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African American Percussive Music: From Africa to the Americas


Course Description

Traditional and contemporary African American percussion music beginning with its African heritage and tracking its development throughout the Americas, with particular emphasis on the United States. Teaching/learning strategies include in-class performance, demonstrations, audiovisuals, and lectures. No previous music performance background is required.


Athena Title

AFR AM PERC MUS


Semester Course Offered

Offered fall and spring


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the successful student will be able to: 1. Identify those African countries, percussive instruments, and rhythms wich ahver shaped Afircan American percussive music, 2. Trace the influence of percussive instruments in early African American music, contemporary Afircan American music, and contemporary Afro-Latin music, 3. Demonstrate through performance basic rhythms and idioms in African American and Afro-Latin music, 4. Demonstrate performance proficiency in a class ensemble.


Topical Outline

Main topics: African heritage and percussive music; early African American percussive music; Jazz and rhythm and blues; Afro-Caribbean percussive music, Afro-Latin percussive music; New forms and trends in African American music.


Syllabus