Christopher Butterfield - University of Victoria, Victoria, BC

Professor: Christopher Butterfield

Department: Music

College: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: MUS105
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

As a non-music student with no previous experience, I really enjoyed this course. Christopher was happy to take emails and meetings to help me keep up, and he always gave me great recommendations for new composers to check out. If you go to his classes and put effort into assignments, you will do well. His lectures are hilarious and interesting!

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: MUS105
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

I don't think I've ever or will ever take a more awesome class.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: 105
• Grade Received: A+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

This man is absolutely FANTASTIC. Incredibly supportive and openminded: very encouraging, and an absolute delight to listen to! First day of class instead of telling us half the class would surely fail, he told us "everything is going to be alright", then made the class stare at a picture of a building with those words on it for about 5 minutes.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: FA101
• Grade Received: Not sure yet
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

The material in the course is mostly pretentious wish-wash, but that's to be expected considering it's called "Creative Being". Despite most of the prof's lectures being borderline incomprehensible, the class seemed to grow more affectionate for Butterfield as the semester wore on. He's not much of a public speaker, but he's funny and approachable.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: A08
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

i dont like the notebooks

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: AO8
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Get ready for rants and tangents.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: FA101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Christopher Butterfield is by far the most hilarious professor I have ever had. He tends to talk with his eyes closed, which was highly amusing. He has a great sense of humour and the class was so much fun because of his lack of technology knowledge. I loved having him as a professor.

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: FA101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

His lectures can be slightly confusing, but in a class about creativity and art (the course's tagline is "Surf the Chaos!") it's to be expected. Overall a really good teacher and a fun lecturer. (The tutorial TAs really help clear up the slightly confusing lectures.)

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: FA101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Absolutely dreaded this class, but had to take it for a requirement. Classes were boring and time couldn't go by slower. THOUGHT it would've been an easy A but notebooks were graded too harshly and we didn't get any feedback on them.

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: FA101
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Quirky and nice man, obviously passionate about the arts and knows his stuff. Covered lots of examples but lacked a theoretical structure. Lectures could be a little random and sometimes boring. Interesting assignments (reviews of cultural events, notebook, and class performance). Readings posted online were confusing and dry. Course was an easy A.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: FA101
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Prior to him teaching Creative Being, it had a bad rep. I think that's changed though. He made the class so engaging and something I looked forward to! He is absolutely hilarious and it seems like he's not even trying to be! He was insanely passionate about everything we covered, but focused too much on music in contrast to other FA faculties...

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: MUS405
• Grade Received: B+
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Such a wonderful mentor. He is the type of professor who listens to the students' ideas and pushes you to do better, but within your own style. Very respectful of students' creativity. He likes to take his time talking, and it's great because he says some pretty remarkable things. Very eccentric and his passion for music shows clearly.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: MUS405
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Such an amazing professor. Very respectful to each students' creativity, and helps the student grow within their own style. Loves to take his time while talking, and says some very remarkable things. A very passionate musician and it shows through his excitement in organizing concerts, and attending events. Wonderful!

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: MUS301A
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He's not for everyone. Chris has a very open teaching style that is more about planting ideas than giving you a reiteration of a text book. Keep an open mind and ask lots of questions. He's super approachable, and is good at clarifying things if you need help with them.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: MUS105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 1.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great prof! The class is easily marked, and each day is radically different in a fun and intersting way. It may not always seem that he's organized, but he knows what he's doing and is meticulous with his course outline. Highly recommended if you're open-minded towards music!

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: MUS105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Amazing! A Wonderful Treat to start my days on Monday and Thursday. Topics for class are WIDE OPEN and you'd do well to write down the books he recommends. If you're looking for convention or standards you should run away! If you let it happen though, you will transform! The way you think about music is the way you think about life, don't forget

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: MUS380
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Christopher can be absent-minded, but he is amazing. He is such a great conductor to work with. He can to people that they're flat, and no one cries. It's just in the way he says it. Sonic Lab with Chris should be experienced by all music students.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: MUSX05
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Totally insane, but that tends to go hand in hand with being a super genius. Might take you a while to get used to him, but he knows his stuff and if you pay attention, so will you.

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: MUS301
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

You can learn a lot from Chris: he's extremely smart and wants everyone to know it. This means he can turn into an intellectual bully with a big chip on his shoulder. Weirdly competitive and stand-offish with male students, though he's much friendlier to the girls. Not entirely to be trusted.

Rating # 20

Overview:

• Course: MUS105
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

A great class, I learned a ton. Butterfield could be a hard nut to crack but he is a genious, and if you actually want to learn and try things he's great to work with. You may not learn what you expected but you'll learn a lot, if you care to. For tonal music, take 101/201.