Course Syllabus
Course: MUSC 3166
Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
Department: Music
Title: A Cappella Choir III
Semester Approved: Fall 2019
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2025
End Semester: Summer 2025
Catalog Description: This course will provide group training in a variety of choral music literature. Those registering are expected to participate in major activities of the department. All students will be auditioned in order to participate in the choir. (Repeatable for Credit) (Additional fee required)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0
Repeatable: Yes.
Justification: Besides providing training for the voice, the choir is an excellent venue for students to feel part of a group. Long-term work toward a mutual goal is almost unique to the study of music. The nature of this group allows those who have not had the opportunity to study music in their previous coursework the chance to learn good music, to join in a group, and to build good vocal health. Vocal music majors are required to perform in a choral group each semester of their program both at our institution and at transfer institutions. The choir credit transfers for both the major and the non-major.
General Education Outcomes:
5: A student who completes the GE curriculum can communicate effectively through writing and speaking. Students will be able to respond more sensitively to a choral work which they have properly rehearsed, having learned to accurately reproduce it in terms of pitch, rhythm and dynamics. In addition, students will respond with greater sensitivity because they will have learned about the historical context of the work and the conditions under which it was composed.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will gain an understanding of the music in its historical setting as well as the stylistic, expressive, and formal qualities associated with the particular era of music history. Upon completion of each semester of this course, students will be able to accurately perform the music selected by the director. The students will perform the music studied in concerts scheduled throughout the semester. Students will show their mastery of the musical elements (notes, rhythms, expressive content) in performance.
They will understand the textual meanings of the compositions. The students will communicate the understanding which they have gained to their audiences in concert. Students will show their mastery of selected literature during concerts given each semester.
Students will show their mastery of selected literature during concerts given each semester. Students will demonstrate mastery of this outcome through the submission of documented practice hours. Regular sectional rehearsals will provide feedback on individual progress. Quartets will sing individually for the instructor to ascertain memorization and performance readiness, which will demonstrate their understanding of this outcome.
Content:
Music will be chosen from all periods of music history and from all levels of difficulty within the ability of the current group. The skills of sightsinging and rhythmic reading will be taught through daily exercises and through rehearsal of the music. Proper vocal techniques will be discussed and applied.
Key Performance Indicators:
Students in choral music performance courses are assessed in the following ways (percentages are approximate):
Participation Rates - Attendance at class sessions 40 to 50%
Written Assignments - Documented practice hours 10 to 15%
Presentation/Performance - sectional/quartet rehearsal participation and performance 10 to 15%
Presentation/Performance - Concert participation and performance 10 to 15%
Group Project - Participation in concert recording review and critique 20 to 30%
Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Music for this ensemble will be taken from the Snow College choral library.
Pedagogy Statement:
This course is delivered via direct instruction, modeling, demonstration, mentoring and student collaboration.
Instructional Mediums:
Lecture
Maximum Class Size: 120
Optimum Class Size: 100
