Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0132 - How Music Works

This course explores the ways in which sound is organized into musical structures. It is intended for students with little or no background in music who would like to develop a theoretical and practical understanding of how music works. Topics include the physical properties of sound; the basic vocabulary of building blocks of Western music, fundamental musical concepts and associated symbols (scales, key signatures, intervals, triads, rhythm, meter); and an introduction to musical form analysis with examples representing diverse musical cultures. Attendance to two class meetings and one small group practicum section per week is mandatory. The time of practicum section will be decided according to students' other course schedules (typically late afternoon, early evening, or Friday). Daily assignments include extensive practice in music reading, sight singing, ear training, and critical listening. Students compose two short pieces, one for midterm and the other for final. KEYWORDS:Music, Music theory

Students are expected to spend a minimum of 6-8 hours of work outside of class time per week