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Music Appreciation Project
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Imagine using your listening and research skills to explore the impact of music across cultures and time periods—while collaborating with professionals from the music industry and beyond. Picture telling the story of a genre, artist, or musical movement through interviews, personal reflections, and thoughtful analysis. If you’re passionate about connecting your understanding of music to real-world experiences and careers, our VLACS Projects are the perfect fit for you!
This engaging learning pathway allows students to explore various career fields while mastering key concepts and skills. For each competency, you can choose to complete a pre-designed project that simulates real-life career tasks or create your own unique learning experience. Regardless of your choice, you’ll engage in thorough research and apply what you learn to authentic career scenarios.
With the pre-designed projects, you’ll tackle real-world tasks that align with each competency. If you decide to design your own experience, you’ll collaborate with your instructor and a mentor to design and complete meaningful career tasks that demonstrate your understanding. We have partnered with hundreds of mentors you can work with if you choose to design your own experience. Check out our Career Mentor Catalog here.
Take a look at the competency statements and pre-designed options below. We’re excited to support you on this exciting and open-ended learning adventure!
Note: This is a project-based course. If you’re looking for a traditional format, please return to the learning catalog and select the course.
Projects
Professional Musician
Competency: Elements of Music
You are a professional musician. You have been asked to prepare a lecture on the elements of music.
You will create a lecture that will explain the music elements, describe use of elements in genres of music and summarize the dynamics of music.
TV Producer
Competency: Pop Music
You are a TV producer for MTV working on new programming for the channel. MTV wants to hear ideas for a new documentary series on pop music appreciation.
You will create a pitch that will summarize the rise of pop music, explain the characteristics of pop music, and summarize the evolution of pop music.
Anthropologist
Competency: Origins of Music
You are an anthropologist working for a national museum. The museum has exhibits that include artifacts and audio recordings to explain the exhibit to visitors. The museum needs an audio recording script for its exhibit on the Origins of Music..
You will create a script that will explain ancient music, summarize ancient music theory, and evaluate medieval music.
Blogger
Competency: Music of the Renaissance
You are a blogger for a website focusing on music. There is a Renaissance Faire this month so your content will focus on Music of the Renaissance.
You will create a blog that will summarize the influence of the Renaissance, explain Renaissance instruments, and describe Renaissance music forms.
Music Supervisor
Competency: Music of the Baroque Period
You are the music supervisor for a large opera house that is in the process of launching an opera set in Baroque-era Italy. The opera house wants a report of an accurate depiction of the Music of the Baroque Period.
You will create a report that will describe changes in Baroque music, explain Baroque forms, and summarize composers of Baroque music.
Conductor
Competency: The Classical Period
You are the conductor for a youth orchestra, preparing to introduce new pieces to the musicians. Since the young musicians do not have a lot of exposure to classical music, a slideshow is needed to provide insight on The Classical Period.
You will create a slideshow that will describe characteristics of classical music, explain the forms of classical music, and compare the classical composers.
Marketing Director
Competency: The Romantic Era
You are the marketing director for a large ballet company. The company needs to promote its next show which is based on The Romantic Period.
You will create a pamphlet that will explain changes to music during the Romantic Era, contrast the composers of the Romantic Era, and analyze society’s influence on music.
Party Planner
Competency: The Jazz Era
You are a party planner working for a client who wants to host a time period party that is as true to the time period as possible. The client would like to see the descriptions for the Jazz Era.
You will create a lookbook that will explain the birth of Jazz, evaluate the characteristics of Jazz, and compare influential composers.
Competencies
Elements of Music
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the elements of music by explaining the music elements, describing the use of elements in genres of music, and summarizing the dynamics of music.
Pop Music
Students will demonstrate an understanding of pop music by summarizing the rise of pop music, explaining the characteristics of pop music, and summarizing the evolution of pop music.
Origins of Music
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the origins of music by explaining ancient music, summarizing ancient music theory, and evaluating medieval music.
Music of the Renaissance
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the music of the Renaissance by summarizing the influence of the Renaissance, explaining Renaissance instruments, and describing Renaissance music forms.
Music of the Baroque Period
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the music of the Baroque period by describing changes in Baroque music, explaining Baroque forms, and comparing composers of Baroque music.
The Classical Period
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the classical period by describing the characteristics of classical music, explaining the forms of classical music, and comparing the classical composers.
The Romantic Era
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the Romantic Era by explaining changes to music during the Romantic Era, contrasting the composers of the Romantic Era, and analyzing society’s influence on music.
The Jazz Era
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the Jazz era by explaining the birth of Jazz, evaluating the characteristics of Jazz, and comparing influential composers.