GEN1000 Perspectives on General Education
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This is an introductory module on music appreciation for non-musicians. The module introduces students to a systematic study of the building blocks of music in order to enhance their awareness of the main musical styles of Western and non-Western cultures. Examples are selected from the European classical, non-western, and pop music. This module also helps students to explore music’s place in the social, historical and cultural development of society
Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:
a. examine a critical knowledge of the basic rudiments of music;
b. articulate a list of representative music pieces;
c. appreciate the stylistic features of European classical, non-Western, and pop music.
d. critically analyse music’s place in the social/historical/cultural development of society
1. Introduction
1.1 What is music?
1.2 Music as a universal phenomenon
1.3 Music as a means of expression
2. The building blocks of sound
2.1 Melody
2.2 Harmony
2.3 Volume
2.4 Tone color
3. The elements of music
3.1 Rhythm
3.2 Texture
3.3 Musicians/instruments
4. Classical music in the western world
4.1 Styles
4.2 Forms
4.3 Genre
4.4 Important composers
5. Non-classical western music
5.1 Jazz
5.2 Broadway musicals
6. Music and Hong Kong/SE Asia culture
6.1 Cantopop
6.2 Film music
6.3 J-pop
6.4 K-pop
1. Class participation (10%)
2. Tests (50%)
3. Project (40%)
1. Funes, D. J. (1992). Musical involvement: A guide to perceptive listening. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
2. Hamm, C. (1983). Music in the new world. New York: Norton.
3. Kamien, R. (2011). Music: An appreciation (10th ed). New York: McGraw-Hill.
4. Kerman, J. (2000). Listen (4th ed.). New York: Bedford-St. Martin Press.
5. Machlis, J. (2011). The enjoyment of music (11th ed.). New York: WW Norton.*
6. Titon, J. T. (ed.) (2009). Worlds of music (5th ed.). New York: Schirmer Books.
