OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate your understanding of basic music terminology and historical styles of art music and your ability to communicate this knowledge, you will attend and report on two concerts.

In this project you will do the following:

• Choose two separate (classical) concerts.
• Attend each concert.
• Write a review/report of each event, using terminology and knowledge gained in this course.
• Submit your reports for grading.

STEP 1: CHOOSE A CONCERT, RECITAL, OR OTHER MUSICAL EVENT TO ATTEND

You may attend any musical events that meet the following criteria:

• The event must be something in which the performance of music is the primary focus, e.g., you may not go to a restaurant or other commercial establishment where music is played in the background for ambiance.
• The music must be performed by live musicians.
• The event must be a formally announced, public performance, i.e. not a rehearsal, "jam" session, or other spontaneous event.
• The music performed must be primarily "classical art" music, with certain allowances defined below.
• The event must contain at least thirty (30) minutes of live music.
• The event may take place anywhere that you wish to travel, but remember that you are not required to leave the UCF campus.
• You are not required to pay for any tickets for this assignment, but you may use a ticketed event, if you wish.

Clarification on musical styles allowed for this assignment:

• Since the focus of the course is on "classical" music, any performances that you choose to attend should adhere to that category and attitude.
• Events that you may use include public or private high school concerts and recitals. Junior high school and elementary programs are not acceptable. (Performers should be somewhat advanced, and generally over the age of 14.)
• Almost any music event sponsored by the UCF School of Performing Arts, Department of Music, will be acceptable.
• Since opera is a classical genre, you may use one musical theater event, e.g., a Broadway show, provided it is a fully mounted performance (sets, costumes, acting, etc.) with a pit orchestra (not just a piano), for your first report.. It may be a touring or regional professional show, adult amateur group, or high school production.
• Jazz performances may be used, if they are presented in concert or recital settings. Groups playing in clubs, bars, and similar venues are not acceptable.
• No theme park events, street performers, or other outdoor events, e.g. marching bands, parades, etc., may be used.
• No rock, dance, pop, folk, non-western, or other styles that are clearly not classical music may be used, no matter how formal the presentation.
• When in doubt, check first with me. I reserve the right to refuse any event, regardless of the time and money you might have invested in attending an event.

Identifying a Suitable event:

• You are free to use any media to identify events, but realize that serious music listings may require some searching.
• For free (and cheap ticket) events (many on campus) sponsored by the UCF SPA, see: UCF Music Department Calendar. Click on the individual events for details.
• Music Studeht in UCF SPA give many free recitals that are not listed on the Department Calendar. Instead, see this list of recitals scheduled for the Spirng 20120 semester.
• Nearby St. Luke's Church (in Slavia, along State Road 426 in Oviedo) sponsors a free concert series. See: St. Luke's Concert Series for information.
• The Orlando Phiharmonic offers professional orchestra concerts, chiefly in downtown Orlando, but also elsewhere. See: Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra for information. See "Students" under "Tickets" for information on discounted "rush" tickets.
• Orlando Opera produces a limited number of professional operas annually. See: Orlando Opera for information.
• The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park (on the Rollins College campus) offers a variety of choral, orchestral, and chamber music events. See: Winter Park Bach Festival for information.
• The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts (downtown Orlando) offers a wide variedy of world-class events, some of which include classical music. See Dr. Phillips Center for information.
• The Rollins College Music Department, like the UCF SPA, offers free events, which are often open to the public. See Rollins Music Calendar for information.
• For those with ties to the Brevard County region, the King Center for the Performing Arts (Melbourne, FL) may have classical events. See: Schedule of Events for information.
• For those wiling to travel, remember that most college and university music and fine arts departments often sponsor free or inexpensive classical music events. Check their websites for possible information.
• Print media like the Orlando Sentinel will often have weekly listings (see Thursday-Friday-Saturday editions) in the Arts section, often under "Things to Do."

STEP 2: ATTENDING THE EVENT

Before the Event

• At a minimum, you need do nothing, but you may feel better prepared with a little research, including the following steps.
• Make sure you know where the venue (concert hall) is, how to get there, parking, etc., so that you can arrive at least ten-fifteen minutes before the program begins.
• If attending a professional concert, you may want to check into the "dress code" for the event. Most concerts nowadays accept relatively casual attire (no ties, pants for women), but you may feel more comfortable in more formal attire, i.e., something above your usual day-to-day casual clothes (no tank tops, ripped jeans, short shorts, sandals), even including suit and tie, and dresses for the opera.
• If attending a full-fledged orchestra concert or opera, you may want to do a very modest bit of background reading, simply to know who the main composer(s) are, and the plot of any operatic event.
• If you are curious, you might seek out a recording or two of the works to be performed.

At the Event

• Plan to arrive at least a few minutes early, to ensure that you are not shut out of the first works. Many professional concerts make late-comers wait for a break in the program, even until the mid-concert intermission.
• Make sure you get a copy of any printed programs or concert guides before you are seated. Scan the program for any general information, to see how the program is organized, and to read any program notes about the music to be heard and the performers.
• After you are seated, look around at the concert venue, note how the performers and the audiece are situated relative to one another, read your program, and wait for the event to begin.
• During the performance, enjoy the music, but take mental (and written) notes of how the event proceeds, what you are hearing, and what you enjoy (or not). Do not become overly involved in note-taking, especially while the music is being played, but feel free to make some quick notes on your copy of the program or in a small notebook. Do not distract other audience members by writing or typing while music is being played.
• Watch your fellow audience members for cues on behavior. Experienced concert-goers will let you know when to applaud, when to be quiet, etc., by their own actions. When in doubt about what to do, do nothing and watch for someone else to take the lead.

After the Event

• Before you leave the venue, you may want to make a few notes about what you heard and saw while your impressions are still fresh. Keep your program (and even an extra copy) to take notes and remind you of the event you attended.
• Some events (student recitals, especially) may include post-event receptions with light refreshments. If you are comfortable, stay and converse with the performers, and feel free to ask questions about what you heard and saw.
• When you return home, you may wish to write up some more extended notes and impressions of the event, or even draft parts of your review.
• You may also wish to do a bit of research in your textbook or other resources. Again, you need not do any extensive reading, but you may wish to investigate a bit about the genres or styles that you heard, the background of the composer(s), etc. Start with your textbook and if you need more information, Wikipedia is an acceptable resource for basic facts.
• Feel free to listen to recordings of any works that struck your interest or curiosity (but this is not required).

STEP 3: WRITING YOUR REPORT

General Principles

• The primary objective of these reports is to convey your impressions and reactions to the musical events that you attended in an articulate and well written format.
• This assignment is not a research paper. While you may need to investigate some factual information, the objective is not to gather data to make an argument.
• Your report will be written in a formal (but relaxed) tone, using standard English and presented in a formal typed document.
• You may write in either first or third person, as you feel comfortable, to convey your impressions of the event.
• Use music terminology as appropriate to convey your impressions of the music.
• Provide basic historical background on some of the styles, composers, and pieces that you heard.
• Give your impressions and response to the event or some portions of it. What did you enjoy (or not), and especially WHY?

Content of Your Report

• While you may organize your reports in any logical manner that you think appropriate, you should try to accomplish the following points.
• Provide a brief introduction to the event (Who, what, when, and where).
• Provide an overview of the entire event. You need not list every work (and probably should not), but do note the highlights, in your opinion.
• Focus one or more paragraphs on a single work (or two) that you enjoyed or thought especially important. Describe what you found interesting about that piece.
• Alternately, you might focus on the performer(s), and the skills and talents on display.
• In writing about music, always try to use appropriate terminology (without forcing the technical vocabulary into the paper).
• Similarly, references to historical era and styles, specific composers, genres, etc., need not be extensive, but should be used to describe the event and the music.
• Provide a summary closing to the paper.

Guidelines for the Finished Paper

• Your report will be submitted as an electronic WORD file (in either .doc or .docx format). Papers submitted as PDFs or other formats will be penalized one grade and returned for resubmission.
• Type the paper in double-space in 12-point type as if on white, 8-1/2" by 11" paper, with 1" margins on all 4 sides of the text, and each paragraph indented.
• Write in a formal tone, using Standard English (no contractions, emoticons, email abbreviations, etc.).
• Do not use footnotes or any sort of scholarly documentation. If necesary, you may refer to the printed program in the prose of your paper.
• Include a title page, listing your name, a title for the paper that includes the name of the event that you attended, e.g., "A report/review on . . .", my name, the name of this course, and the date on which you submit your report.
• Absolute minimum word count for the first report is 750 words (body of the paper only).
• Absolute minimum word count for the second report is 1000 words (body of the paper only).
• Include the program (scanned copy acceptable, or hand me the hard copy at your convenience) with your submission.

STEP 4: SUBMITING YOUR REPORT AND GRADING CRITERIA

• Submit your paper to me as an email attachment (including scanned copy of program), sent to my UCF account: scott.warfield@ucf.edu.
• Your first report is due to me no later than MONDAY, 30 March 2020, at 5:00 pm. (You may and are encouraged to submit before the deadline.)
• Your second report is due to me no later than MONDAY, 20 April 2020, at 5:00 pm.
• Your second report must be submitted at least ten days after your first report. (First reports will be graded and returned within a week after submission.)
• Your first report must use a minimum of five technical music terms (Chapters 1-3, Terminology quiz materials) correctly.
• Your second report must use a minimum of five techincal terms (any that are appropirate) correctly, and include historical or stylistic information about at least one work on the program.

Grading Criteria

• 40% on general writing, format, including such basic matters as grammar and spelling, as well as the clarity and logic of your writing.
• 60% on the quality of your description of the musical events, including the correct use of musical terminology and historical/stylistic information.

Updated: 4 March 2020 (sw)