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MUZ11MUZ-GES-1-JAZZ - History of Music 1 Jazz38485/4722/2627/1/64
Study guide

MUZ11MUZ-GES-1-JAZZ - History of Music 1 Jazz

38485/4722/2627/1/64
Academic year 2026-27
Is found in:
  • Bachelor of Arts in Music, programme stage 1
  • Bachelor of Arts in Music
This is a single course unit.
Study load: 5 credits
Weight: 5,00
Total study time: 180,00 hours
Possible deadlines for learning account: 30.11.2026 (Course takes place from beginning until end of academic year)
Nature: General mandatory course
Co-ordinator: Heyman Matthias (dut,eng)
Language course: No
Languages: Dutch, English
Scheduled for: Academic Year
This course unit is marked out of 20 (rounded to an integer).
Re-sit exam: is possible.
Possibility of tolerance: A result of less than 8/20 is not tolerablefor this course unit.
Preservability: The result of this course unit is preservable according to the terms of the program you are enrolled for.

Course Content

The course comprises a total of twenty lectures combined with occasional individual at-home tasks and self-study.

Music History 1 – Jazz aims to introduce students to the history of jazz and related musical genres from the late nineteenth century to the early 21st century. The emphasis is mainly on jazz styles that have historically emerged from the United States.

The course offers a chronological, historical overview, focusing on representative key (sub)styles, performers and musical works, typically recordings, that help place the musical style in question in a broad context. Thus, in addition to the musical impact of the performers and their work, the aesthetic, emotional, social, cultural, political, economic and technological influence is discussed, whenever relevant.

In this way, the student not only gains historical understanding of jazz and related genres, but also learns to understand, describe, criticize and, hopefully, appreciate it from both a musical and social perspective.

Type of Teaching

Education with personal contact
Lab30,00 hours
Lecture30,00 hours
Preparation for the course
Course preparation60,00 hours
Self-study
Coached study60,00 hours

Course Objectives

At introduction level, contributes to the realisation:

The student progressively masters the knowledge and skills necessary for their chosen musical specialisation through methodical frameworks appropriate to the level of study, artistic and academic sources, and provided exercises and musical examples from the relevant repertoire (LO1–5).

The student demonstrates, on an individual and progressive basis, the ability to apply artistic and practice-oriented frameworks and craft-based knowledge, drawing on relevant academic and artistic sources and practical examples, within the context of a sustainable artistic presentation/performance (LO6–10).

With guidance, the student constructs a fully-fledged artistic product based on an authentic and well-founded artistic vision, and communicates about it effectively. He/she reflects on their own work with a critical and artistic attitude, with an eye towards lifelong professional development, in relation to the music world and the broader socio-cultural context (LO11–14).

Evaluation

Evaluation(s) for first exam chance
MomentForm%Remark
Exam period JunePaper40,00(see syllabus/study guide on Canvas for concrete information.)
Exam period JuneWritten evaluation60,00Written (closed book) exam (12 May 2025 – theory & practice). The student has 90 minutes to finish the exam. Once passed, the student doesn’t need to retake the exam. Re-examinations are possible based on the same program.
The exam contains several components:

practice:
style identification based on (aural) musical excerpt: name of (sub)style
style identification based on (written) score excerpt: name of (sub)style
canon identification based on musical excerpt from essential listening: title, name of artist, name of album (when applicable)

theory:
true/false with guess correction
multiple choice with guess correction
terminology: definition, synonym or in own words
knowledge question based on information shared in class, the course text, or the academic literature
insight question based on combining insights from various chapters
bonus question for extra points

Exact dates linked to people and recordings/albums aren’t to be known unless specified. Personnel of recordings/albums aren’t to be known unless specified.

Course Material(s): Mandatory

  • study guide
  • course text (complete)
  • slides (per chapter)
  • reading material (one academic article)
  • Spotify playlist: excerpts played in class
  • Spotify playlist: Core canon (listed in course text and embedded in Spotify playlist)
  • own notes (if need be)

Prerequisites

CodeDescriptionLevel
ESOFinal attainment level: secundary educationIntroductory

Acquired competences

CodeDescriptionLevelCategory
BMUZ_LO03LO3: Stylistic insight Graduates from the bachelor program in music have a solid understanding of styles relevant to creation within various musical contexts.DLR
BMUZ_LO05LO5: Artistic research and reflection Graduates from the bachelor program in music can apply basic techniques of artistic research, have a critical mindset and are able to collect information and incorporate it into their own performance practice. DLR
BMUZ_LO12LO12: Position within an (inter)national, social, cultural and musical context Graduates from the bachelor program in music can reflect critically on their own position in cultural and (inter)national contexts.DLR

Course Sequence

There are no prerequisites for this course.