Attend a live performance of classical music, then write a five-hundred word “Concert Review”.
The concert must be of classical music and approved by me before I will accept the written concert report.
Proof of attendance will also be required. Acceptable forms of proof include photo of the ticket stub, event program, or of you at the event and in the picture. The performance must occur after the start date of the course.
The Details:
The Concert Review should be suitable for publication in a newspaper. Like any news article, the review should include WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY. Who performed? What pieces did they play? When and where did the concert take place? Why did they perform (a fundraiser, a senior recital, a special occasion)?
When describing the music itself, incorporate musical vocabulary and concepts you’ve learned in this course. A little background on the piece(s) performed may be helpful for the reader (“This piece was one of Mozart’s more controversial works, composed shortly before his death.”), but a lengthy biography of the composer would not be appropriate. Focus on the performance of the musicthe performers’ skill and interpretation, the appropriateness of the venue, the response of the audience.
Resources:
Before attending the concert, please read this step-by-step guide to concert review writing from Duke University. It may also be helpful to read some recent live music reviews from the New York Times as well as the City Times, our college newspaper.
