Music 204OL Bulletin Board
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Music 204OL Bulletin Board
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MUSIC HISTORY ONLINE Fall 2009 PLEASE CAREFULLY READ ALL OF THE INFORMATION BELOW BEFORE STARTING THE COURSE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONDUCT OF THE CLASS, THIS PAGE CONTAINS THE FINAL WORD ON ALL COURSE MATTERS, DESPITE ANY CONFLICTS YOU MAY NOTICE ON THE OFFICIAL COURSE WEBSITE! PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING TO TAKE YOU TO THE PART OF THIS PAGE THAT MATCHES THE LINK: PAGE DIRECTORY CONCERT ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT MIDTERM AND FINAL EXAMINATION TIMES Welcome to Online Music History Survey. I hope taking this course will be an enriching and fun experience for you. The aims of this course are very simple: To provide you with the tools for a basic understanding of the different music periods in history, and familiarize you with the main composers, music literature, and genres in each one of them. Imagine that you are a composer or a performer. This may not be hard for some of you, as you may already be one. Now think about the music that you compose or perform. The particular approach you bring to a piece of music depends on many factors: who your teachers were, who your musical influences were, or your own ingenuity. There will even be some factors that are out of your control, but have an equally profound effect on the music you create: the social or political climate of the time you live in; your upbringing; your religious or spiritual background. The music you make is shaped by the same influences that shape your life, your personality, and your beliefs. Similarly, when we look at the music of the great composers, we want to know what shapes their music. We want to understand how and why their music can have such a deep influence on us. To understand the answers to these questions, it is important to analyze the musical style of a composer along with his life circumstances, the political, social, and religious beliefs of his era, and the impact of his or her style on following generations. This, in essence, is the main point of our study of music history. We will focus on the salient characteristics of the music of different composers and historical periods. We will also look at the personal stories of the great composers. Our goal is to better understand their interrelation with their music, and, hopefully, to better understand the music of our own time. OnMusic History Survey is offered using the incredible resources of the World Wide Web (WWW) for learning purposes. This format has challenged many traditionally held assumptions about teaching and learning. I will not go into the many ways this has happened. I will, rather, let this exciting adventure unfold and reveal its lessons to all of you. There will be no lectures in this course. Actually, we will be at the opposite pole of the lecture paradigm. In this course, you are expected to communicate constantly with your classmates via electronic mail and Discussion Forums, and to cooperatively learn concepts, solve problems, and complete projects. This will be a major component of the learning experience. This is a fully paperless class. All course materials, including the musical examples on CD-ROM, will be accessed electronically. Electronic mail (e-mail) and Discussion Forums will be the main source of information and interaction among us. However, you must be fully conscious that despite its present state of sophistication, computer technology is, for many reasons, quite immature. Expect to encounter some hurdles along the way. Don't be frustrated by them. Learn from your shortcomings and those of the technologies that we will be using. Course title: Music History - ONLINE Dept. number, section: MUS 204 OL, CRN: 91115 Hours: 3 lecture hours per week Orientation: Friday, August 21st, 2009, 2:10-3 PM, Room 1107 Grading method: Letter grade or credit/no credit Transfer and GE: UC and CSU transferable (C1), IGETSI AREA 3, Humanities area for AA/AS. Professor: Robert Millar (pron. mil LAHR) Office: 1120 (Office hours by appointment.) Mailing address: Robert Millar Creative Arts Division Skyline College 3300 College Drive San Bruno, CA 94066 Office phone and voicemail: 650-738-4386 E-mail: millar@smccd.edu (Please do not send attachments.) Course Description (Credit/No Credit or letter grade.) Course objectives After taking this course you will be able to 1. Identify and articulate the historical periodicity of individual pieces of music by listening to unidentified musical examples. 2. Differentiate between personal preferences and historical aesthetic criteria as standards for judging the merits of pieces of music. 3. Describe the general characteristics of the music of each period of music history and explain how they grew out of the social climate of the time. 4. Cite at least two individual composers from each historical period and explain the contributions of each to the music of his/her time. 5. Demonstrate understanding of the basic elements of music and explain how they are being employed in pieces of music. As you may have expected, almost all of the instruction for this Music History course takes place online. For Fall 2009, the class will meet as a group for an initial orientation on Friday, August 21st, 2009, 2:10-3 PM , Room 1107 at Skyline College. That will be the only in-person meeting of the class for the semester. Everything else (exams, quizzes, assignments, readings, etc.) will be dealt with online. After the initial class meeting you will work at more or less your own pace to complete the course, studying at whatever times are convenient for you as long as you complete the course by the end of the term ( 11:59 P.M., Friday, December 18th, 2009) and follow the rules and deadlines listed below. you must adhere to all of the deadlines and regulations listed below!! Please read them carefully now and refer to them frequently!! If, for some reason, you are enrolled in the class but cannot make the orientation, it is up to you to read and understand all of the information on this page before beginning the course. you will be held responsible for abiding by the parameters set out here. START THE COURSE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ORIENTATION! BUY THE SOFTWARE WITHIN A WEEK AND BEGIN WORK. TO REMAIN IN THE CLASS, YOU MUST BE LOGGED ON AND WORKING REGULARLY . The software is called OnMusic History Survey Price:$100.00 at the Bookstore. IT CAN BE FOUND BY ASKING FOR IT AT THE CHECKOUT COUNTER OF THE BOOKSTORE, OR BY ORDERING ONLINE FROM THE BOOKSTORE: http://www.smccd.net/accounts/bookstore/sky/index.html). CAREFULLY FOLLOW THE ENCLOSED INSTRUCTIONS TO LOG ON TO THE COURSE. THEN GO AHEAD AND BEGIN WORK. YOU CAN REGISTER YOUR SOFTWARE AND LOG ON TO THE COURSE BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: http://www.student.connect4education.com/support/omh/documentation/quick_setup_guide.htm MAKE SURE YOU BUY THE RIGHT SOFTWARE, AS THERE IS ANOTHER SOFTWARE THAT USES ROUGHLY THE SAME PACKAGING. YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE ORANGE AND RED BOX .BEWARE OF ORDERING THE SOFTWARE FROM PLACES LIKE AMAZON.COM AND EBAY. I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF STUDENTS DISAPPOINTED BY THE FACT THAT USED COPIES OF THE SOFTWARE WILL NOT WORK. IF YOU DO DECIDE TO GO AHEAD AND ORDER FROM SUCH VENDORS, MAKE SURE THE SOFTWARE HAS NEVER BEEN OPENED OR USED PREVIOUSLY --- IT MUST BE A NEW COPY! In this course, you may communicate constantly with your classmates via electronic mail and Discussion Forums, cooperatively learning concepts, solving problems, and completing projects. This interaction can be a major component of the learning experience. When you sign on to the class, you can access both the e-mail and the Discussion Forums through links in the blue navigation box at the bottom of your course webpage. You can initiate a Forum discussion at any time by submitting a question or comment on the Forum. You can also view all of the assignments in the course, submit assignments, check the course index, check the ongoing status of your grade, e-mail people, etc., all using that navigation box. In addition to the numerous quizzes, midterm, and final, there are 3 written assignments for the class. It is highly recommended that you examine these assignments before beginning the course so that you can plan your time in such a way that you are able to complete them on time. You can examine them once you are on the course website by scrolling to the blue navigation box at the bottom of the page and clicking on the Assignments option. Each of these assignments involves considerable analysis, effort and involvement on your part, and each will be scrutinized and evaluated very carefully. Make sure you follow the instructions for each assignment extremely meticulously. Make your work long enough and complete enough to truly illustrate the FULL extent of your knowledge (AT LEAST 2-3 TYPED, DOUBLE-SPACED PAGES). Not only will you be graded on correctness, but on comprehensibility, grammar, syntax, spelling, etc., as well. So, make sure your work on these assignments reflects your very best effort. When turning in these assignments it is strongly suggested that you type your answer using a word processor such as MSWord, or Word Perfect, making sure that you save your work as you go along. When you are done, COPY and PASTE your work in the Submission window. That way, if for any reason you lose your connection to the internet in the middle of typing your answer, you won't lose all the work you have done up to that point. Again, you may work on the course at more or less your own rate (please see the important provisions below), taking the quizzes (EXCEPT THE MIDTERM AND FINAL) whenever you wish. However, you must turn in the three assignments by midnight on each of the following dates: Absolute and final due dates for the 3 written assignments are as follows (IN SPITE OF ANY OTHER CONTRADICTORY DATES YOU MAY POSSIBLY SEE INDICATED ON THE COURSE WEBSITE!!):
CONCERT ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT The most demanding of the assignments is a required concert attendance exercise (ASSIGNMENT 3). For this assignment you must attend a live, *professional concert (not an amateur or any type of school, youth, or conservatory concert) of CLASSICAL MUSIC (not pop, folk, or jazz) and write an analytical review about it (2-3 pages, double-spaced). The concert you choose must be either 1) a *professional symphony orchestra concert, 2) a *professional chamber music concert, 3) a *professional opera company performance, or 4) a *professional musical theater show, like Camelot, West Side Story, etc. (this musical theater event must include a live orchestra in the orchestra pit). *(“Professional” means musicians making their primary living by performing music.) Please check with me first if you have any question as to whether or not a concert is appropriate. You do not necessarily have to spend a lot of money to attend a concert. Concert prices can range from free to full-fee, so if you want to keep costs down, it is important to plan your concert early enough in the semester so that you are not left with only full-fee alternatives at the end. This assignment should be turned in in the usual manner via the submissions window on the course website. You should also turn in proof of your concert attendance by submitting one or more of the following:
Submission of the required proof of concert attendance should be sent in by regular U.S. Mail to Robert Millar --- MUS 202 OL Creative Arts Division Skyline College 3300 College Drive San Bruno, CA 94066 Please identify yourself and the online class you are taking on the materials. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DROP THESE MATERIALS OFF IN PERSON AT THE COLLEGE! Failure to submit ticket stubs, program, or photo by the time the assignment is due will result in a lowering of your course grade by a full letter. In other words, an A course grade will become a B, etc. Therefore, make sure you choose a concert venue for which you will be able to obtain these items. Failure to DO the concert attendance assignment will result in a similar lowering of your course grade (not only will you receive no credit for the concert assignment when the course grade is averaged on the course website, but your overall course grade will be lowered one whole letter grade.) Do not leave this assignment for the last minute. Do it a few weeks before it is due so that you have ample time to complete it with your best work. If you are taking another online class with me, you may not use the same concert for both classes. Go to a separate concert for each class. REMEMBER: THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE, TICKETS AND ALL, IN MY POSSESSION, BY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11TH, 2009 AT THE VERY LATEST. Make sure that you mail the ticket stub and program to me early enough that they absolutely arrive on or before this date (mail 5 or more days before the due date). Listings of possible concerts can be found by exploring the following websites: http://www.sfgate.com/eguide/music/ http://kzsu.org/~romain/mixed_links.html The following site tells you how to go about enjoying a concert. Look for the EDUCATION box on the left side and press the button titled :How to Enjoy a Live Concert: http://www.naxos.com/education/enjoy_intro.asp If you need help with your writing, please contact the Learning Center for help. They offer a variety of services, both in person and online, to help students with a variety of writing difficulties. Their web address is: http://www.smccd.net/accounts/skytlc/ Tips for improving your writing You may improve your performance on written work by making sure you are doing the assignment carefully and thoroughly enough. Of course, the content of your writing is extremely influential in determining your grade. But it may be to your advantage if, as you do each assignment, you ask yourself the following questions and then make adjustments as necessary:
In all of your coursework for this class it is extremely important to read everything associated with the course slowly and very carefully! This includes assignments and directions. Most of the common problems that come up using this course can be solved through careful reading of all the text and closely following instructions. If you do run into problems that seem beyond your scope, you have five resources that you can explore for assistance. You should use them in the following order: 1. This page. 2. The course website. http://www.student.connect4education.com/support/omh/index.htm and the resource links you will find once you log on to the course. All technical problems regarding the operation of the course (complaints about test questions, unclear explanations, perceived unfair grading of tests, questions about how to make the course work properly on your computer, etc.) should be referred here by clicking on the CONTACT US tab, and then clicking on the TECHNICAL SUPPORT link. Be sure to check out the FAQ section first, however, since many common technical questions are answered there. If that doesn’t work… 3. Start a Forum by clicking on the FORUMS link in your blue menu box. State your problem and check back periodically for responses. If that doesn’t work… 4. E-mail a fellow student. If that doesn’t work… 5. Contact me by e-mail. All instructional problems (when you don’t understand a point or subject under discussion) involving course content should be referred here. If that doesn’t work… 6. Contact me by phone. If that doesn’t work… 7. Arrange an office visit with me.
WITHDRAWAL POLICY IF YOU WISH TO WITHDRAW FROM THE CLASS, YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO USING THE WEBSMART SYSTEM. I WILL NOT ORDINARILY INITIATE A DROP FOR YOU, EVEN IF YOU NEVER SHOW UP FOR THE CLASS. FAILURE TO DROP IN A TIMELY MANNER MAY RESULT IN A GRADE OF "F" FOR THE CLASS. INCOMPLETE GRADES A COURSE GRADE OF INCOMPLETE WILL ONLY BE AWARDED DUE TO AN UNAVOIDABLE PERSONAL EMERGENCY SITUATION WHICH OCCURS NEAR THE VERY END OF THE SEMESTER. THE STUDENT'S RECORD MUST SHOW THAT HE/SHE WAS ATTENDING TO THE COURSE REQUIREMENTS SUCCESSFULLY THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR A LAST-MINUTE INCOMPLETE GRADE. LATE WORK LATE WORK IS NOT ACCEPTED. THERE IS ENOUGH STRUCTURAL FLEXIBILITY AND ENOUGH TIME AVAILABLE IN THIS COURSE THAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PLAN TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK BY THE DUE DATES AND TIMES. IF YOU ANTICIPATE A PROBLEM AS YOU APPROACH A DUE DATE, PLAN TO SUBMIT EARLY. IF FATE INTERVENES IN YOUR LIFE WITH MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. PERSONAL TRAGEDY, CAR FAILURE, OR OTHER UNAVOIDABLE PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE EXTENDED ABSENCE, YOU SHOULD DROP THE COURSE. IF YOU ARE HAVING BRIEF PERSONAL TROUBLES THAT ARE PREVENTING YOU FROM CARRYING OUT YOUR COURSE RESPONSIBILITIES, PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE MIGHT MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO TRY AND MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO SUCCEED. IF YOU CONTACT ME TOO LATE IN THE SEMESTER, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE OF ANY HELP. EXCUSES MAKE NONE! I AM VERY CYNICAL WHEN IT COMES TO EXCUSES. OVER THE YEARS i HAVE HEARD THEM ALL--- "MY COMPUTER (OR PRINTER) DIDN'T WORK. I HAVE TO GO OUT OF TOWN FOR A FUNERAL (VACATION, WEDDING, ETC.). MY CAR BROKE DOWN. I GOT THE DATE MIXED UP, CAN I TURN IT IN LATER TODAY? I HAD A DENTAL OR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT. I WASN'T FEELING WELL. ETC. ETC. ETC. ETC......." IN MY EXPERIENCE, 99% OF THEM ARE FALSE. PEOPLE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE THAT MANY DISASTERS IN THE COURSE OF A SEMESTER. PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT TO RECEIVE MUCH LEEWAY BY USING THEM. ABOVE ALL, DO NOT APPROACH ME TOWARD THE END OF THE SEMESTER WITH THE OLD LINE, "BUT I HAVE TO GET A GOOD GRADE IN THIS CLASS SO THAT I CAN TRANSFER TO STATE NEXT SEMESTER!!!" IF YOU NEED A GOOD GRADE, PLAN TO EARN IT DURING THE COURSE OF THE SEMESTER'S WORK. RETURN OF MATERIALS NO SUBMITTED MATERIALS (TICKETS, PROGRAMS, ETC.) WILL BE RETURNED. FINAL GRADES FINAL COURSE GRADES ARE FINAL IN ALL SENSES OF THE WORD. THEY ARE NOT OPEN TO NEGOTIATION OR DISCUSSION.
Stay on top of the work!!! Pace yourself wisely so that the course doesn’t get away from you. You can proceed at your own pace through the course, but you must schedule your work so that you can complete everything on time (the last day for everything is 11:59 P.M., Friday, December 18th, 2009). If you leave everything for the last minute you may doom yourself to failure. You should also know that students have reported difficulty submitting assignments at the last minute due to e-mail overload problems at the website. Sometimes students cannot submit work during this busy time and have had their grades compromised as a result. You can avoid all this simply by submitting your work early. Do not use the same piece of music for more than one written assignment. Study and memorize the highlighted or otherwise-emphasized information. Pay close attention to the vocabulary links (in blue) peppered throughout the text. The definitions associated with these links ARE included on the tests! Listen repeatedly to the musical examples until you hear what the text is requiring from you. Take notes to study carefully in preparation for the quizzes and exams. Pay attention to small details, like exact definitions and spelling. Such details ARE included in the tests. Do all your study before taking on a test. Once engaged in the test, you cannot get out until the test is completed, nor can you go back and retake a test. Don't forget to use the Discussion Forum to communicate with other students and your teacher. Sometimes, a little communication with others can help you clarify your thinking about problems, questions, and topics raised in the course. Also, you may help others to find solutions to their problems as you share your ideas with them. You must be fully conscious that despite its present state of sophistication, computer technology is, for many reasons, quite immature. Expect to encounter some hurdles along the way. Don't be frustrated by them. Learn from your shortcomings and those of the technologies that we will be using. Above all, enjoy your exploration of music!
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