Professor
Kristi Brown
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2025 - Most people take this as a GE (myself included), and it wasn't an automatic easy A, if that's what you're looking for. If you already understand music and some terminology or history, that will help a lot! I had never been interested in or listened to opera, but I found it really interesting and I enjoyed. Prof. Brown is super sweet and she is good at explaining everything in lecture. If you're confused about anything, her office hours are also really helpful. The class covers like 10 different opera productions. You watch maybe 6-7 on your own online. I would recommend actually watching them, because you have to write a reflection and your TA might be picky, and it'll also help A LOT with remembering the music on the exams. The midterm/final formats are kind of weird, there's a section on matching term to definition (music terminology, opera terms, history, composers, etc.), multiple choice (mostly questions about opera details/plots, history, plus some random music/instrument facts), and there's a listening portion. In the listening portion, she plays a short clip from an opera song. You get the possible songs ahead of time, so I just listened to the playlist a million times until I could tell them apart. You need to know things like the title, composer, who's singing, what type of song it is (aria, duet, etc.), what the context it takes place in the story, and like other facts. Just make flashcards honestly It sounds like a lot of work, but it was manageable, and I think it's a really good GE if you're interested in opera/live music/classical vibes. We also got to see a production at the LA Opera for free, but I don't know if she does that every quarter.
Winter 2025 - Most people take this as a GE (myself included), and it wasn't an automatic easy A, if that's what you're looking for. If you already understand music and some terminology or history, that will help a lot! I had never been interested in or listened to opera, but I found it really interesting and I enjoyed. Prof. Brown is super sweet and she is good at explaining everything in lecture. If you're confused about anything, her office hours are also really helpful. The class covers like 10 different opera productions. You watch maybe 6-7 on your own online. I would recommend actually watching them, because you have to write a reflection and your TA might be picky, and it'll also help A LOT with remembering the music on the exams. The midterm/final formats are kind of weird, there's a section on matching term to definition (music terminology, opera terms, history, composers, etc.), multiple choice (mostly questions about opera details/plots, history, plus some random music/instrument facts), and there's a listening portion. In the listening portion, she plays a short clip from an opera song. You get the possible songs ahead of time, so I just listened to the playlist a million times until I could tell them apart. You need to know things like the title, composer, who's singing, what type of song it is (aria, duet, etc.), what the context it takes place in the story, and like other facts. Just make flashcards honestly It sounds like a lot of work, but it was manageable, and I think it's a really good GE if you're interested in opera/live music/classical vibes. We also got to see a production at the LA Opera for free, but I don't know if she does that every quarter.
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2024 - Most formative class I've taken at UCLA. I wasn't sure whether to take it or not since it had no reviews online, but as a beginner in music, I came out of it with a new profound appreciation for music along with an understanding of music concepts. The class is interactive, so you will go back and forth with the professor during lecture. You will also listen to music, dissect beat and time, and also discuss the sociological implications of music later in the course. I don't usually go to lecture, but this class made me want to.
Spring 2024 - Most formative class I've taken at UCLA. I wasn't sure whether to take it or not since it had no reviews online, but as a beginner in music, I came out of it with a new profound appreciation for music along with an understanding of music concepts. The class is interactive, so you will go back and forth with the professor during lecture. You will also listen to music, dissect beat and time, and also discuss the sociological implications of music later in the course. I don't usually go to lecture, but this class made me want to.
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