Selected Topics (435-0-1)

Topic

Latin American Choral Music

Instructors

Drew Davies
847/467-3367
dedavies@northwestern.edu

Meeting Info

RCMA Lower Level 115: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

This seminar style class will focus on choral repertories composed in Latin America from the sixteenth through twenty-first centuries, their sung texts, and the historical cultures they evoke. We will engage music with words in Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Nahuatl, and Quechua, and learn to develop effective choral programs that include Latin American music, while also finding ways to navigate issues such as cultural appropriation and the legacies of colonialism. Composers studied will include Hernando Franco, Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla, Manuel de Sumaya, Carlos Chavez, Heitor Villa-Lobos, and many more. Students will engage in weekly individual and group research projects concerning contemporary repertories; the professor will lead the exploration of the earlier repertories. The final project will be an innovative choral program (actual performance not required) with polished multimedia support material.

Registration Requirements

None, but see class notes below

Learning Objectives

- Learn repertories of choral music written in Latin America since the Renaissance;
- Become familiar with the basic narratives of Latin American history;
- Explore the liturgical contexts and theological meanings of sacred choral music;
- Analyze poetic texts that have provided source material for composers;
- Delve into impactful issues such as colonialism, folklore, and appropriation;
- Practice building multimedia materials the support performance

Teaching Method

Readings, discussions, lectures, individual research projects

Evaluation Method

Weekly short research presentations, one final project

Class Materials (Required)

All materials for this course will be available on Canvas or in the library. No purchases necessary.

Class Notes

This course is aimed primarily at MM and DMA level music students, especially those in voice, conducting, and academic fields. Some knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese is helpful but not required.