Dr. Wayne Durrill

This course will explore music as an important part of the American historical experience.

We will read about and listen to a wide range of music performed or composed in America, including psalms and hymns, classical oratories and symphonies, marches, ragtime, jazz, musicals, rock and roll,  and hip hop. We will also explore how each of these kinds of music arose in particular historical circumstances and became the cultural expression of larger conflicts and communities in American society.

Students will also write a short paper using searchable newspaper databases on some aspect of American music. This course requires no background in musical analysis, although some ability to read musical notation will be helpful.