Proposal: Music of NYC
For our class project, I think an interesting subject to focus on could be the different types of music found in NYC. We could examine the different types of music each ethnicity listens to, and how that music has changed or adapted when it was moved to the United States. As well, we can examine the numerous musical movements that were founded in New York, such as hip-hop, Salsa, and disco. For example, we can examine the Harlem Renaissance and its impact on the Harlem community, such as the changes in demographics, economy, etc. We could also examine the different situations and places that music is played such as during cultural dances, festivals, holidays, etc.
When we went to Chinatown and went into Columbus Park, one of the first things we saw were two old Chinese men playing traditional Chinese instruments. As well, while at MOCA, we saw influences of Chinese opera in Chinese immigrants. I find it interesting that despite being thousands of miles away from China, Chinese immigrants in New York are still playing similar ballads to those that you would hear on the streets of Beijing.
We could go back and visit the neighborhoods we visited for the neighborhood visit and listen to the different music in each area. As well, we could examine new neighborhoods where music has played a bigger role such as Greenwich Village or Washington Heights. We could also examine the music we hear on the subway or even music heard at local cafes and parks. We could try to interview local musicians about the influence of their heritage or culture on the music they decide to make.
Examining music could also allow us to incorporate holidays into our project. Almost all of the different ethnic holidays we chose to attend will play some sort of music. We could examine how each culture and ethnicity uses that music in their holiday celebrations, whether it be simple background music or music to perform a dance to.
We could also examine the changes in music in New York over time. For example, we could focus on the disco era in New York and examine the demographics of the people living in NYC at the time and the cultural impact it had. We could use films such as Saturday Night Fever to exemplify this. We could also focus on the rise of salsa and bachata music in New York and examine its impact in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods of New York. We could also focus on the rise of hip-hop especially in the projects of the city such as Queensbridge and Bedford-Stuyvesant, and examine the demographics and social conditions of the time. We could show the change of music over time by using a timeline and highlight the most important events to us.
I don’t think we’ll have a hard time incorporating different types of media if we focus on music. We could include soundclips and bytes of what we hear. As well, we could also include music videos of famous artists whose music has influenced NYC. There are so many different types of music found in New York City that I don’t think it will be hard for each student to find something they like and are interested in.
