MUS 111 - World Music (3 cr.)

This course examines a variety of world cultures, predominantly non-Western, and music styles associated with those cultures. Discussion will be based on a theory of “ethnic” vs. “folk” music; separate discussions will focus on art music of various cultures. Emphasis will be on how features of the history, institutions, society and culture influence the musical elements of the various music cultures studied. Rather than aspiring to comprehensive world coverage, this course will focus on several regional or national music cultures (such as those of Africa, the Middle East, or Japan), allowing more indepth consideration of music in the societies studied. Topics include musical making from a cultural perspective, elements of music, music as symbolic action, and the ethnographic context of music. Traditional folk, tribal and religious values will be discussed as pertinent to each culture. Discussion of the various social and cultural settings of these regions will be an important component of the course.
Liberal arts
General Education Category: World Systems
Semester(s) Offered: Fall, Spring