Stephen Anderson is an excellent professor! He makes it clear from the beginning that grades are not what matter most to him - he simply is excited to teach you about jazz, which he is obviously passionate about. He also cares that you do well and enjoy the class. It is easy to get an A in this class, and it's also super enjoyable.

Anderson is the man. He tells cool anecdotes about the artists to make them memorable and makes you appreciate the music even as a non-music major. There is no homework except for the concert journals and the papers (which are a bit annoying, but still minimal). The listening sections of his exams are difficult so be sure to listen to all the songs

Everyone loves Anderson. As a non-musician, his lectures seemed a little overwhelming at first, but he seriously makes the exams SO easy. I'm not exaggerating considering I got a 100 on the 1st exam. The listening for each exam is annoying to study, but easy on the exam. Although it is unorganized, it's the only good unc music class I've heard of.

Anderson is an awesome professor and musicians. I am not at all musical but I loved his glass. He's very engaging. Also, IT IS SO EASY! He tells you what to study for the test and it is very straight forward. Loved this class so so much!

you definitely need to attend class to pass; he doesn't upload powerpoints online, so there is no way to get the information without going to class. Very intriguing and will make the topic interesting. Love the class!

He is a good teacher and musician. Listening is really difficult for students who are not music major. And it is kind of difficult to ask for individual help and the office hour is limited. If you can go to every concert and write a lot of extra concert journals, you can at least get A-. But the lecture is heavy and there are too many notes.

Music 145 is supposedly one of the easiest A's on campus. However, I would not have taken it knowing I would have to be able to identify 25+ songs for each exam. This killed my grade as I always procrastinated on learning the songs. Attendance does not matter at all. There are plenty of Quizlet sets that cover the information covered in class.

GREAT professor and class! He is very passionate about his field of study and encourages others to be as well. The class is not difficult if you attend the lectures. I DEFINITELY recommend this class to others.

Anderson is really invested in his teaching, he is very passionate about the subject which makes him really willing to help outside of class. It was easy to grasp material since he told stories to remember the people by, the only thing that was difficult was trying to remember all the songs for exams. Visit him before the essay is due, it'll help!

Dr. Anderson was great. I took the class looking for easy hours, but it ended up being really interesting. Exams are easy as long as you start listening to the songs early and th multiple choice sections are easy. He tells you what to expect on the exam and is very accurate. Lectures were engaging and he puts in a lot of work to give good feedback.

Exams are super easy. The hardest part of the class is the journals--4 2-page journals on a jazz concert, but so long as you actually do them you'll be fine. Prior music/jazz experience is not required--he makes sure the class is accessible to non-musicians. Overall, a great course and a really fun professor--likes to joke around and keep it light.

Great guy and INCREDIBLE pianist. He makes class interesting and the exams/papers are extremely easy provided you listen to instructions/exam reviews. At our last test he said "I don't care about grades I just want y'all to be cultured" so if you try at all, you'll pass. Take the class if you want to listen to some great lectures about good music.

Great professor with great background in music. Doesn't care about grades as much as he just wants you to learn about Jazz, highly recommend him as a professor.

Awesome professor that provides great opportunities for extra credit. Lectures are funny and interesting, and he's a great person outside of class too.

Professor Anderson is one of the most charismatic, interesting, and hilarious professors I have ever had. He is extremely passionate about what he does and his lectures are almost always captivating. The work is only 4 exams, 4 concert journals, and one schematic/artist synopsis. Extra credit is easy, come to class to take notes and get an A.

I absolutely loved this class and Professor Anderson! He is such a fun and cool professor, and he always plays the piano in class and is AMAZING!! I learned so much about jazz music, and I actually like it now when i didn't before! Super easy class, and the hardest part is listening to the songs and learning them! Definitely would recommend!

Professor Anderson is phenomenal. You must be in lectures to get the notes, but everything is very straight forward. Listen to the music for the exams, RELIGIOUSLY. I could have gotten an A- if I focused more on the music, which I regret. AMAZING class for gen eds. Definitely take this class!!!

I LOVED THIS CLASS AND STEPHEN! I'm a music major so I may be biased, but Stephen is the best. His passion diffuses across the classroom, & learning is made easy bc he has stories related to everything learned. He's also an amazingly talented pianist. Sure, the music memorization is hard, but only if you wait until the week of the exam. START EARLY

Stephen is amazing. His teaching style is super easy to follow and always tries to keep his audience captivated. The hardest part is the listening portion of exams, so listen early. The class is graded off of 4 exams, 4 concerts that you must attend and write about, and one schematic assessment project. He is an amazing pianist as well. Great class

I loved Stephen! He makes it very clear what will be on exams. If you pay attention during lecture you'll be fine with the history portion. However, the listening portion will mess you up if you don't get started early (some of the playlists can be 4+ hours). You can earn back up to 5 points back on your OVERALL grade with extra concert journals

Prof. Anderson does a great job, it is so great to have such a passionate professor. I joined his jazz theory class having barely played piano (I was really a bad player), but he helped me immensely by giving me the tools to improve on my own and always being encouraging. I got an A because he knew how much effort I put in. A+ professor

A significant portion of the tests is song and artist recognition, which is tricky, but Professor Anderson is absolutely awesome. He's a passionate professor, a talented pianist, and just a great guy. Don't take the class if you're going to be rude and blather on to your friends for the whole class. Do take if you like jazz or have an open mind!

Prof. Anderson is one of the nicest people I've ever met. He also tells you exactly what will be on the exam. The music listening part of the exams can be a little overwhelming but just start early.

Professor Anderson is both an amazing teacher and an amazing person. You can tell that he teaches because he wants to make students love jazz. He is a relatively easy teacher, and there are no real challenging concepts in the class. The material is interesting, and I highly recommend this class.

Anderson is one of the nicest professors at UNC and Jazz 145 is one of the best gen-ed classes! There are 4 tests that are material heavy and you have to memorize the music- but you can do it if you just plan well. The only thing that could affect your grades are the music journals because some of the TAs are pretty harsh graders.

Great professor, relatively easy class with test that are entirely based on notes taken in class. Really cares about your learning and will make it his best effort so that you enjoy class.

I am not a music major but I do like this class. Anderson gives some amazing lectures complete with magnificent piano playing and he genuinely cares about his students. He is extremely fair on his exams and wants everyone to do well. Even if you don't understand the music theory completely, just follow directions on tasks and you will be fine.

Dr. Anderson deserves the world! He truly cares about the success of his students, and simply wants you to respect music in all its forms. Attending lecture is crucial because he literally spells out what will be on the exam. Please do not buy the textbook!

Anderson is such a great person. He truly cares about his students and understands that we are all stressed out kids looking for an easy gen ed. The class is extremely easy. I recommend going to lectures because he tells you exactly what is on the exam. He is a funny guy and keeps us engaged. The class requires almost no effort. It's an easy gen ed

Dr. Anderson is an amazing professor and is truly caring towards his students. He understands that we're all stressed out, so as long as you show up to class and take notes you will be fine. During his lectures he tells you what you're expected to know for the exams and does not try to trick you.

Dr. Anderson, is one of the kindest professors that youll ever have who goes out of his way to take care of his students, as he did for me. Taking this class is the best decision Ive made because it has opened me to different types of music! Just show up, ask for help on the paper, ask for review sessions, study your notes and youll be golden!

I know absolutely nothing about jazz or music in general and I loved this class! I would recommend this class and professor to anyone for credit or just hour fillers. Anderson literally tells you everything that will be on the exams and if you just listen to the music you will be fine. He doesn't try to trick you. Great professor, great class!

The exams are just memorization and is really easy besides the memorizing the music part, but as long as you don't slack on those, then you'll be fine. Honestly, this class was the easiest and most enjoyable class I've taken. I barely stressed for this class while it took out so many of my gen eds.

Have to attend lecture to get the notes (not posted online) but it's worth it with Professor Anderson teaching. Fun and incredibly nice professor, definitely take class with him if you get the chance.

Professor Anderson is the goat! The material for this class is very easy to grasp. The downside is that the exams require lots of memorization of facts and jazz songs. Other than that, lectures were fun to attend and the workload was very manageable. I learned a lot.

My man! Super great, and I knew going into it it'd be an easy A. Honestly, more work than expected (memorizing songs, attending concerts, papers, etc.) but if you put in the right amount of effort, it's an auto-A. Worth taking, good experience, big class. Started to basically give us answers straight from the test toward end of semester. Must take.

Professor Anderson was amazing for Musc145! He is very passionate about the subject he teaches and that would reflect his way of teaching; he was entertaining and engaging. The tests are very straightforward so as long as you take notes in class you will do well. REMEMBER TO START LISTENING TO THE PLAYLISTS EARLY

This class is a very good choice for those who need to knock out multiple gen ed requirements. Professor Anderson tells you clearly what he expects for assignments as well as what he is going to test his students on. Additionally his lectures can be very fun at times as he tries to keep the class engaged in this online setting.

Dr. Anderson is awesome! He really balances out his passion for jazz with the understanding that many students are taking his class for the gen ed and do not know a lot to begin with. 1.0 difficulty for 90% of the class but 5.0 difficulty for the jazz listening playlists. Start listening to those early or you will not get a good grade.

This class is the easiest I've ever taken at UNC. Dr. Anderson has a visible passion for music that comes out in his teaching, and he understands that not everyone is as musically-inclined as him. Outlines exactly what you need to know for exams (VERY straightforward), and there are only a few assignments. Listen to the listening playlists early!!

Professor Anderson is a sweet man who is obviously very passionate about music. I highly recommend his class if you need it for the GenEds, or just want an interesting class to take. This class was mostly very easy, except for the listening playlists. LISTEN TO THOSE EARLY! Otherwise, the 4 exams and 4 papers are extremely straightforward.

Professor Anderson is hilarious! The lectures can be long but he CLEARLY tells you what you need to know for exams so focus on it. Get started on the listening early because it can be a lot, but not unbearable. There a lots of opportunities to do well - exams, journals, schematic assessment, and extra credit. Reach out to him and the TAs for help!

Music is not my forte. The TAs were very understanding. They saw the effort being put in and helped me grow as a student from day one . Attend every lecture and you are guaranteed a solid A on each test. Professor Anderson wants you to do well and he is very kind when teaching. He practically gives you everything you need to succeed.

Professor Anderson is very passionate about music and it shows through his lectures. The class does have a bit of a heavier workload but if you pace yourself and start assignments early you'll be fine. Tests were based off of his lectures, so if you take good notes and study you'll do well.

definitely take it! The playlists are annoying but if you don't procrastinate you should be fine. Literally gives you answers straight for the test and not much work at all outside of class. Very easy, very kind and funny guy. He doesn't post PowerPoints however so you have to go to class to get the notes, although attendance isn't a grade.

Professor Anderson was one of the nicest and funniest professors I've ever had. You can tell her really enjoys what he does. I would suggest taking pictures of the slides because he does tend to fly through the lectures. This class is easier for people with a prior background in music, and studying is a must.

Dr. Anderson is very passionate about music and it shows. This class is easy and fun. You learn the stories behind a lot of great jazz musicians. There are only a few papers and a few tests and they are not harshly graded. The listening portions of the tests are hard, but the rest of the test is exactly what Dr. Anderson says will be on there.

Super fun class, if you like jazz, you will love it. Take notes during lectures, do the assignments, and ATTEND EXAM REVIEW the class before the exam. He basically tells you what is on the exam. Listening to playlists can be tricky but if you already listen to classic jazz, it's a breeze. Just take it. TA's were also super nice and friendly.

This was such a great class and I cannot stop talking about it to EVERYONE! This course fulfills 3 Gened reqs (VP NA US Diversity) and I learned a lot while not being too stressed about the material. Prof Anderson really teaches you and prepares you for everything on the tests and to be successful on journals. Listen to the playlists early!

Dr. Anderson was an amazing professor and really understands the subject he is teaching. He knows how to lecture well enough to keep his students in tune with the notes. If you skip class make sure to get notes from somebody, tests are heavily based on the notes. Listen to those playlists for about a week straight before an exam and you'll do good.

Prof. Anderson is a cool guy and fun professor. He's really passionate about jazz and tries to have a good time teaching. Everything you're tested on comes from the lectures and he doesn't post slides so make sure not to skip. Also make sure to start listening to the exam songs early. Bonus: he plays piano live during lectures a lot.

Doctor Anderson is the best. He makes the class feel like you are listening to a story. The history portion of the class was a breeze because of this. However, as a student with no musical background, the listening section on tests and the concert journals required a lot of studying and work. Lots of extra credit and if you work hard A is possible

Dr. Anderson did an amazing job teaching this class and caring for his students. As someone who took a few years off from playing, he still made it easy for me to get good grades on tests and assignments even if I made a lot of mistakes. I learned so much more about jazz theory, and I would 100% take another class with him.

Dr. Anderson is an excellent teacher and is very passionate about jazz. While the material is complex and requires practice and effort to grasp, especially for those with less musical background, he makes himself available for extra help, is a lenient grader, and is very flexible with deadlines. His goal is for everyone to succeed.

While Professor Anderson is a nice person and I enjoy his lectures for the most part, his tests are outrageously difficult. You are expected to memorize 30+ songs and be able to name the song title and artist based on ~20 seconds of listening, and most sound the same because it is just instruments. Do not recommend if you are not heavily into jazz.

MUSC 135 is definitely a class for people with prior jazz experience. The class is very practice heavy and figure it out yourself. If you are looking for an easy music class this is not the class.

Dr. Anderson was great for MUSC 145, the class consisted of a few short papers which were easy to do well on and the exams were easy as long as you attend class and listen to the playlist. He's a really nice guy and super understanding.

Took this class to satisfy aesth focus capacity. I am not someone with any musical history, so this class was a bit more diffiuclt for me. Dr. Anderson clearly states what he will expect you to know for exam during lecture so don't get caught by the fact attendance is not mandatory. An A is very attainable if you are willing to work for it.

Fantastic class to take with Dr. Anderson. Lectures were very laid-back and entertaining, and I learned a lot from him. He's very passionate about the subject matter. He tries to make it as easy as possible for you to succeed. Makes it extremely clear what to know for exams, and exam questions are straightforward questions from lecture.

Awesome class. Go to class, take notes, take pictures of the slides as needed and you will do well on the history portion of the tests. He makes it very clear what he wants you to know for exams. Does not post slides so you need to go to class! Listening portion can be tricky if you are completely new to music.

One of the best teachers hands down. Dr. Anderson is very passionate about jazz and wants to teach you everything he can. You HAVE to go to lecture to learn the material, but its that simple. Outlines what you need to know for exams clearly, and he wants everyone to succeed. Requires concerts but thats easy too. TAs are also great, rec to everyone!

Phenomenal professor, incredibly sweet and caring, so passionate about jazz. Easy A for anyone with music experience, but I see how it could be harder without it. He is very clear with what he expects on tests. Doesn't distribute slides for any reason so attendance is necessary to take good notes. Listen to the exam playlists early!

This class was all in all pretty good. I wouldn't take it if you're looking for a gen ed to write off as an easy A though. For someone without prior music theory knowledge, this class was a bit difficult. However, the grading criteria for papers and exams are very clear. You 100% need to go to class to learn. Listen to the playlists early!!!

Dr. Anderson is the most authentic professor I've had so far. He understands most people are taking MUSC145 for a gen ed and doesn't make things difficult. Slides aren't given outside of class, so attendance is basically mandatory. Fortunately he explicitly tells you what will be on the exam during lecture.

Did very well, but wouldn't have if I wasn't over-proactive for this class. MAKE SURE YOU LISTEN TO THE PLAYLISTS EARLY. The exams will be impossible if you don't. Also, make sure you're going to the concerts. Lay out a plan at the beginning of the sem. You don't want to worry about those at the end of the sem. Exams are easy if you study a bit.

Anderson is peak. I cannot recommend this class enough, if you need a gen-ed or the focus capacity. He will literally tell you when part of lecture will show up on the exam. Attendance is essentially required, because he doesn't post his slides.

Dr. Anderson is a great jazz piano instructor. He gives great feedback on your playing, encourages you to develop a regular practice routine, and strikes a great balance between allowing you to work on what you want and working on the skills he thinks are important.

This is my second course with Anderson. I first took 135 with him. In both cases, I've felt that he doesn't really grasp what a low level music student doesn't know, and passes over some fundamentals assuming they're easy. However, if you do struggle to keep up, he's very kind and accommodating and is very willing to work with you outside of class.

Dr. Anderson is a professor that wants you succeed. Tells you which slides are on the exam. The listening portion of the exams is what made the class more time-consuming, but if you start at least a week early to the songs you're good.

Super sweet guy, and a fun class. You definitely have to put in the work, but it's a great class to take to fulfill a gen ed. He literally tells you what will be on the exam. Make sure you listen to the exam playlists early. Highly recommend!

This was my second class with Steve, and he truely is a gem. Words cannot express how caring of a person he is- I'm honored to have him in the music department. Jazz theory is difficult, but the exercises we learned on piano and on our instruments helped us better understand theory concepts we learned in class. I'd rate him 6/5 stars if I could!

Love Professor Anderson! Very sweet and wants you to do well. No lecture slides are posted, but managed by using Quizlets and going to the review classes. Up to 10 points of extra credit added to final grade with papers graded reasonably. Only have to grind a few nights before and final was take home and online.

ngl, came into this class thinking it was just an ez A. Came out of it with a strong appreciation for jazz culture. ...It was an ez A though. Just go to every lecture, write down what he tells you to, and memorize before the tests. Final was take home.

Professor Anderson understands that this is just a focus capacity requirement for most students and makes it an engaging but easy class with some interesting material as long as you take screenshots of the lecture slides to study from. Prepare for the listenings at least a week in advance.

I would just like to start by saying that I knew nothing about music. I came into this class just looking for a credit; however Stephen Anderson is awesome and I left the class knowing so much about Jazz. Let me warn you, the tests are easy but please LISTEN to playlist early, like the day you finish your last test.

Took it to fulfill a requirement but left with a broad understanding of jazz. Take notes/pics of the slides.

The two projects in this class are a lot of work so start them early. He is a super caring, funny professor who wants to see you succeed. He is passionate about the material and gives grade feedback in your one-on-one composition lessons.