Musical Knack Lab 1: Writing about Music

Course goals

Gaining profound knowledge of and training with a broad array of music critical genres, while optimizing the writing skills.

Content

This course within the practical Musical Knack Lab track trains students in critically reviewing an opus or a performance, conducting an interview, writing liners or program notes, a necrology and the like. Via classroom discussions of samples of reviews and other articles, fundamental issues relevant to writing critically about music will be analyzed, including for example the changing function of music criticism through the ages, modes of persuasion, conventions, language and style.
Through individual assignments, the personal writing skills reflecting profound listening, recognition of musical style, form and structure will be thoroughly trained. The final assignment will consist of a jointly produced music magazine.

Additional information

Only open to students enrolled in the MA programme Applied Musicology.

Career orientation:
Knowledge of, and ability to utilize diverse music critical and journalistic genres.
Ability to reach out to diverse target groups.