Music Cultures of the World

Course Number:
MUS 108
Transcript Title:
Music Cultures of the World
Created:
Aug 15, 2022
Updated:
Jul 13, 2023
Total Credits:
3
Lecture Hours:
30
Lecture / Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0
Satisfies Cultural Literacy requirement:
Yes
Satisfies General Education requirement:
Yes
Grading Options
A-F, P/NP, Audit
Default Grading Options
A-F
Repeats available for credit:
0
Prerequisites

Prerequisite / Concurrent 

WR 121 or WR 121Z

Course Description

Examines musical cultures throughout the world with attention to cultural contexts and musical styles, including but not limited to Africa, the Americas, Asia, Near East, Europe and the South Pacific. Prerequisite/concurrent: WR 121 or WR 121Z. Audit available.

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Overcome ethnocentrism through awareness about diverse peoples’cultural communities and traditions. Use the social, political, and cultural contexts for different musical practices to gain a better awareness.
  2. Relate music to history, society, culture, and the individual while incorporating intellectual concepts, material resources and listening skills to appreciate and analyze diverse music from a global intercultural perspective.
  3. Understand the relationship of music to history, society, culture, and the individual while learning about intellectual concepts, material resources and listening skills necessary to appreciate and analyze diverse music from a global intercultural perspective.
  4. Experience music "dynamically" by appreciating the uniqueness and value of each culture and its music through particular cultural moments, origins, precedents and potential influence upon other forms of music.
  5. Appreciate the artistic, social, historical, and cultural contexts of world music through observation and critique to become an informed listener.
  6. Generalize course content to other cultural expressions (including but not limited to music and genres not covered in the course) so that one can understand and value a broad spectrum of cultural expressions within diverse cultural settings.

Alignment with Institutional Learning Outcomes

Major
1. Communicate effectively using appropriate reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. (Communication)
Major
2. Creatively solve problems by using relevant methods of research, personal reflection, reasoning, and evaluation of information. (Critical thinking and Problem-Solving)
Not Addressed
3. Extract, interpret, evaluate, communicate, and apply quantitative information and methods to solve problems, evaluate claims, and support decisions in their academic, professional and private lives. (Quantitative Literacy)
Major
4. Use an understanding of cultural differences to constructively address issues that arise in the workplace and community. (Cultural Awareness)
Minor
5. Recognize the consequences of human activity upon our social and natural world. (Community and Environmental Responsibility)

To establish an intentional learning environment, Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) require a clear definition of instructional strategies, evidence of recurrent instruction, and employment of several assessment modes.

Major Designation

  1. The outcome is addressed recurrently in the curriculum, regularly enough to establish a thorough understanding.
  2. Students can demonstrate and are assessed on a thorough understanding of the outcome.
    • The course includes at least one assignment that can be assessed by applying the appropriate CLO rubric.

Minor Designation

  1. The outcome is addressed adequately in the curriculum, establishing fundamental understanding.
  2. Students can demonstrate and are assessed on a fundamental understanding of the outcome.
    • The course includes at least one assignment that can be assessed by applying the appropriate CLO rubric.

Suggested Outcome Assessment Strategies

The determination of assessment strategies is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: writings (journals, self-reflections, pre writing exercises, essays), quizzes, tests, midterm and final exams, group projects, presentations (in person, videos, etc), self-assessments, experimentations, lab reports, peer critiques, responses (to texts, podcasts, videos, films, etc), student generated questions, Escape Room, interviews, and/or portfolios.

Course Activities and Design

The determination of teaching strategies used in the delivery of outcomes is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: lecture, small group/forum discussion, flipped classroom, dyads, oral presentation, role play, simulation scenarios, group projects, service learning projects, hands-on lab, peer review/workshops, cooperative learning (jigsaw, fishbowl), inquiry based instruction, differentiated instruction (learning centers), graphic organizers, etc.

Course Content

BASIC ELEMENTS OF MUSIC:

  • Melody
  • Harmony
  • Rhythm
  • Form
  • Timbre
  • Improvisation
  • Music of North America/Native Americans
  • Music of Africa
  • Music of Black Americans
  • Music of Central/Middle East
  • Music of India
  • Music of Asia/Indonesia
  • Music of East Asia/Japan
  • Music of Latin America
  • Music of Other Ethnic Cultures

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS

The following competencies are expected to be achieved to successfully meet the minimum requirement ("C" or "Pass") of the course.

  • Define the musical terms that apply to the basic elements of world music
  • Identify aurally the six basic elements of music
  • Identify aurally the listening examples for each culture presented in class.
  • Apply musical understanding when writing musical reviews of performances.
  • Complete basic research on the music and culture of one specific group
  • Achieve the ability to conduct simple musical formal analysis
  • Distinguish families of musical instrument from one another
  • Sharpen general aural abilities within the basic elements of music