Lecture #1

Lecture: Electronic Music Development
Class: Theory III
Lecturer: Amy Engelsdorfer
Date: 12/10/10


     This lecture was all about the development of electronic music in the mid-20th century. Dr. Engelsdorfer began the lecture by having the class listen to "It's Gonna Rain" by Steve Reich, which is a rather extreme electronic piece. She then had the students analyze the piece and pick out certain elements: rhythm, form, dynamics, etc. She then began her lecture and started with a brief overview of the history of electronic music and how it came about. 
    Next, we listened to several more electronic pieces and analyzed them as well. We compared and contrasted them while Dr. E. led the discussion and continued adding her knowledge about the subject. At the end, we were listening to a modern piece that was written a few years ago by a 16 - year-old girl. Through this, we were able to connect on a more personal level because the girl was so young and the piece was so new - it was something many of us students probably listen to everyday.
     Dr. E.'s lecture style is very informal. She allows and encourages student participation throughout her entire lecture, leaving the discussion wide open for questions and other comments. As an educator, Dr. E. is very effective. She asks a lot of questions to prompt a meaningful discussion and also keeps her own lectures interesting with her humor and fast pace. This lecture was very interesting and prompted me to inquire further into the subject of electronic music.