Christopher Molla
About
Greetings, I've been a music educator for nearly thirty years, and have worked with private students, taught in elementary schools, preschools, middle schools and universities. My professional experience includes writing, recording and touring with bands (notably with Camper Van Beethoven, Monks of Doom, and Small Birds of Sound), conducting and singing in choirs, music direction, composition and sound design for theater, and producing records. I have a BA in music from UC Santa Cruz, and an MA in music composition from Mills College. Then there's that MFA in digital arts and new media from UCSC (most of my work in that program was about sound art and theater sound design). My teachers in composition and theory include Anthony Braxton, Robert Ashley, Gordon Mumma, David Cope, Mary Badarak, and David Rosenboom, and Rick Cox.
My varied experience enables me to meet you where you are, and help you on the way to where you want to be. Perhaps you're studying an instrument with a great teacher, and want to learn a little more about the ideas behind the notes. Whether you're working to sort out all the notes on the treble staff, want to learn more about how melodies and harmonies work together, dig deeper into four-part writing and counterpoint, or interpreting figured bass or jazz chord symbols, I believe I can be of help. If you're planning on majoring in music or applying to a conservatory, I can help with theory placement exams, and can work with you on analysis and ear training. I love making music, thinking about music, researching music related topics, and helping students with their music learning.
MA in music: Mills College
MFA in digital arts and new media: UC Santa Cruz
BA in music: UC Santa Cruz
Orff-Schulwerk teaching certificate.
Studies in composition and music theory with Anthony Braxton, Robert Ashley, David Cope, Mary Badarak, David Rosenboom and Gordon Mumma, and Rick Cox.
With one foot is firmly planted in the theoretical traditions of Western art music: species counterpoint, four-voice harmonic writing, etc., and the other in rock-and-roll with some jazz mixed in; playing in bands and learning music by ear, working in recording studios, etc., I take a broad view of music and music learning that enables me to help you apply the concepts and practices that will be most relevant to what you're trying to accomplish.
As to books, "The Musician's Guide to Reading and Writing Music" by Dave Stewart is a slim, concise tome that's acually fun to read. Some of the books I've worked with include Aldwell and Shachter's, "Harmony and Voice Leading", Walter Piston's "Harmony", and "Counterpoint", orchestration texts by Samuel Adler and Kent Wheeler Kennan (who also wrote a good text on counterpoint). I also like "Jazz Theory" and "The Jazz Piano Book", both by Mark Levine. For ear training, there's plenty of material out there, and any book with the words 'ear training' in the title is likely to have something of value. We can work with whatever you have.