Final Project: the Soundtrack of Your Life

Final Project: The Soundtrack of Your Life Ferrell 2011

Music has become an integral part of the human existence, made more so by the availability of technology. It motivates us, calms us, inspires us, irritates us, and basically becomes the backdrop against which we live our lives. Songs can bring out vivid memories of persons, places, and events from our own past and serve to document our thoughts, feelings, and emotions at a given time or place.

Part I: Choose at least eight events in your life, and pick out a song to accompany each event. Just as music producers do, try to create a progression in the sequence of your chosen songs. For example, your songs might be listed in chronological order of the events they document, or they might be mixed together so that all of the slow songs are not back-to-back. DO NOT just list them randomly. Put some thought into the order of your songs and the complete package you are presenting. Of course, you may choose more songs for your list.

Song Title Artist or Group

Track 1

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

Track 5

Track 6

Track 7

Track 8

(extra)

Part II: Now that you have created this soundtrack to your life, write a reflective piece that explains why you chose the songs that you did. For each song you will need to reflect on the experiences, persons, places, etc., that inspired this selection. Obviously you will also need to explain who you are as a person and then offer some type of reflection on the album as a whole. You need to cover each topic listed in the appropriate number of paragraphs; however, the questions listed here are only to help you to begin to think about your song selections. You do not need to answer each and every question as long as you have sufficiently explained the topic of each question.

Explanation of each song on the soundtrack. (One paragraph per song) ~ What is the name of each song and artist? ~ Why is each song important to you? ~ How does each song connect to your life? ~ What does each song reveal about your life? ~ What does each song reveal about the kind of person you are and what you think is important in your life?

Topic 4 – Final remarks and reflection of the work as a whole

Part III: You will present a small section of your soundtrack to the class. This presentation requires you to read one of your eight tracks to the class and share with us its meaning to you. Also make and explain a visual aid by creating a CD cover, concert poster or flyer or some other “creative piece” that somehow represents your soundtrack.

Due dates to be determined. Presentations should last about 5-6 minutes. I will create a rubric for you. You may want to bring refreshments to share with your audience.

This project will count 75% of your exam grade if you are taking the exam. Otherwise, it will count as a major project grade for the quarter.

Presentation schedule attached to the syllabus. Critical information is also printed there.