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Response/ Discussion Papers, Research Papers, and the Program Note Project

American Music
Dr. Christina Taylor Gibson
Spring 2017

Response Papers

All students are required to submit several response papers this semester, although
the number of papers and percentage of the grade differs depending on the
student’s status (undergraduate/ graduate).

1. Each response paper should be 3-5 pages. Students should distribute the
papers by email in advance of class (aim for 6 p.m. the evening before class).
Papers may address one aspect of the listening or reading, delve more deeply
into part of the assignment, or launch an argument relevant to the
assignment. The best papers will be cohesive wholes with a clear point of
view. They are intended to provoke dialogue in class and provide an entry
point for the assignment readings

2. In addition to the response paper, students assigned to a given day will need
to think carefully about the entire assignment. The student should have
provocative questions for the class and be ready to lead discussion or engage
in debate. [Questions may be included at the bottom of the paper, or just
brought to class in the student’s notes]

3. My grade for the assignment will be based on the quality of the paper (this
includes both the level of writing AND the level of analysis) and the
contribution the student makes to the class discussion on the assigned day.

Final Project: Research Paper OR Program Notes

Overview: For the final project for this course, students may elect to write a 10-15
page research paper, or they my write a set of program notes (5-7 pages). The
research paper would be of the traditional variety, complete with a thesis statement
(or major claim), supported by sub-claims and evidence drawn from secondary and
primary sources. It will include both footnotes and a bibliography. The topic for the
paper is subject to approval from the professors. At the end of the course, students
writing a research paper will give short presentation of their argument (15 minutes)
followed question and answer session (5 minutes). The presentation itself will count
as 10% of the paper grade, with another 10% allotted to the response to comments,
questions, and concerns found in final draft of the paper. Those majoring in
musicology or looking to refine their research paper portfolio should plan to write
the traditional research paper.

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The rest of this handout will detail the requirements for the program note
assignment created for students majoring in the performance and composition
disciplines, as a way of developing writing skills more practical for their career
paths while still requiring rigorous research and confrontation of the historical
narrative.

The final project is worth 40% of the grade for this course (60% for
undergraduates).

The program: Students should select a theme, thesis, or idea to tie the program
together. The theme might be: “Links between Jazz and Classical Genres in the U.S.,
1915-1935” or “Composing the ‘Whole World of Music’: Cowell and his Followers,”
or “Minstrelsy and the Parlor Song,” or “Elite Music in the New Democracy: Music of
the Founding Fathers.” These represent just a few of the many possibilities. There
are, however, two limitations: the program must include at least an hour of music;
and you should be able to offer a brief analysis of the works (with performed,
recorded, or score examples) both in writing and in class. You are welcome and
encouraged to select repertoire for your instrument that caters to your capabilities.
I would be delighted if you could find a practical use for these notes, but you aren’t
limited by practicalities either, so if you want to stage an opera or hire a gamelan or
perform in a Japanese garden, go for it . . . you can imagine anything you want.

The notes: The audience for your remarks is musically knowledgeable. Don’t shy
away from sophisticated ideas or insightful analysis, but please explain concepts in
clear, comprehensible language that a non-expert would understand. Discussion of
key areas, structural innovations, or historical oddities is expected, given the charge
to create an historically themed program. Each set of notes should have a few
introductory paragraphs explaining the theme and the selection of works. Following
the introduction, the annotator should provide several paragraphs about the works,
attempting reference to each one if possible. The notes should include something
about the works’ compositional history, listening cues, and any other information
needed to understand the relationship of the selected music to the theme. For
examples, please see Michael Steinberg’s The Symphony: A Listener’s Guide, D. Kern
Holoman’s Evenings with the Orchestra, or the notes assembled for the Bard Music
Festival every summer. http://fishercenter.bard.edu/bmf/program/

The bibliography: The bibliography for this project should reflect thorough
background reading and listening. It is perfectly acceptable to consult recordings
and liner notes, but you are also expected to consult New Grove and the most
important secondary sources on the topic. If you chose a major composer or work,
you will need to do more reading; if you chose a relatively unknown composer or
work, you will not be reading as much material, but the source material will be
much more difficult to find. The page limit above does NOT include the bibliography,
but you are expected to submit one with your notes.

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The presentation: All students will be required to present their final project to the
class. Students electing to write program notes will be required to present part of
their program to the class, along with their ideas about the work. There will be a
short period for discussion. Performing a work or selections from a work is
encouraged; if the student has chosen music that s/he cannot play, a recording or
score will suffice. Presentations for the program note projects will be longer—about
30 minutes with an additional 10 minutes for questions. Likewise, the presentation is
a more significant element in the grade of the program note project, counting for 40%
of the project.

Deadlines:

Students must decide on their project type and topic by the third week of class, Jan.
26.

Presentations will begin on April 27

Final Papers or Notes will be due May 1 in my box in the Music Office.

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