Music

The course is aimed at instrumentalists with good playing habits who want to learn more about Swedish Folk music in theory and praxis. The course contains ensemble exercises, intonation, improvisation, and composition in the style of Swedish Folk music based on different dance types such as Polska, polka, waltz, and schottische. The course requires instrumental knowledge and the ability to play by ear on a basic level.

Music is a fascinating medium through which to study many aspects of Israeli life and politics. This course explores many genres of music, including art, folk, pop/rock, religious genres, as well as genres canonized by the mainstream and others on the peripheries. Among the social and political issues that emerge from music in Israel, students discuss music's role in the development of “Hebrew culture;” the invention of tradition; the politics of race, ethnicity, and nationality; spirituality and engagement with religion; peace and conflict; the problematics of coexistence; and the musical expression of place. No musical training is necessary to be successful in this course, though students with musical skills and training are welcome to contribute their expertise and may choose to augment their projects with performance or theoretical analysis.

This course examines the business practices of the music industry. It covers copyright, marketing, law, management, contracts, sales, distribution, ownership, and merchandising, which will be examined in relation to areas such as touring, recording deals, digital streaming, live performance, music placement in film, TV, sport and advertising, video clips and video games.

Taiwan during the Japanese occupation era marked a great change in music, the music of the postwar Taiwan left a profound impact. The course uses music social history perspective to explore the music life during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan. Because the research in Taiwanese music history is still in its nascent stage, the course focuses on topics that have accumulated substantial research results, combining secondary source literature and primary source history as well as various video and network resource. The course is divided into three parts: influence of Western civilization and technology; Taiwanese music life; and composers and performers.