KATELYN E. BEST, Ph.D.
Lecturer for The Department of Musicology
Florida State University
Course Description and Objectives
This course provides a historical survey of popular music in the United States from the late nineteenth century to the present day. It examines movements in popular music that were shaped and influenced by socio-cultural, historical, technological, and economic forces of the time. This class covers a variety of musical styles within popular culture and cultivates students to think critically about the formation and reception of music in society.
Course Description and Objectives
“American roots music” is a broad term that encompassing a variety of musical styles and genres associated with varied and overlapping groups of people residing in the United States. This course analyzes and problematizes how vernacular musics have functioned in creating regional and national identities for different cultural groups within this particular country. Within this context, music provides a forum in which to think critically about perceptions of American identity on individual, local, and national levels. The course objective is to not only become familiar with musical styles, artists, and regions in the United States, but also think critically about musical authenticity and music’s role in society.
Course Description and Objectives
This course provides a survey of diverse musical traditions and transformations across the globe. It explores varying musical cultures, forms, and styles present in the world today and examines the forces that formed, shaped, and changed them over time. By using music as a lens to view culture, this class provides a unique opportunity to broaden an awareness of cultural diversity and foster a deep appreciation for the complexity of human expression in all of its rich forms.
Sample Assignments
Music Magazine Project (Modern Popular Music)
This assignment, among others, served to present course materials within contemporary mediums in order to enhance accessibility. In the spirit of their book, Think Rock, which was formatted in the style of a music magazine, each student was assigned to create their own magazine based on a music scene, artist or band, or regional audience within popular music history.
Music Video Project (American Roots Music)
This assignment consisted of creating a music video of a song popular in American culture before MTV. The purpose of this assignment was to examine the relationship between music and technology while also exploring how music videos alter musical reception and meaning.
Video Soundscapes Project (World Music Cultures)
This assignment involved creating a film project based on research papers completed for this course. As members of a group, students chose a musical culture not already covered in their book and wrote individual research papers on different aspects of that culture, including, but not limited to, musical history, musical forms and structures, instruments, performance contexts, and musical change. The students then came together as a group to create a film project based on their research papers. This project served as a way to make their research more accessible and concrete.
Courses Taught
Non Music Majors
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MUH2019: Modern Popular Music
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MUH 3053: American Roots Music (fulfilled the Gordon Rule writing requirement)
Music Majors
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MUH2512: World Music Cultures (for music majors)
Maiden name "Katelyn Wood"
Teaching Award Nomination
2011-2012
Nominated for the Florida State University Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (OTAA). This award encourages and rewards excellence in teaching and recognizes contributions of graduate students to the teaching and learning process at Florida State University.
Student Comments
MUH 2019 Modern Popular Music
"The course helped me to see music in a different way. I now see music as a social force and a tool for self-expression."
"I enjoyed the music video clips and class discussions. The music videos were interesting and exposed me to new ideas about a lot of songs. The discussions helped me to relate the music to my life."
MUH 3053 American Roots Music
"She encouraged and really cultivated an environment of learning and participation. Her attitude was always positive even when class was showing zero life. She kept on and really broke through to her students when most didn't care at all about the subject. She really brought non-music majors into class discussion and made it so much fun."
"I really appreciate the instructor's effort to help each student in the writing process. Normally, I would be overwhelmed by a Gordon rule class, but this class made it better to handle."
"Mrs. Best was a great teacher and despite the amount of assignments, I really enjoyed the class!"
"She is very genuine and sincerely interested in what she teaches. As a kinesthetic learner, I've really appreciated her use of mixed media as it helps keep me interested and enjoying class."
MUH2512 World Music Cultures
"I am now very seriously considering ethnomusicology due to this class. Ms. Wood is always so positive and willing to help her students."
"I felt like I really learned a lot from this instructor and class and enjoyed it. Her presentations were not typical in that we often sang music indigenous to the cultures we were learning about, played native instruments, performed rhythms, and listened to a lot of examples. That really made the material more enjoyable, identifiable, and memorable."
"She really knows her stuff! She brings instruments to class and gives examples, which is great and facilitates learning. I also enjoyed that she asked students for examples."
"Excellent lectures, diverse projects, very personable, and professional."