Week 1

Tues. Aug 29 – Greetings! Introductions, syllabus overview and the five themes.

What is music? Why are you taking this class? What are your expectations?

Complete survey questions while listening to Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo.”

Thur. Aug. 31 – Exploring Music of the African Diaspora in America.

THEME ONE: Africa to America
FULL CIRCLE: From Folí to The Blues, Rock & Roll and finally, AfroBeat!

Week 2

Tues. Sep. 5 – The Griot – A West African Jali music tradition

Thur. Sep. 7 – Hip Hop Anniversary, visit Jay-Z’s Brooklyn Library Exhibit (extra credit assignment)

Welcome special invited guest performing spoken word, “Oral Tradition” by Kesed.

Week 3

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)

THEME TWO: The Caribbean – 1.0 (Spanish)

Tues. Sep. 12 – The History behind National Hispanic Heritage Month

Panamá and its music: Rubén Blades – Social commentary: music that unites and disrupts!

Thur. Sep. 14 – Embodying Sound!
Collaborative Class with Professor Milian – Dance Instruction by the Piel Canela Dance Studio.

Week 4

Tues. Sep. 19 – Reggaetón as a translocal phenomenon.

Thur. Sep. 21 – Tentative: ZOOM CLASS TODAY, THURSDAY – SEPT 21

Creolization continued: What is Latin Jazz?

Week 5

The Caribbean – 2.0 (English & French)

Tues. Sep. 26 – The Steel Pan (Trinidad); Haitian dance music (Kompa)

Thur. Sep. 28 – Jamaica (Bob Marley’s social music)

Week 6

THEME THREE – Latin America

Tues. Oct. 3 – Music of the Southern Cone: Argentina – (history, erasure, organology)

Thur. Oct. 5 – Brazil (Invited Guest)

Week 7

Thur. Oct. 12 – Colombia (Indigeneity: Maroon Societies and Bullerengue)

Week 8

Tues. Oct. 17 – Midterm Preparation: Topics, ideas, citing sources, rubric review.

Thur. Oct. 19 – MIDTERM PAPER DRAFT DUE BY 11:59PM TONIGHT!

Week 9

Tues. Oct. 24 – MIDTERM WEEK Presentations today Tuesday, October 24, 2021.

The Midterm will consist of a report (750 words) on a musical genre or key celebrated figure in one of the global American genres we have (or will have) discussed; it will be done in two parts:

Written portion Due by Monday, October 23, 11:59 p.m.) Oral presentations, October 24, 26.

Thur. Oct. 26 – MIDTERM WEEK Presentations continued

Week 10

Tues. Oct. 31 – THEME FOUR – European Folk Traditions Influencing America

Comparing Ukranian and Klezmer folk traditions of Eastern Europe.

Thur. Nov. 2 – Questioning culture of gender norms, traditions and organology: the bandura and the polyphony project.

Week 11

Tues. Nov. 7 – Group collaborative assignment: music in cultures of Italy, Turkey, or Ireland.
Identify folk origins, organology, social or protest ideologies, and/or gender norms within the culture.

Thur. Nov. 9 – Dance traditions of European countries (Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi)

Week 12

Tues. Nov. 14 – THEME FIVE – Asian and Southeast Asian Musical Influences in America (or vice versa!)

Video Game Music

Thur. Nov. 16 – Student choices: discussions of favorite video games and the music that accompanies it.

Week 13

Tues. Nov. 21 – Video game music continued: Undertale – 5th Anniversary Japan performance.

Week 14

Tues. Nov. 28 – Gagaku: Japanese Court Music

Thur. Nov. 30 – K-Pop and Korean Soul.

Week 15

Tues-Dec. 5 – Final course review, questions, study games, and more.

Oral assessments (break out groups and team collaboration)

Thur Dec. 7 – Last class! Review for next week.

FINALS  

Thur. Dec. 14 – Final Exam