Fall 2025.....Mus237: Music Appreciation- Rock and Roll CRN: 75755
Hello and welcome to Music Appreciation - Rock and Roll! My name is Idona Cabrinha and I am your instructor for this completely online Distance Education Course. Please note this is a condensed 8-week course. The start date is Monday, October 20, 2025 available for study at 8am. The course ends on December 12th, 2025.
SLOs student learning outcomes for Mus 237
- Demonstrate knowledge of music terminology of styles and instrumentation of various world regions.
- Listen and demonstrate knowledge of music examples of Rock and Roll.
- Prepare thorough analysis of Rock and Roll examples effective music terminology and internet presentation applicable to the source.
Course Catalog Description
Introduces the non-music major to the history and literature of the popular music movement in the United States. Emphasizes musical styles and personalities from the late forties to the present.
Instructor's Course Description
This course introduces students to the beginnings of Rock and Roll. This is a tremendous subject and includes many many influential artists and styles. This makes our task as students of Rock quite vast. You will learn about important aspects of the roots of rock and its influences throughout the decades with (unequal proportions) influences from pop music, country and western, rhythm and blues, jazz, folk music, gospel and even classical music. You will learn about various artists. With these influences on the emerging genre of rock you will learn how to actively engage in how to listen to music. You will become music scholars on the creation and development of rock music. You will gain a deeper understanding and I hope appreciation for many varied rock and roll music styles and forms that may be brand new or familiar. I hope you are ready for exploration and discovery for this Music Appreciation Course.
Content is presented in the online learning management system Canvas accessible by your Cuesta portal. The course is organized through each module unit. Students may use a combination of Google Docs, Google Slides, Padlet, Soundcloud, Pronto and Zoom throughout the course. a
This course has no required textbook or materials. There are no required meeting times for this class as this is an asynchronous distance education course.
Instructor: Idona Cabrinha.B.A., M.M. Music, Piano Performance & Pedagogy, she/her/hers.
Courses taught at Cuesta: Elementary Mus 258 and Intermediate Piano Mus 259, Music Appreciation: World Music Mus236 and Rock and Roll Mus237, and Music Fundamentals(Mus201).
Meet your instructor : Hi my name is Idona Cabrinha. I have lived on and off in the central coast since 1989. Since 2002 we have made the central coast our permanent home. I am married with 2 grown children. When I’m not teaching at Cuesta, I’m teaching in my home studio (piano and vocal coaching) as well as other universities. I am also an accompanist - playing for churches, different groups, musicians and singers. I have also taught at other college settings, and have an extensive teaching background directing choirs of all ages, worked in public schools teaching music and choral directing to young children, middle and high schools. When I am not doing ‘music’ I am frequently on a ‘run’, playing tennis, or at a family sport event or watching sports! I enjoy traveling, love cooking and baking and preparing healthy foods for myself, family and friends. I look forward to meeting you on this journey of studying music.
Communication: **Use Pronto as a regular communication tool in this course(you may use from your device (phone/notebook application) or laptop/desktop computer. Wednesdays at 11am I am available for Office hour online via Zoom. You may also email me via the Canvas inbox. For personal matters use idona_cabrinha@cuesta.edu.
Instructor Contact Expectations
- Please note that Email is the best and fastest way to reach me.
- I will generally respond within 24 hours M-F. During those times in the semester when things are really, really busy . . . the turn around time may be 48 hours.
- I generally log off around 7pm every day and do not respond to emails on the weekends.
I am deeply and passionately committed to acknowledging, confronting, and actively striving to eradicate all forms of racism and ethnic oppression. Thus, this course operates from the belief that racism is real, is present, and is something that Black, Indigenous, and all People of Color face daily. Part of my objective for this course, therefore, is to create a safe and brave space that enables all of my students to engage openly, safely, equally, equitably, and honorably with their education. In taking this course, you are expected to do your best to embrace these values; and, while I expect that we will all make mistakes along the way, I also expect that we will work together to engage with all of our classmates and with the material through thoughtful respect of everyone and their individual truths.
Acceptable conduct and academic honesty:
http://www.boarddocs.com/ca/cuesta/Board.nsf/files/ADYR726C84B7/%24file/BP_5500_StandardsofConduct_Final_2016.pdf (Links to an external site.)
Text Book and Materials
This is a course with zero cost textbook and zero cost materials. Students are expected to actively engage in the course by completing the readings, viewing videos and power points and actively listening to the listening examples for the class.
Supplemental Materials necessary for the class:
- Padlet (you have to create an account to access this site which we will use throughout the course)
- Google Account to access google docs and google slides (if you have a google email, then you have access to google slides which is used in our course)
- Audio/Video capabilities, to record and submit for assignments
- Pronto
- Zoom Account
- Taking notes on both a hard copy notebook and/or online tools such as Diigo or Evernote is highly suggested
- Additional Technology tools outside the LMS (learning management system – Canvas) such as You Tube.
- Optional: Additional Supplies for Course – folder and or binder to store print out of syllabus for this course
Student Support at Cuesta *I highly encourage you to take time to visit these wonderful services at Cuesta * clickable links below. And this google doc I have created.
Disability Student Programs and Services
- If you have a physical, mental, or learning disability that requires any special accommodation, please contact Disabled Student Programs and Services (Links to an external site.) as soon as possible to ensure that you receive the accommodations in a timely manner. I will be happy to discuss and work with you on your need for accommodations.
College Support Services*
Help and Technical Support*
- Instructor specific instructions for troubleshooting LMS or other software issues.
- For issues related to accessing Cuesta's Moodle Site or other technical issues, students may email: support@my.cuesta.edu
- Sample technical issues statement: If the Cuesta server goes down or the power is out, you are still responsible for accessing the course.
- For all other issues related to the course or course content, please email me.
Course and College Policies
Student Expectations
- Online classes are available and make your education experience more convenient. However, this is not a self pace, learn on your own class. This is a 3-unit college level course taking place in a condensed 8 - week semester which is about 5-6 hours a week in lecture and homework. I have structured weeks with material for you to read, watch and interact with. I ask my students to find time in their busy schedules to log into the classroom three out of seven days a week to discuss topics related to the material being learned. This helps to answer questions, clear up confusion, and we have a chance to learn from other students experiences. The days in which you log on are up to the students and can be weekdays or weekends whichever works best for your situation.
- *Weekly deadlines for multiple assignments (including readings, discussions and other posts) for this course *tend to be Mondays by 11:59pm. I realize life happens, be responsible, communicate to me if you are unable to meet a due date. Commit to a regular time throughout the week to your studies.
- Check pronto for weekly announcements…be sure you have pronto and an email connected to the LMS – Canvas system (Cuesta) so that you receive correspondence successfully. You can set up in canvas settings how frequently you can receive email updates.
- You should also print out a copy of this syllabus and keep it handy for reference.
- The course is divided into modules, Each unit will appear in the Modules section of the course. There are at least 2 modules to visit within each week and a half. To get started each week, closely review the Overview page, which lists the learning objectives and required assignments for the unit. Taking notes on both a hard copy notebook and/or online tools such as Diigo or Evernote is highly suggested.
Netiquette and Online Course Participation*
- Use respectful and appropriate language in your forum discussions.
- Please do not use texting language, lol.
- Emoticons are acceptable ways to show emotion.
- Avoid CAPS as they come across like YOU'RE SCREAMING.
- You are expected to read all forum posts.
- You are to respond to the appropriate number of posts for each forum.
- All messages are public, so be careful and courteous when you post.
- Make your posts thorough and your replies as well.
- Complete sentences and thoughts are mandatory for forum posts.
- Use a person's name when you reply to their post.
- Use mycuesta.edu email for private communication.
Discussion Requirements*
- Be responsible to requirements for participation in discussions
- Refer to Netiquette Policy above
Grading Policy and Assignment Expectations
Almost WEEKLY there are approximately 50 points worth earning of assignments + quizzes.
Later in the semester there is a Group Project.
At the end of the semester is a Final Exam.
Students are responsible for meeting deadlines and due dates by staying organized and checking LMS – Canvas for this course on a regular basis.
GradingPoints to earn | Assignment Expectations |
|---|
| |
420 | 60% Assignments |
70 | 10% Midterm |
105 | 15% Final Project - group project |
| |
105 | 15% Final Exam |
700 | total points |
| Plus additional extra credit opportunities |
Within each unit there are discussions/assignments to complete EACH week. Remember to organize your time wisely, setting aside a daily time to study and prepare for this course.
Grading:
95-100 = A
90-94 = A-
88-89 = B+
83-87 = B
80-82 = B-
78-79 = C+
70-77 = C
68-69 = D+
63-67 = D
60-62 = D-
59 and lower = F
icons at the top right corner of the subsection.