Concert Report Assignment

Attend a concert from a world music tradition. The report should be between 4-5 typed, double-spaced, pages. Attach tickets stubs or programs to your report. Your report is due the last class meeting, NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED.

Suggestions

Write the first draft of your report as soon as possible after the concert so your impressions remain fresh. Use the program to remind yourself of what you heard when you write your report. Use the program as a way to helping yourself use correct terminology. Do not use the program notes as a substitute for your own thinking and personal reactions; do not cram your report full of historical tidbits about the piece. Comment on matters of historical background only if they directly influence your personal experience of the music.

Concert Report Format

Introduction (10% in length and value)

Briefly identify the concert. Who performed? What pieces were performed? Where was it performed? Briefly describe the performance space, physical surroundings, and the appearance of the performers.

Objective Description of the Music (25% in length and value)

instrumentation, dynamics, texture, rhythm and tempo, role of improvisation, etc. –– Note extremes or what is most striking. What differentiates pieces or performance segments within this concert? What differentiates this music from other types of music?

Observing the Audience (5%)

Who chose to attend this concert? Does this concert serve the function of some sort of social bonding or identity function?

Subjective Reactions to the Music (40% in length and value)

Did you like individual pieces or performance segments? Did you have emotional reactions to any particular piece? Why did you react the way you did? Was it in the composition or the performance or both? Did your mind wander while listening? What held your attention? Was the concert full of variety or was it all more or less the same? Could the performance be better? How? Was this old hat or a new experience?

Conclusion (10% in value)

Did you like or dislike the experience overall? If possible, connect this concert experience to the concepts in this course.