This reading and listening intensive course will introduce students to the rich sound world of Brazilian music. We will study several musical practices of twentieth and twenty-first century Brazil, including samba, bossa nova, forró, samba reggae, maracatu, tropicália, choro, MPB, Brazilian classical music, sertaneja, batucada, funk, and Brazilian rock, among others. Our classes will delve into the historical and cultural origins of many of the major musical developments in Brazil, investigating their relationship to Brazilian national identity, race, religion, dance, cosmopolitanism, social activism and resistance, politics, and power. Through course readings, lectures, listening, discussions, in-class music-making, films, and various assignments, we will examine the many ways that music has had a formative impact on the political, cultural, and social life of Brazil. Though we will also discuss musical structures and terminology, no prior musical training is necessary for this course.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will
•Become familiar with many different and varied music genres of Brazil
•Trace the relationship of Brazilian music to the country's political and social history.
•Develop an awareness of important Brazilian performers and composers of the past 100 years.
• Engage with a range of media—texts, listening examples, and films—to become acquainted with the music practices and histories covered in this course.
Delivery Method: Fully in-person
Prerequisites: Please submit a written statement of interest in this course explaining how its relevance to your academic interests. Students should have previously taken a course in music, media studies, anthropology or a related discipline before taking this class.
Corequisites: Attendance at two musics events on campus that are relevant to the course (dates to be announced in the syllabus at the start of term).
Course Level: 4000-level
Credits: 4
W 2:10PM - 5:50PM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 16
Course Frequency: Every 2-3 years
Categories: All courses , Ethnomusicology , Fully In-Person , SCT
Tags: Brazil , culture , ethnomusicology , History , Latin America , music history , politics , Popular Culture , Society