MU319 Music of Cuba

Final Project

The idea behind this project is to intimately get to know at least one Cuban piece of music.
The way to do this is to learn to play it by ear.

Each person in the class picks a piece of Cuban music that features their instrument, and then learns to play or sing it.
Then he/she performs it for the class, and also writes it down and "analyzes" it in some way. At least try to write down your part. If you can write the whole thing, so much the better. If you want to pick the same tune as another instrumentalist to make it possible to perform together, that would be great. You can also teach the class simple parts if want. If you team up with other members of the class, make sure each of you is responsible for your part.

In order to do this, you should:

1. Listen to a wide variety of Cuban music. This would most likely be from the reserve materials in the library, but it could also be something I played in class (ask me), or from your own collection, or from the music store. Since the library has a fairly limited collection in the Cuban arena, I will put some of my own CD's on reserve as well.

2. Pick some music you really like, and learn to play it by ear. In the process, if you're able, write it down (transcribe it).

3. Find out some background information about the music, musicians, musical style, recording, etc., and write this down. You will say a few words about the music before you perform. This will help the class understand something about the musical example you have chosen. You will also write this down (see next item).

4. You will give me this short description of the music (a page or two) when you perform, along with whatever transcriptions you have done.

Classical players, you can try something from a contradanza, danza or danzón if you want.
If you happen to locate some music that IS notated and you would like to play that for us, that's OK (for example Cervantes, Saumell, Roldan, Caturla or Lecuona) but you must also do something by ear as well.

If you're not a musician, you can learn to play a folksong, and/or teach it to the rest of the class.

NOTE: Most of the world's folklore is not written down. Thus, the only way to understand it is to learn it yourself. There is no "answer in the back of the book," that is to say, there is no score with which to compare your transcription. You do the best you can, and compare with others' transcriptions. In some cases in Cuba, there are written transcriptions available. Most of these were done by ear, just as you're doing it. Of course, the classical pieces like the piano pieces of Cervantes for example, were written down from the beginning.

We all need practice playing by ear! I have observed that many students in the School of Music have never played by ear. It's very good for you...