Music Appreciation

Music Appreciation is a semester course providing an overview of Western and American Music History, and World Musical Traditions.  An emphasis on basic musicology skills is developed through compare and contrast based on current trends in musical style and performance that students already have.  Students will establish an in-depth study of the following composers and songwriters: W.A. Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Igor Stravinsky, Johnny Cash, Miles Davis, and Ray Charles.  By the end of the semester, the learning goal is for students to be able to draw connections from Western, Early American and World traditions to the American Musical styles of today.
Music Appreciation is a beginning study in ethnomusicology and a review of music history. Subjects will be addressed by concepts rather than chronologically.  Students will develop a broader understanding of Western, American, and World traditions in music by studying the specific characteristics of the musical behavior in respective cultures. 



Students are expected to complete their work, participate in discussions and presentations, as well as listen to lectures, recordings, films and presentation regarding topics that are pertinent to class.  Students are expected to turn in all assignments and complete all tests. Students are expected to be on time prepared, and treat the instructor and other students with courtesy and respect at all times.

All class assignments and lectures will be posted below for students to be able to follow assignments daily or weekly.
Class Syllabus
I. The Physics of Sound/Electronic Music
The Physics of Sound
Garage Band Tutorial
Sine, Square, Triangle and Sawtooth Waves on the Oscilloscope
Garage Band-Written Tutorial
Mark Ronson: How Sampling Changed Music
Todd Machover: The Origins of Guitar Hero
Garage Band Project Groups
Electronic Music Worksheet One: Use your Textbook Glossary and Google
Switched On Bach by Wendy Carlos
Picture of Wendy Carlos' Synthesizer
Disco Music Presentation
Club Music Presentation
Picture of the ADSR of a Sound Wave
Video of the Vocoder
Scratching Tutorial
Tom Moulton Documentary 1
Tom Moulton Documentary 2
Unit One Quiz
Clara Rockmore Performs on her Thermin
II. The History of Western Music
A Brief History of Western Music
The Music of the Middle Ages
The Music of the Middle Ages Worksheet
The Middle Ages: Documentary
Middle Ages Documentary Questions
The Music of the Renaissance
The Music of the Renaissance Worksheet
Renaissance in Italy Documentary
Renaissance in Italy Documentary Questions
The Anglo-European Late Middle Ages/Renaissance in American Pop Culture: Disney's Robin Hood
(Notice how they used American Folk Music to connect the audience to the Minstrels of the day)
The Music of the Baroque Period
The Music of the Baroque Period Worksheet
Great Composers: J.S. Bach Documentary
J.S. Bach Documentary Questions
The Music of the Classical Period
The Music of the Classical Period Worksheet
Trailer: Amadeus(1984)
Amadeus Movie Questions
Les Miserables Movie Quiz
Romantic Period Presentation
Romantic Period Worksheet
Richard Wagner Documentary
Richard Wagner Documentary Questions
20th Century Presentation
20th Century Worksheet
Mid-Term Exam Study Guide
Mr. Holland's Opus Movie Questions
III. American Music History-Jazz
A Brief History of Jazz
Ragtime Worksheet
A History of the Blues Part 1
Blues Worksheet
Ken Burns Jazz Chapter 1 (Gumbo)
Ken Burns Chapter One Movie Questions
The Blues Presentation
Dixieland Presentation
Dixieland Worksheet
Dixieland History
Ken Burns Jazz Chapter 2 (The Gift)
Ken Burns Chapter Two Movie Questions
Big Band History Presentation
Big Band Worksheet 1
Ken Burns Jazz Chapter 3 (Our Language)
Ken Burns Chapter Three Movie Questions
Big Band Worksheet 2
Big Band Worksheet 3
Bebop Presentation
Bebop Worksheet
Sonny Rollins on Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker Documentary
Charlie Parker Documentary Questions
1959: The Most Influential Year in Jazz History Presentation
1959: The Most Influential Year in Jazz History Documentary
1959: The Most Influential Year in Jazz History Questions
Cool Jazz Worksheet
Latin Jazz Worksheet
Free Jazz Worksheet
Miles Davis Documentary
Miles Davis Documentary Questions
Modern Jazz: 1960-Present Presentation
Jazz-Rock Worksheet
John Coltrane Documentary
John Coltrane Documentary Questions
Jazz History Test Study Guide
Jazz History Review JEOPARDY
IV. American Music History-Rock N' Roll/Rhythm & Blues
Rock & Roll/Rhythm & Blues History
Ray Charles Presentation
Ray Charles Gospel Influences and Inspirations
Ray Charles Documentary
Ray Charles Documentary Questions
The Birth of Soul Part 1
The Birth of Soul Part 2
The Birth of Soul Part 3
The Birth of Soul Part 4
The Birth of Soul Documentary Questions
Soul Music Presentation
James Brown Documentary Part 1
James Brown Documentary Part 2
James Brown Documentary Part 4
James Brown Documentary Part 5
James Brown Documentary Part 6
'Ray' Movie Questions
'Ray-Walk The Line' Compare and Contrast Worksheet
​