Historical instructor
Original student reviews · all captured dates
Class was pretty easy, but too much work for being a 2 credit class. It was hard to take notes in class because he did not have any lecture slides but would talk about musicians or musical instruments from other countries that you had no idea how to spell. Don't buy the textbook, he will tell you its mandatory and then post all the music on canvas.Rate My Professors ↗
Do Not BUY the Soundscapes textbook or subscription. You will use his youtube links on canvas for music. It's a good idea to attend lecture as the two quizzes are based on lecture notes you will take. He tends to wait for class responses and it gets boring but he's passionate and quirky. Attendance is recorded by a sheet & quizzes for discussion.
Though the class uses a book, his quizzes are exclusively based on lecture content. His lectures are a bit dry at times, and he reads off of the slides, but he adds in extra info. In discussion, there is a weekly "quiz" (one question--half the credit is for putting your name on it)--so showing up for discussion is important.Rate My Professors ↗
MWR was an absolutely amazing professor. Content in this class was very easy, and with a laid back professor like MWR it was a great experience. All of the quizzes, exams, and papers were very simple and graded easily, and on top of that, he curves grades at the end of the semester. I would highly recommend taking one of his classes.Rate My Professors ↗
Not sure why Richardson has a poor rating, I don't think it is an accurate reflection on him. He is clearly passionate about what he does and I enjoyed his teaching. 101 was a breeze if you show up to lecture and discussion; I ended up with a 100 in the class. If you enjoy music his lectures will be easy to follow and interesting.Rate My Professors ↗
He really cares about music and he is very knowledgeable. He makes a lot of dad jokes and lectures include a lot of examples so it is easy to follow, but he does not upload the slide so be prepared to take (minimal) notes. The quizzes are extremely easy if you have a good TA. Richardson seems like a great guy.Rate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
No teaching recorded in Fall 2026.
View last recorded teaching term →No courses match this selection. Try the full catalog or another term.
Distinct courses recorded per term
Explore courses taught by this instructor →| Term | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2018 | FOLKLORE/MUSIC 103 | Introduction to Music Cultures of the World |
| Fall 2017 | FOLKLORE/MUSIC 103 | Introduction to Music Cultures of the World |
| Fall 2017 | MUSIC 101 | The Musical Experience |
| Spring 2017 | FOLKLORE/MUSIC 103 | Introduction to Music Cultures of the World |
| Fall 2016 | FOLKLORE/MUSIC 103 | Introduction to Music Cultures of the World |
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
{
"instructor_uid": "instructor_206a781e1641bd1882171b5c",
"source": "madgrades",
"source_instructor_id": "5852470",
"identity_basis": "source_id",
"identity_status": "source_identified",
"name": "MATTHEW RICHARDSON",
"email": null,
"first_observed_at": "2026-09-06 23:14:58.172943+00:00",
"last_observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
"ratings": {
"review_count": 15,
"quality": 2.8,
"difficulty": 1.87,
"quality_count": 15,
"difficulty_count": 15,
"profile_id": "rmp:2234233",
"source_url": "https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/professor/2234233",
"match_basis": "exact_name",
"observed_at": "2026-09-07 16:19:35.510674+00:00",
"courses": {
"course_ee0d26b86fe748a735bf7e1d": {
"review_count": 2,
"quality": 2.5,
"difficulty": 2,
"quality_count": 2,
"difficulty_count": 2
},
"course_22a1ec41f75976d920921cbd": {
"review_count": 5,
"quality": 3.6,
"difficulty": 1.2,
"quality_count": 5,
"difficulty_count": 5
},
"course_3f1632cb1d6e623d73051062": {
"review_count": 6,
"quality": 2.83,
"difficulty": 2,
"quality_count": 6,
"difficulty_count": 6
}
},
"bayesian_quality": 3.291249019169483,
"prior_mean": 3.6596857835465957,
"prior_weight": 20
},
"grade_statistics": {
"gpa": 3.57,
"graded": 788,
"counts": [
484,
132,
97,
25,
24,
14,
12
],
"sections": 5
},
"current": false,
"courses": [],
"revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
"instructor_url": "/instructors/MATTHEW_RICHARDSON"
}