Instructor: Anthony Seeger Office Hours: Wed. 3:00 – 4:30 |
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to have fun learning to make a particular kind of music together. This quarter we will focus on bluegrass and old time string band music that originated in the southern part of the United States and has spread around the country and abroad. This is lively music that is fun to play and sing. The genre is a fusion of a number of earlier musical forms found in the southern states, with influences that can be traced to English, Scottish, Irish, and African American influences. Since this is a performance ensemble, its success requires everyone cooperating and working together. Showing up on time, learning one’s parts, and assisting others will give everyone a good learning experience and should enable us to make some great music. Creating an ensemble out of musicians with varying skills that do not already know one another can be a bit difficult, but should be rewarding. The instruments used in this music include fiddle, banjo, mandolin, acoustic bass, acoustic guitar, and voice. Jaw harp, autoharp, small panpipes (quills), and some other instruments are sometimes used in old-time music. In addition to performing, students will be asked to do some listening or videotape viewing outside of class to familiarize themselves with the styles and to prepare themselves for new pieces we may want to do in class. These will not amount to more than 30 minutes of material/week. They will usually be available for viewing in Powell Library or for listening online. In some cases the materials may only be available for using in the Ethnomusicology Archive. |
|