Syllabus MUS 334/MUS/380/AFR 374/LAS 326 Musics of Latin America Instructor: Robin Moore Instructor's office: MBE 3.210 Office Tel.—512 471-0373 Email: [email protected] Office hrs: Thurs 1-3pm or by appt. Class times: Tues-Thurs 11am-12:15pm Class location: MRH 2.634 Teaching assistant: Jeannelle Ramirez [email protected] Lab location: MRH 2.604 Unique numbers and labs for Music (MUS 334): Lab Mon 5-6pm (21735) Lab Wed 5-6pm (21740) Lab Mon 6-7pm (21745) For African and African American Studies (AFR 374F): Lab Mon 5-6pm (30290) Lab Wed 5-6pm (30295) Lab Mon 6-7pm (30300) For Latin American Studies (LAS 326): Lab Mon 5-6pm (40275) Lab Wed 5-6pm (40280) Lab Mon 6-7pm (40285) Description This survey course considers Latin American music within a broad cultural and historical framework. Latin American musical practices are explored by illustrating the many ways that aesthetics and society are embodied in and negotiated through performance. Our discussions will be framed by a range of concepts pertinent in Latin American contexts such as diaspora, colonialism, mestizaje, hybridity, migration, and globalization. The course carries a Global Cultures flag. Global Cultures courses are designed to increase your familiarity with cultural groups outside the United States. You should therefore expect a substantial portion of your grade to come from assignments covering the practices, beliefs, and histories of at least one non-U.S. cultural group, past or present. Readings Music of Latin America syllabus, p. 2 One textbook has been ordered for the course, Musics of Latin America (W.W. Norton, 2012); it is available for purchase in the Coop East, across from the Law School. In addition, a few assigned readings have been assembled from others sources. These are available through the course Canvas site. Listening Students are asked to listen to musical examples each week and to be responsible for recognizing and identifying them on exams; approximately three songs per lecture will be assigned and should be reviewed before class. You will be asked to remember something about the histories, contexts, and meanings of the assigned music. Listening can be downloaded for .99 cents a song on iTunes or Amazon, or the music can be heard for free via streaming access on Canvas or by checking out the CDs on 2-hr. reserve in the Fine Arts Library. A list of links to pieces available for purchase can be found here: http://wwnorton.com/college/music/musics-of-latin-america/welcome.aspx. Many of the pieces can also be streamed on Spotify, specifically on the playlist called “MUSC 222 Latin America.” Consider making a list that includes the following information as you listen to the assigned music: —The title of the piece and the composer, if known —The approximate time it was written, within a decade —The culture area/country with which it is associated —The lyrics of the piece, what they discuss —The instrumentation of the piece —The typical contexts in which it is performed —The formal musical characteristics that define it —Any broader issues discussed that relate to the piece Grading Policy Students are required to attend classes and labs, to keep up with the required reading and listening, to participate in discussion, to take exams on the assigned day, and to complete all other work punctually. Grades for undergraduates will be determined on the basis of three in-class exams, other small assignments (a song analysis, a concert review, other minor assignments or quizzes in section), a final brief oral presentation, and class participation/attendance. The three exams will constitute 70% of the student’s overall grade, the minor assignments 10%, the oral presentation 10%, and class participation/attendance 10%. In-class exams for students will consist of three parts: (1) the identification of key terms, ideas, or people; (2) discussion of assigned listening examples; and (3) a short essay on a topic related to class discussion. Students will be provided with a review sheet prior to a given test that lists key terms they are to be responsible for and possible essay topics. The essay will be evaluated in terms of the following five categories: clear organization, clear grammar/syntax, reference to assigned musical examples in support of arguments, use of relevant musical terminology from readings or class discussion, and full response to all aspects of the question posed. Music of Latin America syllabus, p. 3 Undergraduates may opt to write an 8-10 pp. paper instead of taking one of the midterm exams or the final. If they choose the paper option, they should refer to the writing guidelines below for graduate students. Those planning to write a paper should provide the instructor and TA with a proposed topic and bibliography no later than week 5, and an outline by week 7. Concert Reviews As noted above, one written concert review is required of all students. The review should be 3 or 4 pages in length, typed and double-spaced. The overall goal of the assignment is that you experience music making live and develop an appropriate vocabulary with which to describe/discuss it. Please consult at least two written sources (at least one from the Fine Arts Library in addition to class readings) in order to acquire background information on the styles of music heard at the concert; they should be formally cited and referenced in the review. You should also conduct a brief interview with one of the performers following the event and incorporate what you learn from them into your review. See the “Extra Credit Options” section below about concerts for a listing of possible events to attend. Other concerts may be appropriate but require approval in advance from either the Instructor or TA. Please hand in your review no later than Tuesday of Week 15 unless special arrangements are made with the instructor. Attendance Regular attendance is important because various activities that take place in class (the screening of video clips, musical demonstrations or performance opportunities, collective discussion, guest presentations, and so on) cannot be experienced through individual work at home. The same is true for attendance in discussion section. For that reason, attendance in both is mandatory. Attendance will be assigned 30 points, and after the first 3 unexcused absences by a given student each absence will result in 3 lost points. Missed Test Policy Students are required to keep track of scheduled test days on the syllabus and to take tests when they are scheduled. Students missing tests without a medical excuse will not be allowed to make them up, so please don’t forget to come. Laptops, Tablets, Phones While you may bring your electronic devices to class for the purposes of note-taking or web browsing related to class activities, please do not abuse the privilege by using your device to email, IM, text message, update your social media, or browse the web in ways not related to class activity. It distracts your classmates and detracts from their learning experience as well as yours. A student seen to be engaged in such activity will earn no attendance credit for that day. Assignments and Grading for Graduate Students in MUS 380 Graduate students enrolled in MUS 380 should expect to write a research paper on a topic of their choice that relates to the focus of the course, or to undertake other projects (extended transcription and analysis, private lessons on a new instrument or in a new lecture style, preparation of a lecture/demo on a particular style of Latin American music, Music of Latin America syllabus, p. 4 etc.) as approved by the instructor. Individual written projects should be approximately 12-15 pp. in length, double-spaced. In addition, graduate students must complete two additional assignments: First, they are to transcribe and analyze at least one minute’s worth of music from one of the examples provided on their class listening tapes or related repertoire. The transcription may be incorporated into and/or support their final written project, or it may be separate. Second, they must learn to play and/or sing a representative piece or rhythm of Latin American traditional repertoire unfamiliar to them. This may be accomplished on their own or with the help of private instruction. The piece may relate to their final project or not, as they choose. Students may demonstrate their performance abilities in class if they wish. A two-page description/outline for the individual project (and an accompanying bibliography if appropriate) is due during week 5, and a draft of the project (or demonstration of preliminary work accomplished) is due week 11. The final version of the project, assuming revisions are necessary, as well as the transcriptions and recording of musical performance (in the case of graduate music students) will be due on the last day of classes. This schedule will ensure that I have time to interact with you as you conduct your research. For graduates, the exams will constitute 30% of the overall grade, the individual project 30%, the transcription and performance/recording 10%, the final oral presentation 10%, postings and other assignments 10%, and attendance 10%. Graduate students are not required to attend weekly lab section meetings unless they choose to do so. Extra Credit Options Performance Ensembles. It is the intention of this course to encourage active participation in musical experiences to the greatest extent possible. Therefore, any student interested in enrolling and participating in a one-unit world music performance ensemble at the University of Texas in conjunction with this course will have their lowest test score raised to an A.