The Art of Listening

Music moves us, and we know not why, and it is harder still to explain what we are listening to. Taking these issues as a point of departure, this course introduces students to a wide array of music, as well as a range of ways of thinking, talking, and writing about music. Attention will be given to the development of listening skills and the vocabulary necessary to articulate an engaged response to the repertoire studied. The majority of music dealt with will be drawn from the classical music repertoire, with supplementary examples from other musical cultures when appropriate.