Contemporary South American Music

This course focuses on the performance and analysis of different genres of contemporary South American music from, among others, jazz, pop/rock, and classical. A study of South America's wide array of musical styles through and analysis of its traditional, musical, technical elements, and in-class performances of these genres. Aside from the performance aspect, students gain a fundamental knowledge of South America's various musical influences based on its cultural, social, and historical background. Examples of musical elements and techniques that characterize different styles of South American music are provided by the instructor. Through an analysis of musical work of various composers and recorded performances of South American artists, the course provides students with an awareness of the wide variety of musical idioms of the continent. Students learn to extract elements of South American music and use them as part of their performance, arrangement, and compositional tools. This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the multicultural and multiracial roots of South American music to broaden their perspective as performers, composers, arrangers and producers.