Dr. Andre Mount
welcome!
Andre Mount received a doctorate in music theory from the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he studied a wide range of analytical models and approaches with Pieter van den Toorn, Lee Rothfarb, and Patricia Hall. His dissertation, a chapter of which was awarded the Roger Chapman Prize in Music Theory, uses the music of Frank Zappa as a springboard for exploring complex interactions between experimental art music and popular culture in the 20th century. He has presented on this and similar topics at a number of national and international conferences including those of the American Musicological Society, the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (US Chapter), and the Society for American Music, among others. An article on John Cage's televised performances appeared in the Fall 2011 issue of Music and the Moving Image. More recently, an extensive study of the activities and interactivities of different mid-century avant-garde groups in Los Angeles was published in the Winter 2015 issue of the The Journal of Musicology.
Having collaborated with Lee Rothfarb and John Hajda on an extensive online music theory curriculum at UC Santa Barbara, Andre maintains an active interest researching online applications for music theory pedagogy. He has also contributed to projects intended for general readership including The Encyclopedia of American Music and Culture.
Andre is a steadfast believer in the power of education to breed much-needed tolerance among diverse groups of people, and has dedicated his life to a career in teaching and sharing his enthusiasm for the expressive, communicative art of music.
Please feel free to explore the links below to find out more about current, past, and future projects. Thanks for visiting!
teaching philosophy
A written statement outlining my pedagogical values and various approaches to teaching music.
curriculum vitae
Click for an up to date copy of my C.V. (Available in html and PDF formats.)
music theory program
Over a period of several years, I worked with Dr. Lee Rothfarb and Dr. John Hajda on an e-learning program for the music department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The final product was a series of lessons forming the basis of a thorough, hands-on course in western music theory.
research blog
As part of my ever-evolving research, I keep a blog outlining current developments, thoughts, and questions pertaining to my research on the music of Frank Zappa and related topics. The blog also includes accepted abstracts and recent papers read at conferences.
“On the Record”: an Interdisciplinary Symposium
In early 2007, I had the privilege and pleasure of co-organizing a conference at UCSB for the Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Music (CISM). Click the link above to see the official website I designed for the conference.
“Music and Politics”: an Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference
I had the opportunity to read a paper at the 2008 CISM graduate student conference. My paper, entitled “Aunt Jemima, Uncle Remus, The Kingfish, and Frank Zappa: Matters of Race in the Music of Frank Zappa,” presented a linguistic analysis of the interaction between vocal delivery and thematic content in several racially-charged songs by Frank Zappa. (I was also asked to design the website for the conference.)
Does Serious Music Belong in Pop?
Borrowings from Stravinsky in the Music of Frank
Zappa
A presentation I gave at the February 6, 2010 meeting of the Northern California Chapter of the American Musicological Socity . This paper examines several instances in which Frank Zappa borrows musical material from Igor Stravinsky and discusses the implications of such gestures in Zappa’s music and in general. (Presentation slides referenced in the text appear at the end of the document. A web version of the paper can be found here .)
Dots & Lines - professional visual example preparation
As a graduate student in music theory, I’ve had many opportunities to hone my skills with music notation and image editing software. I’ve worked with a number of faculty members at UCSB in preparing visual examples for their presentations, papers, articles, and books. I am now offering these services to individuals outside the UCSB community.
Temporality, Intentionality, and Authenticity in Frank Zappa’s Xenochronous Works
This paper was presented at the 2010 conference of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music US Chapter : “Births, Stages, Declines, Revivals.” Here, I examine the philosophical basis and practical application of Frank Zappa’s xenochrony, a studio technique in which temporally disparate recordings are superimposed.(Presentation slides referenced in the text appear at the end of the document. A web version of the paper can be found here .)
Laughter Over Tears:
John Cage, Experimental Art Music, and Popular
Television
A paper I read at the Music and the Moving Image Conference at the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. This paper compares the theatricality of John Cage’s performance style (c. 1960) with the discourses surrounding early broadcast television, focusing on Cage’s 1960 performance on the game show I’ve Got a Secret.(Presentation slides referenced in the text appear at the end of the document. A web version of the paper can be found here .)
Music Theory Tutoring
Are you struggling with music theory? Do you want to increase your knowledge of how music works? Just want to learn how to read music? Andre can help! Hone your music theory skills in a productive and supportive environment. Learn and progress at your own pace or meet class deadlines and improve your grades. With a masters and doctorate in music theory from the University of California at Santa Barbara and over six years experience teaching and tutoring, Andre is fully committed to helping students achieve their goals.
Personal Pages
I enjoy traveling whenever possible and like to pretend I’m a photographer when I do! This page has links to a number of trip-logs and other goodies.