Introduction to Music (170-0-1)
Instructors
Pia Marie Rodriguez
Meeting Info
RCMA 1-164: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
This course introduces students to the study of music as a phenomenon situated in particular cultural, historical, and social contexts. Students will acquire foundational knowledge of musical vocabulary and skills to critically engage with their own musical experiences in class discussion and weekly written reflections. Exploring a range of musical genres and practices, this class seeks to understand music's capacity to inform and express human social experiences by its entanglement with all aspects of life. The course will cover music's intersections with topics such as religion, gender, race, and politics, and will examine specific musical contexts, such as dance, film, and the concert experience.
Registration Requirements
No prior musical training is required; all students are welcome regardless of past musical experience.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to critically assess their musical experiences through the musical vocabulary, thematic perspectives, and written skills acquired in the course.
Teaching Method
The course consists of in-class discussions and interactive lectures, with emphasis on collaborative and active learning.
Evaluation Method
Students will be evaluated on the basis of their completion of reading and listening, participation and attendance, and a course portfolio. The course portfolio consists of a student's weekly written reflections on the reading and listening, in-class written activities (e.g. think-write-pair-share, brainstorming), and a final "critical inventory" of the student's engagement with music throughout the course. As the portfolio is cumulative, there is no final exam or project.
Class Materials (Required)
Esther M. Morgan-Ellis, ed. Resonances: Engaging Music in Its Cultural Context. University of North Georgia Press, 2020. ISBN 978-1940771311. Also available as open-access text, downloadable at https://ung.edu/university-press/books/resonances-engaging-music.php
Cost: $0.00 (open-access) or $49.99 (print version).
Class Attributes
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area