Welcome to the class website for Music, Arts, and Humanity.

Our class blog is at momilaniramstrum.com/blog Go there to register, log in, and post your one paragraph responses to each reading. One paragraph responses are due, posted online by midnight, two days before the class that we will discuss the reading. Everyone is required to also reply to two other people's posts by midnight the day before the class. Any postings after the in class discussion date will get no points.


Reading assignment "I hate world music"
The first reading assignment is an article entitled "I Hate World Music" by David Byrne.
Do your reading and post your response on the class blog at"momilaniramstrum.com/blog" by tonight, Tuesday evening. Post your responses to each others posts by Wednesday midnight. Responses are graded as follows: 3 points - specifics in the reading are referenced in the response. 2 points: the response is general, not bringing up specifics from the reading. 1 point: the response doesn't relate to the reading. 0 points: no response sent in. If you are late in responding, a point will be deducted. If you respond after we have discussed the article in class, no points will be given.



Writing assignment 1: Musical Identity
Please answer the following questions. Your response should be 1 page, typed, 12 point font, 1 inch margins.
What is your musical identity? What has shaped your musical choices? What specific aspects of your music do you like and why? What aspects of other music do you appreciate or respect and why? How have your musical choices changed over time? How does music shape your day? What part does music play in your daily life? How has music shaped your values, sense of self, and culture?

Cuban Visit by Canadian Students
Here is the link to the articles by students who went to Cuba. Choose 2 or 3 students reports to read and be prepared to discuss in class. Post your responses as above on the class blog "momilaniramstrum.com/blog".

Writing assignment 2
There are three parts to this assignment which analyses a song of your choice. I suggest a piece of music that is approximately 3 minutes long.
1. Make a timeline of the music. List significant details of the music such as instruments, intensity, pitch, texture, density, rhythm, harmony, dynamics and where there are changes in the music. Label where sections start and stop and anything you notice about the piece.
2. Draw a diagram of the mood, flow, or energy level of the work.
3. Write up a one page typed response to the work. Base your subjective feelings (I liked it, it worked, it was interesting, etc.) on specific observations from your timeline (for example - I liked how Estella Morente's song started with a focus on her voice - the percussion added energy, but her voice is beautiful and strong so it really set the mood for the entire song.

Writing assignment 3
There are also three parts to this assignment just like assignment 2 above (see assignment 2 for details about the three parts - timeline, diagram, and writeup) which analyses one of the following songs:
1. Enigma's Return to Innocence
or
2. The Kuo's original recording used in the Enigma song (called the Elder Drinking Song or the Song of Joy)
or
3. The Kuo's remake of the Enigma Song also called Elder Drinking Song released on their album Circle of Life under the name Difang.
or
4. Deep Forests Sweet Lullaby
or
5. Any of the remixes of Deep Forest's Sweet Lullaby (if you choose a remix other than Electroheadz, you must burn me a copy)
All of the music examples are on a CD in the music office. You can also download your own copies from ITunes or search on utube for videos. Below are some links to videos including Sweet Lullaby.

Video Links Deep Forest Video links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fqkH_eZsGY
Marta's Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1oRhPSM2xU&mode=related&search=
Media Luna

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvnVdMpgQOk&mode=related&search=
Sweet Lullaby

Writing assignment 4
There are also three parts to this assignment just like assignment 2 above (see assignment 2 for details about the three parts - timeline, diagram, and writeup) which analyses a blues song of your choice.

Reading for Hawaiian music
Click here for the link to the reading. Skip the first section. Start with Music, ideology and the Hawaiian renaissance