Concert Paper Assignment Requirements
Concert Paper Assignment Content and Format Requirements
These are detailed and specific – read carefully before and while writing the Concert Paper.
Then review requirements again and revise as needed,
including the incorporation of feedback on the graded pre-concert report form,
before submitting the paper.
During the semester, and after completing your pre-concert report form, you will view the approved classical and non-classical videos that you selected from the approved lists (or received approval for a live classical concert). Using your observations from watching the performances and using the information and feedback obtained from your Pre-Concert Report Form, you will write a Concert Paper that thoughtfully reflects your concert experiences and observations.
NOTE: a Concert Paper will not be accepted or graded unless and until the Pre-Concert Report Form has been submitted and graded. In other words, you cannot skip the report form and only submit a paper.
Your paper must be at least 750 words (approx. three pages) and should not exceed 1500 words (approx. six pages). [See Pre-Concert Report Form assignment for more details about concert requirements and approval.]
Assignment Details
Your paper must conform to the following requirements for content and format:
Important NOTE: points will be lost for excessive context and/or lack of music discussion/description. See grading rubric prior to completing and submitting your paper.
Requirements for CONTENT (see also FORMAT requirements below):
• Introduction (one or two paragraphs)
o Identify the two concerts/videos selected for the assignment, including dates and places of performances and styles represented, as well why you selected these concerts for this assignment.
• Body (probably multiple paragraphs each category)
o Classical concert description (the approved video you watched)
 Include the following in order to provide a descriptive good overview of the concert:
 (you may provide brief background information about the work/composer)
 description of the concert venue, such as staging and seating
 description of the performers, such as how they are dressed, behavior/interaction with conductor and/or audience
 description of the audience, such as attendance/numbers, ages, sexes, behaviors
 description of the conductor’s behavior, role in leading the orchestra, and impact on the enjoyment of the concert
 Classical music description
 Using the feedback on your Pre-Concert Report Form and additional observations and listening analysis from watching the video, describe the selected piece from the classical concert video
 Include at least five of the following elements in a specific, rich, and detailed description: mood, melody, harmony, texture, tone color, rhythm/meter, tempo, dynamics
 Refer to the music description table and prompts listed in the pre-concert report form for ideas about features to consider in your description
 Use specific and appropriate music terms and concepts
o Description of the non-classical music concert (the one you selected from the approved list)
 Include the following in order to provide a descriptive overview of the concert:
 description of the cultural context for the performance, such as religious, entertainment, festival, dance
 description of the concert venue, such as staging and seating
 description of the performers, such as how they are dressed, behavior/interaction with each other and/or audience
 description of the audience, such as attendance/numbers, ages, sexes, behaviors, attire
 description of the instruments used
 Description of music featured in the non-classical music video
 If more than one piece was performed, select one that you feel represents the music culture
 Include details about the instruments used for the piece
 Include at least five of the following elements in your description, selecting those that best reflect the music culture: mood, melody, harmony, texture, tone color, rhythm/meter, tempo, dynamics
 Refer to the music description table and prompts listed in the pre-concert report form for ideas about features to consider in your description
 Use specific and appropriate music terms and concepts
o Compare and contrast the two performances (the classical one used for the pre-concert report form and the non-classical video performance)
 Describe the ways in which the performances reflect their respective cultures, origins, and functions.
 Remember to be descriptive and specific in your comparison in your use of terms and concepts
 Identify similarities and differences between the two performances, such as their instrumentation, mood, use of musical language, performer/audience interaction, event function, audience/attendees, etc.
 Remember that you do not need to critique which concert was “better,” but rather discuss the similarities/differences in these aspects
 Comment on your perception of the ways the audience responded differently at the two concerts and why you think they did so
o Your reaction
 Describe any aspects of the concerts (behaviors, conventions, etc.) that surprised you
 Discuss what you liked about both of the concerts and the concert experiences
 Discuss what you did not like about both of the concerts and the concert experiences
 Discuss how learning something about a piece before attending a classical concert (the piece used for the pre-concert worksheet) affected your live/video concert experience
 For comparison, contrast that response with hearing a piece for the first time at a concert (the contrasting classical piece)
• Conclusion (one or two paragraphs, include the following content)
o Summarize the overall experience of attending/viewing these two different concerts – classical and non-classical
o Based on these concert experiences and your studies this semester, describe how music reflects culture and society (i.e., its role and functions). Consider:
 Why do concert venues continue to exist and people continue to support classical music?
 How is a classical concert different from other social activities and forms of entertainment?
 How is a non-classical (jazz, popular, or world music) concert experience similar to or different than a classical concert experience?
• Citations
o Citations must be provided for all of the live and/or video performances (see Helpful Resources, Writing Resources for Chicago Style examples of how to cite these)
o Sources must be cited for quotations or other specific details included in the paper (see below for format)
o Include the classical concert program notes in your bibliography if there were any
o Include any other books, articles, websites, or other sources used.
Requirements for FORMAT:
• Organization
o See above: your paper should have an introduction that establishes the context of the concert you attended, a body of several paragraphs that addressed the required points, and at least one substantial concluding paragraph that addresses the required points
• Style
o Paper must include a heading with your name, class, assignment name
o Paper must include a meaningful and descriptive title for your paper (not the assignment name)
o Paper format is to be:
 double-spaced
 one-inch margins on all sides
 12-point font size
o Paper must be written in formal college English, which means:
 write in third person, which means no use of “you”
 may make limited use of first person “I” in your introduction and/or reaction comments and concluding paragraph when commenting on personal experience or opinion
 avoid slang, casual phrases, and colloquial terms
 no contractions (write out all words; for instance, “are not” vs. “aren’t”)
 no abbreviations of words (for instance, write out “twentieth” vs. using “20th”)
 spell out numbers ten and less
 good use of grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraph structure
o Sources may use either parenthetical references or footnotes, but be consistent throughout the paper
• Other
o Paper must include, at the end of the paper, a list of all sources used in writing the paper, including:
 classical concert booklet/program notes if provided at the concert
 citations for both performances (video or live)
 any other sources consulted for the paper
o Style for titles of pieces are presented correctly:
 Titles of pieces are placed in italics. EX: Berlioz’s Fantastic Symphony.
 Songs and arias are placed in quotes. EX: “Thunderstruck.”
 Movement titles are capitalized but are not in quotes or italics. EX: The Allegro from Mozart’s Symphony No. 40.
o Documentation style
 See Reference Styles on class site for correct citation format in Chicago Style; MLA or APA are also acceptable
 Footnotes or parenthetical references in the body of the paper must be stated with complete details and in correct format
 Source list must be stated with complete details and in correct format