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New music courses available to all UM students

Shaneela Boodoo — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 20:47:55 +0000

Are you a new student? Looking for an elective to fill out your schedule? Never got a chance to try music, but always wanted to? This is your chance!

Music Courses available to all UM students

At the Desautels Faculty of Music, we have a selection of courses that are available to all students at the UM, regardless of your major. From history, production, and business, you do not need to be musically inclined to be captivated by the many areas that make up the study of music.

Some courses require an override to enter the course. Where it says “Instructor Approval Required” please email the instructor of record.

Want to get a brief introduction to your instructors? Be sure to check out the Desautels Faculty of Music Instagram, for a collection of reels straight from our faculty members about our new courses!

MUSC 1010 – Music Matters: Excursions in Western Musical Culture

3 credits

Winter 2026 (CRN 61208)

Tuesday/Thursday 2:30-3:45 p.m.

Instructor: TBA

This course introduces and explores selected western musical phenomena from aesthetic, social, and historical perspectives. Topics will include art and vernacular musics; style and genre; social function and context; the nature and varieties of musical experience. May not be held with MUSC 1050. This course may not be used for credit towards the Bachelor of Music or the Bachelor of Jazz Studies degree.

Open to all UM students.

MUSC 1020 – Introduction to Popular Music

3 credits

Winter 2025 (CRN 61961)

Tuesday/Thursday 11:30 a.m. -12:45 p.m.

Instructor: Dr. Andrew Deruchie

This course begins with a brief examination of the origins of the popular music industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through the development of rock’ n ‘roll in the 1950s and then surveys the subsequent proliferation of different types of popular music into the 21st century. The course will address representative genres, artists, and record labels in their cultural, political, historical, and technological contexts.

Open to all UM students – no restrictions.

MUSC 1030 – History of Musical Theatre

3 credits

Fall 2025 (CRN 21561)

Monday/Wednesday/Friday 10:30-11:20 p.m.

Instructor: Donna Fletcher

A broad survey of the development and history of musical theatre from the early days of Vaudeville and Burlesque through its evolution to the grand scale Broadway productions of today. This course is designed to reveal the origins and development of modern musical theatre through the study of influential artists, societal influences, shifting music & compositional trends, political movements, and major historical figures. This course may include a field trip component.

Open to all UM students – no restrictions.

MUSC 1040 – Discovering Jazz

3 credits

Fall 2025 (CRN 25005)

Tuesday/Thursday 1-2:15 p.m.

Instructor: Jonathan Challoner

This course is a comprehensive guide for listening to and understanding the genre of jazz. Students will examine how the musical elements of jazz such as improvisation and swing rhythm have evolved and developed from the 1800s to today. This course will also profile some of the genre’s most impactful artists and examine various approaches to jazz journalism and criticism.

Open to all UM students – no restrictions.

MUSC 1930 – Rudiments of Music

3 credits

Fall 2025 (CRN 20084)

Tuesday/Thursday 8:30-9:45 a.m.

Instructor: TBA

An introduction to fundamental aspects of music such as sound generation, notation, melodic and harmonic construction, with emphasis on an aural approach. This course may be used for credit as a Music elective by B. Mus or B. Jazz Studies students if taken before MUSC 1110 – Theory 1. Not available for credit for B. Mus or B. Jazz Studies students taking MUSC 1930 concurrently with MUSC 1110 or already holding a grade of “C” or better in MUSC 1110.

Open to all UM students.

MUSC 3040 – Perspectives on Indigenous Music

3 credits

Fall 2025 (CRN 25007)

Tuesday/Thursday 10-11:15 a.m.

Instructor: Melody McKiver

The goal of this course is to provide a functional understanding of how Indigenous communities create music while being impacted by settler colonialism. Students will learn to situate themselves within the land they reside upon and will discuss Indigenous histories of what is presently called the Winnipeg region. Students will survey the major Indigenous groups in Canada and will be introduced to Anishinaabeg worldviews and philosophies. Students will learn about different genres of music practiced by Indigenous artists and interrogate notions of appropriation and collaboration. May not be held with MUSC 3820 when titled Perspectives on Indigenous Music.

Open to all UM students – no restrictions.

MUSC x190 (T25) – Wednesday Night Jazz Big Band

2 credits

Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 terms spanned

Wednesday 5:30-7 p.m.

Instructor: Jonathon Challoner and Richard Gillis

The Wednesday Night Jazz Big Band, led by Richard Gillis and Jonathan Challoner, is a jazz big band open to all UofM students. This group will cover a variety of composers and musical styles and focus on the fundamentals of playing in a large jazz ensemble. The Wednesday Night Jazz Big Band will rehearse once per week and will be featured in at least one public performance per semester.

To provide the best experience possible in this ensemble, we are asking that students send a brief statement of intent (150 words or less) to Jon Challoner or Richard Gillis (Jonathan.Challoner@umanitoba.ca OR Richard.Gillis@umanitoba.ca) before registering. Applicants should have at least two years of experience on their instrument and be able to read music notation.

Please provide a bit of information about what instrument you play and your background learning/performing music. Do you have experience improvising and/or learning music by ear? Please include your full name, student number, and home faculty with your statement of intent.

MUSC 3820 (T39) History of Gospel Music

3 credits

Winter 2026 (CRN 65865)

Tuesday/Thursday 8:30-9:45 a.m.

Instructor: Dr. Anna Nekola

Gospel music is the music of community, an embodied expression of hope and resilience in the face of injustice and oppression. Although gospel music continues to be tied to faith practices, the sounds of Black gospel are also deeply embedded in the sounds of secular popular music, from Ray Charles and Mahalia Jackson, to Beyonce, Stormzy, and Canadian artist William Prince. The course investigates how musicians make and think about gospel music, and how critics and audiences listen to and think about it, investigating the historical, religious, political, cultural, and social contexts of this music around the world.

Open to Music students or with instructor approval for students in other faculties.

MUSC 3820 (T40) – Hip Hop Studies

3 credits

Winter 2026 (CRN 65880)

Tuesday/Thursday 1-2:15 p.m.

Instructor: Melody McKiver

This lecture course is an introduction to the academic area of Hip Hop studies as an African diasporic and global phenomenon, with an emphasis on MCing and DJing as the musical elements of HipHop culture. Themes will range from history and origins of Hip Hop culture, uses of sampling, Black feminist scholarship and Hip Hop feminists, and the widespread global adoption of Hip Hop as a cultural movement with a special resonance to dispossessed and disenfranchised peoples from occupied Turtle Island to Palestine.

Open to all UM students – no restrictions.

MUSC 3830 (T32) – Music Production

3 credits

Winter 2026 (CRN 62804)

Tuesday/Thursday 10-11:15 a.m.

Instructor: Melody McKiver

Students will study form and compositional approaches to a variety of musical styles, which may include pop, rock, Hip Hop, and EDM. The course will provide an introduction to the creative use of music technology, including DAW usage and home recording. Assignments will include the development of a musical portfolio, and written reflections and analysis. Students of diverse musical experiences are encouraged to enroll.

Instructor approval required.

MUSC 3830 (T41) – Introduction to World Drumming

3 credits

Winter 2026 (CRN 65881)

Tuesday/Thursday 10-11:15 a.m.

Instructor: Fabio Ragnelli and Victoria Sparks

This introductory course explores the rich diversity of global drumming traditions through hands-on experience. Designed to be taught without using traditional western music notation, the course focuses on fundamental rhythm concepts, basic drumming techniques, and group performance practices using percussion instruments from Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia. Students will develop listening skills and rhythmic coordination. The course will help students to develop an understanding of the social and cultural roles of drumming in various world traditions. No previous music experience is necessary.

Open to all UM students – no restrictions.

MUSC 3830 (T41) – Composition for Film and Media

3 credits

Fall 2025 (CRN 26355)

Tuesday/Thursday 1-2:15 p.m.

Instructor: Melody McKiver

Students will learn the use of Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) and sample libraries suitable for composition for digital media. Software includes Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and Spitfire LABS. Compositional tools will include MIDI orchestration, sound design, and audio recording. Students will study film history and the use of music as a compliment to storytelling within film, television, and video games. Other topics will include delivery standards and professional practices.

Instructor approval required.

MUSC 3830 (T42) – Business of Music

3 credits

Fall 2025 (CRN 26476)

Thursday 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Instructors: TBA

Discover the business side of music. This course will provide a survey of music business topics including artist management, music marketing, rights and royalties, concert promotion, contracts, grants and funding, and financial planning. Students in all genres, including classical, jazz, pop, folk, and more, will learn from experienced industry professionals, gain insight into industry roles, and acquire skills required to succeed in the music business. Prepare for a professional future in music with tools to navigate the sector as a songwriter/composer, performer, arts worker, or industry professional.

Open to all UM students – no restrictions.

MUSC 3830 (T50) – Intro to Game Audio

3 credits

Fall 2025 (CRN 26536)

Thursday 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Instructor: TBA

This course introduces students to the foundational principles and practical techniques of game audio design and programming. Emphasis is placed on interactive audio systems using FMOD Studio, a leading middleware audio engine, integrated with Unity or Unreal Engine. Students will explore sound design, audio programming, music systems, and the technical and creative aspects of game audio integration.

Open to all UM students – no restrictions.

MUSC 3830 (T50) – Intro to Game Audio

3 credits

Winter 2026 (CRN 66030)

Thursday 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Instructor: TBA

Open to all UM students – no restrictions.

New music courses available to all UM students

Shaneela Boodoo — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 21:27:19 +0000

Are you a new student? Looking for an elective to fill out your schedule? Never got a chance to try music, but always wanted to? This is your chance!

Music Courses available to all U of M students

At the Desautels Faculty of Music, we have a selection of courses that are available to all students at the U of M, regardless of your major. From history, production, and business, you do not need to be musically inclined to be captivated by the many areas that make up the study of music.

Some courses require an override to enter the course. Where it says “Instructor Approval Required” please email the instructor of record. Otherwise, please email DFoM.Advising@umanitoba.ca with your request to enter the course.

Winter 2025

MUSC 3830 (T32) – Popular Songwriting and Production

3 credits

Winter 2025 (CRN 62804)

Tuesday/Thursday 10:00-11:15am

Students will study form and compositional approaches to a variety of musical styles, which may include pop, rock, hip-hop, and EDM. The course will provide an introduction to the creative use of music technology, including DAW usage and home recording. Assignments will include the development of a musical portfolio, and written reflections and analysis. Students of diverse musical experiences are encouraged to enroll. Open to non-majors with permission of instructor. 

College override required

MUSC 1010 – Music Matters: Excursions in Western Musical Culture

3 credits

Winter 2025 (CRN 61208)

Tuesday/Thursday 2:30-3:45pm

No overrides needed

MUSC 1020 – Introduction to Popular Music

3 credits

Winter 2025 (CRN 61961)

Tuesday/Thursday 11:30am-12:45pm

No overrides needed

MUSC 3830 (T41) – Composition for Film and Media

3 credits

Winter 2025 (CRN 64885)

Tuesday/Thursday 1:00-2:15pm

Instructor approval required.

MUSC 3830 (T42) – Business of Music

3 credits

Winter 2025 (CRN 64888)

Monday 5:30pm – 8:30pm

No overrides required

MUSC 3830 (T43) – Monday Night Song Circle

3 credits

Winter 2025 (CRN 64889)

Monday 5:30-8:30pm

Join us for the Monday Night Song Circle. We’ll explore vocal technique along with a variety of vocal styles including Classical, Musical Theatre, Jazz, and Singer-Songwriter. You’ll learn about singing, while participating in a group setting that offers lots of solo and ensemble opportunities, taught by Winnipeg’s leading voice teachers.

Students should have some background in singing, including the ability to read music.

Instructor approval required:

To provide the best experience possible in the Monday Night Song Circle, we are asking that students send a brief statement of intent (150 words or less) to course co-ordinator Mel Braun (mel.braun@umanitoba.ca) before registering.

Students should have some background in singing, including the ability to read music. Briefly describe what genre of music you perform, and a bit of information about your background learning and/or performing music. Please include your full name, student number, and home faculty with your statement of intent.

MUSC 3830 (T44) – Monday Night Brass Band

3 credits

Winter 2025 (CRN 64890)

Monday 5:30-8:30pm

This ensemble will explore the music and culture of brass bands from around the world covering styles such as jazz, pop, funk, samba, klezmer and more. Brass, wind, and percussion players are all welcome. Ability to read music is not necessary, but at least two years of experience on your instrument is recommended.

Instructor approval required:

To provide the best experience possible in the Monday Night Brass Band, we are asking that students send a brief statement of intent (150 words or less) to course instructor Jon Challoner (Jonathan.Challoner@umanitoba.ca) before registering.

Ability to read music is not necessary, but at least two years of experience on your instrument is recommended. Please provide a bit of information about what instrument you play and your background learning/performing music. Do you have experience improvising and/or learning music by ear? Please include your full name, student number, and home faculty with your statement of intent.

MUSC 3620 – Métis Fiddling lessons (Independent Study)

Winter 2025 (CRN 65049)

The Desautels Faculty of Music is thrilled to announce that we are offering Métis Fiddling lessons with North American Fiddlers’ Hall of Fame member Patti Kusturok. Patti is an inspiring and gifted teacher who works with students at all levels and is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation.

These lessons are available to all U of M students. No previous experience reading music or playing fiddle is required.

There are 10 spots available for private lessons – students will register for a 3-credit Independent Study for the opportunity to study with Patti during the 2024-25 academic year. Instruments will be provided on loan, free of charge.

Contact DFoM.Advising@umanitoba.ca for access to this course.

Advisor Approval required

Métis Fiddling Ensembles

2 credits

(Chamber Music Ensemble MUSC X190 T04) Fall and Winter spanned

North American Fiddlers’ Hall of Fame member Patti Kusturok will be leading Métis Fiddling ensembles. You can register for these 2-credit, spanned ensembles or participate as a community member.

These ensembles are designed for students who play stringed instruments or who are taking Métis Fiddling lessons with Patti during the 2024-25 year.

For more information about Metis Fiddling lessons or ensembles, please contact DFOM.advising@umanitoba.ca

College override required