U.S. Folk, Pop & Jazz/FAC-251 & FAMH-451

Syllabus & Class Schedule/Fall, 2009

Tuesdays/Thursdays, 10:50am - 12:05pm, Main Hall/Classroom #137

Professor: Dr. Mark Davenport Office Hours: Tuesdays/Thursdays: 1:30-3:00pm

Office: Main Hall/Office #123C (other times by appointment)

Office Phone: (303) 964-3609 E-mail: mdavenpo@regis.edu

Webpage: www.regis.edu/music

Course Objective:

To explore the distinctly American styles of folk and popular music in the United States, from their beginnings through today. Sacred and secular songs will be studied, including hymns and spirituals, folk, country, blues, Tin Pan Alley, musical theater, and jazz. Major trends and developments will be explored through various ethnic perspectives, paying particular attention to the Anglo- and African-American contributions. Drawing from these varied musical backgrounds, students will come to understand the function and context within which folk, popular, and jazz music has been (and continues to be) created in the United States. This course fulfills the CORE requirement for Fine Arts.

Required Text and Listening:

Ferris, Jean. America's Musical Landscape, Fifth Edition (McGraw-Hill, 2006). Listening to music is a crucial component of this course. A pre-packaged 3CD set of recordings accompanies the Ferris text (available at the University Book Store). In addition, supplementary listening examples will be provided for students throughout the duration of this course.

Required Concert Attendance/Concert Reviews and Reports:

There are three required concert events outside of the classroom. Two of these are evening campus performances: Wednesday, October 14, and Monday, November 30. The third event will be of your choosing (I will help students identify an appropriate event in the Denver area). You will be asked to write a two-page music review of one concert and a descriptive concert report (3-4 typed pages) for the other two performances. Guidelines for the music review and concert reports will be distributed later in the semester. Students with documented academic courses or work-related conflicts that prevent you from attending the two on-campus required events should arrange an alternate assignment with the instructor during the first week of classes.

Quizzes/Exams:

There will be two quizzes, a midterm and a final exam. These will consist of multiple choice questions, listening identification, and short answer. Study guides will be handed out during quiz/exam review.

Special Topics:

Special topics include class reading assignments, in-class video questions and/or short informal essays.

Attendance Policy:

The course follows a lecture/listening format but classroom discussion also plays an important part of the activities that take place. Topics covered in class provide most of the questions for the quizzes and exams. “Special Topics” assignments as well as supplementary reading and listening materials are given during class time. Classes also provide opportunities for extra credit, making regular class attendance imperative.

Evaluation/Grading Policy:

An additive point system will be used to determine the final grade with a 1000-point maximum possible score (see page 3 of this syllabus). Quizzes, exams, and the required concert attendance may not be made up (with the exception of documented family and/or health emergencies). Late written assignments will be accepted for partial credit (one letter grade deducted for each class period the assignment is late).

Learning Support:

If you have a documented disability requiring academic adjustments for this class, please contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS), Room 118B, Life Directions Center, 303-458-4941. They will review your documentation with you and help determine appropriate, reasonable accommodations. Following this meeting, please make an appointment with your instructor to discuss your accommodation request in light of the course requirements. You may self-disclose and request an academic adjustment any time during the term. However, it is strongly recommended that you do so as soon as possible because accommodations are not provided retroactively and adequate lead-time is required.

Regis Writing Center:

The Writing Center is a free resource for Regis College undergraduates. Whether you are a proficient or struggling writer, you will benefit from working with a writing consultant. These peer consultants help at any point in your writing process, from brainstorming for ideas to organizing a draft to polishing the final version. You get immediate and personal feedback about your writing as well as answers to your questions. Appointments for this popular service are recommended. Drop by the Writing Center in Loyola 1 or call (303) 458-4039 for more information.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Date Topic Chapter Pages

Prelude/The Basic Properties of Musical Sound

AUGUST:

Week 1 25 Introduction to class obtain text

27 Preface & Introduction xv-xxvii

Basic Properties of Musical Sound Prelude 1-15

SEPTEMBER:

Week 2 1, 3 Basic Properties of Musical Sound (cont'd)

Week 3 8 Finish Basic Properties of Musical Sound

Review/Quiz #1

10 Quiz #1: Basic Properties of Musical Sound

Unit I: Music in Early North America, Country & Urban Folk

10 Music in Early North America 16-24

Week 4 15 Folk Music 2 34-48

17 No Class Today (Mass of the Holy Spirit)

Week 5 22 Religious Music in the Early 19th Century 5 86-96

The Growth of Vernacular Traditions 142-144

Music Review #1 Due Today

24 Country Music 10 163-183

Week 6 29 Urban Folk Revival 11 184-194 4

OCTOBER: 2 Finish Unit I

Review/Quiz #2

Week 7 6 Quiz #2: Unit I/Music in Early North America, Country & Urban Folk

Unit II: Tin Pan Alley & Musical Theater

6 Early American Theater 4 71-73

Popular Music of the Civil War Era 6 97-106

8 The Rise of Popular Culture 9 145-162

Week 8 13 No Classes/Mid-Semester Break

14 Concert Report #1: Serafin Sanchez, Berkeley Church 7:30pm

15 Music for Theater and Film 18 306-308

Musical Theater 18 309-333

Week 9 20 Concert Report #1 Due Today

Musical Theater (cont’d)

22 Musical Theater (cont’d)

Week 10 27 Finish Musical Theater

Review/Midterm Exam

29 Midterm Exam: Unit II

NOVEMBER:

Unit III: The Jazz Age

Week 11 3 The Jazz Age 12 195-212

5 Special Topics/Video Q& A

Week 12 10 Finish The Jazz Age

12 Jazz 1930-1960 13 213-232

Week 13 17 Jazz 1930-1960 (cont’d)

19 Finish Jazz 1930-1960 14 233-250

Week 14 24 Jazz Since 1960

Special Topics/Miles Davis Report Due Today

26 Thanksgiving Holiday (No Classes)

30 Concert Report #2: Regis Jazz Ensemble, Berkeley Church 7:30pm

DECEMBER:

Week 15 1 Jazz Since 1960 (cont’d)

3 Finish Unit III

Concert Report #2 Due Today

Scrapbook Journals Due Today

Last Day of Class/Review Final Exam

Week 16 8 Final Exam: Unit III/The Jazz Age

Exam Date: Tuesday, Dec. 8, 10:10am

Grading System:

Quiz 1 = 100 pts.

Quiz 2 = 100 pts.

Music Review = 100 pts.

Concert Report 1 = 100 pts.

Concert Report 2 = 100 pts.

Special Topics = 100 pts.

Midterm Exam = 200 pts.

Final Exam = 200 pts.

Total Points - = 1000 pts.

Extra Credit : Scrapbook Journal = up to 30 pts.

Scrapbook Journals. Scrapbook Journals should include clippings from a variety of sources (e.g., newspapers, magazines, periodicals, books, or information off the internet). To receive full credit you must provide the name and date of the source. The subject should relate to any area of folk, popular or jazz music in the U.S. Clippings should be accompanied by a paragraph or two about why you thought the article was interesting (I want to hear your ideas rather than a summary of the article).