Teaching Music History at the Chinese University of Hong Kong: Course Content, Textbooks, and Online Tools

  • Joseph E. Jones The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Keywords: Music History, East Asia

Abstract

This essay is divided into three sections, each addressing an issue related to teaching the undergraduate music history survey. I begin by suggesting the obvious: that the way we title our courses should accurately describe their contents. The choice between teaching “Western art music†and “music in Western culture†might significantly alter an instructor’s approach and the students’ perspectives. In the second section, I explore the merits of traditional textbooks compared to more focused readings that favor depth over breadth of knowledge. Finally, I share reflections on various online tools and their potential value to teaching and learning.

Author Biography

Joseph E. Jones, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Joseph Jones is Assistant Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong where he teaches courses in Western music history and musicology. His undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota, Morris was in vocal performance and he earned a PhD in musicology at the University of Illinois in 2009. 

Published
2014-01-19
Issue
Vol 4 No 2 (2014): Spring 2014: Essays in Honor of Douglass Seaton
Section
Roundtable

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