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2017　Special Lecture: Fundamentals of Japanese Cultur

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Academic unit or major
Humanities and social science courses
Instructor(s)
De Ferranti Hugh Barry Ziani 
Class Format
Lecture     
Media-enhanced courses
Day/Period(Room No.)
Thr1-2(W321)  
Group
-
Course number
LAH.H214
Credits
1
Academic year
2017
Offered quarter
3Q
Syllabus updated
2017/4/6
Lecture notes updated
-
Language used
English
Access Index

Course description and aims

This 8-week course will introduce students to some of the fundamental characteristics of Japanese music culture. Both historical (traditional) genres and modern era case studies as well as music of two important minorities, the Ainu and Okinawans, will be presented as illustrations of various ways in which music has been shaped by history, culture, and geo-political context. Intercultural experience through music will be considered both for the minority cases within Japan and for music in global cultural flows.

Student learning outcomes

At the conclusion of this course students will be able to identify the characteristics of a number of representative genres of Japanese music, discuss common features across genres in non-specialist language, and aurally recognise at least 1 well-known piece in each of the genres studied.

Keywords

music, theatre, sound, narrative, acculturation, indigenisation

Competencies that will be developed

✔ Specialist skills ✔ Intercultural skills ✔ Communication skills ✔ Critical thinking skills Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Students must listen to and/or view some assigned music examples, and read at least 1 assigned text before each of classes 2 through 7. Pairs of students should prepare questions or comments about what they have listened to, view or read. About half of each class will involve lecturing on the music genre, while the other half will involve discussion of the pairs' questions or comments, and listening closely to the assigned and additional music examples. A pair-based collaborative project should be proposed to the instructor by the 3rd class, then worked into a short paper submitted by the final class.

Course schedule/Required learning

  Course schedule Required learning
Class 1 Introduction to course; the sound of history Pairwork comparisons of Japanese music culture and those of GSEP program students. Chapter 1, de Ferranti 2000
Class 2 gagaku and shrine music (kagura) Milioto Matsue 2016, extracts from Ch.3, Wade 2005 Ch. 2
Class 3 heike narrative and biwa singing de Ferranti 2009 Intro extract; 'Yokobue' (heike), 'Sakuragari' (Seiha Satsumabiwa)
Class 4 the sound of Edo and the music of the demimonde: koto and shamisen Wade 2005, extracts from Ch.3 Groemer 2008 (Popular music before the Meiji period), extracts.
Class 5 music in kabuki: Kanjincho Wade 2005, extracts from Ch.4 Tokita 2008 (Music in kabuki: more than meets the eye), extracts
Class 6 Okinawan, Ainu and other minority 'Japanese' musics Thompson 2008, extracts Chiba 2008, extracts
Class 7 global Japanese music: wadaiko and shakuhachi in intercultural contexts de Ferranti 2006 (Japan beating), Blasdel 2005, Ch. 6
Class 8 review; listening test Pair-based collaborative paper (ca.800 words) must have been submitted by this class.
Class 9 - -
Class 10 - -
Class 11 - -
Class 12 - -
Class 13 - -
Class 14 - -
Class 15 - -

Textbook(s)

none

Reference books, course materials, etc.

readings, listenings and viewings on OCW-i; handouts in class

Assessment criteria and methods

participation 30%
collaborative short project and paper 30%
listening test 40%

Related courses

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Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

GSEP candidature or a TOEIC score of 770 or above

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