music performance report

San Francisco State University MUSIC 120/122 Rudiments of Music Theory Professor: Jassen Todorov Office hours: By appointment via Zoom E-mail: [email protected] IG: jassensf Personal website: www.jassentodorov.com

COURSE DESCRIPTION Basic Music is an introduction to the theory rudiments and basic performance practices of music. This course is designed for students with no prior musical training or formal background. Basic Music, which is a “hybrid” class (combines online learning/live class meetings/writing assignment) is designed as a one-semester course into two components:

1. Lecture class (all content delivered online) 2. Performance lab class (meets twice per week)

Both components must be completed to successfully complete Basic Music! COURSE EVALUATION Final Basic Music course grades are determined by averaging: 33% Lecture class grade 67% Activity lab class grade Grading: The semester grade for the Online Lecture class will be computed as follows: 1. Quizzes (50%) There will be 5 quizzes over the course of the semester. Please be sure to check the due dates for each one. 2. Writing assignments/Performance reports (50%) A 94-100% A- 90-93% B+ 86-89% B 83-85% B- 80-82% C+ 76-79% C 73-75% C- 70-72% D+ 66-69% D 63-65% D- 60-62% F below 59%

Two Performance Reports: Two performance reports (ca. 2-3 type-written pages each). Students will write a brief 2-3 page report/critique for each performance. Plagiarism is PROHIBITED. If you quote or paraphrase program notes or other sources, you must indicate as much with foot- or endnotes. Due Dates: First report is due Oct. 19 (choose one of these three) Mozart: Symphony No. 40 Link via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqkXqpQMk2k Bach: Cantata BWV 113 Link via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcosBkNGjPI Brahms: Violin Concerto Op. 77 Link via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFkSiNp4CRQ Second report is due Dec. 16 (choose one of these three) Bach: Cantata BWV 140 Link via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqZE54i-muE&t=456s Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 Link via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR9HayZcZ2o Beethoven: String Quartet Op. 95 Link via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T34f2gFo58 Reports which are turned in during the week after the due date will be graded down one letter grade. Reports may be turned in earlier than the due date. Performance Report Guidelines Listening to live and recorded performances is an essential part of learning to appreciate and understand music. Here are some general guidelines to help you listen, think, and write about a concert. Basic Information to Include

• When and where did the concert take place? How long did it last? • How many pieces were performed? What were they called and how many movements were in

each? Who composed each piece? • Who were the performers (name of the ensemble and/or names of the soloists)? • If there was a conductor, what was his or her name? • What types of instruments were played and/or what types of voice parts were featured? • Was there any special purpose to the concert? If so, explain.

General Questions to Keep in Mind

• What was your general reaction to the concert? How did the performance sound to you? • Was the music performed well?

o Were the musicians rhythmically “together”? o Were they playing/singing in tune? o Did any instruments or voices stick out?

o How would you rate the musicians’ technical ability and the energy of their performance?

o Did they seem well prepared for the concert? • Which composition did you like best? Why? (e.g., what specifically did you like about the piece

itself or the way it was performed?) • Which composition did you like least? Why? • Did any of the compositions trigger an emotional response from you? What were your specific

feelings or thoughts in response to the music? • Is this type of concert experience new to you? How do you think that might influence your

perceptions of what you heard and observed? Specific Points to Consider You may want to focus your discussion and analysis of the concert on one or more of the following points.

• Describe what you heard and observed using the following musical terms, elements, and concepts discussed in class.

o Genre (symphony, concerto, string quartet, etc.) o Stylistic period (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, etc.) o Mood (emotion conveyed by the music and performers) o Pitch To what extent does pitch vary throughout the piece? How do changes in pitch

reflect changes in mood? o Rhythm (beat, accent, tempo, meter, syncopation) How were the elements of rhythm

used to create special or interesting musical effects? o Dynamics (level of sound) Identify changes in dynamics and discuss the effect these

changes create. o Tone color (bright, brassy, warm, ringing, hollow, etc.) o Mode (major, minor) o Harmony/Melody Discuss the balance (or lack of it) between the melody and its

"accompaniment." Did you hear consonance, dissonance, or a combination of both? o Motives/Themes Identify and note where individual motives and themes are first

introduced and subsequently reappear in each piece. o Texture (monophony, homophony, polyphony, etc.) o Form (sonata form, A B A, theme and variations, etc.)

• How does this concert compare to the performance(s) you attended previously? • Describe the behavior of the performers and the audience. What, if any, interaction occurred

between the two? What kind of behavioral expectations do performers and audiences bring to the concert? How are these expectations satisfied or frustrated?

Outside Research You may choose to add depth and detail to your report by briefly researching the pieces you heard at the performance. The following questions will help to guide your research.

• When was each of the pieces from the performance composed? • Why were they written? • What is each composer’s background? Include the following information:

o Major works

o Birth and (if applicable) death dates o Historical or stylistic period to which the composer belongs o The composer’s influence on contemporaries or later musicians

Reviewing Announcements on ILEARN Most important information will be automatically e-mailed to you. BE SURE YOUR E-MAIL IN ILEARN IS ONE YOU CHECK REGULARLY. (You can set up your email to forward to the account you use most regularly) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodation: The University is committed to providing reasonable academic accommodation to students with disabilities. The Disability Programs and Resources Center provides university academic support services and specialized assistance to students with disabilities. Individuals with physical, perceptual, or learning disabilities as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Services for Students with Disabilities for information regarding accommodations. Students with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations are encouraged to contact the instructor. The Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) is available to facilitate the reasonable accommodations process. The DPRC is located in the Student Service Building and can be reached by telephone (voice/TTY 415-338-2472) or by email ([email protected]). The link to the statement is http://www.sfsu.edu/~dprc/syll_policy.html. Statement on Cheating and Plagiarism: Cheating is the actual or attempted practice of fraudulent or deceptive acts for the purpose of improving one’s grade or obtaining course credit; such acts also include assisting another student to do so. Typically, such acts occur in relation to examinations. However, it is the intent of this definition that the term ‘cheating’ not be limited to examination situation only, but that it include any and all actions by a student that are intended to gain an un- earned academic advantage by fraudulent or deceptive means. Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating which consists of the misuse of the published and/or unpublished works of others by misrepresenting the material (i.e., their intellectual property) so used as one’s own work. Penalties for cheating and plagiarism range from 0 or F on a particular assignment, through an F for the course, to expulsion from the university. For more information on the University’s policy regarding cheating and plagiarism, refer to the University Catalog (‘Polices and Regulations’). Statement on Sexual Harassment: SF State fosters a campus free of sexual violence including sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and/or any form of sex or gender discrimination. If you disclose a personal experience as an SF State student, the course instructor is required to notify the Dean of Students. To disclose any such violence confidentially, contact: The SAFE Place - (415) 338-2208; http://www.sfsu.edu/~safe_plc/ Counseling and Psychological Services Center - (415) 338-2208; http://psyservs.sfsu.edu/ For more information on your rights and available resources: http://titleix.sfsu.edu Academic resources: Writing, tutoring: http://www.sfsu.edu/~lac/uselinks_writitng.htm

Syllabus is Subject to Change: This syllabus and schedule are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check on announcements made while you were absent. Finally.... Since this class is designed to prepare you for the next levels of theory, comprehension is a must. My primary goal is to ensure that you have a full understanding of the assigned course material. If you have any problems please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am here to help you in any way I can. Good Luck!