Description
No formal music background required. Study of the elements of music (rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, form) and the influence of culture on creation, production, artistic expression, media, technology, the role of the artist in society, and the listener's perception, through investigation of various genres, styles, artists, and/or time periods. Music as critique and commentary on society, and as a vehicle for social change. May be repeated for credit with a different topic.
Notes
This course examines the musical and historical aspects of Black American music, including its various styles, elements and origins, as well as the artists who created them. The forms of Black music, including gospel hymns, work songs, blues, jazz, R&B, soul, funk, rap, hip hop, and protest music, have been a source of entertainment, inspiration, enlightenment, education, empowerment, revelations and motivation, and have given voice to the pain, struggles, victories, dreams, and aspirations of African-Americans. This course will tell the stories of America’s history through the sounds, artists, songs, and messages of Black music.