Course Syllabus
Course: MUSC 3736
Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New MediaDepartment: Music
Title: Private Strings III
Semester Approved: Fall 2019
Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2025
End Semester: Summer 2025
Catalog Description: This course provides individual musical instruction at an intermediate to advanced level. Private instruction is required of all music majors each semester. Music performance majors are required to take 60-minute lessons each week, while music education and music therapy students are required to take 30-minute lessons each week. All students are also required to participate in regular master classes, recitals and juries, which fulfill the lab portion of the course. The course is also available to non-music majors who wish to develop their musicianship and performance skills. An additional fee is required. This course may be repeated for credit.
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1; Lecture: 1; Lab: 0
Repeatable: Yes.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and successful completion of MUSC 2736.
Justification: As an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), Snow College is required to provide competent private instruction for music majors in all vocal and instrumental specialties. Private instruction is required of music majors in four-year music degree programs and must appear on student transcripts. This course offers an excellent opportunity for all Snow College students to develop musicianship and performance skills. Courses of this type are taught at all NASM accredited institutions in Utah. This course is most like MUSC 3945, Private Lessons III: Music Major: Strings, at the University of Utah.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Third year private lesson students will be able to demonstrate the following:
Continue to develop good practice habits, and keep track of practice hours using a practice journal or log sheet. Students will then submit the record at the end of the semester to the instructor, as part of the grading process. This outcome will be assessed through the submission of documented student practice time.
Learn repertoire appropriate to intermediate to an advanced grade level. Literature will be chosen by the student and teacher and assessed for progress by the teacher on a weekly basis during private lessons. This outcome will be assessed through evaluation of student performance at weekly lessons.
Learn intermediate and advanced technique skills necessary to perform more challenging repertoire. Technical skills will be discussed and assessed during each private lesson and as part of juries and performances. This outcome will be assessed at weekly private lessons, recitals, and the end of semester jury.
Memorize music for performance (where appropriate). Performing music from memory will be assessed during public performances. This outcome will be assessed at weekly private lessons, recitals, and the end of semester jury.
Perform in master classes, recitals and other public events. As required, and under the direction of the teacher, students will be asked to perform in recitals and similar venues as part of the class grade. This outcome will be assessed at weekly private lessons, recitals, and the end of semester jury.
Perform an end-of-semester jury. As part of the course grade, students will perform for the other string faculty in a string jury.
Content:
Practice journal development;
• Continuing work on body posture including embouchure, hand and feet positions, and breathing techniques;
• Advanced technique study, including use of vibrato and performance in extreme ranges;
• Greater focus on instruction in performance practice appropriate to stylistic periods;
• Continuing development of tone strength and quality within all ranges of the instrument;
• Development of dynamic ranges appropriate to all types of literature;
• In depth study of languages necessary to perform music appropriately;
• Study of major and minor scales and arpeggios;
• Study of method books and etudes appropriate to student playing level;
• Study of solo repertoire appropriate for third-year college students and/or the individual level of the student;
• Development of performance technique, including memorization techniques, stage deportment and anxiety management;
• Study and practice will be assessed through instructor feedback and public performance.
Key Performance Indicators:
Students in private music instruction courses are assessed in the following ways:
Attendance at lessons 25 to 35%
Documented practice hours 25 to 35%
Recital participation and performance 25 to 35%
Jury participation and performance 15 to 20%
Representative Text and/or Supplies:
Instructor will assign materials based on students' level of skill an interests. Students may be required to purchase solos and collections as assigned by instructor.
Individual repertoire for each stringed instrument may include but is not limited to the following: Baroque Period Partitas and Suites, Classical and Romantic Period Sonatas and Concertos, Character Pieces from the Romantic Period, and selected literature from the 20th Century.
Etude books may include Foundation Studies for the Violin by Franz Wohlfardt, Practical Viola Method by Hans Sitt, 170 Foundation Studies for Violoncello by Alwin Schroeder, and New Method for String Bass by Franz Simandl.
Repertoire is available from a variety of publishers and may be purchased from sources including online websites and local music stores.
Pedagogy Statement:
This course is delivered via direct instruction, modeling, demonstration, student self critique, and performance.
Instructional Mediums:
Lecture
Maximum Class Size: 1
Optimum Class Size: 1