Music Appreciation A: Survey of Western Music

Music Appreciation A is designed for non-musicians and develops the art of perceptive listening and performance in musical composition through experiential activities. Lectures and experiential learning will cover the instruments of the orchestra, composers, performance practice, musical composition techniques, major compositions of the era, baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century eras, and Broadway musicals.  Students will have practice in playing instruments, creating, listening to, analyzing, and describing music. They will evolve specific criteria for making informed critical evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of performances and compositions.  Students will identify, explain and perform stylistic features of a given musical work. This is an introductory level course, meeting three times per week with extensive participation in musical activities, class projects, demonstrations and live performances.