Women in Jazz

Module code
M-JP-WIJ
Curricular domain
Profile, extension and depth: Community
Credits
4
Group size
8
Number of course weeks
24
Class duration
1 hour
Total contact hours
24 hours. If there are fewer applications for this subject than indicated in the description, it will typically proceed with proportionally less contact time (and accordingly more individual attention per student), but never with fewer than 4 students.
Study load
88

Form / content / level

Prerequisites
Admitted to the second year of Jazz & Pop. This subject can only be followed on-campus.
Competencies
See Competencies Matrix.
Aims
Developing an understanding of the history of women in jazz.
Relation to other modules
Music History Jazz & Pop.
Content
This elective takes a closer look at women in jazz history; hidden gems, forgotten stars, and innovators. The historical period covered in the lessons will reach from the start of the 20th century to contemporary times. Starting by discussing women in blues at the beginning of the 20th century, the course looks to Angela Davis and her book Blues Legacies and Black Feminism. From there on, we trace the steps of women in jazz, both well-known names and largely forgotten. Beyond focusing on the music, the course looks into historical, sociological, cultural, and political landscapes surrounding women in jazz and how those might have intertwined with their music careers.
Mode(s) of instruction
Lectures, class discussions and individual feedback on assignments.
Material & Tools
List of songs.
Handouts.
Brooks, Daphne A. Liner Notes for the Revolution. Harvard University Press, 2021.
Davis, Angela. Blues Legacies and Black Feminism. Vintage Books, 1999.
Stein, Sammy. Women in Jazz. 8th House Pub, 2019.
Student activity
Listening to relevant music.
Preparing and performing a concert where students perform compositions by women in jazz, presenting research findings publicly to share the knowledge in music and speech.
Taking part in class discussions.

Examination and assessment

Mode(s) of assessment
Written assignment (50%).
10-minute presentation (40%).
Attendance and participation in class discussions (10%).
Criteria
Students should have mastered the elements described under Contents.
Pass requirements
The student has completed this module if being awarded a minimum grade of 5.5 at the end of the second semester.
Examination procedure
Students are assessed at the end of both semesters. Assessment at the end of the autumn semester is formative and expressed in terms of satisfactory/unsatisfactory. It indicates a student's progress in this module. No ECs are awarded and there is no resit. Modules can only be absolved, and ECs awarded, after the end of the spring semester. The end-of-semester assessments comprise evaluations of students' performance on the written assignment, presentation, and participation during lessons.
Resit options
See the Education and Assessment Plan.

Module summary

This module will explore the history of women in jazz.