Los Angeles City College
Music Department
COURSE: MUS 111 – Music Appreciation
MEETINGS: Class conducted entirely online
CREDIT: 3 units
COURSE DESCRIPTION: MUS 111 is an introduction to western art music from the Middle Ages
through the twentieth century. In this class, you will be introduced to a number of representative
works by major composers from each major historical musical period. We will discuss musical forms
and styles associated with various genres in each musical period. By the end of the course, you will
have acquired a variety of critical listening skills that will enable you to listen to and understand
music from the historical periods. You will also build a musical vocabulary that will help you discuss
and analyze many types of music both in the class and beyond. Lectures and discussion are very
important, therefore it is important that you keep up with the work and that you participate in class
activities. Listening is extremely important for your grade.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Instructor: Dr. C. Gengaro
Office: CH 145
Phone: 323-953-4000 ext. 2884
Email for general questions: gengarcl@lacitycollege.edu
Number to text questions (answers within 24 hours): 818-254-9485
Mailing address: 855 N. Vermont Ave, Los Angeles CA 90029
Office hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 1:00-1:30 and 4:30-5:00; Tuesdays 1:00-3:00 and Thursdays
1:00-2:30 (email or text for an appointment)
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOME: Upon successful completion of this course, the student will:
• Explain terminology from various time periods in the history of music
• Identify music aurally and contextualize musical works
EXIT SKILLS:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:!!
1. Define and explain the elements of music, including vocabulary, forms, instruments, and
performers.!
2. Recognize and identify common instruments and voice types and their techniques of performance.!
3. Recognize and distinguish various styles of music from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque,
Classical, Romantic and contemporary periods.!
4. Recognize various forms and styles of vocal music, both secular and sacred, solo, ensemble and
choral, throughout the periods covered.!
5. Understand and describe the various forms of instrumental music, including symphonic, program
music, and chamber music.!
6. Recognize the major composers of western classical music and their representative works.!
7. Successfully critique live concert performances.
REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS
• Textbook: Listen (8th edition) by Joseph Kerman and Gary Tomlinson
• Access to the online resources for Listen
• You need access to a computer and a printer, and your computer should have Adobe
Acrobat or some other program that allows you to download PDF files. Computers such as
these are available on campus.
•
Access to a computer with speakers so you can do the listening for the class
YOUTUBE PLAYLIST
I have compiled a playlist of videos that will enhance your learning at home. See links to these videos
under “For Further Study” for each module. Access the whole playlist at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEkDC4gc51hBlcG7lMvPikXaB7PzIRA4D
CLASS REQUIREMENTS/GRADING POLICIES
• Reading quizzes (weekly)
• Listening quizzes (weekly)
• Midterm
• Final
• Participation in online activities (live chat, discussion board, etc.)
• 2 concert reports
GRADE BREAKDOWN
Listening Quizzes = 100 points
Reading Quizzes = 120
Midterm exam = 100 points
Final exam = 100 points
2 Concert reports at 50 points each = 100
Class participation = 80
Total points available for the class = 600
All quizzes and tests are done online. Concert reports are to be handed in as PDF files attached to
either email or private message in Etudes. (See separate section on Concert reports for details.)
Late homework will NOT count. You receive zero points for any late work.
I will not accept or grade late concert reports.
I will not accept or grade concert reports sent to me in any format besides PDF.
If you decide to stop participating in class, but you do not drop the class, it is likely that you will
receive an F for the course. If you want to drop the class, it is YOUR responsibility to do that with the
college.
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 1 – Due by 11:59 PM on 9/6/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 2 – Due by 11:59 PM on 9/13/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 3 – Due by 11:59 PM on 9/20/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 4 – Due by 11:59 PM on 9/27/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 5 – Due by 11:59 PM on 10/4/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 6 – Due by 11:59 PM on 10/11/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 7 – Due by 11:59 PM on 10/18/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 8 – Due by 11:59 PM on 10/25/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 9 – Due by 11:59 PM on 11/1/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 10 – Due by 11:59 PM on 11/8/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 11 – Due by 11:59 PM on 11/15/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 12 – Due by 11:59 PM on 11/22/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 13 – Due by 11:59 PM on 11/29/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 14 – Due by 11:59 PM on 12/6/15
Listening/Reading quizzes for Module 15 – Due by 11:59 PM on 12/13/15
Concert Report due dates:
Report #1 due 10/18/15
Report #2 due 11/30/15
CLASSROOM RULES OF CONDUCT
Violations of Academic Integrity include, but are not limited to, the following actions: cheating on an
exam, plagiarism, working together on an assignment, paper, or project when the instructor has
specifically stated students should not do so, submitting the same term paper to more than one
instructor, or allowing another individual to assume one’s identity for the purpose of enhancing
one’s grade.
SPECIAL INFORMATION
LACC Policy: "Students with a verified disability who may need a reasonable accommodation(s) for
this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and contact the Office of Special Services (Bungalow
Village next to the Library, 323-953-4000 X2770) as soon as possible. All information will remain
confidential."
If you need help paying for books and other college expenses, call the Financial Aid Office at 323-9534000 X2025 or visit them in the Student Union Building. If you need help with your schedule, please
get in touch with our counseling department:
http://www.lacitycollege.edu/services/counsel/counsel.html
DROP DEADLINES
Important! The deadline to drop without a “W” is September 13 for the Fall 2015 semester. If you
must drop a course, drop before this date so the attempt will not show up on your transcript.
Dropping after this date will result in a “W” on your transcript.
Effective July 1, 2012: students will have only 3 attempts to pass a class. If a student gets a “W” or
grade of “D,” “F,” “I,” or “NP” in a class, that will count as an attempt. A student’s past record of
course attempts district-wide will also be considered. Therefore, before the end of Week 2, you
should carefully consider if you can reasonably manage this course with the other factors in your life
(i.e. work, family, course load). If you think you will not be able to complete the course with a C or
better, drop by September 13. If you have any questions, please talk to me. You may also see a
counselor in the Counseling Center in AD 108. If you drop between 9/13 and 11/22, you will receive
a “W” on your transcript.
CONCERT REPORT DIRECTIONS:
You must attend two concerts during the semester. For each concert, you must write three pages
(typed, double-spaced) on the experience. If you are unsure of the suitability of a concert, please ask.
If money is an issue, there are some excellent free concerts at LACMA and around Los Angeles.
Using the terminology discussed in class, describe your reaction to the concert. Keep the following
questions in mind when you are writing your concert report. Your paper should not be a list of
answers to the questions. Try to incorporate the answers to these questions into an organized, wellwritten essay, but remember, these are just guidelines. Don't be afraid to be honest about your
opinions.
Who is/are the performer(s)? What is his or her musical background? (Often the program will have
short biographies of performers or short histories of ensembles. BUT, please do not copy the bio into
your paper.)
What kind of music is being played? From what time period does the music come?
What are some stylistic characteristics of the music?
What kind of audience is watching the performance?
Do you feel the performer did a good job? Did you notice any mistakes, any problems?
Did you enjoy the concert? Explain why you did or didn't. Be honest and fair.
Write about anything else that you think was interesting about the concert.
Your paper must follow all standard rules for grammar and spelling. If you hand in a paper with
interesting content but which is written with poor grammar and spelling, you will still receive a low
grade.
Plagiarism is a violation of our academic honesty policy. There are basically two types. The first type
is intentional plagiarism: you knowingly hand in work you know is not yours in order to deceive
someone (in this case, me) into thinking that it is your work. The second type is unintentional and
stems from disregarding proper academic citation. In other words, you omit the important details
about your source materials because you don’t know about better. It’s like using a paragraph from a
website or a book without making a citation saying, “hey, I got this from somewhere else.”
Neither type is acceptable. And if your paper is plagiarized, you will receive a zero for the
assignment. This website helps you figure out if what you’re writing is plagiarized:
https://www.grammarly.com/plagiarism
Some suggestions for places to see concerts and/or local ensembles:
USC- https://arts.usc.edu (click on “Arts Events”)
UCLA - http://arts.ucla.edu/calendar/
Cal State LA - http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/calendar/index.htm LACMA - http://www.lacma.org/programs/music/sundays-live and
http://www.lacma.org/programs/music/jazz-at-lacma
The LA Phil - http://www.laphil.com (don’t pay full price!! Get student rush tickets!)
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra – http://www.laco.org
Colburn School - https://www.colburnschool.edu/page.cfm?p=2862