Winter 2003

This information effective for Winter 2003. Check with instructor the first day of class for any changes.

Porter College

[PRTR-028]

28. Sound Art: Experiencing Live Music

Fridays: 2–4 p.m.
Porter C-002
Call #38218
Instructor: Michelle Witt

Course Overview:

This two-unit course will provide an opportunity to interact directly with UCSC Arts & Lectures series performers and explore a variety of live music performances. The course is designed to bring artists from each of these performances into the class to discuss their work and artistic vision and stimulate class discussion. Students will attend four Arts & Lectures performances: "Celtic Roots" with Hesperus & Scottish fiddler Bonnie Rideout, the flamenco performance of Farruquito and Juana Amaya, and two classical music performances by the Arden Trio and the Alexander String Quartet. Documentary films about music, readings, course discussion, and journal writing are designed to enable students to explore the shared elements underlying very different performance traditions. Other topics explored include the use of technology in live performance, the commissioning and development of new music, and the value of and differences between live performance versus recorded work.

Performance Dates:

The Arts & Lectures required performances include:

• The Arden Trio
  Friday, Jan. 24, 8 p.m., UCSC Music Center Recital Hall
• "Celtic Roots" with Hesperus & Scottish fiddler Bonnie Rideout
  Saturday, Feb. 1, 8 p.m., UCSC Music Center Recital Hall
• Farruquito & Juana Amaya
  Thursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m., Rio Theater, 205 Soquel Ave.
• Alexander String Quartet
  Sunday, Feb. 23, 4 p.m., Holy Cross Church, 126 High Street

If there is a problem with these dates, please e-mail me immediately at mwitt@ucsc.edu to see what can be done. If you have trouble attending more than one of these dates, you may want to consider a different course.

Logistics:

Contacting me: e-mailing is best for me: mwitt@ucsc.edu

Additional Arts & Lectures information can be found at http://events.ucsc.edu/artslecs or by calling the box office at 459-2159.

Homework: you will be expected to complete selected readings as well as attend all four performances and critique them.

Attendance: In order to complete the course, you must attend all four performances and participate in class discussions with the artists and otherwise. Attendance at performances and artist workshops is mandatory, as is significant participation in class discussions. If you are unable to attend all four performances or any of the artist discussion days, e-mail me immediately.

Grading: The course grade will be based on a combination of attendance at the events, participation in the workshops and discussions, and completion of assigned readings and writings.

Meeting Schedule and Course Work

This course will meet at the following times:

Fri., January 3: Introduction/discussion,"What Makes a Great Performance?"

Film clip:
Jonathan Demme and the Talking Heads
"Stop Making Sense" (1984)
Readings (excerpts from):
T.S. Eliot, "Four Quartets" (1944)
John Dewey, " Art as Experience" (1934)
Eugene Herrigel, "Zen in the Art of Archery" (1953)

Fri., January 10: The Use of Technology in Live Performance: Laurie Anderson, Meredith Monk, Philip Glass (video /discussion/reading)

Reading (excerpt):
W. Duckworth, "Talking Music": Conversations with John Cage, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, and Five Generations of American Experimental Composers (1999)

Fri., January 17: Commissioning and Premiering a Work: live performance and the creative process

**Fri., January 24: In Class Performance/Discussion:
The Arden Trio performing the new commission "Typical Music"

Mandatory **Friday, Jan. 24, 8 p.m.
The Arden Trio Performance
UCSC Music Center Recital Hall

**Fri, Jan. 31: In Class Performance/Discussion with Hesperus/Bonnie Rideout
Journal Due

Mandatory **Saturday, Feb. 1, 8 p.m.
"Celtic Roots" with Hesperus & Scottish fiddler Bonnie Rideout
UCSC Music Center Recital Hall

Fri, February 7: Flamenco Music & Dance (video clips/discussion/reading)
Federico Garcia Lorca: "Teoria y Juego del Duende" (1933)
M. Witt, "Flamenco y el Duende" (2002)

Mandatory **Thursday, Feb 13 (alternate class time)
Film/Performance & Discussion, Farruquito & Juana Amaya
Documentary Film, "Flamenco," 5:15
Discussion/performance, 7:30–10 p.m.

February 14: No Class
Friday, Feb. 21: No Class

Mandatory **Sunday, Feb. 23, 4–7 p.m. (alternate class time)
Last Class: Concert & Discussion with Alexander String Quartet
Completed Journal Due