Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Mus 208 is the first term of a three term sequence. This course traces the spiritual and all of its counterparts to gospel music back to its African beginnings. Also, studying certain musical aspects of various African, Caribbean and South American cultures will give the class an opportunity to see how African-American music is related to these cultures and will yield a broader view of how the inception of music in the African-American tradition occurred.

This course provides the student the musical history and cultural background of the African-American musical art-forms of spirituals to gospel music. Through the course material and structured exposure the class will acquire an appreciation of these musical art-forms. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will have satisfactorily accomplished the goals and objectives listed in the course content guide. Course content guides are developed by college wide faculty approved by management.

1.0 African Beginnings

Instructional Goals

The goal is to trace music in the African-American tradition starting with the musical aspects of various African societies.

Objectives:

1.1 Understand the significance of music in the traditional African societies.

1.2 Study ritual activities and music in various traditional African societies.

1.3 Study ceremonial musical activities.

1.4 Study social and recreational musical activities.

1.5 Understand the purpose of functional musical activities in the traditional African society.

2.0 African musical influence in the Caribbean and South American countries.

Instructional Goals

The goal is to become familiar with the African influence in various Caribbean and South American countries.

2.1 Understand the dimension of the African presence in various Caribbean and South American societies.

2.2 Study the socio-religious peculiarities that became a matrix of various Caribbean and South American societies.

2.3 Understand how "Africanisms" are preserved in these societies.

3.0 The Spiritual

Instructional Goal

The goal is to understand the inception of American folk music: "the Spiritual"

3.1 Understand the importance and position of religion in the everyday life of the African-American slave.

3.2 Study the African elements in the socio-religious aspects of the slave society.

3.3 Understand how the introduction of African slaves in the U.S. to European religious music resulted in the inception of the Spiritual.

3.4 Observe the performance technique of this art-form.

3.5 Be familiar with the various derivatives of the spiritual: the worksongs, hollars, etc.

4.0 The Gospel

Instructional Goals

The goal is to acquire an understanding how gospel music evolved from the spiritual and how it is kept alive in today's African-American society.

4.1 Understand the elements of gospel music.

4.2 Experience gospel music in its cultural setting.

4.3 Study the Africanisms in gospel music to understand the connection from Africa to the Caribbean, South American and the U.S.

4.5 Understand the gospel performance technique.

The class format is comprised of lecture/musical demonstration with audio and visual components to further demonstrate musical and cultural art-forms. The class is invited to participate in structured class discussions and projects.

The student's grade will be based on contractual agreements on group and individual projects. there will be two group projects and one individual project. Regular attendance is strongly advised to acquire the skills and knowledge this course offer.