Virtual Office Hours: M-F, 10am - 12 pm
Email: jordant@nku.edu (preferred communication method)
Phone: 513.763.0537 cell (only as a last resort)
For any and all correspondence concerning this course, you must put MUS 100: at the beginning of the subject of your email. This will enable me to filter the email message into a course folder and respond to you more quickly. Any weekend emails will probably be answered by noon on Monday.
Experience Music! with CD-ROM and 2 Audio CDs
Authors: Katherine Charlton and Robert Hickok
2nd Edition: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-07-340139-3
Publisher: McGraw-Hill
Mac or PC computer with CD playback
Internet Access (high speed preferred) - able to watch YouTube
Good quality speakers and ear buds for careful listening
Your NKU Email Account (adjust your own email preferences to check this account daily)
Your Experience Music! text includes a natural extension of the book's content. It mirrors the book in design and organization. And icons throughout the book indicate where materials online support a concept being learned. This is how you will access the study material. You may also find some quizzes to help your study. DO NOT SUBMIT THESE QUIZZES TO ME.
Grading is based on a total point system where 90% of the total points earns you an A. The total points possible for this course is 650. Each week you will have a possible 90 points. You will also have two external projects worth 100 points each.
| Possible Points | 650 | 100% |
| A | 585 | 90% |
| A- | 564 | 86.7% |
| B+ | 541 | 83.3% |
| B | 520 | 80% |
| B- | 499 | 76.7% |
| C+ | 476 | 73.3% |
| C | 455 | 70% |
| C- | 434 | 66.7% |
| D+ | 411 | 63.3% |
| D | 390 | 60% |
| F | <390 | <60% |
There will be no comprehensive tests, but you must be able to understand the fundamentals of music. Each week you will have approximately eleven (11) short quizzes based on your reading and listening for that particular week. Your participation in group discussions is worth 40 points each week, basically 4 paragraph entries per week.You will have specific instructions for each week.
| Weekly Points to Earn | |
| Chapter Reading Quizzes | 50 points |
| Discussion "1" | 20 points |
| Discussion "2" | 20 points |
The course happens quickly, but you must have a sense of live music performance. So, you will attend one live classial concert, watch one feature length movie, and watch a series of YouTube videos as part of your Discussion Boards.
You must attend one live classical concert (approved by me) and submit a concert review during the course. You cannot submit a review from any concert attended before the course began, and you must submit the concert review within three (3) days after attending the concert. All reviews must be emailed to me by Monday, Jun 27, 9:00 AM. Here is a sample review which you should copy and paste into your word processor as a model for your review. Then, copy and paste your review into the body of an email to me. DO NOT SEND ME ATTACHMENTS!!
Although many music organizations will have already concluded their concert seasons, there are always a few graduate student recitals at the College Conservatory of the University of Cincinnati. The recitals are free and you can get further details at their online calendar during the course. Click here for travel directions. (Not all of their events are approved by me, so check with me before you go!)
Your other external project is to view the Academy Award Winning movie, Amadeus, about the life of Mozart, and submit an 800 word report about the movie. (I will provide some suggestions for topics.) You may arrange to get the movie from your favorite movie rental location, or public library. Gather in some of your fellow classmates and enjoy the movie, then do your own report. The Amadeus report is due by Monday, Jun 20, 6:00 P.M.
| External Projects Points | |
Classical Concert + Review Jun 27, 9:00 AM Due (check for details) |
100 points |
Amadeus + Report Jun 20, 6:00 PM Due |
100 points |
• All work you will do at NKU is subject to the Student Honor Code, a commitment to the highest degree of ethical integrity and academic conduct. NKU Honor Code. Students of Northern Kentucky University will not lie, cheat, or plagiarize to gain an academic advantage over fellow students or avoid academic requirements. In this course this also means that you will not copy assignments from each other, and will not copy information from the Internet into your assignments without proper attribution.
• Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments,
auxiliary aids or services) for this course must register with the Office of
Disability Services. Please contact the disability service office in University
Center Suite 320 or by calling (859) 572-6373 for more information. Verification
of your disability is required in the disability services office for you to
receive reasonable academic accommodations. Visit the disability services web
site at http://www.nku.edu/~disability.
Because this is a web course, you obviously have a great amount of flexibility for engaging the course material. I expect that you will need to commit 2 to 3 hours per day during the week to read and take the quizzes. I realize that you will have your own schedule to juggle each week, so I am allowing extra time at the end of the week to complete quizzes.In general, all material for a particular week is due by the following Monday at 6:00 PM. Late work will not be accepted and extensions will not be given. You must stay on schedule from week to week. It is in your best interest not to postpone or delay the completion of your assignments.
Where are the Quizzes?
In Blackboard you will find that I have collected your course material into 5 weekly folders. Your publisher's online learning center study materials are also available in Blackboard. And your quizzes are scheduled to appear on time for the current week of study.
Why are the Quizzes Timed?
It is important to assess what you understand of the material, not your ability to flip through the book to find the answers.One way to do this is to place a time factor on the quiz with the understanding that those who have studied and learned the material will have adequate time to provide the answers without flipping through the book. You can take as much time as you want to study before you take the quizzes.
YOUR CONCERT REVIEW
• The review must be submitted by June 27, but within
3 days of the actual concert. If your concert is on June 13, submit the review
by June 16.
• Concerts must be pre-approved by your instructor if it is not on the list of approved concerts. To submit an event for approval, email the instructor with the name of the group, the location of the performance, and appropriate information about the group (probably a web link for their performance.)
• Reviews must be submitted within three (3) days of the event to qualify.
(Concert on Sunday = Review submitted by Wednesday)
• Reviews are 100-point graded email assignments. The grade is determined
by how close you follow each of the requirements from this page. Not meeting
the deadline gives you a zero for the assignment.
• Only live performances from THIS SUMMER SESSION are acceptable!
• High school band concerts and/or regular church services do NOT count
as classical performances. Again, when in doubt, check first.
• Arriving late or leaving a concert early is very bad etiquette and unacceptable
for this class. Plan to stay for the entire concert. Your comments should reflect
the first and last pieces on the concert.
• Follow the format of the sample review outline.
• Do not email attachments.
• The reviews must be 450 words minimum. However, super long reviews are
not allowed.
• The concert reviews must be sent via email to jordant@nku.edu
I suggest that you do your reviews on a word processor with spell-checking, then cut and paste them into your email (NOT as an attached file).
If you have difficulty writing, please contact the free services of the Writing Center. Look over your review before you submit it.
All NKU students have email accounts <http://webmail.nku.edu>. You must use your NKU email account and Blackboard for this course.
Put "MUS 100 Online - Review" (without the quotes) in the subject line of your email message. If your email was sent correctly, you will receive an email response within 7 days. If you don't get a reply, email me again!
Save a copy of the program/ticket from the concert/event in case you are asked for further verification of attendance.
Include the name of group or event, date of the performance, your name, course name and section number in the top of the body of your review.
You MUST make written comments about individual pieces you hear during the concert, not just general broad comments. Comment on specific things you hear and see and your reaction to them. Keep your comments relevant to the class. Please use the section headers (my outline) from the sample review!
Your emailed review may be shared with the whole class. Keep your comments and language such that this would not be a problem.
You might want to comment on any of the following: Caliber of performance, Programming, Type of Music, Likes/Dislikes, Style, Showmanship, Overall effectiveness of performance, Crowd reaction, Or any additional comments you feel appropriate.
Make your comments literate, spelled properly, and insightful. Do not I.M. me, OMG, L8R dude! Avoid shallow, trite, cute comments. Demonstrate your depth of understanding of the music you hear and how it relates to the lectures. Use proper musical terminology as appropriate. Don't give me your recommendation - tell me why it was good, bad, or indifferent.
Email reviews should be succinct yet full of interesting information and insights. They should use terms you have learned in the course, and reflect on musical concepts you have gained from class. Please make every word meaningful. Excessively wordy assignments will be graded down.
Click Here for a Sample Review.
Music Appreciation, MUS 100, Tom Jordan / Summer 2011
THIS SYLLABUS MAY BE ALTERED AT THE DISCRETION OF YOUR INSTRUCTOR.