American Music History
Date
February 10-May 2, 2025
Course Code
7095A
Credits
3
Tuition
$1146
Course Description
A survey of the broad American musical landscape from the colonial period until the present day. This course will focus on the history and development of both classical and vernacular musical traditions in America. Course topics will include music in colonial New England, early American folk and popular songs, African American music, Band music, Ragtime, Blues, Jazz, American art songs, and minimalism.
Weekly Zoom Meetings: Wednesdays 6:00 pm – 7:50 pm (central time). First zoom meeting is Wednesday, February 12 at 6:00 pm.
* Course Number:
MMEd 569, 2 credits
MECA 7095a, 3 credits
* This course is offered at two course levels. Students enrolled in the MMEd program at VanderCook are eligible to enroll for the 500 course number. Students not enrolled in the MMEd program who wish to earn graduate credit as a MECA Continuing Education student should register for the four digit course number. The difference in credits earned and tuition cost is attributed to the difference in tuition rates for the MMEd and MECA Continuing Education programs. If you are unsure which section is best for you, please contact us directly at [email protected].
Instructor
Michael Becker received his Bachelor of Arts degree in music from North Park University, and a Master of Music degree in musicology from Roosevelt University.
At VanderCook, Becker teaches undergraduate and graduate music history and world music courses, and is co-facilitator of the community drum circles. He also teaches world music courses at Waubonsee Community College and Saint Xavier University.
An active performer, Becker is a member of Digitally Correct Meta-Troubadours, a group dedicated to exploratory performance of improvised and semi-improvised music, combining world music instruments with digital sound processing. He is also a co-founder of the Home Street Recorder Ensemble, a trio that performs recorder repertoire of the 13th-20th centuries. Becker collects and plays a variety of instruments, including Native American flutes, and sells instruments from around the world through his business Native Sounds.