An introductory course in music appreciation, designed to develop an understanding of selected moments in the history of classical, folk, musical theatre, and other popular music in NYC, the rest of the U.S., and Europe. Throughout this reading, discussion, and project-based course, students will make zines, engage with primary and secondary sources, explore the use of music in narrative, and learn about Western music history in reverse chronological order from the riot grrrl movement to Hildegard von Bingen. Students should emerge from this course with the ability to make more acute and grounded observations, both verbally and in writing, about music wherever they may encounter it in their lives. 

Course Policies 

1. Communicate! If you think you may be unable to submit an assignment on time or come to class, please just let me know beforehand. If there is an emergency, first take care of yourself and others and then communicate with me when you can. You do not need to provide personal or medical details, just keep me in the loop. Note: I do not respond to emails on the weekends or evenings, but will respond to most weekday emails within 48 hours.
2. Please let me know at any point if you have accessibility needs that are not being met by this course, whether or not they are accommodations through The Office of Special Services for Students with Disabilities. QC Reasonable Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy: Candidates with disabilities needing academic accommodation should: 1) register with and provide documentation to the Special Services Office, Frese Hall, Room 111; 2) bring a letter to the instructor indicating the need for accommodation and what type. This should be done during the first week of class. For more information about services available to Queens College candidates, visit the website, or contact: Special Service Office; Director, Miriam Detres-Hickey, Frese Hall, Room 111; 718-997-5870. 
3. No plagiarism. For the purposes of this class, this includes using AI such as ChatGPT.  If you are having trouble finding quality sources, do not know how to paraphrase, or are unsure of how to properly cite your sources, reach out to me and we can work on that together. Never copy and paste from the internet or anywhere else without 1) critically evaluating your source, 2) indicating that it is a quote by putting it in quotation marks (“ ”), and 3) showing where you got the information by citing the source. If you paraphrase (significantly rewrite but use the information), you still need to cite your source (indicate where you got the information). Citation can take the form of endnotes, footnotes (Chicago), parentheses for in-text citation (MLA), and bibliographies (many styles), depending on the citation style. I use Chicago Style for my own work but if you are familiar with another style, you should use that one. CUNY Policy On Academic Integrity: Academic Dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion as provided at https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/policies-procedures/ac ademic-integrity-policy/.

Homework and Grading

In addition to our class period, there will be reading (and sometimes listening) homework to prepare for class many weeks, accompanied by 5 reading/listening reactions and 1 introduction form. Reading, listening, and reading reactions are due before class. Reading reactions are to spark discussion, so they should be questions and reactions, not summaries. 

There will also be 5 Create! projects throughout the semester. Some will be completed in class, others outside of class, and the last project is divided into three stages, one of which is presenting the project in class on May 8th. Regular attendance and participation are essential and expected components of this course, please communicate with me before/after class or via email or set up a Zoom meeting if you are struggling with these or any aspects of the course. 

The focus of this course should not be on grades, but rather on learning from one another, thinking critically, experimenting creatively and scholastically, and engaging in discussions. For each assignment, you will receive written feedback (not a grade). 

For the Exhibit Topic & References, this feedback may include an invitation for you to Revise & Resubmit the assignment to move your work to the next level. 

For the rubric that determines what grade I will submit to the registrar at the end of the semester, see the Grading Rubric tab. After consulting this rubric, you may choose how much effort you want to put into this class. For example, if you complete 3 of the first 4 Create! Projects as well as the Final Exhibit, but only complete 3 of the 5 Listening/Reading Reactions, your final grade will be a C. Regardless of whether you decide to aim for an A or a D, you are expected to be engaged and respectful whenever you come to class. This means taking part in discussions, answering questions, and participating in activities.