Ep. 11: Hot 🔥 Takes: Undergraduate
- kclawson9
- Jun 15, 2025
- 2 min read
For the last two episodes of this season, we share our 🔥HOT TAKES🔥 about music theory in undergraduate and graduate music school. This week, we focus on the undergrad curriculum and specifically Kasey's 🔥HOT TAKES🔥! We talk about equity, pedagogy, AI, what music theory can and should (and shouldn't) be, and how we both are "fixers." And, of course, we love the shallot 🧅 approach... you'll just have to listen to find out what that means. 😉
This episode features clips from: "Tell me I never knew that" by caroline ft. Caroline Polachek, "Sonder" by Barry Can't Swim, "Cowboy Take Me Away by The Chicks and "cowboy take me away" (cover) by Fire Swimmer.
CORRECTIONS: Trevor De Clerq is the one who had the idea to do all pop for the first year of a music theory curriculum, and it was Justin London who said we need to spend a lot more time teaching writing. Our bad! (See below for citations.)
CITATIONS FOR MUSIC THEORY PEDAGOGY:
John Covach, “Popular Music in the Theory Classroom," Routledge Companion to Music Theory Pedagogy, ed. Leigh VanHandel, 331-339 (Routledge, 2020).
Trevor De Clerq, "A Music Theory Curriculum for the 99%," Engaging Students: Essays in Music Theory Pedagogy 7 (September 2020).
Philip Ewell, "Race, Gender, and Their Intersection in Music Theory," Blog (link), April 2020.
Ellie Hisama, "Considering Race and Ethnicity in the Music Theory Classroom," Norton Guide to Teaching Music Theory, ed. Rachel Lumsden and Jeffrey Swinkin, 252-66 (New York: W. W. Norton).
Megan Lavengood, "Bespoke Music Theory: A Modular Core Curriculum Designed for Audio Engineers, Classical Violinists, and Everyone in Between," Engaging Students: Essays in Music Theory Pedagogy 7 (September 2020).
Justin London, "What Should an Undergraduate Music Theory Curriculum Teach? (And, Alas, What Most of the Time We Don’t)," Routledge Companion to Music Theory Pedagogy, ed. Leigh VanHandel (Routledge, 2020).
Rachel Lumsden, “Enriching Classroom Discussions: Some Strategies from Feminist
Pedagogy,” The Norton Guide to Teaching Music Theory, ed. Rachel Lumsden and Jeffrey Swinkin, 313-330 (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2018).
Cora Palfy and Eric Gilson, “The Hidden Curriculum in the Music Theory Classroom” Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy 32 (2018).
ENDNOTES: You can find us on our website, from-the-margins.com, and instagram @fromthemarginspod! And... tune in at the end of June for our last episode of our season, Kaitlyn's 🔥HOT TAKES🔥 about graduate music theory. Plenty more tea will be spilled! 🫖
I found this episode really interesting, especially how it questions what music theory should actually be for undergrad students and talks about equity and teaching styles. It reminded me of my own classes where I felt confused, and I even used need help with my online exam at that time to manage everything. I like how it challenges old systems and pushes for better learning. It shows education should grow with students, not stay stuck.
The podcast discussion on music theory curriculum changes felt fresh and thought provoking. As a student exploring creative subjects, I once turned to online calculus help while juggling theory assignments and performance practice. It showed me how academic pressure exists across different fields. Conversations like these highlight the need for inclusive and flexible learning methods that help students stay motivated and confident in their journeys.