Affiliated Departments & Programs

Reginald L. Sanders joined the faculty of the music department in 2000, following two years of dissertation research in Germany as the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship. His scholarship focuses primarily on members of the Bach Family, especially Johann Sebastian and Carl Philipp Emanuel, and also extends to art songs, opera, and interdisciplinary studies. He has presented papers at national and international conferences and his scholarship has appeared in such publications as the Bach-Jahrbuch, Göttinger Händel-Beiträge, Hamburger Jahrbuch für Muskwissenschaft and the Oxford Composer Companions: J. S. Bach.

In 2000, the American Bach Society awarded him and co-author Daniel R. Melamed the William H. Scheide Prize for the best publication by scholars in the early stages of their careers for "Zum Text und Kontext der 'Keiser' Markuspassion," which appeared in the 1999 Bach-Jahrbuch. For the series Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: The Complete Works, he has edited the oratorio Die Israeliten in der Wüste (IV/1, 2008), Einführungsmusiken IV (Installation Cantatas V/3.4, 2013), and Miscellaneous Sacred Works III (V/6.3, 2018). Most recently, he co-edited and contributed an essay to Compositional Choice and Meaning in the Vocal Music of J. S. Bach (Lexington Books, 2018).

From 2003-2008, he served as editor of Bach Notes, the biannual publication of the American Bach Society, and he has served as secretary-treasurer of the American Bach Society since 2012.

Areas of Expertise

Bach family and music in the Baroque and Classical periods, music in the 19th century, opera, music and dance and other interdisciplinary studies

Education

2001 — Doctor of Philosophy from Yale University

1994 — Master of Arts from San Francisco State University

1981 — B.S. in Engineering from Princeton University

Courses Recently Taught

This course provides a concise chronological overview of music from the Middle Ages through the postmodern period and an introduction to the research methods used in the fields of historical musicology and ethnomusicology. Emphasis is placed on learning to listen analytically to and write about music, and on understanding the role of music within society. Some concert attendance may be required. Readings from primary sources supplement the basic texts. This course is a prerequisite for upper-level courses offered by the music department. Suggested for first-year students or those new to the department. (Complements the introductory music theory courses MUSC 101 and MUSC 121Y-122Y). MUSC 102, 105 and 107 all serve as introductory courses in music history and satisfy the same prerequisites. Students may enroll in only one of these courses. This counts toward the history requirement for the major and minor. No prerequisite. Offered every year.

This course is a writing-intentional survey of Western art music from the Middle Ages through the post-modern period that includes an introduction to music of non-Western cultures. It has been designed for first-year students who have some background in music theory and the ability to read a musical score. While the composers and their compositions are central to the course, social, artistic, political, religious, philosophical and literary forces that shaped each era also be explored. Readings from primary sources supplement the basic text, and students are introduced to the research methods used in the fields of historical musicology and ethnomusicology. This course fulfills the music history prerequisite for upper-level courses offered by the music department and is recommended for students who are considering the music major or minor. This course complements the introductory music theory course MUSC 121Y-122Y. MUSC 102, 105 and 107 all serve as introductory courses in music history and satisfy the same prerequisites. Students may enroll in only one of these courses. This counts toward the history requirement for the major and minor. Prerequisite: AP music theory score of 4 or 5 or music theory placement exam. Offered every year.

This course is a survey of Western art music from the early 17th century through the era of Haydn and Mozart. While the stylistic development of art music is central to the course, questions of aesthetics, philosophy, religion, performance practice and politics are also explored. Primary and secondary source readings augment the basic texts. This counts toward the history requirement or as an elective for the major and minor. Prerequisite: MUSC 101 or placement by exam and MUSC 102, 105 or 107. Offered every other year.

This course is a survey of Western music from Beethoven to the end of the 19th century. While the stylistic development of art music is central to the course, questions of aesthetics, philosophy, performance practice and politics are also explored. Primary and secondary source readings augment the basic text. This counts toward the history requirement or as an elective for the major and minor. Prerequisite: MUSC 101 or placement by exam and MUSC 102, 105 or 107. Offered every other year.

This course is a chronological survey of music associated with and developed within the African American community from the time people of African descent arrived on the shores of what would become the United States to the present. Emphasis is placed on understanding the genesis and stylistic elements of the various genres most particularly on comprehending their historical, cultural and political significance. Genres to be discussed include spirituals, ragtime, blues, jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, disco and house, hip-hop and rap, and music in the Western European tradition. This counts towards an elective for the major and minor, American studies major and concentration, and the African diaspora studies concentration. No prerequisite. Typically offered every other year.

This course explores the historical intersections of music and dance in the collaborative creative process. Music and dance are inexorably linked. At times music composition and choreography happen simultaneously, as is the case with Aaron Copland and Martha Graham's "Appalachian Spring." At other times, the dance comes after the music has been composed. Learning about the vital intersections between music and dance provides students with a more deeply understood and nuanced approach to how the work of composers and choreographers intersects as they dialogue in works ranging historically from Lully and Petipa to Philip Glass and Mark Morris. This is an interdisciplinary class co-taught by a professor of dance and a professor of music. This course is the same as DANC 214D and must be taken as MUSC 214D to be paired with other music courses for fine arts diversification. This counts toward the theory requirement for the dance major and minor and as an elective for the music major and minor. No prerequisite. Offered spring semester every other year.

This course is a chronological exploration of the life and music of Johann Sebastian Bach. It draws upon the most recent scholarship and, to the extent possible, primary source documents. The student gains an understanding of the world in which Bach lived and a familiarity with the background, structure and significance of his most important works. This counts as an elective for the major and minor. Prerequisite: MUSC 202, 203, 204, 205 or permission of instructor. Offered every two to three years.

This course traces the development of opera from its origins in the 16th century through the important works of the 20th century. Students study representative operas from the various periods in Italy, France, Germany, Eastern Europe and America to understand the stylistic development of the genre and the musical, literary, philosophical, aesthetic and political forces that shaped it. This counts as an elective for the major and minor. Prerequisite: MUSC 101 or placement by exam and MUSC 102, 105 or 107. Offered every two to three years.