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Fall 2025

 

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Music (MUS)
121 Music, 541-346-3761
School of Music
8 - No cost for class textbook materials.
Course Data
  MUS 359   Music of the Americas >1 >AC >US 4.00 cr.
African American, Latin American, and Native American music in sociocultural context. Includes listening skills, music-culture relationship, aesthetics, styles, genres, music structures and forms, and participatory music making.
Grading Options: Optional; see degree guide or catalog for degree requirements
Instructor: Wolf JE-mail Office:   126 Frohnmayer Music Bldg
Phone:   (541) 346-2852
Course Materials
 
  CRN Avail Max Time Day Location Instructor Notes

Lecture

13857 70 120 1200-1320 tr 250 CLS Wolf J 8
 
Associated Sections

+ Dis

13858 1 20 1400-1450 r 207 MUS tba  

+ Dis

13859 16 20 1500-1550 r 207 MUS tba  

+ Dis

13860 14 20 1000-1050 f 207 MUS tba  

+ Dis

13861 12 20 1100-1150 f 207 MUS tba  

+ Dis

13862 14 20 1200-1250 f 207 MUS tba  

+ Dis

13863 13 20 1300-1350 f 207 MUS tba  
Academic Deadlines
Deadline     Last day to:
September 28:   Process a complete drop (100% refund, no W recorded)
October 4:   Drop this course (100% refund, no W recorded; after this date, W's are recorded)
October 4:   Process a complete drop (90% refund, no W recorded; after this date, W's are recorded)
October 5:   Process a complete withdrawal (90% refund, W recorded)
October 5:   Withdraw from this course (100% refund, W recorded)
October 6:   Add this course
October 6:   Last day to change to or from audit
October 12:   Process a complete withdrawal (75% refund, W recorded)
October 12:   Withdraw from this course (75% refund, W recorded)
October 19:   Process a complete withdrawal (50% refund, W recorded)
October 19:   Withdraw from this course (50% refund, W recorded)
October 26:   Process a complete withdrawal (25% refund, W recorded)
October 26:   Withdraw from this course (25% refund, W recorded)
November 16:   Withdraw from this course (0% refund, W recorded)
November 16:   Change grading option for this course
Caution You can't drop your last class using the "Add/Drop" menu in DuckWeb. Go to the “Completely Withdraw from Term/University” link to begin the complete withdrawal process. If you need assistance with a complete drop or a complete withdrawal, please contact the Office of Academic Advising, 101 Oregon Hall, 541-346-3211 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday). If you are attempting to completely withdraw after business hours, and have difficulty, please contact the Office of Academic Advising the next business day.

Expanded Course Description
In this course students experience music as a "window" into a culture. We learn how music in a particular place and time embodies the core values and beliefs of a people. We learn how historical and political events impact music-making, and how music is used as one of the primary ways through which individuals and cultures identify themselves. We also examine the various ways in which music is taught and learned, and how the social organization of the music-making group embodies notions of power and hierarchy. In addition to these cultural issues, we improve our listening skills by analyzing the huge diversity of musical sounds in the world, hearing how concepts of beauty in music are not universal, but culturally determined.

This course is an introduction to the study and appreciation of music in selected Native American, African American, and Latin American cultures. We use a case-study approach, rather than a survey approach; we examine a small number of representative music styles in relatively greater depth than would be achieved in a more superficial survey of many kinds of music. Class time is focused on sharpening our listening skills and opening our minds to aesthetics and ways of organizing music which may be unfamiliar to us. We try to understand the cultural as well as the sound aspects of music. Lectures, readings, and discussions are supplemented with recorded musical examples, videos, and live demonstrations by visiting guests. We incorporate participatory music-making involving everyone. In addition to class meetings, students attend and report on an out-of-class event.

The course is open to both music majors and non-majors, with no prerequisites or previous music experience required.

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Release: 8.11