GENMUS 1003 - Musics of the World

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2015

This course provides an introduction to the music and performance of selected world cultures. The course presents music as a form of cultural expression and aims to develop an appreciation for both the culturally distinct and humanly universal aspects of music making. The cultural contexts considered include both small isolated communities and subsections of large urban societies. The music genres and performance contexts covered range from traditional forms of music-making (such as those associated with religious or court ceremonies) to contemporary forms of 'world music'; from performance traditions which are regarded as ancient and inviolate, to those which are self-consciously hybrid in nature. Alongside a focus on music as culture, the course also considers the stylistic and sounding elements of music. In this context there is an emphasis on aural recognition of assigned listening items, understanding of the physical nature of musical instruments, and use of a basic list of musical terms.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code GENMUS 1003
    Course Musics of the World
    Coordinating Unit Elder Conservatorium of Music
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Assumed Knowledge No previous ability to play an instrument or read music required
    Course Description This course provides an introduction to the music and performance of selected world cultures. The course presents music as a form of cultural expression and aims to develop an appreciation for both the culturally distinct and humanly universal aspects of music making. The cultural contexts considered include both small isolated communities and subsections of large urban societies. The music genres and performance contexts covered range from traditional forms of music-making (such as those associated with religious or court ceremonies) to contemporary forms of 'world music'; from performance traditions which are regarded as ancient and inviolate, to those which are self-consciously hybrid in nature. Alongside a focus on music as culture, the course also considers the stylistic and sounding elements of music. In this context there is an emphasis on aural recognition of assigned listening items, understanding of the physical nature of musical instruments, and use of a basic list of musical terms.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Mr Steven Knopoff

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1. Understanding and appreciation of the wide range of cultural and stylistic diversity which may be evidenced in different traditional and contemporary music-cultural settings.
    2. Aural familiarity with music of a select number of music cultures.
    3. Development of aural awareness and critical listening skills through assigned- and in-class listening.
    4. Development of music research skills and confidence in written communication.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Knowledge and understanding of the content and techniques of a chosen discipline at advanced levels that are internationally recognised. 1, 2, 3
    The ability to locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a wide variety of sources in a planned and timely manner. 1, 2, 3, 4
    An ability to apply effective, creative and innovative solutions, both independently and cooperatively, to current and future problems. 1, 2, 4
    A proficiency in the appropriate use of contemporary technologies. 2, 3, 4
    A commitment to continuous learning and the capacity to maintain intellectual curiosity throughout life. 1, 2, 3, 4
    A commitment to the highest standards of professional endeavour and the ability to take a leadership role in the community. 1, 2, 3, 4
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources

    REQUIRED READING AND LISTENING

    The course reader, entitled Musics of the World I: Course Readings may be purchased online through the Image and Copy Centre. An additional copy is available for short-term loan at the reserve desk of the Elder Music Library.

    There are also recorded examples of music associated with each week's lecture topic/s. The recordings , together with some brief information about them, are available from the reserve desk of the Elder Music Library under the title Musics of the World: Assigned Listening.


    IN-CLASS HANDOUTS

    A small number of handouts with additional information will be distributed during the course in order to support the lecture and reading content of particular topics

    Recommended Resources

    Oxford Music Online is a portal that enables searching in Grove Music Online and other Oxford reference content in the one location.Students can access Oxford Music Online which houses Grove music online through the link on the Elder Music Library website at: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/about/libraries/eml/internet_resources/

    Grove music online [electronic resource] can also be located as a title search through the library catalogue.

    Online Learning

    MyUni will be used for various Course documents, including in-class handouts, information about assigned listening and additional listening items, assignments and other relevant information.

  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    Lectures will address the information and aims set out in the Course Description. There are no tutorials for this course; however lectures will include opportunities for questions/answers and limited open discussion. The lecture series will involve a small number of guest lecture-performance demonstrations as well as playback of audio and video examples. The in-class performances and audio-visual material is a key component of the course content, the consumption and understanding of which is as important as for the spoken portion of the lecture and the readings.

    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    In addition to the 3 contact hours per week, it is anticipated that students would spend 6-8 hours per week in reviewing lecture notes, preparing the assigned readings and assigned listening, undertaking suggested readings and listening, revising for exams, and researching and writing the course essay.

     

    Learning Activities Summary
    Schedule

    The following schedule is indicative of the topics in this course.
    Some topics and ordering of topics may vary from year to year.

    Week 1 Introduction to the Course; Understanding 'Music in
    Culture'; Basic Music Terminology

    An Introduction to Classification of Musical
    Instruments
    Week 2 Classification of Musical Instruments; Music of Africa

    Traditional Music of Ghana

    Week 3 Traditional Music in Ghana (continued); Africa and
    'World Music'

    West African Music Influence and Performance in Adelaide
    Week 4 Aboriginal Music in Northern Australia; Yolngu Traditional Music and Culture (1)

    Yolngu Traditional Music and Culture (2); Review for Exam #1

    Week 5 Aboriginal Music of Northern Australia

    Traditional and Contemporary Aboriginal Music
    Week 6 Traditional and Contemporary Music in Japan

    Cross-Cultural Currents in Japanese Contemporary Classical Music  
    Week 7 Review for Exam #1; Distribution & Discussion of Essay Assignment

     In-class EXAM #1

    Week 8 Traditional and Contemporary Music of Vietnam and Vietnamese Migrants

    Vietnamese-Australian Music
    Week 9 Classical Music of India:
    Karnatak Music (Classical Music of South India)
    Hindustani Music (Classical Music of North India)

    Week 10 Indian Film Music

    Indian Classical Music and 1960s Western Pop
    Week 11 Afro-Latin Popular Music

    Salsa and other Afro-Latin Music in New York, Puerto Rico, and Cuba
    Week 12 Tejano (Tex-Mex) Music in the Southwestern U.S. and Northern Mexico

    Course Summary and Review for Exam #2

  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    Assessment Tasks

    Weighting

    Date

    Learning Objective

    Exam #1

    25%  

    45-minute exam - week 7

    1, 2, 3

    Exam #2

    35%  

    70-minute exam - week 13

    1, 2, 3

    Essay

    40%

    1,600-1,800 word essay due in Examination period - date to be advised

    1, 3, 4



    The first, lower-weighted exam is formative in that students will get feedback on their work and a better understanding of how to approach the second, similarly structured exam. The second, more heavily weighted exam and the course essay are summative in nature.

    Assessment Related Requirements

    Lectures: An Attendance Roll will not be taken in this large lecture format course, however, active presence at 100% of the lectures is expected. Because the lectures are information-dense, students are advised to take notes during lectures (personal audio recordings of lectures are also allowed). Students who miss lectures will likely not perform as well on exams due to inability to make up for missed information.

    Test and Exam Attendance: All students are required to sit the tests and exam on the scheduled dates. No exceptions will be made except on certified medical grounds or on professional or compassionate grounds if approved by the coordinator well in advance of the scheduled exam.

    If you are ill on the Day of a Test or Exam: You should not sit a test or exam if you are ill, both because you could infect others and because you will likely not perform at your best (note: once you sit an exam you cannot request a supplementary due to illness-induced poor performance). You should visit a doctor and obtain a medical certificate for the day of the test/exam, as this is required for medical Replacement/Additional Assessment. Further information and Application forms for Replacement/Additional Assessment are available at:  http://www.adelaide.edu.au/student/exams/supps.html
    Assessment Detail

    Exams

    Both exams will consist of a combination of short answer questions (e.g., involving one sentence answers), multiple-choice questions, and questions requiring one- or two-paragraph responses. The exams will assess material covered in course lectures, assigned readings, and assigned listening.

    Exam #1 will cover lectures and readings and required listening items for Weeks 1-6.

    Exam #2 will focus primarily on lectures and readings from Week 8 through to the end of the semester, but will also assess some of the content from the earlier part of the course. Exam #2 will assess required listening items for the second half of the semester only.

    Students are required to sit both exams as scheduled. No exceptions will be made except in the case of certified medical or compassionate grounds.


    Essay

    Students will be given a set range of topics to choose from for this essay. Each topic will allow students to compare and contrast two artists or groups of their choice in accordance with criteria explained in the essay instructions. Further information will be provided in the essay instructions, to be distributed and discussed in Week 7.

    Submission

    Essay submission - refer to instructions on MyUni.
    Each student must submit their essay in PDF format through the Assignments section of MyUni.


    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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