Music Theory

The Music Department at UTA offers a B.M. in Music with an option in Composition (B.M., Composition Option), and a Masters of Music in Music Theory (M.M., Theory).

**NOTE FOR ALL INCOMING FRESHMEN**

If you are planning to attend a music program, a certain degree of music literacy is expected PRIOR to enrolling in your first semester of music courses. We STRONGLY RECOMMEND that students visit the following website:

www.musictheory.net/lessons/

We recommend the following sections within this site:

  • THE BASICS: Students must know these materials PERFECTLY before entering Theory/Harmony I (MUSI 1325)
  • RHYTHM AND METER and SCALES AND KEY SIGNATURES: Students need a basic understanding of this material. It is covered in Theory 1, but at a very rapid pace.
  • INTERVALS: We STRONGLY recommend that students work on this material PRIOR to beginning Theory 1- this area is vital to your success in Theory 1 and the more knowledge of this you come in with, the better!
  • CHORDS - Useful to go over in preparation for more detailed work in the semester.

You should continue to use this website, including the remaining chapters, throughout the semester, as an additional resource. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your Theory 1 professor.

B.M. Composition

This degree prepares the undergraduate for a career in graduate studies and beyond through Advanced lessons and seminars. Topics of these upper-level classes include: Sonata Theory, Composition Lessons, Computer-Aided Composition, Schenkerian Analysis, and Generative Theory.

For specific degree requirements, please see the Undergraduate Catalog listing for the Music Degrees.

M.M. Theory

For more information on the M.M. Music Theory program, please visit https://www.uta.edu/academics/schools-colleges/liberal-arts/departments/music/prospective-students/graduate/master-music-theory

For specific degree requirements, please see the Graduate Catalog listing for the Music Degrees.

Faculty

Dr. Graham Hunt, Ph.D. Duke University

Department of Music

Associate Chair, Professor, Music Theory and Composition Area Coordinator

Area: Music Theory and Composition

Graham Hunt

Email: gghunt@uta.edu

Phone #: 817-272-2446

Office: FA 304

Bio: Graham Hunt is Professor of Musicology and Music Theory at the University of Texas at Arlington. He received his Ph.D. in Musicology from Duke University. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles in music theory journals, including 2 articles in the most pre-eminent journal in the field of Music Theory, Music Theory Spectrum. He has also presented 5 times at the national meeting of the Society of Music Theory. He served as President of the Texas Society Music Theory from 2011-2014. He has given the keynote speech for the Oklahoma City University Theory Conference and has been a guest speaker at the Music Theory Lecture Series at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and the University of Texas at Austin. He has published on subjects such as Wagner, Neo-Riemannian analysis, the Three-Key Exposition in Sonata forms, and, most recently, problematic rondo forms in Classical and 19th-Century finales, in journals such as Journal for Schenkerian Studies, Integral, Theory and Practice, 19th-Century Music Review, and Music Theory Spectrum. He was also selected to be the Grace and Joseph Valentine Visiting Professor at Amherst College (Massachusetts) in 2009. His latest research applies the groundbreaking theories of William Caplin, "Formal-Function Analysis," which was derived from the theories of Arnold Schoenberg to examine formal ambiguities that have previous defied traditional analytical interpretations, such as three-key expositions, truncated rondo forms, and opera arias, duets, and ensembles. Most recently, he was been invited to contribute a chapter to "Mozart Operas", a volume published by Leuven press, on Sonata forms in Mozart's operas, published an article in Music Analysis (published in the UK) on "Diverging Subordinate Themes" in sonata forms ranging from Scarlatti to Bruckner, and contributed a chapter to “Wagner studies” on formal functions of leitmotivs in Wagner’s opera Lohengrin. This November, he will present a paper on “Lesser, Redundant and Inconvenient Rondo Forms” at the national Society for Music Theory, which will be held virtually.

Dr. Amy Hatch, Ph.D. Music Theory - University of North Texas

Department of Music

Assistant Professor of Instruction

Area: Music Theory

Amy Hatch

Email: amy.hatch@uta.edu

Office: FA 306

Bio: Amy Hatch earned her PhD in music theory at the University of North Texas (2022) under the advisement of Dr. Ellen Bakulina. Her dissertation developed the concept of a Doubly Augmented Prime (DAP) from the original trestise of Russian music theorist Alexsii Ogolevets into a theory that could be applied to the music of Shostakovich. Amy earned a B.A. in Music (2011) and an M.M. in Music Theory (2013) from Texas State University - San Marcos. She has taught at Texas State and UNT and has been an adjunct professor UTA since 2019. Dr. Hatch's research interests include analysis of Tejano/Conjunto music, Transformation Theory (Lewinian), and Music Theory Pedagogy/Music Education. She has presented on motivic analysis of David Lee Garza's music at the 2018 SMT/AMS National Conference in San Antonio, TX as well as her dissertation research at the Graduate Association of Musicologists und Theorists (GAMuT) conference and the Texas Society for Music Theory conference in 2022.

Sean Morrison, M.M. University of North Texas

Department of Music

Lecturer

Area: Musicology/Music History

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Email: sean.morrison@uta.edu

Office: FA 325

Klaudia Cop, MM, University of North Texas; BA, Oklahoma City University

Department of Music

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Area: Music Theory

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Dr. Jesse Maker, D.M. Composition, McGill University

Department of Music

Adjunct Professor

Area: Music Theory

Jesse Maker Headshot

Email: jesse.maker@uta.edu

Office: FA 324

Bio: Jesse Maker is a composer and educator located in Arlington, Texas. Madly in love with linguistics, he often works in the space between lyrics and poetry, music and words, meaningfulness and meaninglessness. His music is characterized by its breathless intensity. Dr. Maker’s research focuses on practical composition pedagogy and the mechanisms of meaning in music. He holds degrees from Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, Bowling Green State University, and McGill University. Dr. Maker teaches music theory at the University of Texas at Arlington and composition to students in his private studio.

Nathan Lowe, M.M. University of Texas at Arlington

Department of Music

Adjunct Professor of Music Theory

Area: Music Theory

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Bio: Nathan Lowe is currently pursuing a PhD in Music Theory at the University of North Texas. Originally from Australia, he has worked at a music conservatory as a piano and theory teacher. Earning his Bachelor of Music Theory from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 and his Master of Music Theory from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2021, where he also served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. His research interests include music from the late Classical era, the Romantic era, and all forms of keyboard music. Outside of the music field, Nathan enjoys watching and participating in various motorsports, as well as playing tennis.

Veronica Schramm, MA, Tarleton State University - Music Education

Department of Music

Adjunct Assistant Professor

Area: Music Theory/Pedagogy

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