Course Instructor: Dr Diana Gilchrist - diana.gilchrist@queensu.ca
In Summary:
An introduction to the study of Western music, theatre, fine art, and literature in historical and global perspective. Using drama and music as a focal point, this interdisciplinary course will place artistic creation in a social, philosophical, and political chronological framework. Key periods include European Romanticism, Modernism, and Popular Culture.
Course Highlights: 
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This course is led by a Classical Music lecturer and features a specialist guest lecturer in Drama and a specialist guest lecturer in Popular Music.
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Develop your listening skills and learn to think critically and reflectively about the works you are studying.
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Explore great works of music and theatre, in chronological order, to examine the creative legacies of periods ranging from the 18th century to the present.
Course Information:
This course provides an introduction to the study of Western music from the late 18th century to the present. It also includes some key moments in the development of theatre, as well as considering some intersections with fine art. Using music and drama as focal points, this course investigates artistic creation and performance using critical frameworks and considers social, cultural and political contexts. Topics include European Classicism and Romanticism, and several key movements in the 20th and 21st centuries. We will study a wide range of performances both recorded and live, and throughout the course we will consider the functionality and meaning of the arts in contemporary culture and in our individual lives.
Learning Outcomes:
After completing this course, students should be able to:
- Recall chronological frameworks of aesthetic eras/ideas
- Recognise key concepts and how they relate to different forms of art
- Understand the social, cultural and historical influences that shaped the musical and theatrical genres covered in class
- Develop skills in critical, reflective and creative thinking and listening;
- Apply these skills in research, writing and presentation.
Experiential and Active Learning Opportunities:
This course will include several experiential and active learning components. There will be two play readings along with three embedded experiential and active learning activities (EALs) outside of class times. The first is based on a piece of symphonic music that you will engage with in a variety of conditions, before analysing it and then formulating your own creative response to the music. The second will be a public lecture on site that will present two very different approaches to music research. The third will be a trip to attend a concert at the iconic Royal Albert Hall in London.
Previous examples of embedded experiential learning for this course includes a visit to see Puccini’s Madam Butterfly.
Prerequisites and Exclusions:
None.
Course applicable to the following Majors/Medials/Minors:
COMU (core) / MUSC (core) / MUTH (option) / LLCU (option) / Con-Ed Teaching Subject (Dramatic Arts; History)
