Overview of Course

This course offers students an engaging and comprehensive journey through the diverse and vibrant soundscapes of world music. Designed with a global lens, Soundscapes: Music as Human Practice introduces learners to the rich tapestry of musical expression found across cultures and continents. With no prerequisites required, the course welcomes all students eager to discover how music functions as a universal language—one that both shapes and reflects human experience. Through an immersive curriculum that includes lecture-demonstrations, active listening, video screenings, concert attendance, and guided field or library research, students will explore a wide variety of musical genres. These include vocal traditions, instrumental music, and dance styles, each examined within the context of its cultural origins and societal roles.
From ancient musical practices to contemporary global trends, the course traces the historical evolution of world music and highlights the dynamic ways in which musical traditions adapt and influence one another over time. A central focus is the interconnection between music and everyday life—particularly how it is intertwined with social ceremonies, cultural identity, and religious rituals. Students will study music not only as sound, but also as behavior and knowledge, gaining insight into the lives, values, and beliefs of the communities that create and sustain these traditions. Whether students aspire to expand their cultural literacy, enrich their musical awareness, or simply experience the joy of global music, this course provides a valuable foundation for understanding the sounds of the world and the stories they tell. This course is designed to introduce you to the subject of sound and soundscape studies, and how to apply theories and methods of sound studies covered in class to your own sonic investigations of the world.