MUS-451-jihyun.kim1-2025-04-02-12-09-29
Title of Course [Seminar in Counterpoint]
Prefix and Number [MUS 451]
Semester and Year [Spring 2026]
Number of Credit Hours [2]
Prerequisites [MUS 351 or concurrent enrollment]
Course Details
Day and Time: To be scheduled individually; students meet with the instructor for an hour weekly
Meeting Location: Kimbrough 141
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor Name: Dr. Jihyun Kim
Instructor Contact Information: Kimbrough 141, 509-335-8587, Jihyun.kim1@wsu.edu
Instructor Office Hours: Fridays 10 - 11am
Course Description
The emphasis will be on mastering both the stylistic techniques as well as the subtle expressiveness of counterpoint in Renaissance and Baroque. This course will take the approach of the required text in that it will be based on historical principles of pedagogy drawn from contemporary manuals. Practice will proceed through increasing complexity:
- of dissonance usage
- of technique (imitation, motivic usage, canon, etc)
- and of number of voices.
While stylistic writing is the main goal, we will undertake as much study of Renaissance and Baroque masterworks as time allows. You are strongly encouraged to listen widely to find recordings you enjoy, and to get to know them well.
Course Materials
Books: Peter Schubert, Modal Counterpoint, Renaissance Style (Oxford University Press, 2nd ed., 2008) - $160 new, $100~ used
Other Materials: scores (to be provided from the instructor), manuscripts (cost varies) and pencil/easer
Fees: N/A
|
Course Learning Outcomes (students will be able to:) |
Activities Supporting the Learning Outcomes | Assessment of the Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| Students will be able to understand and analyze music written in Renaissance. | Lesson instruction, weekly homework (listening, reading and writing) | Weekly playing/written exercises |
| Students will be able to write music in Renaissance contrapuntal style. | Lesson instruction, weekly homework (listening, reading and writing) | Weekly playing/written exercises/ Midterm |
| Students will be able to understand and analyze music written in Baroque. | Lesson instruction, weekly homework (listening, reading and writing) | Weekly playing/written exercises |
| Students will be able to write music in Baroque contrapuntal style. | Lesson instruction, weekly homework (listening, reading and writing) | Weekly playing/written exercises/ Final project |
| Dates | Lesson Topic | Assignment | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Week 1 |
Renaissance Counterpoint - Introduction and Mode | Homework 1 | Individual feedback |
| Week 2 [dates] |
1st and 2nd species counterpoint | Homework 2 | Individual feedback |
| Week 3 [dates] |
3rd and 4th species counterpoint | Homework 3 | Individual feedback |
| Week 4 [dates] |
Mixed Value | Homework 4 | Individual feedback |
| Week 5 [dates] |
Cadence formulas in Two Voices | Homework 5 | Individual feedback |
| Week 6 [dates] |
Two Parts in Mixed Values | Homework 6 | Individual feedback |
| Week 7 [dates] |
Two Part Imitative Duo | Midterm: Writing a two part imitative duo | Individual feedback |
| Week 8 [dates] |
Baroque Counterpoint - Introduction | Homework 7 | Individual feedback |
| Week 9 [dates] |
Canon and Invertible Counterpoint | Homework 8 | Individual feedback |
| Week 10 [dates] |
Invention | Homework 9 | Individual feedback |
| Week 11 [dates] |
Invention continues | Homework 10 | Individual feedback |
| Week 12 [dates] |
Two part Invention final | Homework 11 | Individual feedback |
| Week 13 [dates] |
Fugue in three voices | Homework 12 | Individual feedback |
| Week 14 [dates] |
Fugue continues | Final project begins: writing a fugue | Individual feedback |
| Week 15 [dates] |
Fugue final | Final project due | Individual feedback |
Expectations for Student Effort
For each hour of lecture equivalent, students should expect to have a minimum of three hours of work outside of class.
There will be weekly homework assignments mostly involving composition in some form. Timely completion of all homework assignments is an essential part of mastering the material.
Grading [add more lines if necessary]
| Type of Assignment (tests, papers, etc) | Points | Percent of Overall Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly assignment | 40 points | 40% |
| Two Projects: Midterm and Final | each 25 points = 50 points in total | 50% |
| Attendance | 10 points | 10% |
| Grade | Percent | Grade | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| A |
100 - 93 |
C | 76.99 - 73 |
| A- | 92.99 - 90 | C- | 72.99 - 70 |
| B+ | 89.99 - 87 | D+ | 69.99 - 66 |
| B | 86.99 - 83 | D | 65.99 - 60 |
| B- | 82.99 - 80 | F | 59.99 - 0 |
| C+ | 79.99 - 77 |
Attendance and Make-Up Policy
- Students should make all reasonable efforts to attend all class meetings. However, in the event a student is unable to attend a class, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor as soon as possible, explain the reason for the absence (and provide documentation, if appropriate), and make up class work missed within a reasonable amount of time, if allowed.
- Successful completion of this course relies on your attendance and participation. As a skills-based course, you can expect to be asked regularly to sing or play music independently, present or engage in score study and analysis. Because you will be learning and demonstrating new skill sets, attendance is especially important in this course.
Academic Integrity Statement
You are responsible for reading WSU's Academic Integrity Policy, which is based on Washington State law. If you cheat in your work in this class you will:
- Fail the course
- Be reported to the Center for Community Standards
- Have the right to appeal my decision
- Not be able to drop the course of withdraw from the course until the appeals process is finished
If you have any questions about what you can and cannot do in this course, ask me. If you want to ask for a change in my decision about academic integrity, use the form at the Center for Community Standards website. You must submit this request within 21 calendar days of the decision.
Community Standards
WSU is committed to fostering a respectful environment that promotes the well-being and dignity of all members of the University community. Faculty and students are expected to treat each other, staff, faculty, students, and members of the public in a professional manner at all times while on campus or representing WSU.
School of Music students are expected to:
- Communicate in a respectful manner
- Work cooperatively with others
- Hold oneself accountable for one’s behaviors and actions
- Avoid all forms of abusive conduct, harassment, illegal discrimination, and workplace violence.
- Abusive conduct may include physical action, verbal or non-verbal behavior or electronic or written communication
- Students whose behaviors violate these expectations will be reported to the University Conduct Board.
University Syllabus
Students are responsible for reading and understanding all university-wide policies and resources pertaining to all courses (for instance: accommodations, care resources, policies on discrimination or harassment), which can be found in the university syllabusLinks to an external site..
Protecting Your Hearing Health
An NASM – PAMA Student Information Sheet on Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Hearing health is essential to your lifelong success as a musician. Your hearing can be permanently damaged by loud sounds, including music. Technically, this is called Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Such danger is constant. Noise-induced hearing loss is generally preventable. You must avoid overexposure to loud sounds, especially for long periods of time. The closer you are to the source of a loud sound, the greater the risk of damage to your hearing mechanisms. Sounds over 85 dB (your typical vacuum cleaner) in intensity pose the greatest risk to your hearing. The risk of hearing loss is based on a combination of sound or loudness intensity and duration.
Recommended maximum daily exposure times (NIOSH) to sounds at or above 85 dB are as follows:
- 85 dB (vacuum cleaner, MP3 player at 1/3 volume) – 8 hours
- 90 dB (blender, hair dryer) – 2 hours
- 94 dB (MP3 player at 1/2 volume) – 1 hour
- 100 dB (MP3 player at full volume, lawnmower) – 15 minutes
- 110 dB (rock concert, power tools) – 2 minutes
- 120 dB (jet planes at take-off) – without ear protection, sound damage is almost immediate
Certain behaviors (controlling volume levels in practice and rehearsal, avoiding noisy environments, turning down the volume) reduce your risk of hearing loss. Be mindful of those MP3 earbuds. See chart above. The use of earplugs and earmuffs helps to protect your hearing health.
Day-to-day decisions can impact your hearing health, both now and in the future. Since sound exposure occurs in and out of school, you also need to learn more and take care of your own hearing health on a daily, even hourly basis. It is important to follow basic hearing health guidelines. It is also important to study this issue and learn more. If you are concerned about your personal hearing health, talk with a medical professional. If you are concerned about your hearing health in relationship to your program of study, consult the appropriate contact person at your institution.
This information is provided by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA). For more information, check out the other NASM- PAMA hearing health documents, located on the NASM Web site at the URL linked below: http://nasm.arts-accredit.org/index.jsp?page=NASM-PAMA_Hearing_HealthLinks to an external site.