MUSIC 25 ~ Music of Latin America & The Caribbean

Professor Rebeca Mauleón-Santana
Mon & Wed Evenings, 6-9:45pm
Creative Arts Room A132
Tel: 415-452-5240
E-mail: rmauleon@ccsf.edu

Syllabus ~ Summer 2011

Visit the Music 25 YouTube Channel!
(click on "Playlists" to view video categories)

Objectives:

Students will explore the richness and diversity of Latin American and Caribbean music, and develop an appreciation for the cultural connections that exist within some of the world's most vibrant and popular forms. This course will survey the musical traditions of several Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as Latin music in the United States.  We will listen to and discuss music in class; students should also listen independently in addition to the required listening lab hours (see "Assignments").  The course will also trace the historical, cultural and socio-political aspects of Latin and Caribbean music on a global scale, and delve into the parallel developments between various genres.

Prerequisites:

You don't need to know anything about music to take this course, but it helps! You may be inspired to take a Music Fundamentals or Music Appreciation class to learn more. You might ask, "Do I need to speak Spanish to take this course?" The answer is, "No, but it helps!" Spanish is certainly important to learn, and you may be motivated to do so after (or while) taking Music 25. However, Spanish is not the only language we will hear in this course. Latin and Caribbean music covers many countries and cultures, and we will encounter well over a dozen languages, including several mixed or "pidgeon" dialects. You might ask if you will be required to play instruments or participate in some musical way in this course, and the answer is always "yes!" The most important way to succeed in this course is to actively participate, not only in class discussions but in all areas.

Materials:

Weekly on-line reading assignments are listed in the Course Outline. Click the "PDF" link next to each unit to download the class notes for that week.

Additional Reading: The Brazilian Sound, by C. McGowan and R. Pessanha. (On reserve in the Library, plus four copies of selected material in the Reader Packets for this course.)

Reader Packets: These folders contain assorted articles by the Instructor and other authors, as well as photocopies of the excerpts from The Brazilian Sound. The Packets are available at the Reserve Desk in the Library.

Musical Terms: Click on this link to print out and study various musical terms that will help prepare you for a deeper understanding of music.

Web Sources: Please view selected articles by the Instructor and other authors at www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic. Here you can also download hard-to-find world music, learn about a musical style, artist or group, and sample audio as well as video. Also see the Links page for more suggestions.

Assignments:

There are four main assignments for this class, and they are all due no later than the LAST CLASS MEETING:

~ Weekly on-line reading
~ Weekly Listening & Journal (two, 2-page summaries)
~ Live concert report (1-2 pages)
~ Final Research Paper or Project (5-10 pps)

1. Weekly On-Line Reading ~ Click on the Course Outline tab to access the on-line articles for each Study Unit. Articles are to be read prior to each class meeting.

2. Weekly Listening Lab & Journal ~ You are required to listen to at least 2 hours of music per week and keep a listening journal. You can use either the Media Center collection in the Rosenberg Library or subscribe to iTunes-U. Click here to access the Listening Guide, which you will print and take with you to the Media Center; each week choose 1 or 2 CDs or a DVD to listen to/view and write about in your journal. To access our collection on iTunes-U, go to: http://www.ccsf.edu/~itunesu/index.php. At the prompt enter student login: music25_students, and student password: music25. You will see several play-lists; be sure to subscribe to each play-list so the music will download to your computer. You may also watch videos on our YouTube Channel and write about them in your journal. See this example of an excellent journal summary.

3. Live Concert Report ~ You are required to attend at least one live musical performance (or dance performance if it includes live musical accompaniment) of Latin American or Caribbean music, and write a one to two-page report on the event (typed, double-spaced). DUE on or before the last day of class.

4. Final Research Project ~ This can be any creative, research-based project, where you turn in either a 5 to 10-page research paper, a Keynote or PowerPoint presentation, iMovie or Quicktime movie or other multi-media project or a visual media project (such as a scrapbook). Your topic does not necessarily need to cover anything discussed in class, but must be on some aspect of Latin American or Caribbean music, as well as Latin music in the U.S. Other choices include web site creation, music, etc... You must turn in a project proposal or research paper outline for my approval before you begin your research (see the deadline for turning in your proposal below in the Course Calendar). All final projects or papers must be submitted no later than the last day of class. Research papers and projects MUST include a bibliography (list of sources cited), no exceptions!

All work submitted on line should be as MS Word documents using the file extension ".doc"
All media projects must be delivered via flash drive directly to Professor Mauleón in either PowerPoint, Keynote, iMovie or Quicktime formats. You must include all of the media contained in the project (audio, video and photos) in a folder along with your main file.
All visual media (such as scarp-books) must include a list of sources used for research (on the back or last page).

PLEASE DO NOT DELIVER MEDIA on CDs or floppy disks.

All paper submissions will be recycled at the end of the grading period unless you wish them to be returned. In this case, you must provide a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) including proper postage for the total weight of the items.

Exams:

There will be two exams, one at Mid-Term (on the Caribbean) and one at Final (covering South & Central America and México). Please check and print out the Study Guides for the Mid-Term and the Final prior to the exams.

Course Calendar:

Schedule of important dates for Summer 2009. The exam schedule is in BOLD type.

Grading Policy:

All assignments must be turned in on time.  Any paper which does not meet College specifications and does not include a bibliography will not be accepted, resulting in a failing grade. Turning in of plagiarized work (not your own work) will result in a failing grade, as well as more serious consequences.  Students taking this course Credit/No Credit are only required to take the Mid-Term and Final exams and do the Concert Report.

How to get an “A” in this class:
Attend regularly, participate in class discussions and turn in all work on time!

Extra Credit Options: Extra listening lab entries and concert reports will boost your grade

Absences: Unexcused absences will affect your grade. Also, note that I may not automatically drop you if you miss a significant amount of classes - you MUST notify me if you wish to be dropped from the class. Failure to do so will result in an incomplete or failing grade!

Course Outline:

UNIT I ~ INTRODUCTION: "THE CARIBBEAN CROSSROADS " PDF Unit I
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on African music)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on music of Spain)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com (article "Who Were the First Americans?")
See: www.nationalgeographic.com (article on Indigenous Inventions in the Americas)

UNIT II ~ CUBA: FOLKLORE & ROOTS OF POPULAR MUSIC TO 1959 PDF Unit IIA & PDF Unit IIB
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Cuban music by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Afro-Cuban music by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on rumba by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on the danzón by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on the son by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Arsenio Rodríguez by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Benny Moré by Instructor)

UNIT IV ~ PUERTO RICO, SALSA & LATIN JAZZ PDF Unit IVA & PDF Unit IVB
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Puerto Rican music)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Salsa by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Hector Lavoe by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Celia Cruz by Instructor)

UNIT V ~ THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC & HAITI PDF Unit V
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Dominican music by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on merengue by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on bachata by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Haitian music)
Also see: Newsletter on bachata by author Ned Sublette

UNIT VI ~ JAMAICA PDF Unit VI
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Jamaican music)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com (Jamaica facts)
See: www.nationageographic.com (article on Rastafarian religion)

UNIT VII ~ TRINIDAD & TOBAGO PDF Unit VII
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on music of Trinidad & Tobago)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com (Trinidad & Tobago facts)

MID-TERM REVIEW ~ PRINT MID-TERM STUDY GUIDE
Listen: "Music 25 Final Mix," Parts IA, IB & II (un-catalogued)

UNIT VIII ~ INDIGENOUS CULTURES IN THE AMERICAS PDF Unit VIII
See: www.nationalgeographic.com (article "Who Were the First Americans?")
See: www.nationalgeographic.com (article on Indigenous Inventions in the Americas)

UNIT IX ~ COLOMBIA & BRAZIL PDF Unit IXA & PDF Unit IXB
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Colombian music by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on cumbia by Instructor)
Assignment: Read Introduction and Chapters 1 - 3, The Brazilian Sound
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Brazilian music by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on samba by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on bossa nova by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on forró by Instructor)

UNIT X ~ SOUTH AMERICA (ARGENTINA, PERÚ & THE ANDES) PDF Unit X
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (Argentina article by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (Article on the tango by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (Afro-Peruvian article by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (Perú/Andes article by Instructor)
See: article on Bolivian Tinku tradition

UNIT XI ~ NUEVA CANCIÓN & CENTRAL AMERICA PDF Unit XI
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Nueva Canción by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Victor Jara by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Garífuna Music)
See: www.vianica.com/culture (article on Nicaraguan culture)

UNIT XII ~ MEXICO & TEX-MEX (NORTEÑO) MUSIC PDF Unit XII
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on Mexican music by Instructor)
See: www.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic (article on norteño music by Instructor)

UNIT XIII ~ LATIN ROCK & ROCK EN ESPAÑOL PDF Unit XIII
See: www.wikipedia.org (article on Ritchie Valens)
See: www.wikipedia.org (article on Carlos Santana)
See: www.wikipedia.org (article on Rock en Español)
See: www.wikipedia.org (article on Maná)

FINAL REVIEW ~ PRINT FINAL STUDY GUIDE
Listen: "Music 25 Final Mix," Parts III & IV (un-catalogued)

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