MUSIC IN PRACTICE

Elementary training for musicians by Paul Hindemith, B. Schott’s Söhne, Mainz, 1946, 2^nd edition revised 1949, 1974.
[Bennington College Music Library MT 35 .H6 1974]

Worlds of Music: An Introduction to the Music of the World’s Peoples, edited by Jeff Todd Titon, Prentice Hall, 3^rd ed., 1996. And accompanying CD set.
[Bennington College Music Library ML 3545 .W67 1996 and CD712]

Week 1–February 27

Why do you want to learn more about music?

HW:
Read Hindemith, Chs. 1-2 and do all exercises (you may work collaboratively on these)
Read WOM, Ch. 1 "The Music-Culture as a World of Music" by Jeff Todd Titon and Mark Slobin

Week 2–March 6

What is music? What is not music?

Review Hindemith exercises.

HW:
Read Hindemith, Ch. 3 and do all exercises
Read Worlds of Music, Jeff Todd Titon, 3^rd ed., Ch. 2 "North America/Native America" by David P. McAllester, through "Three Different Styles" pp. 17-28
Listen to WOM recorded selections #1-3

Week 3–March 13

Discussion: Sioux. Zuni. Iroquois. Music in communities. Social roles of music.

Review Hindemith exercises.

HW:
Read Worlds of Music, Jeff Todd Titon, 3^rd ed., Ch. 2 "North America/Native America" by David P. McAllester, "Music of the Navajo Indians" up to "The Life Story…" pp. 29-47
Listen to WOM recorded selections #4-7
Make up a chant to be sung call-and-response style by you and the class. Use words or sounds that mean something to you and to us. Write it down on paper in some way to hand in, explaining your choices at the bottom of the page.

Week 4–March 20

Perform chants (record if possible). Discuss.

Perform chants at Musical Gathering, Jennings 136, Tuesday March 26.

HW:
Read Worlds of Music, Jeff Todd Titon, 3^rd ed., Ch. 2 "North America/Native America" by David P. McAllester, to the end of the chapter, pp. 47-66
Listen to WOM recorded selections #8-12
Rehearse for performance on 3/26

Week 5–March 27

Discussion: Music of the Navajo. Importance of music within culture.

HW:
Read WOM Ch.3 "Africa/Ewe, Mande, Dagbamba, Shona, BaAka" by David Locke, pp. 71-138, (entire chapter–plan the time)
Listen to WOM recorded selections #13-19

Week 6–April 3

Discussion: African music. Rhythm. Polyrhythm. Communal rhythm.

HW:
Find or create percussion instruments. With at least two other class-mates create a communal drumming statement about your collective lives in the Bennington community. Include your voices but actual words are optional. Your meaning should be primarily expressed through rhythm whether or not you use words.

Week 7–April 10

Perform rhythmic statements (record if possible). Discuss.

SEPC mid-term meeting at end of class

Perform statements at the following Musical Gathering, Tuesday April 16, just before Long Weekend

HW:
Rehearse for performance on 4/16

Week 8–April 17–no classes–Long Weekend

HW: PROJECT due May 8
Choose a chapter from WOM to study–you may choose from:

Listen to and study all associated recording selections

Pursue additional reading and additional listening listed at the end of your chapter through internet, libraries, and any other resources you can think of, towards learning more about your subject

Write a paper which

1. organizes the information you have acquired
2. distills the information down to a single representative musical form which can be imported into your own culture
3. proposes a plan for making a composition of your own based on this single importable form

Week 9–April 24 (Plan Day starts in afternoon)

Discussion of HW Projects: Explain your choice. How to present. How to summarize. The paper. Your own composition.

Week 10–no classes (Plan Week)

Week 11–May 8

Present summaries of project research and ideas in class

HW:
Compose a piece for the class derived from your project work

Week 12–May 15

Show sketches of composition in class. Discuss.

HW:
Continue to develop your composition.
Read WOM, Ch. 4 "North America/Black America" by Jeff Todd Titon, "Music of Worship" through "Music of Work", pp. 144-161
Listen to WOM recorded selections #20-23

Week 13–May 22

Start rehearsals of student compositions. Discuss music of Black America and relationship to your own musical expression.

HW:
Continue to develop your composition.
Read WOM, Ch. 4 "North America/Black America" by Jeff Todd Titon, "Music of Worship" through "Music of Work", pp. 161-207
Listen to WOM recorded selections #24-28

Week 14–May 29

Rehearsals.

HW:
More rehearsals

Week 15–June 5

FINAL CONCERT OF STUDENT COMPOSITIONS.
Please note: if possible, we will perform this concert at Musical Gathering, Tuesday, June 4, 4:30-6pm