The purpose and goal of all music theory courses is to give students the ability to engage critically and intelligently with music of the Western world so they may understand the processes through which it creates meaning.
Teaching Area:
Music Theory
Education
B.M., University of Memphis M.A., Tulane University Ph.D., University of Oregon
Professional Highlights
- Dr. Salley recently presented a seminar entitled "Improvising Without Chord Scales" at the first annual National Jazz Workshop, held in Winchester, VA in July, 2009.
- Dr. Salley was recently invited to attend the Mannes Institute for Advanced Studies in Music Theory (Rochester, 2008), where he exchanged ideas with other scholars on topics in Jazz and Pop analysis.
- Keith's dissertation, "Scriabin the Progressive," deals with the early piano works of Alexander Scriabin.
His thesis, "Invariant Properties of Harmonic Substitution in Jazz," investigates some of the similarities of harmonic sound, connectivity, and structure that allow jazz musicians to use substitute harmonies in improvisation and composition.
His research interests include music theory pedagogy, linguistics, contour theory, concert music at the turn of the twentieth century, and jazz.
His article "Beyond Chord-Scale Theory: Realizing a Species Approach to Jazz Improvisation," appears in volume 21 of the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy.
Recent Conference Presentations include:
2009: "Hearing Form: On the Integration of Aural Skills and Formal Analysis"
"Ordered Step Motives in Jazz Composition"
2005: "Beyond Chord-Scale Theory: Realizing a Species Approach to Improvisation"
"Improvising Beyond Chord-Scale Theory"
"In Its Own Sweet Way, a Well-Known Standard Reveals Structural Secrets"
"Who Needs Chord-Scale Theory Anyway?: Validations for a Species Approach to Improvisation"
2003: "Numerology, Parody, and Musical Idea in Schoenberg's Op. 21 no. 5"
2001: "Voice-Leading Invariance as a Criterion for Harmonic Substitution in Jazz"