Selected Topics in Music Literature for Non-Majors (175-0-5)

Topic

Music of the African Diaspora

Instructors

Diego Pinto

Meeting Info

RCMA Lower Level 121: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri 6:00PM - 8:00PM

Overview of class

This course is designed to explore various music cultures born among African peoples and communities forcibly dispersed during the Transatlantic Slave Trade and their descendants. Some of those music genres and rhythms will include Brazilian samba reggae, Colombian currulao, Jamaican mento, and African American spirituals. The course aims to address the musical, historical, cultural, and social contexts of each music culture being featured. Students will actively engage in learning by reproducing musical elements of each culture through movement, singing, and playing instruments. Previous music experience is neither required nor expected.

Learning Objectives

After successfully completing this course, students should be able to:
• Describe key musical elements, instruments, and terminology associated with Afrodiasporic music traditions.
• Identify the historical, cultural, and social contexts of the music cultures studied.
• Demonstrate basic rhythmic patterns, melodies, or movements from selected music cultures through participatory activities such as singing, drumming, or dancing.
• Analyze music from various Afrodiasporic cultures by comparing and contrasting their musical features.
• Evaluate the impact of colonialism, globalization, and sociopolitical dynamics on the preservation and transformation of Afrodiasporic music.
• Develop an interdisciplinary final project that holistically represents a selected music culture, artist, or ensemble using insights from readings, listening, and participatory experiences.

Class Materials (Required)

None required for purchase. Assigned reading, listening, and other materials will be available on CANVAS.

Class Attributes

Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area
Face to face: In person, in campus space