Texture is one of the most important elements of music, but also one of the least understood
COURSE OFFERED FALL 2026
Course Level: Undergraduate and Graduate
Faculty: Amit Gur
Contact: amit.gur@ahk.nl
Conservatorium van Amsterdam
Musical Texture
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Texture is one of the most important elements of music, but also one of the least understood ones. In the twentieth century, the term became widely used in musicians’ discourse, yet even today, a formal understanding of musical texture is lacking. During the course, we will explore texture as a perceptual phenomenon. According to that approach, musical texture is first and foremost an experience characterized by a sense of persistency and relative stability over time – “the domain of sameness in music.” Following this approach, we will engage in composition assignments and analyze textural pieces from the 20th and 21st centuries.
The course is suitable for composers, jazz musicians, performers, and music theorists. Students will engage in lively discussions where they will be encouraged to rely on their intuition and areas of expertise to develop a personal understanding of the topic.
Credits: 2 ECTS / 2 US Credits
Maximum Participants: 20 students
Course Format:
- 4 live online discussion sessions
- 7 asynchronous study modules
Topics Include:
Texture perception, timbre, compositional techniques, improvisation, analysis, cross-modal perception, contemporary repertoire.