Class: EASIA 224-B1 Winter 2014
When: T/R 1530 - 1650
Where: BUS 1-6
Instructor: Professor Jeffrey Roberts
Multiple cultures crossing paths. Music traditions intersecting, blending, merging. These words could well describe the situation for music and culture in today's global context. Yet looking at East and Central Asian music history of the past three millennia, these words could also aptly describe the blending and merging of music culture that shaped East Asian music as we know it today. This course will trace the intercultural roots of East Asian music by following music as it moved along the Silk Road from Persia, India and Central Asia into China. We will see what aspects of these traditions shaped Chinese music. We will also explore how interculturalism in Chinese music shaped Korean and Japanese music traditions. Throughout the course, listening and discussion, accompanied by related readings, will help develop our ability to distinguish music style and tradition from one culture to the next and distinguish both indigenous and foreign elements. As a modern point of reference, we will compare and contrast the intercultural aspects of East Asian music history with the intercultural music contexts of our own time. No prior musical experience is required for this class.