The field of acoustic ecology is particularly concerned with how we create, interpret and interact with the sounds around us and how imbalances in the soundscape may affect human health and the natural world. Through reading, discussion, listening sessions, independent research, and hands-on projects, we will examine the broad interdisciplinary fields of acoustic ecology and sonic art.

Pop and jazz involve different types of musical texts. From open mic nights to top-40 hits, pop performances are enactments of carefully crafted song structures. In contrast, jazz musicians treat tunes more flexibly-as frameworks to guide improvisation. In separate units for the pop song and the jazz tune, this course examines how harmony, melody, rhythm, lyrics, and form unite to inspire great performances in both traditions. Each unit will include nuts-and-bolts assignments to build analytical and compositional skills, which will be applied in a composition project at the end of each unit.

The course focuses on the musics of Africa and the African diaspora through the lens of ethnomusicology. Concentrating on countries like Brazil, Cuba, Nigeria, South Africa, and the United States, it examines the musical performance of gender, race, ethnicity, and nationality and the role of music in social and political movements. The course explores the global dimensions and resonances of Africanist musical cosmopolitanism as enabled historically and sustained through ongoing transatlantic exchanges between Africa and the African diasporas.

Performance study - individual instruction.

Performance study - individual instruction.

Performance study - individual instruction.

Performance study - individual instruction.

This course will explore the variations in local, global, national, and international, entrepreneurial activity based on location-specific policies, societies and culture, economics, and community values and supports. Students will gain skills with data-driven descriptive and analytical tools and learn about global and local perspectives and relationships. The course will take an interdisciplinary approach to analysis and understanding of a topic, teamwork, presentations, business economics themes and concerns, and the practices and consequences of entrepreneurship.

This course provides an introduction to business and organizational economics and analytics and to broad business organization topics. Solutions to business and organization challenges necessarily include technological, social, environmental, and political components, as well as financial and market components. Profitability, sustainability, and success are not so easily achieved by simple marginal pricing models. We want to learn more about this greatly expanded view of managerial decision-making through a socio-economic lens.

Performance study - individual instruction.