GRMUS 684H — Foundations of African American Music

This course traces the evolution of African American music from its origins in pre-colonial West Africa into the early 20th century. Taking as a framework interwoven Black folk, classical, and popular musical traditions, the course delves deeply into African and African American approaches to music-making, including the ways in which classical forms can both preserve folk traditions and use them as a means of innovation, and the effects of racism and broader social movements upon musical genre. Students will complete projects that directly engage Juilliard’s longstanding affiliations with African American music and the diverse ways in which African American music shapes early conceptions of American music.