Dr. Rob Bridge
G-202I
498-2208
OFFICE HOURS: Posted on
my door and on the web
COURSE DESCRIPTION: A study of African
music and its influence on other cultures, including Middle East, South
American, Caribbean, and North American/European music.
Understand pertinent historical and cultural
contexts;
Analyze the relationships (and tensions)
between oral and written culture;
Investigate the uses of improvisation in both
music and literary texts;
Discuss polyrhythms, polyphony, multiple
voices, community, and the ongoing conversation with the ancestors;
Interrogate the participation of non-blacks in
the black aesthetic;
Explore issues related to plagiarism and
sampling: authorship, ownership, copyright, and fair use;
TEXTS:
POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES:
Papers: All assignments are
expected on the date they are due. However, under extenuating circumstances,
you may turn in work one class session after the due date with no penalty.
Listening: Listening
assignments can be completed on Angel or with the CD you purchase for
class. Please allow yourself time each
week to prepare the necessary listening assignments.
Grading
Procedure: Grades are divided into homework, quizzes and tests.
Homework & Quizzes 25%
Exams/Papers 75%
Grades for papers – the first papers
will be graded on content, organization and development of ideas ONLY; the
remaining papers will receive grades based on: content, organization,
development of ideas, grammar, mechanics, and format. Though assignments will differ, the papers
are meant to be cumulative in that you will keep building on the same ideas
with the knowledge of each new course unit. (See
the MUS 166 Paper Grading Rubric)
Attendance: Perfect
attendance will add 5 points to your final grade. Attendance is taken at
the beginning of each class. If you are tardy, you must see me at the end
of class to be marked in attendance. 3 late arrivals will be counted as
one absence.
Office
Hours: will be posted on my door, on the web,
and can also be arranged by appointment. Please feel free to contact me
about any class related issues. I am also very good about checking e-mail
(see address above.)
NOTE: The Writing Skills
Center in Room A-349 is open every day (M-F) from 9:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. Most
students think of the Center as a place to go only when they are having some
problem with their writing, but in fact, professional tutors can help you at
any step in the writing process—from the brainstorming stage (before you ever
set pen to paper) to the editing stage of the very final, final draft. If at
any point in the semester, I refer you to the WSC to work with a tutor, it simply
means your writing could benefit from some extra sessions. The very best
writers rely on others for feedback, so none of you is exempt. If I refer you
to the WSC and you fail to go, I'll urge you--strongly--to drop the course.
CLASS
CANCELLATIONS: Call 498-2300 to check
if class has been cancelled.
RECOMMENDATIONS: If you need a letter of recommendation at some
point in the future, please set up an appointment to come discuss the letter
with either or both of us so that the letter can be tailored to your specific
needs and purposes. Also be sure to allow plenty
of lead time, and try to avoid “crunch” periods--e.g., at mid-semester and
during the last 2 weeks of class.
Anyone
with special learning needs, please be sure to let me know immediately and bring
me copies of your paperwork from the OSSN.