This class sounds like cake, and it is...IF YOU GO TO CLASS. This one I learned the hard way. There's virtual no work involved and his tests are very short and multiple choice, but include random information that you would never take notes on but could probably recall if you go to class. If you go to class, this class won't give you any trouble. If you don't go to class, your screwed.

Professor Chapman is incredibly charismatic, and a thrill to listen to. Some of the lectures can become long-winded (I had the class MW 11-12:50). Most of what other reviews say is pretty accurate- he's funny, entertaining, and does the coolest piano improvs. There are a lot of guest performers, and our quarter we were treated to a Bohemian Violin Ensemble, which, IMO, was the greatest performance I've seen in my life.

Unless you're details-oriented, this is NOT an easy A. Many people I know who are pretty bright got B's, and the final actually brought down my grade to a B+. In his lecture on the American musical, he threw around some examples, and it turned out that there were at LEAST 3/50 questions asking which musical a specific song was from. Some asked what composers did for a living. Or what instrument the TAs played, or which instruments "aren't" double reeds. It was definitely tricky, and there's no way to study for it if you don't see it coming.

Fun class, just pay attention to that sort of thing and you'll be alright. I read a lot of review thinking this is an easy A- it is, if you approach the class right. Hopefully everything posted here will help you out!

This is quite possibly the easiest class that you could ever take at UCLA. Professor Chapman is totally awesome. His lectures are very entertaining and usually interesting. If you have any kind of music background you are likely to know half of the material already. The three concert reports are super easy. Besides the listening section, which takes about 20 minutes to prepare for, the midterm and final are entirely based on attending lectures. The questions consist mainly of really obvious points made in lecture and also of things presented by the guest performers, and there alot of those, which is pretty cool. Take this class. It is 5 units for about 2 units worth of work.

probably the most USELESS class I've ever taken in my entire life. If this was a real music class, we could actually walk away with some fragment of knowledge about music. thats the name of the class, right?? But no, chapman wastes your time by talking about the most random things during class, and then tests you on stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with music. For everyone who promotes the existence of this class only does so because you got an A for learning absolutely nothing. ADMIT IT. thats the only reason why you liked the class. You didn't learn anything, and your GPA went up. plain and simple. we may want to think we deserved our A, but lets admit it, WE DIDNT. so dont expect to get anything out of this class.

Everyone said this class is easy, and the material is easy, but the test questions, which are basically your entire grade (except for three 15-point concert reports), aren't so easy. They're simple questions, just very specific; like a specific name of a single person that played a little instrument. Random things you wouldn't think you need to know, you do, and that's what can hurt your grade the most on the midterm and final. As for the lectures, they can drag on a bit, but it is also entertaining, listening to random music samples and performers. And Chapman is a very nice guy to have as a professor. To sum it up, I would recommend this class, but don't take it lightly; actually go to lecture (which can be hard to do sometimes), take good notes, and take notice of those random, specific things he mentions and write them down. Remember them, because they come back to haunt you on exams.

As a music major and accomplished pianist of 15 years, I had no doubt this class would be easy and that I'd be receiving an A. Especially with all the excellent past reviews. The class WAS easy in the sense that it required almost no work, and the tests were easy as well. However, Chapman must have decided to beef up his course grading. Even though I had a cumulative 89.95% in the course, I recieved a B+. My friend, also a music major, received a B. I think he must have given out a lot of other lower grades because he sent out an email saying he was denying all requests for grade reconsiderations. Personally, I think this method of grading is completely ridiculous, and I would never recommend Chapman for this reason. He obviously decided he'd had enough of the notoriety of giving out "easy A's," and we were the first class to get it. Thanks a lot Chapman.

This class is great, and I mean it could very possibly be the easiest class in your UCLA career. Not only that, Chapman is also really funny and interesting. He brings in different performers frequently, making class a joy to attend. We had 3 concert reports over the quarter, a midterm and a final. No sweat, this class was a breeze. =)

chapman is tight but the tests are hard compared to how easy the class sems when your in it. dont worry about the concert reports as long as you follow the guidelines you will get a perfect score. if you take the class GO TO CLASS!! even though you think you dont need to because you dont learn much the tests test more of whether you went to class like what joke did so and so say.

Easy class, but very boring. My friend and I had to struggle to keep awake during lecture. But attend lecture, do the concert reports, study for the tests (yes, study), and you will get this easy A everyone's talking about. If you want an easy A in Music 15, take this professor!!! His tests are pretty straightforward, and he's a fair grader.

As a science major, i spend most of my days listening to how viruses integrate, copy themselves, alter cells, cause cancer and blah blah blah. Its only interesting because i want to be a doctor. Spending two hours in chapman's class however is heaven sent. I actually looked forward to going to class and listening to him talk, play the piano, or listen to other performers. He's really good at presenting concepts and ideas, and his tests are a joke. My roommate and i didnt start studying for our "final" until the day before. This is how we studied, listened to the recordings and remembered key melodies, and then we glanced at our notes. There wasnt much notes taken. Our "final" took us 20 minutes to finish, and it was only because of the listening sample. If it wasnt because of the listening we would have finished in 10minutes. How did we do? A+'s. it's that easy. Oh yea, show up to class, or send someone who will and wont fall asleep. Then again, i think its worth showing up just to see chapman improvise on the piano.