Category: Music

Assignment
Students are required to watch a previously recorded live concert on YouTube or another online site and write an analytical review of the performance.
The music performed at the concert must be from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical or Nineteenth century.
You may also attend a live performance in lieu of watching one online. There are concerts given at colleges, universities and venues throughout the area, many are free or low cost to the public.
If you choose to go to a live concert, it should be one that you have attended this semester.
Do not choose any of the well-known music compositions listed at the bottom of this page.
This assignment is worth 5 points.
This report should include:
Approximate Date
Venue/Location
Artist(s)
Instrumentation
Era
Musical Aspects
Lyrical Themes
Anything else that stood out to you
If you do the online version, be sure to include a link to the concert you watched
Avoid concert pieces with just one instrument; it will give you more musical aspects to discuss in your concert report.
General Guidelines:
Name your file using this format: Last Name_First Name_VCR_MUS 116
Minimum 2-pages typed, 12-point font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins
Include your name, the instructor’s name, the course number and the due date
Write in your own words, check your grammar and spelling and do not plagiarize
All Concert Reports should be turned in as PDF. I’ll also accept Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf).
Honesty is the foundation of good academic work. Follow this advice:
Do not submit papers that have been done for a previous class
Never submit papers which have been prepared or “co-authored” by others
Don’t copy ideas, data or exact wording without citing your source
Submission Instructions:
Click on the Submit Assignment button and a new file upload box will open
Click the Choose File button
When the file window appears, locate and attach your file from your saved location
Click the Submit Assignment button to successfully attach your document
View the confirmation of your assignment submission
Do not choose any of the following well-known music compositions for your concert report:
“Symphony 9” by Ludwig van Beethoven
“The Four Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi
“Canon in D Major” by Johann Pachelbel
“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by Wolfgang A. Mozart
“The Messiah” by G F Handel
“Symphony 5” by Ludwig van Beethoven
“Ride of the Valkyries” by Richard Wagner
“Symphony No.40 in G Minor” by W.A Mozart
“Fur Elise” by Ludwig van Beethoven
“Moonlight Sonata” by Ludwig van Beethoven
This will help you expand your musical horizons and learn about a new piece of music.
You might discover some other compositions you really like that you did not know about.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Step 1: Understand the Assignment

You need to watch or attend a live concert featuring music from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, or Nineteenth century and write an analytical review of the performance. Make sure to avoid the restricted compositions listed in the instructions.

Step 2: Choose Your Concert

• Option 1: Watch Online – Find a concert on YouTube or another site. Ensure it includes multiple instruments for a richer analysis.
• Option 2: Attend a Live Concert – Check local colleges, universities, or concert venues for performances. Many are free or low-cost.

Step 3: Gather Key Details

While watching or attending the concert, take notes on the following:

• Date – When did the performance take place?
• Venue/Location – Where was the concert held?
• Artist(s) – Who performed? Were they soloists, an ensemble, or an orchestra?
• Instrumentation – What instruments were used?
• Era – Identify whether the music belongs to the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, or Nineteenth century.
• Musical Aspects – Discuss melody, harmony, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, and form.
• Lyrical Themes (if applicable) – If the music includes vocals, what are the lyrics about? What emotions or messages do they convey?
• Standout Elements – Did anything surprise or impress you about the performance?

Step 4: Structure Your Concert Report

Introduction (First Paragraph)

• Introduce the concert by mentioning the date, venue, performers, and era of the music.
• Provide a brief overview of what will be discussed in the review.

Body Paragraphs (Analysis of the Performance)

1. Describe the Music

   • What compositions were performed?
   • How did the instruments interact with each other?
   • What musical elements stood out? (e.g., tempo, dynamics, texture)

2. Discuss the Performance

   • Was the performance engaging?
   • How did the musicians express emotion through their playing?
   • Did the venue’s acoustics affect the sound quality?

3. Reflect on Your Experience

   • What did you enjoy most?
   • Did the concert change your perspective on historical music?
   • Would you recommend this performance to others?

Conclusion (Last Paragraph)

• Summarize your overall impression of the concert.
• End with a final thought about what you learned from the experience.

Step 5: Formatting & Submission

• File Naming: Use the format Last Name_First Name_VCR_MUS 116
• Length: Minimum 2 pages, 12-point font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins
• File Type: Submit as PDF, Word (.doc/.docx), or Rich Text Format (.rtf)
• Plagiarism-Free: Write in your own words and proofread for grammar and spelling errors.

Step 6: Submit Your Report

1. Click the Submit Assignment button.
2. Attach your saved file.
3. Click Submit Assignment again.
4. Verify that your submission was successful.

By following this guide, you’ll be able to write a detailed and insightful concert review. Enjoy the music and happy writing! 🎶

Create a poem, a story, or describe a scene that this piece of music seems to fit with for you. This is the reverse process of what Romantic time period composers did, but it is very similar to the audience’s experience. During this time, the audience would listen to a piece of music and try to imagine the scene or poem that the composer described as going along with the work. Here, you get to create your own story/scene/poem. Be prepared to share these with your neighbor in class. I will also be looking for volunteers to read (or let me read) their narration in class, to the musical accompaniment. Please submit here on Blackboard: 1) a link to your piece of music 2) the poem, story, scene you describe to go along with it

Choose something from your personal playlist, or another piece of music that you think would fit well with this scene (from the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Twentieth Century (jazz/popular)). Submit a link to both the movie/TV clip and the piece of music. Write a 1-2 page summary of why you chose this particular music to go with this clip. Focus on the musical elements and how they fit well with the scene (rhythm, beat, melody, texture, harmony, instrumentation, dynamics, tempo, etc.) Do you think your choice of music works better than what the movie or tv show itself already has? (To explore this question, watch the clip on silent, and play your piece of music in a separate tab).

Compare the three recordings of the song that you have listened to. Discuss both sounds and meanings.
200 words or fewer.
Your response should demonstrate a knowledge of the Rian Malan article, the NPR piece, and the other content of the module.
COURSE MATERIAL:
https://www.npr.org/2004/04/22/1847340/zulus-tip-toe-choir-competition
file:///C:/Users/marti/Downloads/isicathamiya.pdf
https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/in-the-jungle-inside-the-long-hidden-genealogy-of-the-lion-sleeps-tonight-108274/
RECORDINGS:

For your final project of this course, I would like you to write a 1000-1500-word essay about the story of a single song. I picked out La Bamba by Ritchie Valens.
https://guides.library.illinois.edu/newspapers/
https://guides.library.illinois.edu/music133
https://www.library.illinois.edu/proxy/go.php?url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com
https://bloomsburymusicandsound-com.proxy2.library.illinois.edu/encyclopedia-work?docid=BPM_reference_EPMOW

During this time, take notes on what you observe with respect to: 1) Elements of music: use Table 4.1 as a guide (rhythm, pitch, harmony, texture) 2) Instrumentation: What instrument(s) do you hear? Are there voices? Is this a full orchestra or a smaller ensemble? Write this up on 1 page and submit Also, copy/paste the link for the piece of music you listened to into the Dropbox for this assignment submission.

instructions in documents;
Written Assignment #1: Jazz Origins
For this assignment, you are only required to listen to the first 2:37 of Scott Joplin’s “Fig Leaf Rag”. While Scott Joplin’s music was an important precursor to jazz, it is not jazz. For music to be jazz, it must have a significant portion of improvisation. Joplin’s music was entirely notated onto sheet music with no improvisation
Fig Leaf Rag has several sections. Listen specifically from 00:00 to 02:37, and address the following questions. You are only to answer the following questions as they pertain to 00:00 to 02:37:
How many different sections are within the first two minutes and thirty-seven seconds of the piece? Do any sections repeat themselves? Is there an introduction?
(2 points)
For the first two minutes and thirty-seven seconds of “Fig Leaf Rag”, create a letter designation for the form. The terms “verse” and “chorus” do not apply on a piano rag. Starting with a capital “A”, use capital letters to label the different sections that occur AFTER the introduction (if you determine that there is an introduction). Each section, after the introduction, gets one letter. Include timestamps for each capital letter that mark the start and end times for each section. Include timestamps for the introduction as well (if you determined that there is an introduction). For any sections that repeat, reuse the letter. If a section does not repeat, simply go on to the next letter in the alphabet. Hint: 00:07-00:36 is the first section after the introduction. Therefore, you should label 00:07-00:36 as “A”. If you feel that the subsequent section (00:37-01:06) is the exact same music as the section that occurred at 00:07-00:36, then the section at 00:37-1:06 should also be labelled “A”. Each section gets one letter.
If questions 1 & 2 on Written Assignment 1 still feel confusing, I encourage you to check out my analysis of Joplin’s, “The Entertainer”. To view this analysis, navigate to “Discussions” > “Ragtime, the blues, blues form, and 32-bar song form”. Once there, scroll down to read my analysis.
(4 points)
Most simply put, syncopation is the accenting of “off beats” or “upbeats”. Accenting” refers to making a note louder than other notes. The louder notes are “accented” notes. Tap your foot to the beat of the music. When your foot is touching the ground, that is a “downbeat”. When your foot is off the ground, that is an “upbeat” or “off beat”. Syncopation occurs when the music accents or emphasizes off beats, or upbeats. Syncopations do not occur on downbeats.
Is there syncopation in this piece? How prevalent is syncopation in the melody? Use timestamps to cite at least four specific examples of syncopation
(2 points)
Characteristically, rags have a steady “um-pah, um-pah” in the left hand, with the low bass notes sounding on the strong beats and chords sounding on the weak beats of each or group of four beats. Does the left hand play this characteristic “um-pah” figure in “Fig Leaf Rag”, or is it more elaborate than that? Provide timestamps as you cite your examples (for example, “00:15”).
(2 points)
Written Assignment #1 must be at least 300 words and written in essay format to receive full credit. This should all be one, long essay and not a numbered list.
Your responses must be in essay format (not a numbered list). The assignment should be submitted as one long essay. It is strongly suggested that you type your answer using a word processor making sure that you save your work as you go. Your goal on these written assignments is to sound knowledgeable and professional. Proofread your work. Take into account that grammar and syntax are factored into the grading of your assignment. Do not use colloquialisms or slang. For example, the term “hook” is not a proper musical term; do not use the term “hook” in your written assignments. Be specific when writing your responses to the questions. In order to get full credit for Written Assignments, you must be specific when answering all of the Written Assignment questions. Use timestamps (example, “0:34-1:24”) to cite specific instances in the recording to support your opinions and answers. Take for instance the statement, “Ella Fitzgerald sings really well which brings out the deep meaning of the lyrics.” Okay, but what is the deep meaning of the lyrics, to you? “Sings really well” will not receive credit as it has no specific meaning. Get specific by writing about: timbre (tone quality), range (high vs. low), short rhythmic values vs. long rhythmic values, and/or dynamics (soft volume vs. loud). Don’t make me read your mind as to what you mean. Warning: do not use phrases or words that have no specific meaning such as “upbeat”, “smooth”, or “lively”. These words have no specific meaning and do not exhibit any understanding of the course text. Unspecific terms such as “upbeat”, “smooth”, “lively” make your writing weak and come across as filler. Use of any of these terms must be immediately followed by specifics (instances in the track, specific criteria) that define the term’s usage. Otherwise, points will be deducted. My strong suggestion is to simply avoid unspecific terms such as “upbeat”, “smooth”, or “lively”.

hello first of all thank you so much for helping me out, the attached pdf is the questions for my test, please answer all 6 of them from the part 1 , and answer just the first question from part 2, I really really appreciate it , I will tip you big if I could do well on this one, thank you , I do not need any for mat for this, you can just answer the questions.

Need help with my Music Appreciation Course (MUSI-1306-10B). Includes assignments, discussion post, and exams from the textbook Music: Our Cultural Evolution Author: Jack Benson and Robert Culbertson Publisher: Great River Learning

You should write about your general experience, but also provide a more detailed discussion that focuses on two or three of the pieces performed. This is not a research paper. You should not use any program notes or information found on the internet, though you may use information provided to the audience by the performers. Introduce the Concert: In one short paragraph, address the following: What was the date, time, and location of the concert? What was the type of music being performed? Was it from a specific music culture, or was more than one music culture being represented? Who were the musicians, and what instruments did they play? (Keep this within reason—if it was a group of four or five musicians, you can list all their names. If it was more than that, the name of the leader and group is sufficient.) Social Context: In one paragraph, provide a description of the social context of the event. What was the purpose of the event, and who was the desired audience? In what type of location was the music being performed, and what does the location (physical or website) say about the importance of this event or music? Describe the musical and social relationship between the musicians and between musicians and audience (if any). How did the musicians conduct themselves on stage? How did they communicate with each other? Did the audience participate in the performance in any way? The Performance (this section should be at least 375 words long): Focus on two or three of the pieces/songs that were performed and write about them in detail (begin discussion of each piece by providing the title and other relevant information, such as instrumentation). Be specific and develop your ideas and observations using the musical terms, elements, and concepts discussed in your textbook. Below are some terms/concepts you can use in your description (though you should not be limited by these). However, be careful not to make your paper read like a dull list of terms. Rhythm: Beat, accent, meter, syncopation, polyrhythm, pulsations, etc. How does the rhythm affect the music, and is it used to create special or interesting effects? Tempo: how does tempo affect the overall performance or the mood of a song/piece? Were there any changes in tempo within a piece? Were all the pieces the same or different tempos? Dynamics: Identify changes in dynamics and discuss the effect they create. Instruments/Timbre: What are the instruments, and do any of them have special or unusual timbres (bright, nasal, warm, mellow, rough, throaty, etc.)? Pitch: How do the musicians use pitch? Do they play low, high, or use a wide range? What kind of effect does this create? Do the singers or instrumentalists bend the pitches of certain notes? Do they use vibrato? Melodies: Identify individual melodies and note where they are first introduced and subsequently reappear in each piece. Are the melodies in a familiar style, or are they very different from what you are used to? What makes them familiar/different? Are they short and easy to remember, or long and complex? Is there a lot of repetition? Additional aspects of the concert to consider are: Were there solos or any featured instruments or vocalists? Is the music improvised or is it being played from a written score? Or both? Were there certain musical elements that dominated the performance? Was rhythm more important than melody, or vice versa? Why? Did the performers make interesting movements or facial expressions while they were playing? Did this add an emotional or expressive element to the concert? *****Note: Always aim to be as specific as possible when describing the music, and be sure to develop any ideas or observations. Do not make statements without developing them further. For example, don’t just state that “the music’s rhythm was complex,” but explain why you think that is and provide examples. Conclusion: Summarize your experience at the concert. What was your favorite/least favorite piece in the program? What are the differences between the music that you normally listen to and the music that you heard at the concert? Are any of these differences cultural? How does the live concert experience differ from listening at home or with your headphones? Or, what are the benefits/drawbacks of an online concert?