What in the World is Music?

What counts as music? Why does it sound the way it does? And why does it mean what it means? In this course we will address these questions by exploring musical cultures from around the world — not only to understand those cultures on their own terms, but to question our own assumptions about musical sounds and meanings in the process. Throughout the semester we will pursue these questions through readings, lectures, discussions, screenings, listening sessions, and performance activities. Students will develop an ear for diverse approaches to organizing sound via rhythm, melody, timbre, texture, harmony, and form, and will hone their capacity for understanding how and why these sonic choices carry context-specific meanings. Together, these skills will form the foundation of genuine cross-cultural musical literacy. 3 hrs. lect.