Campus Events

"The Evolution of Music through Culture and Science aims to recognise the impact of science on music, why it occurs, how we respond, and even to tentatively see if we can predict future developments. Technology has played an immense role in the development of music as it has enabled the production of new sounds, introduced new instruments and continuously improved and modified existing ones. Printing, musical notation, and modern computer aids to composition, plus recordings and electronic transmission have equally enabled us to have access to music from across the world. Such changes, whether just more powerful pianos, or new sounds as from the saxophone, have inspired composers and audiences alike. Acoustics and architecture play similar roles as they changed the scale and performance of concert halls, and with the advent of electronics, they enabled vast pop music festivals. No aspect of modern music making has been untouched by the synergy with scientific innovation. This is not a one-way interaction as the early attempts to make recordings were a major motivating force to design the electronics for amplifiers and these in turn inspired and enabled the designs of semiconductor electronics and modern computer technology. To appreciate the impact of technology on music does not require any prior scientific background as the concepts are invariably extremely simple and are presented here without technical detail. Understanding music and why we like different genres is far more complex, as this involves our personal background and taste. Both aspects change with time, and there is no contradiction in enjoying items as diverse as baroque madrigals, symphonies, jazz or pop music, or music from totally different cultures"-- Provided by publisher.

The craft. The history. The power. All these elements of the hip-hop movement are discussed with director Ice-T and the legends he interviews -- Afrika Bambaataa, Eminem, Nas, Mos Def, Kanye West, Chuck D, KRS-One, Snoop Dogg, Run-DMC, and Ice Cube -- in this compelling and gritty feature-length documentary. An Official Selection of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap explores and pays tribute to this original American art form.

Hip hop [electronic resource] : beyond beats & rhymes / National Black Programming Consortia ; Independent Television Service ; Corporation for Public Broadcasting ; a film by Byron Hurt ; produced, directed and written by Byron Hurt ; co-produced by Sabrina Schmidt Gordon ; God Bless The Child Productions, Inc.

According to a survey by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), music educators find the national standard about creating music to be the most challenging. The New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers program is based on the premise that creating music is an activity that should not be limited to a highly trained, elite group of adults. Founded by composer and bassist Jon Deak, the program assumes that all children - whether or not they can play an instrument - have the capacity to express musical ideas. The program is nurturing young composers in multiple states across the U.S. and several countries around the world, including Venezuela. At P.S. 11 in Brooklyn, Jon and composer/teaching artist Angélica Negrón help fourth and fifth graders record their musical ideas using graphic notation. Students consult a list Angélica posts in the classroom to more fully develop those ideas, doing things like repeating a phrase, playing it backwards, and adding harmony. Two months later, Angélica has translated the scores into standard notation, and the students refine their ideas through collaboration with an ensemble of professional musicians. The payoff is an exciting concert for peers and family members. About the series: A professional development resource for P-5 music educators; 8 30-minute video programs, plus overview; course guide; online interactives; and website. The Power of Music is designed to help pre-K through fifth-grade music educators integrate into their practice effective teaching strategies used in El Sistema-inspired programs. The video series features teaching artists across the country committed to providing music-making opportunities to children who otherwise might not have them. Incorporating their own ideas, experiences, and pedagogical expertise, these music educators have adapted and created innovative teaching strategies to nurture a special kind of musical citizenship in their students. Produced by WNET Thirteen, 2014.