Course Description
Music-making and composition in the United States from the colonial period through the twenty-first century. The genres and styles covered include folk, popular, theatre, band, and art music traditions.
Athena Title
Music in the United States
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to • Describe the stylistic features of a variety of genres of music composed in the United States from the time of the Native Americans to the present day. • Summarize the contributions of significant composers, performers, and entrepreneurs in the history of music in the United States. • Discuss how various ethnic, religious, and aesthetic communities composed, performed, and listened to music. • Communicate understanding of these outcomes in a research paper.
Topical Outline
1. Native Folk Traditions (Native American, Latin American, and Pacific Island) 2. The 18th and 19th Centuries (Caucasian folk music, Black and White Hymnody, Parlor Song) 3. Theatre (Minstrelsy, Vaudeville/Tin Pan Alley, Broadway) 4. Jazz (Ragtime, New Orleans, Swing, Bebop) 5. Music for Radio (Country, Blues/R&B, Rock, Soul) 6. The MTV revolution (Music videos, Hip-hop, U.S. music today)
Syllabus