Course Syllabus
Dr. David Castañeda
Lecturer, Department of Ethnomusicology
University of California, Los Angeles
Dr. Roger Savage
Department Chair, Ethnomusicology
University of California, Los Angeles
Course Description
A survey Latin American musical traditions, examining style, performance practice, and cultural context. Provides students an appreciation of the range and diversity of musical expression in a variety of cultures.
Class Topics/Units
This class will focus on units on the following topics: Basic music terminology and concepts; musical traditions of select cultures around Latin America, notable composers, performances, genres, and instruments from those musical traditions.
A Note to Non-Music Majors
I am confident that you will find this class interesting, enjoyable, and a worthwhile experience in your undergraduate career. Please do know that I've tailored this course for non-music majors, which means that students do not need to have a background in music to succeed in this course.
Zoom Meetings (for Lecture)
Topic: Music of Latin America (Lecture)
Every week on Mon, Wed, until Mar 14, 2022, 19 occurrence(s)
Jan 10, 2022 09:00 AM
Jan 12, 2022 09:00 AM
Jan 17, 2022 09:00 AM
Jan 19, 2022 09:00 AM
Jan 24, 2022 09:00 AM
Jan 26, 2022 09:00 AM
Jan 31, 2022 09:00 AM
Feb 2, 2022 09:00 AM
Feb 7, 2022 09:00 AM
Feb 9, 2022 09:00 AM
Feb 14, 2022 09:00 AM
Feb 16, 2022 09:00 AM
Feb 21, 2022 09:00 AM
Feb 23, 2022 09:00 AM
Feb 28, 2022 09:00 AM
Mar 2, 2022 09:00 AM
Mar 7, 2022 09:00 AM
Mar 9, 2022 09:00 AM
Mar 14, 2022 09:00 AM
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://ucla.zoom.us/meeting/tJUrdOCvqDIiE9zcnhdTyYeVSXVLCR887ECa/ics?icsToken=98tyKuCpqDgjHdKcuBCPRowcBIjCXe3wplhHj_pHnxHtBxRKWwbABdp0HpFNSICH
Join Zoom Meeting
https://ucla.zoom.us/j/91639769898
Meeting ID: 916 3976 9898
ETHNOMUS/M108A Music of Latin America
Spring 2022
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
- Identify musical features of: a) melody, that is, contour as conjunct or disjunct, and elementary notational principles; b) rhythm as duration of sounds as short or sustained, and related aspects of beat, rhythm, and tempo, texture; and c) form, as the organization of sound in time, such as ABA, strophic, through-composed, etc.
- Recognize country of origin and describe musical styles based on the above characteristics. Compare and contrast musical characteristics of different cultures.
- Examination of issues that are raised when inquiring into unfamiliar forms of cultural expression.
- Relate musical performance to its broader social context and its function within the communities that keep them.
The Online Learning Environment
All or part of this course will be administered online, meaning that we will not be meeting in person. This may differ from your in-person classes in many ways, mainly that you will be doing all of your coursework, lecture attendance, discussion assignments, and exams online. It is imperative that you remember to do all course assignments and to submit them as they are due, to do all readings prior to lecture for that week, and to make sure to attend lecture zoom meetings.
For this course, you are required to log in to our course via the Canvas link at least twice a week. Being too busy with other classes or work, going out of town, or simply neglecting to login is not an acceptable excuse for not participating in class at least twice a week.
Making sure to do all of these things will ensure you keep up with all course objectives and successfully complete the course. If you might have any questions, feel free to drop into my weekly office hours Wed. 12PM-1PM (please be sure to email me by 4PM the Tuesday before if you'll be coming to office hours) and/or email me at dfcastan@ucla.edu.
Remember that your TAs are amazing resources and phenomenal scholar-artists that can help you understand the concepts of this course far better than going at it alone. Make sure to reach out to them as much as possible over the course of the class if anything might be unclear.
Access Statement:
Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact us as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
Title IX/Sexual Misconduct:
Members of UCLA community, guests, and visitors have the right to be free from sexual misconduct and any other form of sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination and violence. UCLA does not tolerate sexual misconduct, which includes, but is not limited to: Sexual harassment (in person, by text, or online), Domestic violence, Dating violence, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Sex/Gender based Hate Crimes. If you or someone you know at UCLA experience or witnesses Sexual misconduct, you can report it to any employee and your case will be investigated. If you would like to discuss the matter with someone confidentially/anonymously, you may visit the student health center and discuss the matter with a counselor. All other employees of the college are mandated reporters, should an incident or sexual misconduct occur. Please visit the campus website on Title IX for additional information and guidance.
Online Student Technological Support
UCLA has technical support for students studying online using CANVAS in their classes!
- Phone: (310) 267-HELP (4357)
- Email: help@it.ucla.edu
Required Materials
- All readings will be available online via Canvas.
- There are no textbooks or readers required for this course.
Evaluation
- Listening Exams (20%)
There will be a listening exam at the end of every module. Students will prepare for these exams by studying the listening lists provided (there will be a list for every module). Listening techniques and recommended practices will be discussed in lecture. It is highly recommended that students study the listening list daily; "cramming" will not work. - Discussion (20%)
There will be discussion activities that students will be responsible for completing every week in section. These activities must be completed via zoom (or in person), which will make attending section absolutely necessary. - Concert Report (20%)
Students will be expected to complete a concert report by the end of the term. It is highly recommended that students complete the report towards the end of the term, once active listening skills, analytical skills, and conceptual understanding of musical phenomena have been developed. The performance may be watched via YouTube or some other online platform, but it must be the entire performance; concert reports should not be completed using “clips”. See “Concert Report Guide” for more information on successfully completing this assignment. - Final Project (40%)
Students will be required to produce a final project due Wednesday (3/16). Students will be required to use at least five sources (not including any assigned readings or videos) in their project, describe the origins and development of the music in question, refer to literature we've discussed in lecture, and conduct outside research. Methods for conducting successful ethnographic and research papers will be discussed in lecture and well in advance of the end-of-term due date.
Students are free to choose one the following formats:
- Ethnographic project — The student will conduct interview(s) concerning a type of music of their choice. This project will be no less than five pages, and no more than ten pages in length.
- Research Paper — The student will conduct research concerning a type of music of their choice. This project will be no less than five pages, and no more than ten pages in length.
Late work
Late assignments--without appropriate reasoning--receive a 10% deduction per day.
Grade Scale
A+ 100%
A 93-99%
A- 90-92%
B+ 87-89%
B 83-86%
B- 80-82%
C+ 77-79%
C 73-76%
C- 70-72%
D 60-69%
F 0-59%
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|