Courses 2025-26

Offered on three levels: beginning (no previous experience required), intermediate, and advanced. Instruction emphasizes a strong classical technique, including an exploration of various styles of guitar-classical, flamenco, folk, and popular.

Study and performance of music written for full symphony orchestra and chamber orchestra. The orchestra performs both the standard symphonic repertoire and contemporary music. Two and a half hours of rehearsal per week.

The Caltech Wind Orchestra is comprised of students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The ensemble rehearses Thursday nights from 7:30-9:45 pm. and performs three programs per year (one per term) at Ramo Auditorium and other Los Angeles venues. Repertoire consists of traditional and contemporary music encompassing a wide variety of styles, and regularly features renowned guest artists. Open to students of all levels of previous experience.

Comprised of students, faculty, staff, JPL, alumni, and community members by audition. The jazz band performs a diverse range of big-band jazz styles, from Duke Ellington to Maria Schneider, with performances held three times a year, often featuring legendary jazz musicians. The Jazz Improv class studies the process of improvisation, performs regularly, and is open to all levels of experience.

Preparation and performance of choral repertoire spanning a range of historical periods and musical styles. Includes occasional collaborative performances with the orchestra. No previous experience required. Three hours a week.

Advanced study and performance of SATB choral music. Emphasis is placed on more difficult choral repertoire, both a capella and accompanied. Includes performances with the Glee Clubs as well as at other on-campus events. Audition required. Participation in Glee Clubs required.

Instruction in all phases of theatrical production, culminating in multiple performances for the public with a hands-on, practical approach including stage combat, costume construction, scenic arts, lighting, sound, and mentorship with professional actors, designers, and directors. Material of academic value is drawn from 3,000 years of worldwide dramatic literature. Problem solving, collaborative team building with an understanding of dramatic structure is stressed.

Across three terms students explore/write and perform new narratives for the ever-changing 21st century global landscape. 41 a includes finding your stories. Moth to the Flame 41 b builds complex social/scientific narratives, and practices citizen science and democracy in open forums. 41 c concludes with long-form storytelling. All final classes culminate in original stories recorded in front of a live audience. May be repeated for credit.

This class is taught sequentially over the academic year and begins with rudimentary improvisation and continues in the winter/spring with professional improvisation guidance, long form improvisation, musical improv, and advanced techniques with public performances.

Instruction in the techniques of creating ceramics, including the slab roller and potter's wheel, and glazing methods.