Introduction to Music Production: Working with digital music samples from all over the world, students learn the basics of music production and build an appreciation for the historical and cultural significance represented in these various musical genres. *This is a computer-based course.
Advanced Production Techniques: The purpose of this course is to develop an understanding of advanced music production techniques based on the fundamentals learned in the introductory course. Introduction to Music Production is a pre-requisite for this course. *This is a computer-based course.
Introduction to Music Fundamentals: This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts involved in the making of music. Using basic music theory, instrumentation and performance, students are exposed to the processes involved in making music and the methodology behind them. Lectures are supported by group activities. Students are then responsible for demonstrating their understanding to their classmates.
Identity, Power and Music: Identity, Power and Music is an interdisciplinary course that emerges from the intersection of Ethnic Studies and Music Production. This course operates from the consideration that race and racism have been, and continue to be, profoundly powerful social and cultural forces in American society. This course focus on the experiences of African Americans, Asian Americans, Chicanas/os and Latinas/os, Native Americans, and other racialized peoples in the US. This course is grounded in the concrete situations of people of color, and uses a methodological framing that emphasizes both the structural dimensions of race and racism and the associated cultural dimensions (Adapted from UC Berkeley, Department of Ethnic Studies). The major purpose of this course is to develop students' political, social, and economic consciousness re their personal connections to local and national history. This course focuses on subjects of social justice and social change. This course centers music as historical data along with academic expression.
Creative Writing: The purpose of this course is to facilitate the understanding of self through the use of poetry, spoken word, storytelling, and lyric. Through comprehensive discussion, reading, writing and performing, students learn to identify, explore, and articulate their observations.
Students will explore their personal identity, perspective, and experience through the mediums of the written word and personal voice. Through discussion and critical thinking, students will learn to use symbolic language as a tool for creative self expression. This is a writing and performance intensive course.
Introduction to Spoken Word: The purpose of this course is to facilitate the understanding of self through the use of music and spoken word. Through comprehensive discussion, writing and performing, students learn to tell their personal stories, empowering them with the confidence needed to help shape their own futures. Students will explore the issues that have helped shape their lives for the purposes of how poetic expression can facilitate positive and intimate relationships.
Emcee School: Emcee School 101 is an introductory course to the art of Emceeing, or Rapping, one of the five original elements of Hip-Hop Culture (DJing, B-Boying, Emcee, Graffiti Art, and Knowledge). Emcee School students will learn about the power of creative and vocal expression by connecting the study of chess, civics, and hip-hop. Students will learn about hip-hop from a cultural, philosophical and historical perspective. Students will study, write, and record free form poetry and hip-hop lyrics, acapalla and over beats.
Social Solutions: The purpose of this course is to engage students in the study of broad range of “social problems”, beginning with identity, race, social class, and gender issues, and extending to issues of technology, social networking, mass media, sustainability, urban renewal and gentrification, urban planning and social justice issues of the future. There is a music-and-arts-appreciation component to this course, as students will learn how social changes occurs through the artistic process and artistic inspiration. Students will learn the game of chess, which will be used as metaphoric content for the class. Students will be exposed to historical and contemporary figures (locally, nationally, and internationally) who are working on social solutions.
Social Solutions option for focus on urban renewal / gentrification in Denver:
Amidst major transformations that are reshaping their community, students will learn about the various forces that are driving these changes, and will have an opportunity to actively process and participate in these changes as democratic citizens. Through guest speakers, lectures, field studies, community tours, think tank discussions and mixed media education, students will gain a sociological understanding of urban community development from a diversity of perspectives. Students will explore the political, economic, small business, artistic, cultural, and activist elements of the community of Denver at large, and the La Alma community in particular.