Ethnography Part One: The Musical Event Read the following chapter on Canvas: Ruth M. Stone. 2008. “Performance Theory in Ethnomusicology,” Theory for Ethnomusicology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall You are required to attend a musical event, or an eve

GOALS FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT: to create an ethnomusicological ethnography utilizing the theoretical tools found in performance theory. Overview You are required to attend one musical event and conduct one interview over the course of the semester and to write about each experience in a single, integrated report. Each part of the report has slightly different requirements concerning what type of issues you must address. You might find it easier to locate a musician, producer, or religious leader to interview first. In this way, you can find out when and where they are next performing in order to fulfill the event portion of your report. Ethnography Part One: The Musical Event Read the following chapter on Canvas: Ruth M. Stone. 2008. “Performance Theory in Ethnomusicology,” Theory for Ethnomusicology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall You are required to attend a musical event, or an event where music plays a vital part, and write about the experience as if you were an ethnomusicologist “in the field.” The event could feature any type of music: an Arabic ensemble, Indonesian Gamelan, African or African American music, Jazz ensemble, even a Pop or Rock band. The event can take place as a concert, religious ritual or ceremony, dance or background music at a coffee shop, bar or club, recording session, rehearsal, or even a rave. Discuss the entire event in your report. Even if the music or cultural group is somewhat familiar to you, discuss everything that happens from the point of view of an objective observer from outside the culture. Feel free to write in the first person as you describe your experiences and to express your opinions. Please structure your report as an essay (not as a series of numbered answers) that addresses the following issues: Identify the performer/ensemble, the venue, and the music-culture hosting the event. Provide a list of the activities that took place and organize these chronologically as they took place the night/day you attended. Draw your own conclusions about the cultural logic behind the ordering of activities. Identify all interactions that took place during or leading up to the event. Some questions to consider include: How did the performer interact with those responsible for the event? Did the interactions among audience members change significantly once the performance was underway? In what ways did you notice the performer’s attempts at bringing a greater intensity of communication between himself and the audience? Express your own opinion on the successes or failures of the event. Which parts of the event did you like or dislike, and why? Describe the musical features that contributed to your forming an impression of each piece of music performed. If applicable, you may draw comparisons to pieces we have discussed in class. ANALYSIS: Using the four points of the Performance Theory developed by Richard Bauman (page 137 in reading), provide an analysis of the behavior of the performers and the audience, the interactions between any of the various groups of people at the event, or on any other aspect of the concert, ritual, or ceremony that you find striking. Feel free to talk to people to get their observations (at intermission or after the show). Be sure to closely observe the roles played by your subject before, during, and after the event. Apply Bakan’s HIP approach (discussed in Chapter 2) to your analysis as well. What were some of the things the performer intended to communicate (refer to the interview)? How were these perceived by you and the audience (refer to audience observations and interviews made at the event)? Ethnography Part Two: The Interview Your task is to plan and implement an interview with a local musician, D.J., or producer who was involved with the event you attended. The purpose of the project is to gain some insight into the music-culture which sponsored the event. The person you interview must be an active participant within that particular music-culture. In order to make this assignment successful: Make sure that you choose a musician or producer who is willing and available to participate in your project. Connect with this individual before or during the event in order to set up a time and place for the interview. Carefully plan your interview questions ahead of time. Be sure to use “open-ended” questions that encourage your subject to tell his or her story. Do not record your interview as video. Use a simple audio recording device and a pen and paper (or computer) to take notes during the interview and immediately afterward. There are always things that are said that pass by too fast during the interview and need to be written down immediately afterward. Interview Transcript (handed in w/ Ethnography) Be sure to record your interview and take notes. You are required to hand in an interview transcript with your Ethnography. An interview transcript is a documentation of the questions asked by you and the answers given by your interview subject. This is a “word for word” description (transcription) of everything that was said by both parties during the interview. In order to keep to a three page maximum for the transcript, don’t make this exhaustive. Just pull out the most important questions and answers. Writing an integrated Ethnography When you write your ethnography you are going to integrate elements of this interview into your essay. The ethnography should consist of your “take” on the relation of your musician to the community she or he serves. You are required to use one or more of the theoretical models presented in your text (Theory for Ethnomusicology by Ruth M. Stone, 2008) and/or in lecture about Jeff Todd Titon’s Music-Culture Performance Model (doesn’t apply to online class); Michael Bakan’s Human Intention and Perception approach) as tools for your analysis and interpretation. Some important questions to consider include: How does your musician understand her or his creative role within the musical genre and affinity group or culture she or he performs? How does his or her insider’s perspective match and/or differ from your viewpoint as the ethnographer?