This year-long program is designed to give music students a set of perspectives and musical practices that have both reflected and expressed the concerns and values of people in particular times and places. We will examine social changes that gave rise to shifts in the arts, focusing in particular on eras, places or phenomena that are of specific artistic interest. In addition to examining Western music forms, we will also explore music in the context of multiple world traditions (classical, popular, and vernacular) and the contexts that gave rise to them in Asia, South America, and Africa.  In fall quarter we will move chronologically from the 11^th century through the 18^th century, drawing from various musical traditions to illuminate important historical, cultural, and artistic ideas.