Syllabus for Music 63 - Music of the Peoples of the World
This course will cover the fundamentals of music and listening through a
survey of traditional music around the world. Among those cultures covered will
be those of Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, India, Indonesia, Japan,
China, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
Neither an ability to read music
nor any other background in music is required. The first part of this class
will be devoted to learning the fundamentals of music. While I understand that
students will come from very disparate musical backgrounds, I think that all will
benefit from this very generalized perspective of the basic concepts of music. It
will give us a foundation of vocabulary and ways of listening to music that will
be used for the remainder of the course. We will cover the rudiments of music
notation, but you will not be expected to become as fluent at reading music as a
practicing musician.
The materials for this course will include the
following:
- Music of the Peoples of the World, available at Huntley
Bookstore. This required textbook will be main text used for this course.
- Music of the Peoples
of the World audio CDs. This set of two CDs is also available at Huntley,
but purchase is optional. A set of the CDs will also be on reserve at Sprague
Library. Please do not copy them.
- A series of supplemental
audio CDs also on reserve in Sprague Library.
- A few reserve readings on electronic reserve.
Office hours
I encourage you to come by my office with any
questions you have. Currently my office hours are MTWF 10:30 to 11:30, but these
times could change as my schedule develops this semester. I encourage you to
check the schedule posted on my office door or email me for an appointment (alves @hmc.edu).
Internet Resources
There are web pages on music
fundamentals for this class, as well as quizzes for
self-evaluation. The details of how these pages will be used for the music
fundamentals assignment will be discussed in class. Note that these pages are not
available from clients off the Claremont Colleges campuses. Discussions,
questions, and updates on assignments between classes will be made through the
class electronic mailing list: mus-63-l (the last character is an L, not a one).
If you are preregistered, you should already be subscribed.
Course Assignments
Evaluation
| Music Fundamentals assignment | 10% |
| Concert attendance | 10% |
| Three exams on the cultures presented | 3 x 20% = 60% |
| One creative project | 15% |
| Class participation | 5% |
Tests
There will be three
exams each covering two or three of the regions we will study. These exams may
include short answers, instrument identifications, term definitions, an essay,
and identifications and discussions of excerpts from the required listening CDs. For each
listening excerpt you will be asked to identify the country of origin and the
title, but, more importantly, discuss the important stylistic characteristics
that you hear and apply the principles you have learned from the fundamentals
section. The third test will take place at the scheduled time for the final exam,
but it will not be comprehensive and will not differ in length or type from the
previous two exams. Because of the nature of the listening component, normally
tests cannot be made up. However, under certain circumstances with proper
documentation excusing your absence, alternative arragements may be made.
Creative Assignment
Towards the end of the semester, you
will be given an assignment to either write a paper or provide a creative
interpretation of the course's materials. The specific parameters of the
assignment will be given after the fall break.
Concert Attendance
In order to give you the opportunity to
apply your knowledge to live listening, you will attend at least two concerts of
traditional non-Western music during the semester and write short reviews for
each. While I encourage you to seek out concerts at all times, fortunately for
people without transportation options, there are at least two concerts of
non-Western music at Pomona College towards the end of the semester. The review
should be one to two pages, stapled to the concert program, and should apply
concepts discussed in class to each of the pieces on the concert. It may also
include your personal reaction to the pieces. Normally, concerts of popular
music, dance with recorded music, or informal concerts without programs are not
appropriate for this assignment. If you are in doubt about the appropriateness of
a particular concert, please come see me BEFORE you attend the concert.
Hands-on Workshops and Guest Lecturers
In order to give you
a clearer understanding of some of the music of some of these cultures, I will
arrange, when possible, some hands-on workshops to learn the basics of
performance in a certain style and culture. I will also try to bring in guest
performers to demonstrate and perform on their instruments.
Class Participation
This is a class about listening to
music. Therefore it is imperative that you listen to the CDs provided very
carefully and several times. Concentrate while listening and take notes. Only
this way can you come to class prepared to discuss these pieces of music. Your
regular attendance, participation in discussions, and keeping current with the
listening and reading all affect the class participation component of your grade.
Late Assignments
Late assignments are normally penalized
one letter grade per class meeting late. Because they involve in-class listening,
tests can only be made up under exceptional circumstances.
Course outline
These dates may be revised depending on class progress.
| Jan. 23 | Introduction to the Class, Music Fundamentals |
| Feb. 6 | Music Fundamentals quiz; Fundamentals assignment due |
| Feb. 11 | The Music of Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Feb. 20 | The Music of North Africa and the Middle East |
| Feb. 27 | The Music of Central Asia |
| Mar. 3 | Exam 1 |
| Mar. 5 | The Music of India |
| Mar. 17,19 | Spring break |
| Mar. 24 | The Music of China |
| Mar. 31 | The Music of Japan |
| Apr. 7 | Exam 2 |
| Apr. 9 | The Music of Indonesia |
| Apr. 21 | The Music of Eastern Europe |
| Apr. 28 | The Music of Latin America
Creative project due |
| May 5, 7 | Presentation Days (no classes) |
| May 8, 9 | Senior finals and concert reports TBA |
| May 12 | 2:00 PM Exam 3 (at the time of the Final)
Concert reports due |
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Updated on January 18, 2008 by Bill Alves (alves @hmc.edu). 
