Writing Homework Help

Music Appreciation “Virtual” Concert Review Assignment

In response to the lack of available live music opportunities for the foreseeable future due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the class concert review assignment will deviate from the normal in-person attendance to a remote or “virtual” concert attendance. Thankfully, many major symphony orchestras and chamber groups are making available their vast archive of concert videos to the public for free (although some are only offering paid options) during this time and we will be utilizing those resources and others for completing this very important class assignment.

Please familiarize yourselves with the assignment instructions below:

• This semester you will be required to watch one (1) concert performance online and submit a 2 to 3 page written concert report about the performance you viewed.
• The music performed must be predominantly Western Art Music (i.e. “classical” music). No concerts exclusively of jazz, pop, rock, hip-hop, rap, country, disco, Broadway, metal, reggae, punk, world music and etc.
• The concert must be in video format; audio-only concerts may not be reviewed.
• The group or performers must be of collegiate or professional level. No high school, grade school or amateur level performances.
• Students must choose a performance to review from one of the two the instructor-curated lists provided on Canvas under the titles, “Moraine Valley Music Summer 2021 Streaming Concert Schedule” and “Other Online Concert Viewing Opportunities.” If you are interested in reviewing a concert not included in these lists, please contact your instructor by email before you begin writing for approval.
• Students must review the entire performance, many of which will be comprised of 3 to 5 selections. Most concerts will be about 1 hour in total but some can be longer. 
• Your written report should speak to and show clear, descriptive, written evidence of having watched the entire concert including a discussion of “encore” selections or other “unscripted” interactions between the performers and audience. See rubric and suggestions below for more information about how to write and structure your report.
• Completed concert review assignments should be uploaded to Canvas via the “Submit Assignment” Link provided at the top of this page. You may submit this assignment at any time up to the final due date of Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at 11:55 p.m. No late papers will be accepted.

When attending a classical music concert in person it is always important to observe proper concert etiquette. Even though this will be a “virtual” attendance, it would be a good idea to read through the “Concert Report Writer’s Guide,” excerpted from the textbook author’s “A Concert Goer’s Guide,” for information about what to expect when observing this type of concert performance.

Concert Review Format

The following are some suggestions for structuring your concert reports. Please do not feel that you have to cover every suggested topic below.

Introduction – (about one paragraph) Begin by writing any preliminary information about the concert you attended including the name and type of group performing. How many performers are there? What instruments are they playing? How do they appear? Make note of any featured soloists who performed, as well. What is your mood before the concert? What are you expecting from the experience?

Main Body – (several paragraphs) Since performers usually like to start and end with their strongest music selections, write about both the first and last pieces of the concert. Which selections were the most memorable? How does this music make you feel? Does the music affect you in any other ways? Use the information we covered in class to describe the music and its style. For example, do the dynamics have enough variety? Is anything too loud or too soft? What tempos are used and do they sound right to you or is anything too slow or too fast? Are there clear, lyrical melodies you can identify? Does the music correspond to what you have learned about specific style periods in class?

Does the conductor (if any) seem to have the ensemble under control? Do their conducting gestures and motions convey the feeling of the music? How do the musicians seem to approach the performance? What are the contrasts and similarities between tunes? Do the performer(s) do anything which helps to portray the meaning of the music to you? Does the performer’s body language engage the audience? Did the audience or you clap? Why? What was the reaction of the rest of the audience? Any other comments?

Conclusion – (about one paragraph) Write some concluding remarks about the concert. How did you feel after the concert was over? What did you think about the experience? Do you think you would watch or attend in-person another concert like this in the future? What were your favorite/least favorite parts of the concert? Could you sense the overall reaction of the audience (if any)? Anything else?

Final Writing Tips:

In general, avoid a technical and dispassionate description of the performance you watch. This assignment should not incorporate any outside source material other than your textbook readings. The goal here is to write clear, succinct ideas about your honest reactions to and understanding of the music you are hearing and report on how you were affected, for better or worse, by this concert. Please be thoughtful and thorough.

Finally, be mindful that clear expression of your thoughts requires observing appropriate conventions of formal, college-level writing including, but not limited to, proper sentence syntax, grammar, punctuation and capitalizations. Do not use colloquialisms, jargon or other ambiguous language as this will only confuse your readers and muddle your writing.