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MUS 105

I. TITLE: Introduction to Music History

II. CATALOG DESCRIPTION: An understanding of musical trends and styles throughout the ages for the beginner. Designed to acquaint the student with the place music holds in heritage through studying and listening to great musical works; to acquaint the student with composers and the influence of history on their compositions; and to create the ability to understand and enjoy music in the world around us. Not open to music majors. Note: students may not count both MUS 105 and 206 toward University Studies Program requirements.

III. PURPOSE: To present to the student an overview of Western musical forms from their beginnings to current times. To give information about musical leaders and the socio-economic climate influencing their lives and compositions. To present recorded examples of the various styles of large and small ensemble and solo instrumental and vocal music throughout this period. Through group/team discussion, written concert reports, open-ended essay questions, INTERNET and email resources, and oral team project students will: demonstrate effectively mature and independent thought, apply sound standards of analysis and evaluation to reach logical decisions, demonstrate a critical understanding of diverse artistic tradition, understand the role and application of technology, and will understand the dynamics of cultural diversity involved in all musical development.

IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES:
A. Students should: (1) acquire and demonstrate the knowledge necessary to know the major figures in musical performance and composition; (2) be aware of and identify the subtleties of music through listening to specific major works; (3) acquire and use basic knowledge of performance-based music, including terminology, instruments, styles and performers.
B. Students should combine the above base of knowledge and skills with that from World Civilization. English Composition, and Oral Communications in placing in perspective the role of music and musicians in a diverse society.
C. Students should become familiar with the importance of the heritage of music: a combining of elements from dissimilar cultures; i.e., Greece, Italy, France. Germany/Austria. Russia, Spain, England, Scandinavian countries, South American countries, and the United States. Students should observe the ways in which musical elements from all of these cultures intermingled and were compromised into totally new art forms as time passed.
D. Students should become more informed consumers of music allowing them to formulate intelligent decisions and value judgments in purchasing recordings. attending live concerts, and supporting the performing arts in general throughout their lives.

V. CONTENT OUTLINE: A six-unit division of the major stylistic developments of music. W These styles include: Greeks through the Medieval Age, the Renaissance, the Baroque Era, the Classic Era, the Romantic Era, and Contemporary Music.

VI. INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:
A. Group/team discussion and presentation strategies will be incorporated into the learning and reinforcement of musical styles, trends, and particularly musicians not covered in the text.
B. Examinations will assess students’ ability to comprehend information from the assigned reading without discussion in class; examinations featuring open-ended essays will measure students’ critical thinking and writing abilities.
C. Written work should be created on a word processor or should be submitted via email; dates and locations of campus concerts (for the concert report written assignments) should be located through the INTERNET WEB page for the music department.

VII. FIELD AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCES: Campus and local concerts provide an invaluable live resource for both entertainment and reinforcement of the course content. Concert reports expressing students’ reactions and insight will combine the theoretical and the practical aspects of musical traditions.

VTII. RESOURCES: In addition to the required text for the course, set of recorded listening assignments will compliment theoretical discussions with the actual application of musical techniques. Students will become familiar with the role of different instruments and the voice from this practical additional resource. Copies of CDs and LPs for additional listening are located in the Holton Listening Center. Video tapes for additional review are located in the Media Room of Waterfield Library. Cassette tapes which accompany the text may be purchased from the University Bookstore.

IX. GRADING: High academic standards will be demonstrated in the evaluation of  examinations, discussion groups, team presentation projects, and concert reports.
Evaluations will focus on: grammar, structure, spelling, content, level of critical thinking expressed, level of participation. and level of progress demonstrated throughout the course. In order to better acquaint instructors of this course with methods to evaluate student skills, instructors will examine models provided by the USP and will attend USP-sponsored workshops and seminars.
Class size: 40 Class leadership: 1 instructor
1) computer-scored objective examinations
60% of final grade
each exam covers 70% in-class discussion of material
each exam covers 30% readings not discussed in class
2) concert reports and/or open-ended essays throughout the semester
30% of final grade
evaluated on: content, grammar, structure, level of critical
thinking applied
3) team oral reports, group discussion or individual oral responses
10% of final grade
each student must contribute to a team presentation or as an individual in class; evaluation of contributions
will be based on: quantity, content, grammar, structure, level of critical thinking applied

X. ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance at all class sessions is strongly encouraged. Students are held accountable for all materials in the text, from class notes and discussions, from listening assignments in and out of class, from any films presented and any changes which might result during the semester regarding those assignments. Being absent from class is not a viable excuse for incorrect answers to information on an examination or from group project assignments.

XI. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: Cheating, doing another person’s work for someone else and submitting another person’s material as one’s own are all impermissible. Disciplinary action may be taken beyond the academic discipline administered by the instructor for copying of examinations or assignments. The instructor reserves the right to invalidate any examination or other materials if evidence exists that the integrity of the exam/assignment has been compromised.

XII. TEXT AND REFERENCES: (1) Wright, Craig. Listening to Music. Dubuque LA. West Publishing Company, 1996. (2) Cassette tapes of listening assignments which accompany the text.

XIII. PREREQUISITE: None

Last updated February 14, 2000. Last updated February 3, 2000. Designed and maintained by Kyosung Koo