit or recreation. Members of the general public are welcome too!

The schedule follows the Fall and Winter academic terms. There is a 3-hour time commitment per week, from September to April. Participation in term concerts is required.

All ensembles take place in the adjacent FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre Recital Hall. Take a 3D tour here!

Fun Fact

Did you know that almost all MUSI courses are available to anyone in any program?

It’s true! However, we want to make sure that you will be able to handle the demands of the courses that you want to take.

Audition for courses

If the course involves playing an instrument or singing, we’ll ask you to do an audition for that course (requirements vary, contact the Department for more information).

Theory requirement 

If the course involves knowing how to read music notation, we’ll ask you to do a theory placement evaluation, or provide proof of a completed, accredited music theory examination. See info here, and contact the Department for more information.

  • MUSI 1P89 University Choir (Mixed Choir SATB) Mondays & Thursdays 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

For more information contact music@brocku.ca

• Wind Ensemble (MUSI 1-2-3-4P84): rehearsals Tuesdays 7:00-10:00pm
• String Orchestra (MUSI 1-2-3-4P86): rehearsals Wednesdays 7:00-10:00pm
• Jazz Ensemble (MUSI 1-2-3-4P78): rehearsals Mondays 7:00-10:00pm

For more information visit Play at Brock! and for details on any of the instrumental ensembles contact music@brocku.ca

Private lessons are also available to students from any faculty across campus. The following two credit courses are available:

• MUSI 1-2-3-4F81: full credit lessons, including 24 hour-long lessons, weekly masterclass, weekly concert attendance September through April. Supplementary lesson fee is $1,850.
• MUSI 1-2-3-4P82: half credit lessons, including 24 30-minute lessons, weekly masterclass, weekly concert attendance September through April. Supplementary lesson fee is $925.

Lesson courses do NOT count as Humanities Context Electives. Audition is required. For more information visit Lessons.

The following courses are offered every year, do not have any prerequisites, and are open to all Brock students:

MUSI 1P95, Popular Music since 1945

  • Survey of popular music developments in rock, jazz, pop, and related musical styles from 1945 to the present.
  • Always offered as an asynchronous online course.
  • Counts as a Humanities Context Elective.

MUSI 1P50, Music in Global Culture

  • Explore how music both reflects and influences individuals and societies through case studies from a variety of musical traditions, past and present, from around the globe.
  • Always offered as a synchronous online course.
  • Counts as a Humanities Context Elective.

If you have taken either Music in Global Culture I, you can register for:

MUSI 2P50 Western Music from Hildegard to Haydn

MUSI 2P55 Western Music from Beethoven to Beyoncé

  • The ability to read Western musical notation is assumed
  • These courses count as Humanities Context Electives

MUSI 2P01 History of Jazz

  • The ability to read Western musical notation is assumed
  • This course does NOT count as a Humanities Context Elective

MUSI 3P55, Storytelling in the Musical Theatre

  • Comparisons between musicals, their theatrical/literary sources, and cinematic adaptations. Case studies for Winter 2022 include Fun Home, In the Heights, Spring Awakening, Cabaret, West Side Story and more.
  • Will be offered in person at the Marilyn I. Walker School in Winter 2022.
  • The ability to read Western musical notation is NOT required.

MUSI 3P64, Music Cognition

  • Explore how the human mind/brain processes, responds to, and produces music. Topics include perception, memory, emotions, performance, and the developmental and social psychology of music.
  • One in-person session per week at the Marilyn I. Walker School.
  • The ability to read Western musical notation is NOT required.

With four credits in Music you can add a Music Minor to your degree. Note: make sure your degree program allows enough room for a minor.There are three different Music Minor options:

Option 1: Minor in Music

  • two MUSI credits
  • one MUSI credit 200+
  • one MUSI credit 290+

Option 2: Minor in Choral/Vocal Music

  • 3 years of Choral Ensemble (Treble or Mixed) (1.5 MUSI credits)
  • 1.5 MUSI electives
  • 0.5 MUSI credit 200+
  • 0.55 MUSI credit 290+

Option 3: Minor in Instrumental Music

  • 3 years of an instrumental ensemble (Wind, Jazz, or String)
  • 1.5 MUSI electives
  • 0.5 MUSI credit 200+
  • 0.5 MUSI credit 290+

Maybe a full degree isn’t for you right now, but you want to take some Music courses and have something to show for it.

The new four-credit Certificates allow you to do exactly that.

Our Certificates follow two of our Minor programs.

Certificate Option 1: Certificate in Choral/Vocal Music

  • 3 years of Choral Ensemble (Treble or Mixed) (1.5 MUSI credits)
  • 1.5 MUSI electives
  • 0.5 MUSI credit 200+
  • 0.55 MUSI credit 290+

Certificate Option 2: Certificate in Instrumental Music

  • 3 years of an instrumental ensemble (Wind, Jazz, or String)
  • 1.5 MUSI electives
  • 0.5 MUSI credit 200+
  • 0.5 MUSI credit 290+

Learn about the application process on the Brock Admissions website.

Any of the courses mentioned on this page can be used towards a Minor in Music. There are many other MUSI courses available to you too, as long as you have the prerequisites.

Please see the MUSI course offerings listed in the Academic Calendar.

Note: many MUSI courses are offered on rotation. For current offerings please see the Provisional Music Courses document on the Music Majors page.

Note, not every course is offered every year. You can sculpt this part of your degree in pretty much any way you wish, focusing on an area of Music that especially interests you: e.g. playing, singing, theory, culture and history, music education, music science and technology, and so on.

If you have questions about any of the options outlined above, please do not hesitate to contact either music@brocku.ca or the Chair of Music, Dr. Karin Di Bella, at: kdibella@brocku.ca

Course calendar

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