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Brian Bacon » Music for Movies and the Stage

Music for Movies and the Stage

Music for Movies and Stage

Course Syllabus 2023-24


Course Name:  Music for Movies and Stage


Teacher:  Mr. Brian Bacon

Email address – [email protected]

865-829-7770 ext 3826


Course Content:  This is a general music class for students who wish to gain a further understanding of the cultural, historical and aesthetic influence in film and theatrical music.  Studies will be aligned with the New Jersey Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum Standards.


Course Description:  This course is designed for movie/theatre buffs and novices alike.  Classic musicals and film soundtracks will be reviewed and discussed.  Composers, directors, creatives, and performers lives and careers will be covered


Course Objectives:  Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge and skills that increase aesthetic awareness in music and how it relates to film as well as other performing arts.
  • Produce artistic musical performances using music and arts elements, technology and media through independent project work.
  • Analyze performances demonstrating knowledge of the process of critique.
  • Explain various historical, social and cultural influences which have generated artistic accomplishments throughout popular culture, and which continue to shape contemporary musicals and film.

Required Texts and Resources:

  • Students must provide a folder to contain materials handed out in class.
  • Notebook and pencils (provided by the student).

Course Policies:

  • Daily work is graded by attentiveness and class participation.  Inattentiveness or doing work from other classes will result in a mark down for the day.
  • Each day an assignment is late it will go down one letter grade. After 5 days of a missing assignment only a maximum of half credit will be given.
  • Any student found to be cheating or plagiarizing will receive a grade of zero (0) and will be subject to discipline as outlined in the student handbook.
  • All students are required to follow all policies cited in the student handbook.




Responsibilities:  Students are to:

  • Arrive on time to class, and be ready to work when the bell rings.
  • Bring all required materials to class every day.
  • Turn in all assignments completed and on time.
  • Refrain from eating in class.  Drinking water only in class is allowed. 
  • Treat the teacher and their fellow students with respect.
  • Actively participate in class daily.

Videos: The following videos will be shown in class to foster discussion and analyzation:

  • A Dog’s Life - Not - rated - A silent film starring Charlie Chaplin. 
  • Singin’ in the Rain - Rated G
  • Home Alone - Rated PG
  • Newsies (the musical) - PG/PG-13
  • West Side Story (2021) - PG - 13
  • Hamilton - PG - 13

We will watch and analyze music from many other movies in short clips or small sections. Though rated “R” movies will be shown in parts and the music analyzed, no rated “R” moments (such as harsh profanity, nudity, violence) will be shown. 


Evaluation:  The following types of evaluation will be used in this class:

  • Quizzes, projects, worksheets and reports.
  • Critical writing assignments.
  • Class participation.
  • Tests
  •  

Grading Policy:

Quarterly Grade

Grading will be on a total points based system, with daily 

work/quizzes/worksheets worth 10 points, and

tests/projects/writing assignments worth 100 points.