About Ron Dunn

Week 2: Part 1

Face to Face (part 1):

1. Ironing out issues with Catalyst
2. Focused and critical listening: What's important?

• Rhythm and meter
  
• melody--contour, range
  
• Texture: The "thickness" of music

Online/Homework

1. Read Part 1, Chapters Two through 6: Elements of Music. Please read the online version even if you have the textbook, as there are links to examples online.
   
2. Complete listening assignment 1 for Part 1; this is your "entrance" assignment for Week 3. Bring it with you when you come to class.
   
   • Listening assignments are to be downloaded, printed, and filled out by hand. However, the assignments have links to musical examples, so they must be on your computer screen while you work on them.
3. Participate in this week's forums. See Forum Guidelines.
   

Discussion Forum and Resources: These forums are now closed, but you can see Ron's replies to your posts.

Week 3. F2F: Part 1 Conclusion. Introduction, Part 10: Latin America

1. Turn in Listening Assignment 1. It is considered late and loses lots of credit if you're more than five minutes late to class.
   
2. Final thoughts on Part 1: Chapters 2-6, Elements of Music
   
   • Organization principles: Form, Phrase Structure: How is "a" different than "A"? How is "A" different than "B," and why should I care?
    
3. Introduction to Part 10: Music of Latin America

• Lecture: The Indigenous, European, African heritage: Understanding the Slave Trade and its influence on the Americas
• What is sesquialtera, and is it contagious?

 

Online: Part 10:

1. You will now need your own textbook. As you read the chapter, listen to musical audio and video examples through the Links and Resources page (for easy navigation, Open in a new tab or window).
2. Complete each of the discussion forums for Part 10 choose topics by midnight Friday. First post on all chapters by midnight Sunday. Second post by midnight, Tuesday (Discussions must be finished by midnight, Tuesday). No late posts accepted.
   
3. Complete Listening Assignment 2; this is your entrance assignment for Week 4.

Discussion Forums, Assignments and Resources

Week 4 F2F: Part 10, conclusion; Part 2: Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Questions and Catalyst issues for Week 3
2. Reverberations from Part 10: ironing out the kinks
3. Andean music communal music-making: panflute (siku) workshop
   

• Bring Listening Assignment 2 with you to class. It won't be accepted if you're more than five minutes late.

Online: Begin Part 2, Sub-Saharan Africa (Continued Week 5)

• Read Part 2, Chapters 7-12
• Participate in all forum discussions
• Complete Listening Assignment 3--bring to class with you week 5
  

Forums and Resources: Assignment 3 is a Word document. It will be posted as PDF by Saturday evening if you prefer that format.

Week 5 Face 2 Face: Part 2, Sub Saharan Africa

1. Understanding Ewe music: Polyrhythm and the bell as guide rhythm
2. Guest Lecture/drum workshop: Mr. Perry Quarshie on Ewe music

• Bring Listening Assignment 3 with you to class.

Online:

• read African American supplement. Below are video/audio examples of some of the genres and concepts listed by the author. Please listen as each comes up in the reading (They're also linked in the pdf).
• Listen to "No More Auction Block"
• Listen to "Levee Camp Holler"
• Listen to the Fisk Jubilee Singers: "Wade in the Water"
• Listen to Norfolk Jubilee Quartet: Daniel in the Lion's Den
  
• Watch "The Founding Fathers of Gospel" Charles Tindley, Thomas Dorsey
• Watch Mahalia Jackson singing "Highway to Heaven"
• Participate in Discussion forum for African American Music
  

Prepare for exam: Test 1 will consist of approximately 35-40 multiple choice, matching or true-false questions, along with several short answer and brief essay questions.

Material for the test will be derived from topics covered in class, as well as the reading and listening assignments.

• Preparation for the reading portion of the test can be aided by the following guides.
  
• As an incentive to studying from the guides, credit toward the exam can be earned by completing the guides and turning them in. You can either bring a hard-copy to class on the day of the test, or to save paper, email it to Ron no later than 2:00 pm on the day of the test.
• Remember to bring a pencil and 2052 Scantron form.
  

Test 1 Study Guides

• Part 1: Sample questions/terms/topics
• Part 10: Sample questions/terms/topics
• Part 2: Sample questions/terms/topics
• African American Reading Supplement Sample questions/terms/topics