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MUSI 267 is an introductory music course designed for “music appreciation for non-music.” The course includes two primary goals, with the first one being “to enhance the student’s aesthetic perception of music and to teach the ‘tension and repose’ method of listening to and understanding music.” The course itself has no pre-requisites and is not available for challenge.
Why You Should Take This Course
Dr. Kevin Whittingham, the tutor for MUSI 267, recommends this course for “anyone who enjoys listening to music of any kind. It does not assign categories, such as classical or popular, or Eastern or Western. Rather, it considers music’s universal features: rhythm, pitch, and structure.”
For those interested in music, this is the course for you! Upon taking this course, you may find yourself develop a new level of appreciation for music. A fun fact, our Voice Magazine also releases Music Reviews, check it out if you are interested in trying some new music or reading some reviews.
Course, Assignment, Midterm and Final Exam Details
The course itself will bring students the opportunity to examine a wide range music to help them identify and understand the universal features of music such as organization of rhythm and pitch. The course will also allow students to explore the different music that are available in different cultures and time periods. Upon taking the course, students will be more aware of the common features in music and will be able to identify a wide range of pieces aurally, write descriptively, analytically, and comparatively about music. The course involves lots of listening and each unit will include periods of listening to recordings along with some readings. Prior knowledge of music will come into handy for the course, however, it is not required.
The course has eight units including but not limited to instruments, human voice, rhythm, pitch, background, structure, and tension. The course is composed of two assignments each worth 30% and a final exam worth 40%.
How to Be Successful in the Course
Introducing Dr. Kevin Whittingham – Course Tutor
Dr. Kevin Whittingham has completed a degree is in musicology. He is the tutor for MUSI 267 and has contributed to MUSI 267’s course development. In his long service as a tutor, Kevin has had experience in a wide range of courses in history, humanities, and music including MUSI 267, HUMN 268 and 269, HIST/MUSI 310, and HUMN/CLST/MUSI 412. He is also a member of The British Music Society, The English Poetry and Song Society, The Housman Society, and The International Association for Word and Music Studies. His published articles concentrate on vocal music, and he is currently researching the early twentieth-century British contralto Clara Butt.
Tips from Course Tutor
Kevin states, “this course would benefit anyone who enjoys listening to music of any kind. It does not assign categories, such as classical or popular, or Eastern or Western. Rather, it considers music’s universal features: rhythm, pitch, and structure.
Students spend a lot of time listening to recordings, and the exam has a listening component. In two essay assignments, students are expected to write descriptively and analytically about music using a basic music vocabulary.
Any prior knowledge of music that a student has will be helpful, although the course assumes none.” Thank you so much Dr. Kevin Whittingham for your feedback!
Questions?
If you have any further questions regarding the course, please do not hesitate to contact the Course Coordinator at mccutcheon@athabascau.ca. Happy studying!