Music Appreciation (Mus 10)
Fall 2012
Dr. Don Adkins
Room: VAPA 5148, Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 – 10:50 Email: doadkins@cabrillo.edu
Suggested Text: Music: An Appreciation, 6th or 7th Brief Edition by Roger Kamien
Grading Criteria
1. Participation: 29 days total @ 8 points per class, 3 tardies = 1 absence (Thanksgiving holiday Nov. 22)
2. Elements, Medieval, Renaissance test: 103 points (take home on Sept. 11, turn in Sept. 13, take listening test)
3. Baroque listening test: 30 points (Oct. 2)
4. Composer profile: 20 points (due Oct. 11)
5. Baroque and Classical test with Classical listening: 84 points (Oct. 23)
6. Romantic test with Romantic listening: 63 points (Nov. 15)
7. Program note (extra credit): 50 points (due Dec. 11 at final)
8. Final exam, comprehensive including 20th century: 137 points (Dec. 11 Tuesday, 8:00 AM)
9. TBA points as assigned
10. Concert attendance: 4 concerts @ 35 points each, up to 2 extra-credit concerts @ 25 points each (Must
have 4 concerts to earn an A in the class. Must have 2 concerts to pass class) First concert turned in
before Halloween (by Oct. 25).
11. Music lab: 8 points per hour up to 20 hours (must have at least 17 hours to receive an A in class)
Final class grades: 90 – 100% A, 80 – 89% B, 70 – 79% C (pass), 60 – 69% D
Schedule of Topics and Reading
Elements, Medieval and Renaissance (Aug. 28 – Sept. 11)
Baroque (Sept. 13 – Oct. 2)
Classical (Oct. 4 – 23)
Romantic (Oct. 25 – Nov. 13)
20th century (Nov. 15 – Dec. 6)
Student Outcomes
1. The student will demonstrate a basic vocabulary of musical terms.
2. The student will find the beat in a piece of music and determine duple or triple meter.
3. The student will listen to music selections and identify various elements such as timbre, texture, major/minor,
and simple forms.
4. The student will demonstrate an awareness of basic concert etiquette from the audience’s point of view.
5. The student will identify various classical genre such as symphony, concerto, aria and art song by listening.
6. The student will identify the style period of major composers and the music they compose.
Classroom Participation
It is essential you participate in every class. Cabrillo attendance policy allows only one week of absences (2)
before student can be dropped. No eating or drinking in class except water. It is critical to your success that you
refrain from talking, especially during music listening and video examples and that you take notes on everything
that is written on the board. All electronic devices, especially cell phones, will not be tolerated. Turn them off
before stepping into the classroom. If you must have your phone on, do not come to class. No text messaging.
No MP3 players. No laptop computers.
Concert Attendance
Two concerts must be attended to pass this class. Four concerts are required to earn an A (One concert before
Halloween). Only concerts of “classical” music will count. If you are not sure about a concert’s eligibility, ask
Dr. Adkins before attending. A one-page form describing your experience will be filled out in the lab with a
program and/or ticket stub stapled to the paper. These concerts will also be used for lab credit. One concert must
be a professional symphony or opera company. Discount “rush” tickets are available for the Santa Cruz County
Symphony one hour before the performance.
Final: In order to pass the class, the final must be taken. The final will be Tuesday Dec. 11 at 8:00 AM (not
7:00 AM as in the catalogue). The program note and final concert reports can be turned in at this time.
Lab hours: Various activities can be counted for lab hours including concert attendance, video viewing
(classical music subjects), textbook internet activities, listening to CDs and computer-aided music instruction.
CDs that go with the textbook are available in the lab. Each written test will include a listening test that requires
you to listen to and study a CD prepared for that test. Listening to these CDs can be counted as lab time. Forms
must be filled out for concerts, CDs and movies. These forms are in the lab folder. 17 hours are required to earn
an A in the class. Extra credit will be given for 3 more lab hours beyond 17.
DSPS Statement:
Students needing accommodations should contact the instructor ASAP. As required by the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), accommodations are provided to insure equal opportunity for students with verified
disabilities. If you need assistance with an accommodation, please contact Disabled Student Services, Room
810, (479-6379) or Learning Skills Program, Room 1073, (479-6220).
Attendance and Participation Guidelines:
This course requires active participation each day of class so it is important for you to attend every class session,
arrive on time, and come prepared. Your participation not only enhances your own learning, it benefits other
students in the class, especially when the class is doing group work. Your level of participation is reflected in
your grade and since you can’t participate if you are not in class, absences will also be reflected in your grade.
TBA Hours (Arranged Hours):
This course requires 1.1 hours per week of arranged hours to be fulfilled in Room 5131. It is the student’s
responsibility to record their attendance and they should do so by signing in each time they attend the lab. The
instructor will collect these hours periodically. Arranged hours are class time and all students are expected to
meet this number of hours per week to fulfill the requirements of this course.