Performers and Performance (215-0-1)
Instructors
Drew Edward Davies
847/467-3367
dedavies@northwestern.edu
Meeting Info
Regenstein Hall of Music MCR: Tues, Thurs 9:30AM - 10:50AM
Overview of class
This core course focuses on what it means to be - or what it meant to be - a musician at different times of history and in different cultural contexts, with a specific focus on our own performance lineages as versatile, yet mostly classical, musicians in 21st-century America. It will explore different types of musical performances, the careers and obstacles faced by specific performers throughout history, look at the roles of specific performance spaces, and analyze what makes some artists and some performances successful. Case studies presented during the class include the history of conductors, Western classical music in East Asia, jazz pianists and singers, issues of gender and race in opera, Black musicians crossing boundaries, and the history of wind bands, among others. By these means, music students will gain introductory literacy in diverse types performance practices, learn about the legacies of important musicians, and better understand intersections between creativity and commerce in diverse contexts.
Learning Objectives
-Learn about diverse musicians, their legacies, and the circumstances of their performances in varied global contexts
-Conceive of music history through the lens of performers and performance theory rather than through the composer or the work
-Develop a sense of how the concept of work differs from the concept of performance, and engage, where applicable, with notions of performance practices
-Develop music research skills and verbal communication skills about music
-Historicize and locate yourself within a complex world of musicians
Class Materials (Required)
No required textbook purchases.