STAT 12
writing sample and brief application Winter 2019

Cross-listed MUS 12
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

The Sacred Harp is a tunebook, a style, a community, and a tradition. One of the most distinctly American forms of music, with a continuous tradition dating back over 150 years, shape-note music continues to be sung in amateur communities around the country-and increasingly, the world. In the reading portion of the course, we will study the history and current culture of shape-note singing. We will discuss issues of tradition and community, including shifts and tensions with respect to geographical region, religious affiliation, and race. Meanwhile, we will engage in the actual practice of shape-note singing. For those with little formal training in music, this will include a quick introduction in the basics of music, but it will also highlight unique aspects of the Sacred Harp style in comparison to Western classical music, including the four-shape system of solfège. In addition to singing in class, we will visit one of the regular weekly singings in Northampton (mandatory). For the final project, students will have the opportunity to write a paper analyzing the tradition or stylistic aspects of the music; to write one or more tunes and compare them stylistically to those found in The Sacred Harp; or to undertake a quantitative analysis of the tunebook’s music and its use in recorded singings. Assignments throughout the course will include smaller versions of these varied options, including short composition exercises and responses to the readings. Adjunct Instructor Bio: Micah Walter received his A.M. in Music from Harvard University and his B.A. in Music and Linguistics from Haverford College. He is interested particularly in non-performative forms of music, and the impact music and community have on each other. He feels strongly that all people, regardless of training, should be able to participate in music-making in a fulfilling way. An active Sacred Harp singer, he has attended all-day singings and conventions in seven states and written over thirty tunes.
The Class: Limit: 30
Grading: pass/fail only
Requirements/Evaluation: 10-page paper; final project; musical composition with commentary
Prerequisites: some previous singing or music-reading experience helpful
Enrollment Preferences: seniority
Materials/Lab Fee: $10 plus cost of books
Notes: This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
MUS 12 STAT 12
Attributes: EXPE Experiential Education Courses

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