This class is very fast paced just like the other 20 series ethno classes, but you will learn a lot from the materials and from Prof Rees!! She is such an amazing professor, cares about the students, the field, the materials, and teaching. She is so sweet, so accommodating! Just do the readings and draw down notes as she goes over them; it will be very helpful when it comes to the midterms and final.

One thing really to be aware about is test-taking skill. The tests are timed, including the final! She only allocates 1.5 hours or smth out of the entire 3 hours time slot for you to complete the final. I and many students have found the policy a little unnecessary. Nonetheless, just be aware and don't drift away too much in trying to impress her with all that writing in the early section and save time for the big essays.

Professor was VERY clear
Made all the room for us as students to put in what we wanted to her class
This class changed my life. So much room to learn about culture and think for myself about so many things (ethnicity, sound, colonization, my own culture)
one of the best intellectual people and Ethnomusicologists that the school of music has to offer. Appropriate, sensitive yet engaging and interesting introduction to the ways of musical academia. Course reader thing is no longer a problem. She hand picks all of the readings herself and it SHOWS. makes for great cohesive stories.. Thank you helen!!

1. dont buy the course reader, there were literally no questions on the exams from the course reader
2. go to class every day because rees tells you what to study/ what is important to know
3. print out the music notes and write your notes next to the listening examples
4. go to discussion because the TAs give u practice quizzes and helpful information. and they also present listening examples.
5. find a partner to quiz each other on the music examples, that was the most helpful method for me.
6. do the extra credit assignment because it pays off
7. show the TA/professor your music reports because they provide valuable critiques

take helen. shes a really kind, friendly professor with a funny british accent. i waited until a few days before each exam to study and pulled off an A-.

Professor Rees is wonderful. Although lecture is indeed two hours long, I never once felt bored or fell asleep. You learn a lot of cool things in this class and listen to good music. I really liked how she did the TA sections, too: they were basically like supplemental lectures, and depending on the topic, either her or one of the TA's would lecture for every section that week. As everyone has said, for the exams, just memorize the listening notes. If you can identify all the songs and know the listening notes well, there is no reason you won't get 100% . The papers can be a bit of a pain, but the more detailed notes you take at the concerts you go to, the easier it will be to write 5-6 pages.

To summarize: an easy, but interesting and worthwhile class, with a great professor. Take it!

Dr. Rees is very knowledgable in the world of Ethnomusicology, and if I ever wanted to learn anything about Chinese music, I would go to her. Her voice has a characteristic British monotone to it, and yes, her humor is pretty dry. But all the same it was an interesting class and a lot of the music you are exposed to is different and exposes you to things that you might not even know if you're of Asian descent. All music majors should definitely look into this class as a GE. If anyone says the course reader for this class is useless, they are right. DO NOT BUY IT, I looked at it once at the beginning of the quarter and never again. All that you need to know is in the listening notes, and the discussions cover it fairly well. The only thing relatively tedious about the class were the papers- it is pretty hard to annoying to write a 6-page report on a concert. The tests are straightforward, and most people will not end up a grade lower than a B+, even if you fall asleep in half the lectures like me.

man this lady is really really dope... i totally like her English accent and i never once fell asleep in that whole 2 hour lecture... you get to hear asian music from pop to traditional... to the rare stuff too... sometimes the video clips are neat also... and her tests are EASY... i mean EASY... all you have to do is listen to the music notes man... the reader is liek the biggest waste of money... well not BIG cause it was under 20 bucks but still don't buy it... repeat EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW IS IN THE LISTENING NOTES WHICH SHE SUPPLIES YOU WITH...

The class is not difficult, but her lectures are very boring. The content is fine, but you can only stand the monotone of her voice for so long before you completely tune out.