Columbia College Core · Columbia University
Light. No need to do the readings but they are super interesting so I'd recommend
Midterm, final, and final paper were all equally weighted, so there is not a lot of pressure on the big assignments. Doe is a very fair grader, and it is very possible to do well in the class if you pay attention in class. It is not necessary to do the readings, because she covers the content int class. However, they are helpful if you are not confident in your skills in the class.
Amazing Prof. Super kind and light workload
Doe's teaching style is good, and the format of class is engaging. Lot of score analysis and discussing the history and political climate at the time of the musician. The content of the course was good, and we got through a lot of information.
Super light just a grind for the midterm and final. The concerts were really fun
The course load is generally very light -- we have a discussion assignment every one or two weeks, and readings for each class (skimming is enough, and she covers the content very well in her lectures). There is one Historiography paper due towards the end of the course, but she provides so much time and support in preparation for it. The midterm was a series of free response questions that covered the broad themes discussed in each unit.
Julia is such an amazing, engaging, knowledgeable, and funny instructor. She is very organized with her course plans, and each class is a mixture of lecture, discussion, and listening to beautiful but very relevant music. In terms of assignments, tests, and the paper (one paper assigned towards the end of the semester), she is very clear on what she expects from them, and very fair in grading as a result. The content of this course to me was so interesting (I myself am not a music major, just a fan of classical music), and being able to learn about the intriguing stories behind each piece of music/composer was valuable to me -- it isn't tedious like Music Theory. We also got to go on several trips outside of class, one to a Carnegie Hall concert, and another at the Italian Academy. She is also an instructor that cares very much about her students, as she makes an effort to get to know each and every one of us either in class, after class, or during the field trips we would take outside of class. I could not recommend her more, she is amazing.