Cultures in Musical Dialogue is a performance-based ensemble course specifically designed for ethnomusicology undergraduate majors to cultivate improvisational skills, to engage with different musical genres and traditions, and to create original compositions. The ensemble course will enable students to become more consciously aware of the processes that figure into musical improvisation. It will also introduce students to fundamental techniques and philosophies of improvisation in a diverse range of musical traditions. Students will be able to advance their listening abilities, develop a rich musical vocabulary, and implement improvisation as a communication tool to express their musical ideas, perform together, and co-create improvisational musical pieces that draws on their engagement with different musical traditions and their intercultural exchanges. Cultures in Musical Dialogue welcomes undergraduate ethnomusicology students looking for a high-level performance experience to join its weekly, three-hour long rehearsals on Thursday evenings during the spring quarter. Students are encouraged to bring their own instruments, ideas, and aspirations to the rehearsals.
