Class Series: Introduction to Musicology in “This Land Is ...”

These two introductory musicology courses focus on the work of American musicians, composers, and artists to explore how place and national and regional identities are built through sound. Inspired by upper-level college courses, these classes combine workshop and lecture segments in a way that makes everyone, no matter their profession or training, feel safe and excited to learn and share. Participants will learn fundamental musicology skills, including empowering critical listening skills and foundational theories, as they explore how artists construct different versions of the United States through their art and work on a collective mixtape and zine.    

The classes will cover a wide variety of musical and artistic styles, including blues, pop, classical, punk, hip hop, country, and more. Participants may choose to take a single class or both; there will be some overlap between classes, but each workshop will have its own unique learning objective and activity.   

Candace Hansen is a Los Angeles-based drummer, award-winning freelance writer, professor, zinester, and pop culture specialist whose writing preserves and celebrates queer history. Hansen has interviewed artists such as Jinkx Monsoon, Orville Peck, Beverly Glenn Copeland, and many others for publications including the Los Angeles Times, Spin, Playgirl, and OC Weekly. Hansen's dissertation grapples with queer survival, subversive uses of musical time, and the body’s role in the sound of the punk underground.

Class Schedule

Oct. 7, 2026 | Music, Maps, and Movements: Discover how place is constructed through sound, and what Woody Guthrie's guitar illuminates today.