Course description: Survey of sub-Saharan traditional and contemporary music cultures of Africa. This course examines the musical and extra-musical forces that shape, maintain, and perpetuate Africa's musical and cultural expression. Discussion on the general characteristics, concepts, and ethnomusicological approach to the organization of sound and its meaning will be emphasized. This class will provide an overall understanding of African music through the analysis of specific case studies by geographic region and discuss the musical impact of the African Diaspora.
Course description: This course will focus on the cultural and musical expressions of the Spanish Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America (includes Brazil). The fusion of musical forms and the modification of the Spanish language, by geographical region, reveal the crucial role of the type of contact between people. The purpose of the class is to examine through folk and popular music in Latin America, the richness and diversity of Latin America Music and culture. This course will also provide a unique insight to the cultural and social history of Latin America and an overall understanding of Latin American music aesthetic and culture. Topics for discussion will include the state of music among the Latin populations of the United States.
After establishing a musical
vocabulary useful in describing and analyzing music from a
listener's perspective, the class will embark on a survey of
Western opera. The diverse operas will be studied in their entirety
and viewed in their historical context. Students will attend a live
operatic performance of "Barber of Seville."
Understanding music through score study and guided listening;
principal forms, structures and compositional techniques in
instrumental and vocal music from Medieval through Baroque periods.
Prerequisite: 100H
Introduction to the language of music: notation, rhythm, melody,
and chords. Development of musical skills through rhythmic
execution, sight singing and basic keyboard facility. Required of
majors and minors, encouraged for students in College ensembles,
open to all students.