You should write about your general experience, but also provide a more detailed

You should write about your general experience, but also provide a more detailed discussion that focuses on two or three of the pieces performed. This is not a research paper. You should not use any program notes or information found on the internet, though you may use information provided to the audience by the performers. Introduce the Concert: In one short paragraph, address the following: What was the date, time, and location of the concert? What was the type of music being performed? Was it from a specific music culture, or was more than one music culture being represented? Who were the musicians, and what instruments did they play? (Keep this within reason—if it was a group of four or five musicians, you can list all their names. If it was more than that, the name of the leader and group is sufficient.) Social Context: In one paragraph, provide a description of the social context of the event. What was the purpose of the event, and who was the desired audience? In what type of location was the music being performed, and what does the location (physical or website) say about the importance of this event or music? Describe the musical and social relationship between the musicians and between musicians and audience (if any). How did the musicians conduct themselves on stage? How did they communicate with each other? Did the audience participate in the performance in any way? The Performance (this section should be at least 375 words long): Focus on two or three of the pieces/songs that were performed and write about them in detail (begin discussion of each piece by providing the title and other relevant information, such as instrumentation). Be specific and develop your ideas and observations using the musical terms, elements, and concepts discussed in your textbook. Below are some terms/concepts you can use in your description (though you should not be limited by these). However, be careful not to make your paper read like a dull list of terms. Rhythm: Beat, accent, meter, syncopation, polyrhythm, pulsations, etc. How does the rhythm affect the music, and is it used to create special or interesting effects? Tempo: how does tempo affect the overall performance or the mood of a song/piece? Were there any changes in tempo within a piece? Were all the pieces the same or different tempos? Dynamics: Identify changes in dynamics and discuss the effect they create. Instruments/Timbre: What are the instruments, and do any of them have special or unusual timbres (bright, nasal, warm, mellow, rough, throaty, etc.)? Pitch: How do the musicians use pitch? Do they play low, high, or use a wide range? What kind of effect does this create? Do the singers or instrumentalists bend the pitches of certain notes? Do they use vibrato? Melodies: Identify individual melodies and note where they are first introduced and subsequently reappear in each piece. Are the melodies in a familiar style, or are they very different from what you are used to? What makes them familiar/different? Are they short and easy to remember, or long and complex? Is there a lot of repetition? Additional aspects of the concert to consider are: Were there solos or any featured instruments or vocalists? Is the music improvised or is it being played from a written score? Or both? Were there certain musical elements that dominated the performance? Was rhythm more important than melody, or vice versa? Why? Did the performers make interesting movements or facial expressions while they were playing? Did this add an emotional or expressive element to the concert? *****Note: Always aim to be as specific as possible when describing the music, and be sure to develop any ideas or observations. Do not make statements without developing them further. For example, don’t just state that “the music’s rhythm was complex,” but explain why you think that is and provide examples. Conclusion: Summarize your experience at the concert. What was your favorite/least favorite piece in the program? What are the differences between the music that you normally listen to and the music that you heard at the concert? Are any of these differences cultural? How does the live concert experience differ from listening at home or with your headphones? Or, what are the benefits/drawbacks of an online concert?

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