Syllabus MU 100, Section 002 - Music Appreciation

Spring 2015- 3 credit hours

MWF 9:00-9:50am
Johnson Hall, Room 222
Professor: Stuart Dameron
Office hours: By Appointment
Building/Office #: UCA/325B
Teaching Assistants
Miranda Bashore

miranda.bashore@rams.colostate.edu

Grades Papers A-M

Office Hours: By Appointment
Samantha Ferbuyt

samantha.ferbuyt@colostate.edu

Grades Papers N-Z

Office Hours: By Appointment

All correspondence should be directed towards your TA. Should my TAs need
corroboration, they will be in touch with me and we will discuss the situation.
This syllabus addendum is your contract for this class. You are responsible for knowing
the material presented here. If you have a question about the course at any time, check
your syllabus first. Otherwise, you may meet me after class or during office hours.
ALL EXAMS ARE GIVEN ONLINE. THE DATES OF THE EXAMS ARE
LISTED ON THIS SYLLABUS ADDENDUM. EXAMS WILL BE AVAILABLE
ONLINE FROM 8:00-11:00 a.m. ON THE DAY OF THE EXAM. YOU WILL
HAVE ONE HOUR TO COMPLETE THE EXAM ONCE YOU BEGIN. YOU
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING THE EXAM WHEN IT IS SCHEDULED. IF
YOU MISS THE EXAM, NO MAKEUPS ARE GIVEN UNLESS AN
ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE PROFESSOR 24 HOURS
PRIOR TO THE EXAM OR A VALID DOCTORS NOTE IS PRESENTED.
***THERE WILL BE NO CLASS ON EXAM DAYS.***

Course Objective:
Music is among the many artistic expressions created by society. This course will
investigate historical, societal, structural, and stylistic background of many genres of
music and how each genre of music connects to one another. We will investigate musical
elements, form and structure through the study of classical, jazz, world and popular
music.
The goal of the class is to give basic knowledge and listening skills in music and to
develop a working vocabulary of music that is meaningful to the non-musician and
valuable to current music listeners.
This course will study music through classical and popular genres and learn to thoroughly
discuss, intelligently listen, and more completely comprehend music through the
connection between Western Art music and contemporary popular music.
Upon completion of this course, students should have:
* An awareness of music as it affects our lives
* An ability to dissect any piece of music and be able to discuss instrumentation, form,
function, style and genre.
* A broadened view of music as an art form
* An ability to listen to a variety of music with a more specific understanding of the
music elements involved
* Knowledge of the development of all music in the western world and how it connects to
popular, classical, jazz and world music.
* A better understanding of contemporary music styles and the musical elements
involved in making music
* An ability to apply the acquired skills from class by attending live concerts and recitals
* The understanding to write about music using relevant terminology
* The knowledge to identify representative examples of music from different eras and
genres
* The ability to use descriptive vocabulary to discuss musical experiences
* The ability to determine what makes music successful
If a religious holiday prevents a student from attending class on an exam or quiz day,
written notification must be given to me during the first week of the semester. A make-up
time will be given to those students.
Please refer to the CSU Student Handbook regarding this and other policies for religious
holidays, academic rights, and academic responsibilities.
It is imperative that you talk with the class TA regarding any problems with work,
grades, missed assignments, classes, or exams. Unless contact is made, we cannot help
you.

Materials Necessary:
Textbook: purchase of online E-book Music Appreciation: Listening for Success in All
Music by Dr. Michelle Stanley Book may be purchased at the following website (with
credit card): http://grtep.com or at the University Bookstore.

Recordings: Music for this course is included in the purchase of the e-book. As students
in this class you will have unlimited access of the online music site Rhapsody for course
use and personal use (Streaming audio only, not downloadable) for 120 days from the
start of the semester.
Playlists/music for the course will be found on the e-book and will automatically link to
Rhapsody.
If you have any problems with Rhapsody, contact them through the e-book by
clicking on the Web Support button at the bottom of the homepage.

I will use the e-book site to give grades (grade book) and communicate with the class
(alerts, announcements, web links, etc.). Please be sure to check regularly. You are
responsible for getting the information I give on that site.

As a student of this course, you are given free tickets to all music department events.
These tickets are ordered on the virtual box office on your e-book site. Simply go to the
e-book website under Virtual Box Office, reserve a ticket for the performance of your
choice and print the emailed ticket confirmation. Bring that email confirmation to the box
office the night of the show to get your physical ticket (You may also redeem your tickets
in advance at the box office). You must arrive at a CSU concert 15 minutes prior to the
concert start time to claim your ticket. If you arrive too late, your ticket may be sold to a
paying customer. Music department concerts draw large audiences from the community
so arrive early to claim your complimentary tickets. It is essential that you use strict
concert etiquette at all CSU Music Department performances. The ushers will escort
any disruptive patron out of the hall. They have been instructed to get the names of
disrespectful patrons and email me directly about their poor behavior. We will discuss in
depth appropriate concert etiquette the first week of class.
University Center for the Arts Ticket Office: Ticket policies/procedures

You must bring your photo ID and e-mail confirmation from the website to
the ticket office to obtain your free ticket.
If you do not have your e-mail confirmation, you will not be given a ticket.
If the allotted number of tickets on the website is sold out, you may show up to
the ticket office and be put onto a wait list for free tickets. Otherwise, you may
purchase tickets at the student discount price.

You MUST show up 15 minutes early to pick up your ticket on the night of the
performance or your ticket may be sold to another patron.
Seating after the performance has begun is at the discretion of the house
manager and the performing artists. If you arrive late, YOU MAY BE
TURNED AWAY AT THE DOOR. PLEASE ARRIVE ON TIME AND
IN ADVANCE OF THE PERFORMANCE START TIME.
Please note: if you are texting, talking, or in any other way disrupting the
performance, you may be asked to leave and your name will be given to
your professor for an automatic F on your paper.

Written Assignments:
The writing assignments are intended to help you listen to music more effectively and
learn to write about what you hear.
Turn in each paper to me as a hard copy in class. I do NOT accept electronic copies.
Concert Review #1
Attend a concert from the list on the Virtual Box Office and write a 2-page review
of a classical, jazz, or world music concert. Include relevant vocabulary and discuss
the music performed, your impressions of the music, the performers and any other
aspect of the concert. Use your writing skills and listening knowledge learned from
class to create a paper that is clear, concise, and musically informed. This is an
opinion-based paper feel free to give your opinion on the music and performance,
but always state WHY you like or dont like something using the knowledge
youve learned in class.

Concert Review #2
Attend a concert from the list on the Virtual Box Office and write a 3-page review
of a classical, jazz, or world music concert. Include relevant vocabulary and
discuss the music performed, your impressions of the music, the performers and any
other aspect of the concert. Use your writing skills and listening knowledge learned
from the first assignment and in class to create a paper that is clear, concise, and
musically informed. This is an opinion-based paper feel free to give your opinion
on the music and performance, but always state why you like or dont like
something using the knowledge youve learned in class.
Written Assignment Policy:
Any plagiarized papers will result in an F on the assignment. Academic
dishonesty (plagiarism, cheating, fabrication etc.) may lead to serious penalties
such as reduction of grades, probation, suspension, or expulsion. Please refer to
the Student Handbook for details.
All papers MUST be 12 point, double-spaced, Times New Roman or other
standard font. For each paper that requires concert attendance, a ticket and

program MUST be stapled to the back of the paper. A rubric (available on the
website) must also be stapled to the BACK of the paper.
If the above rules are not followed, the paper will lose 5 points per infraction.
Late work will result in the drop of a letter grade (10%). Late work of a week or
more will not be accepted and you will receive a zero for the assignment.

Attendance: It is expected that you attend each lecture and read the assigned
readings/chapters before class.

Grading: Your grade will be determined by the following weighted formula

5 Exams
2 Written Assignments
Writing Blasts/Participation
Final Exam
TOTAL

50%
25%
10%
15%
100%

Grade Scale (plusses and minuses will not be used):

A: 90-100%
B: 80-89.9%
C: 70-79.9%
D: 60-69.9%
F: < 60.0%

If you have any issues with grades, please be in touch with me within 7 days of the
exam/assignment grades being posted. I will not revisit grade issues after 7 days.

Schedule/Weekly Topics Subject to Change

Dates

Topical Content

Intro and Information

Unit 1 Elements
Jan 19 Feb 6 - Categorizing Music, The Musical Language, Instruments and Ensembles
Unit 2 Western Classical
Feb 9 Feb 20 - The Medieval Era, The Renaissance A Rebirth, The Excess of the Baroque
Unit 2 (cont.)
Feb 23 Mar 6 - The Refinement of the Classical Era, Romanticism: Music with Imagination, The 20th Century
Unit 3 Cultural Music
Mar 9 Mar 27 - Learning to Listen, Function, Notation, Melody and Harmony, Rhythm
Mar 16 Mar 20
Spring Break
Unit 4 Listening to Jazz
Mar 30 Apr 10 - Early Jazz, The Big Band Era, Jazz in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s to Today
Unit 5 Popular Music
Apr 13 May 1 - Folk, Blues, Country Music, African American Popular Music
May 4 May 8 Rock n Roll, Musical Theater
May 14
FINAL EXAM 11:50-1:50p (Access Window: 11:00-2:00p)

Concert Review Due Dates

Concert Review #1: February 25
Concert Review #2: April 15
Exam Dates ALL EXAM ACCESS TIMES ARE FROM 8:00-11:00AM
Exam #1: Feb 6
Exam #2 (Part 1): Feb 20
Exam #2 (Part 2): March 6
Exam #3: March 27
Exam #4: April 10
FINAL EXAM: May 14 11:50-1:50pm (Access Window: 11:00-2:00pm)

This course will adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy of the General Catalog and the
Student Conduct Code.
*The professor reserves the right to change or alter the above stated policies, grading
procedures and assignments as he sees fit. In such a case, suitable and ample notice will
be given both in class, via email and/or on the class website (grtep.com).