Contact:
Music Department
University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH 03824
(603) 862-1667

dbmk@cisunix.unh.edu

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

Teaching is the practice of fostering a student’s capacity to learn. It is, therefore, a two way street and a joint effort between teacher and student. (More)

 

Fall 2007

Spring 2008

Music 401: Introduction to Music

The goal of this course is two-fold: 1) to provide students with a framework for understanding basic concepts of music in the Western tradition; and 2) to raise issues about the role of music in western culture that will encourage critical thinking about the meaning, function, and nature of music. Towards achieving these goals, we will use the Beatles’ recorded output as a central and consistent thread, and as a gateway to exploring other musical traditions in our culture and (only occasionally) from non-western music. We frequently will make use of musical issues that arise in Beatles songs to introduce important concepts, styles, composers, performers, and genres. In this way, we will lightly and loosely cover the European classical tradition as well. Students are not expected to be able to read music or to know music theory, but they will be required to master some basic concepts in these areas as part of the course.

Music 502: History and Literature of Music, II

Music 502 is the second half of a full year introduction to the history of notated music in Europe and the Americas. This second semester covers music of the late 18th through 20th centuries, and thus much of what makes up the musical canon for performance and scholarly study. Although Music 502 is a Gen Ed course, it carries a prerequisite of one year of Music Theory (MUSI 471-472) or the equivalent.