Wrap Up

1. Tell me about something you learned about another culture this term that really surprised or intrigued you.

I really enjoyed learning about the communal drum in Native American culture. For Western musicians, instruments are viewed as such a personal and individualistic thing. If practice room 216 is taken I am not happy about it. I think this contrast in Native American culture is so interesting, especially since communal instruments have shown up in so few other cultures that we have studied. The only similar thing I can remember is the shared mallet instruments in gamelan music. Also, four hands piano. The concept of a shared instrument takes communing through music to a whole other level, and I just think it's so interesting how the Native American tendency to share instruments replicates their very communal society.  

2. Tell me about something that you realized about your own culture through our discussions.

The way that we as Western musicians approach music-making is so different from the way it is approached in many other places around the world. I think, so often, we are obsessed with playing well and being good. Alternatively, in places like West Africa, music is something that everyone just does. There are really no considerations of aptitude or ability - music is just a part of life. Of course, I still want to play well and be good, but I think I could also benefit from removing myself from my own culture and stepping into a different mindset. I think it would be beneficial for me to consider that making music is just one of the things that humans do, and it's not just about playing Beethoven really well. 

3. Tell me about couple of things you really liked about this class, and a couple of things you wish could have been different.

I really liked the structure of the class. It was very free, and I never felt worried about missing something and it having a negative effect on my grade. Since I wasn't concerned with taking really detailed notes for a future test, I honestly feel like I absorbed more of the material in a way that will stick with me long-term. While the blogs were sometimes a chore to do (especially when they fell back-to-back), they were ultimately beneficial for me. In particular, I think doing the cool stuff blogs taught me how to find really interesting content about world music online. Previously, I felt like I just didn't know where to start. I also liked when we went to Daniel to watch the Paul Simon documentary and to hear Dr. Weeks speak. It was a nice change.

The thing I disliked the most was how long the class was. I know not much can be done about that, but I think it would help to perhaps have two smaller breaks in lieu of one larger one. Also, if you ask the class if we need a break, we feel bad saying yes. Odds are we do, but just don't say anything. I thought the online quizzes were not very helpful. They often felt like just something I had to do to get the grade. The online quizzes in your music history courses are very helpful because you have tailored them yourself to match the curriculum exactly. Since the ones in this class didn't always match the curriculum, they just weren't as helpful. I'd definitely prefer those to in class quizzes, though. Additionally, the book does have some very good music and information included with it, but the price of the book is a high price to pay when you can find very similar content online now. 

4. Tell me about something that this course has inspired you to learn more about.

I think that this course has provided me with a foundation on which to continue my education about world music. Previous to taking this class, I really just did not know where to start. It seemed so overwhelming. My favorite cultures we studied were Native America and Indonesia, so I think I will continue to learn about those. I am particularly interested in how the very spiritual nature of these cultures affects their music. It is just such a different approach from what can be a very academic and black and white Western perspective on music.

Thank you for a wonderful class!