DOCUMENT RESUME ED 045 042 24 HE 001 879 AUTHOR Butcher, Vada E.; And Others TITLE Development of Materials for a One Year Course in African Music for the General Undergraduate Student. Final Report. INSTITUTION Howard Univ., Washington, D.C. SPONS AGENCY Office of Education (DHEW) , Washington, D.C. Bureau of Research. BUREAU NO PR-6-1779 PUB DATE Sep 70 CONTRACT OEC0-8-061779-2821 NOTE 242p. FDRS PRICE. 7rRs Price MF-$1.00 HC-$12.20 DESCRIPTORS. *African American Studies, *A.Erican Culture, *Curriculum Development, Curriculum Guides, *Higher Education, Instructional Materials; *Music, Music Education, Undergraduate Study IDENTIFIERS *Africa ABSTRACT The major objective of the Project in African Music at Howard University was to develop materials for a course in African music designed for General Education curricula in institutions of higher education. The project was expanded to include the development of materials on African-derived music and to make the materials adaptable for use in secondary schools. The report includes background!of the study, methods of collecting and developing materials, workshops and pilot courses, and results of the educational evaluation report sent to all workshop participants. Appendix A lists the collection of African traditional instruments gathered from Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda. Appendix B includes materials developed by the project. The workshop program, auestionnaires, questionnaire recipients, and a press release conclude the report. (AF) 1,e e- 77(7 e,9 2_ id FINAL REPORT Project No. 6-1779 Contract No. 0-8-061779-2821 DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS FOR A ONE YEAR COURSE IN AFRICAN MUSIC FOR THE GENERAL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT (PROJECT IN AFRICAN MUSIC) by Veda E. Butcher and Others College of Fine Arts Howard University Washington, D. C. September, 1970 The research reported herein was performed pursuant to a contract with the Office of Education, U. S. Department of Health, Education andWelfare.Contractorsundertakingsuch projectsunder Government sponsorshipare encouraged to express freelytheir professional judgment in the conduct of the project. Points o view or opinions stated do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Office of Education position or policy. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE Office of Education Bureau of Research U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECES- SARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU- CATION POSITION OR POLICY. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report represents the fruits of the combined effort and thought of manypeople, all of whom gave unstintingly of their time and talent to the activities of the Project/in African Music. I should like, therefore, to express my appreciation to the following: Drs. George F. Donovan, Warner Lawson, and Willard Rhodes, Consultants; Profs. Halim EI-Dabh, Akin Euba, Fele Sowande, and Darius Thieme, Research Associates; Dr. Herman Brown, Miss Wanda Brown, Mrs. Lorraine Faxio, Miss Norma Mc Cray, Mr. Clyde Parker, Mrs. Paula Weak ley, and Mrs. Pearl Williams-Jones, Research Assistants; Dr. Albert Carter, Mrs. Yvonne Carter, Mrs. Ruth Johnson, Miss Yvonne Purnell,Mrs. Maude Thigpen, and Mr. Berkeley Williams, Staff Assistants; Messers. Kojo Fosu Baiden, Guakro Okurnanin -Sei, and John Yorson, Instructors of African Drumming and Dance. Special thanks also to the members of the Faculty of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University who moved their sonatas and symphonies a little closer together in order to make room for our talking drurris and ritual dandes in their studios, their libraries, their recital hallsand in their hearts. The final bow goes to my husband, James W. Butcher, in appreciation for his support, sympathy, and infinite patience. Vada E. Butcher September, 1970 SUMMARY DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS FOR A ONE YEAR COURSE IN AFRICAN MUSIC FOR THE GENERAL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT (PROJECT IN AFRICAN MUSIC) by Vada E. Butcher and Others College of Fine Arts Howard University OE Bureau of Research No. 6-1779 Contract No. 0-8-061779-2821 Funding Date: June 1, 1968 After collecting and examining publications and audio-visuals on African music, the ProkIct in African Music at Howard University set out to develop materials designed specifically for courses inAfrican music in the GeneralEducationcurriculum. The rising importance of black studies in American education focused nation-wide attention upon the Project in late 1968, stimulating it to include Afro-American music among its concerns and to scrutinize all materials in terms of their suitability for secondary schools as w:,11as for liberalarts colleges. Special outlines, monographs, teaching units, and audio-visuals were created with the assistance of internationally recognized African and Afro-American musicians. These authorities also staffed a workshop for high school and college music instructors during the summer of 1969. The materials developed were tested in pilot courses taught at Howard University, and were evaluated by ninety music educators and administrators who found them generally suitable and valuable for courses in African and Afro-American music. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction: Background of the Study 1 Methods 3 Educational Evaluation Report 11 Final Conclusions and Recommendations 23 Appendices: Appendix A: Traditional Instruments Collected 25 Appendix 6: Materials Developed by the Project Butcher: Course Outlines 31 Euba: Monographs 77 Thieme: Monographs 99 Mc Cray: Units on Afro-American Composers 123 Williams-Jones: Afro-American Gospel Music 199 Butcher: Introductory Lecture on Afro-American Music 221 Rhodes and Butcher: Slide-Tape Series on TraditionalAfrican Instru- ments (Script) 231 Thieme:Instructional Tape on Yoruba Rhythm (Script) 241 Appendix C: Workshop Agenda and Concert Program 247 Appendix D: Questionnaires 257 Appendix E: Recipients of Questionnaires 269 Appendix F: Press Release 277 ix INTRODUCTION: BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY General Education in American colleges and universities is responsible for endowing the student with an appreciation for his cultural heritage, informing him of the advances and developments of the present, and providing him with means of coping with the future. The remarkable ease with which we now communicate with all parts of the earth, and our consequent involvement with cultures which were once considered "remote" or "exotic," demand that we approach these objectives in terms of world orientation. American institutions of higher learning must not only turn out graduates who are able researchers and skirled professionals, but also (and possibly more importantly), they must build men and women who are prepared and willing to assume their social responsibilitics as world citizens. Whether the future holds a productive world state or another period of "dark ages" plagued by human conflict and atomic holocaust depends in great part upon our effectiveness in teaching the understanding of, and respect for, cultures different from our own. As efforts in this area of education are increased, the significance of the arts as cultural manifestations cannot be overlooked. Music particularly, is one of the few arts which possesses the ability to bypass the language barrier in revealing the imagination and emotions of men, Moreover, in most areas of the world, music accompanies the events of daily livingnot only the spectacular ceremonies of coronation, initiation, worship, marriage, and death, but such ordinary functions as work, courtship, games, civil complaint, hunting, etc, Clearly, the importance of music as an avenue toward the goal of mutual understanding among the peoples of the world cannot be denied. This study was undertaken as a part of a many-faceted program initiated at Howard University in1963, which is devoted to the infusion of new vitality into liberal arts music courses, especially in the area of world orientation. The stated objective of this study (known as the Project in African Music) was "the enrichment of General Education curricula in colleges and universities in the United States through the development of materials for a course inAfrican music which will give students in liberal arts colleges increased understanding of African peoples as revealed through their music." Africa was chosen as the geographical area for study because of its increasingly important role in world affairs. There is no doubt that African nations will develop into leading world powers in years to come. Economically as well as culturally,Africa is a source of magnificent wealth, most of which is yet untapped. Gold, uranium, diamonds, palm oil, and cocoa represent only a few of her natural resources, while her arts and customs represent Negroid, Semitic, and Hamitic cultures thousands of years old. African music poses special problems for one who would compress its function, meaning, and structure into a liberal arts course. The function of African musicits close association withritual,religion, and social customis quite different from that of Euro-American music which, in most cases,is quite divorced from everyday human activity. This African concept of music becomes even more difficult to comprehend when one realizes that Africaisa multi-tribal continent, consisting of thousands of ethnic 1 groups, each of which has its own language, customs, traditions, and music. Added to the problems of the social implications and diversity of the