For 5/6 Part I: In C

We are about to have our final two classes! Hard to believe our semester is almost over.

Please remember to bring your laptop to class tomorrow (Monday), for we'll start by having you fill out course evaluations.  Here are some good things to know about course evaluations:

• As with any other writing, the more specific you are, the better.  If something was very valuable for you, or if you have a suggestion or complaint, be as clear and descriptive as you can.
• When faculty are being reviewed for tenure and/or promotion, every evaluation is read by two different committees, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and sometimes the President. They really do matter.
• I read them all and appreciate the feedback.  I always learn something. 

As we discussed on Friday, we've explored a variety ways of "musicking," including the American  "minimalist" approach, inspired and influenced by non-Western music, especially music from Africa and India. Music rooted in repetitive cycles and patterns can alter the brainwave patterns of listeners and players. Some drummers call it "drummer's high" or "drummer's trance."

In our group project, we are experimenting with polymetric cycles (i.e., different meters happening at the same time), and with a piece that is partially composed and partially improvised.  One of the most famous minimalist pieces is Terry Riley's "In C," the score for which I distributed in class on Friday.  If you click on that link, you can download both the score (if you've misplaced it) and the performance instructions.

To me, it's a really fascinating way of organizing people musicking together.  So here are several different versions:

Finally, here's the original recording:

Amazing how differently it can be done!  Listen/watch to a bit of each and post a comment.