ABSTRACT
This chapter advocates for a fundamental re-orientation of the undergraduate theory curriculum from its current emphasis on part-writing and Roman numeral analysis. It argues that the theory curriculum should nurture students’ musical-intellectual curiosity and hone their ability to talk about music in well-written prose by including other musical topics (timbre, rhythm, melody), cross-disciplinary methods (computer science, acoustics, psychology), and a broader repertoire. Contents of current textbooks and courses are surveyed and alternatives for a project-based curriculum are given. The benefits of such a curriculum include intellectual inclusiveness, greater cultural diversity in theory classrooms, and alignment of music theory courses with the broader educational goals of most institutions.
