I have developed the following courses for students in Performance or Interdisciplinary Music Studies at the University of Toronto:
MMU130 BUILDING THE CREATIVE PATH — This course introduces first-year students in the Interdisciplinary Music Studies programme to foundational concepts of creative self-awareness, authenticity, and agency. A key aspect of the Interdisciplinary programme is for students to autonomously structure a significant part of their curriculum and conceptualize, plan, and mobilize their own professional opportunities; this course is designed to build student capacity to do so. Structured reflection, peer mentorship, and instructor guidance in the course support students in identifying their interests, talents, and needed skills. Lectures, activities, and assignments include group discussions, debates, case studies, peer exchanges, and individual journaling. Students work towards developing ambitious and realistic goals, and learn how to identify, create, and maintain professional relationships.
MMU200 / 201 CREATIVE IDENTITIES IN MUSIC I and II — This second-year course series for students in Interdisciplinary Music Studies builds on topics covered in MMU130, including agency, power, control, validation, failure, and adversity, among others. Students explore these topics through collaborative in-class activities and reflective assignments, and apply their skills in producing their choice of multimedia digital story, practical innovation plan, or academic research paper. Additional assignments include a “mini-festo,” vision statement, elevator pitch, cover letter, and personal learning plan. Students in the second term complete a self-directed major term project.
PMU357 ORGAN IMPROVISATION — This course is designed to help organists and composers learn how to apply their skills of creative imagination, analysis, and physical coordination to create compelling, convincing, and well-executed improvisations at the organ. Topics include thematic construction, thematic development, harmonic development, and how to improvise within any given target form or style. Exercises and assignments draw on a variety of repertoire in exploring both modal and tonal improvisations in forms including canons, theme and variations, and toccata. Students in this course often compose melodies for each other and engage in multi-player improvisations with as many as three organists at a time.
PMU288 HISTORICAL KEYBOARD IMPROVISATION / CONTINUO — This course teaches keyboard majors how to improvise figured-bass realizations at the harpsichord and chamber organ collaboratively with a variety of soloists and historical repertoire. Students develop proficiency and confidence with historical keyboard techniques, performance practices, conducting from the keyboard, and working with facsimile editions. In-class activities and assignments often include collaboration with invited instrumentalists and singers. Students who successfully complete this course are able to participate in performance masterclasses and work professionally as continuo players.
PMU388 HARPSICHORD AND ORGAN — Delivered in masterclass format, this course provides practical grounding in organ and harpsichord, focusing on essential techniques and performance practices grouped into thirteen units. For harpsichord, units include English Late Renaissance, Italian Pre-Baroque, French Baroque, and Early Classical. Organ units include North German Pre-Baroque, French Baroque, Bach Trio Sonatas and Free works, German Romantic, Early French Romantic, French Symphonic, French Neo-Classical, French 20th century, and 20th century British and American. Emphasis is placed on developing a versatile technique with a variety of instruments, adaptation from piano as needed, and proficiency with national styles, ornamentation, registration, and console management.
PMU460 ORGAN PEDAGOGY — This course provides fourth-year organ majors with practical knowledge and skills to establish and build a private teaching practice, while also providing first-year piano majors with instructor-supervised organ lessons from these fourth-year students. Topics include pedagogies of organ technique and interpretation, articulating a clear teaching philosophy, establishing appropriate objectives with students, choosing repertoire, developing communication skills, and resolving conflicts. Activities include viva voce analysis, class discussion, peer feedback exchange, and reflective writing.