GENERAL PURPOSE

The music collection supports the curriculum of the Music Department faculty and the applied music instructors. The collection also provides for the performance and research needs of musicians in the Kenyon community (primarily student groups and other faculty) . Course offerings by the Department include music history (introductory through advanced), ethnomusicology, music theory (introductory through advanced), instrumental ensembles, music composition, conducting and MIDI computer technology as well as applied music lessons in individual instruments and voice. The strength of the core collection is in European and American musical traditions with a growing collection in the area of non-western traditions. The presence of the applied music program necessitates the acquisition of performance scores in a wide variety of styles and skill levels. It should be noted that the Knox County Symphony, the Jazz Ensemble and the Kenyon Wind Ensemble, all directed by Kenyon faculty, purchase and house their performance scores in a separate facility.

GENERAL SUBJECT BOUNDARIES

Historically the Department placed an emphasis on western music history and the collection reflects several decades of collecting the works of mainstream European and American male composers. The recent adoption of courses in jazz history, women in music, computer technology, and ethnomusicology provided an opportunity to enhance the collection with materials from these subject areas. Basic histories and bibliographies of music periods, biographical monographs, music criticism, and complementary sound recordings as well as scores will continue to be acquired.

TYPES OF MATERIALS COLLECTED

The collection consists of monographs, serials, collected edition and individual scores, musical recordings, and filmed performances. Our monographs include critical theory and biographical works as well as recent music technology texts. The serial collection focuses primarily upon the work of the musicologists. Performance scores are collected for the smaller ensembles (flute choir, etc.) and for individual instruments (piano, string, brass, etc.) by the library while the department collects materials for the Knox County Symphony, the Jazz Ensemble and the Kenyon Wind Ensemble. Musical recordings are now collected in CD format, though we may accept relevant donations of LPs and audiocassettes.  Access to the Naxos Music Library (Classical and Jazz) and DRAM online is currently available and one faculty member has a grant to begin building an online course reserve database for fall 2010.  The film collection includes materials on videotape and DVD format.

FORMAT OF MATERIALS COLLECTED

In addition to monographs and scores, the library collects microfilm versions of periodical backruns for certain music journal titles. Recordings on CD format are actively collected and access to online collections (Naxos Music Library and DRAM) is available. Filmed performances are collected on videocassette and DVD format. Online access to Music Index, RILM and Iter have replaced previous access to print indexes.

LANGUAGES

We collect music scores in a variety of languages and a limited number of monographs and reference works in European languages, but primarily English. Sound recordings in many languages are acquired to enhance our Western and ethnomusicology collections.  Working jointly with the faculty the librarian will continue to add sound recordings in non-western traditions based on planned courses and to acquire affordable reference texts on non-western music.

GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS

The collection focuses primarily upon music from Europe and North America. Recent courses in world music have added a large number of musical recordings in non-western music and a limited number of monographs on the topic were purchased. Efforts will be made to continue adding a select number of sound recordings annually in non-western music traditions and to acquire affordable reference texts on non-western music.

CHRONOLOGICAL GUIDELINES

Though some provision is made for including ancient music in introductory classes on music history, the collection focuses on the medieval through contemporary global music history.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND MANUSCRIPTS

The addition of Paul Schwart's collection of manuscripts should be reviewed regarding their disposition to either Special Collections or the Multimedia Collections Room.

OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE

Library users have access to the circulating materials in the collections of CONSORT and OhioLINK. Members of the Kenyon community have access to a wide variety of databases and indexes from the main Kenyon web page.

CREATION DATE AND REVISION HISTORY

June 2010

LC CLASS

M, ML, MT