I.  REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:

A.  All Freshmen

1.  26 Italian Songs and Arias, Glen Paton, ed., Alfred Publ.
2.  1st Book of Soprano, Mezzo, Tenor, Baritone Solos, edited by Joan Boytim

 B. Upperclassmen will purchase other vocal books to be determined by the instructor.

C. ALL STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO RECORD THEIR PRACTICE SESSION VIA THIS WEBSITE OR THROUGH E-MAIL.

II.  COURSE OBJECTIVES:

  To learn the basic principles of "healthy" singing and to apply them to any type vocal music.

III.  METHOD OF INSTRUCTION

  One private lesson per week, and one Master Class every other week.
  1 hr. credit = 1/2 hour lesson;  2 hr. credit = 1 hour lesson

IV.  REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS
 

A.  1 HOUR CREDIT

1.  Four songs learned and memorized by the end of the semester

a. TWO BY MIDTERM; YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO SING TWO NEW SONGS BY MID-TERM FROM MEMORY

B.  2 HOUR CREDIT

1. Six songs learned and memorized by the end of the semester recital

a. three by midterm YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO SING THREE NEW SONGS BY MID-TERM FROM MEMORY

C. EXTRA CREDIT can be earned for extra songs learned

 V.  REQUIRED PERFORMANCES IN STUDENT RECITAL
 

A.  ALL STUDENTS MUST PERFORM AT LEAST HALF OF THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF SONGS FOR THE SEMESTER AT STUDENT RECITAL; THESE SONGS MUST BE PERFORMED IN MASTER CLASS BEFORE SINGING ON A RECITAL.

B.  Foreign language requirement

1.  minimum of one foreign language song for 1 hour credit
2.  minimum of two foreign language songs for 2 hour credit
3. all Foreign language songs must have the translation written in the music before studying in class, and a translation memorized before performing in recital

C.  Literature will be selected from the following

1.  classical repertoire
2.  musical theatre
3.  any song with artistic &/or pedagogical merit

VI.  ATTENDANCE

A.  Generally

1.  No absences are permissible (see p.7 Music Student Handbook)

B.  Voice lesson

1. only TWO absences (excused or unexcused) during the semester; after which your grade will automatically be lowered with the following:

a.  3 absences -- 1 letter grade drop
b.  4 absences -- 2 letter grade drop
c.  5 absences -- 3 letter grade drop
d.  6 absences -- automatic F

2.  weekly attendance required

a.  tardiness:  a student more than ten minutes tardy will be considered absent

VII.  Master Class on WED. 4:00 P.M. every other week opposite Student Recitals.

1. You are required to perform at least one time per semester in addition to Student Recital. Extra credit will be given if you perform more than the requirement.
2. You will be allowed two absences (excused and unexcused).  Your grade for the class      will be lowered the same as section VI.B.(see above).

VIII.  PRACTICE JOURNAL

A. The practice journal, mentioned above, will be a record or your practice sessions.  These sessions must be at a piano, not in the car, in your dorm room, etc.

1. You will record, the songs you practice, the length of your practice session, and any pertinent thing that comes to mind (language problems, musical problems etc.).

2. Although this is on the honor system, I will know if you have not practiced you music.

B.   Students should practice at least the same amount of time each day as the length of their     lessons.  For example, students taking thirty-minute lessons should practice on the average    at least thirty minutes per day.

C. You will turn the journal in to me at the end of the semester.  You will be graded based on quantity of practice sessions.

D.  Practice room assignment

1. Designate a specific time in your schedule to devote to practicing each day.
2. YOU MUST FILL OUT A PRACTICE CARD  AND GIVE TO ME NOTATING YOUR PRACTICE ROOM AND TIME.

E. If you do not have time in your schedule to practice "daily", perhaps you should take up another major such as Business or Biology.

IX.  FORMAT OF LESSON

A.  Musicianship

1.  Music must be learned outside of lesson time, i.e., pitches, rhythms, etc.
2.  You will be graded accordingly if I have to teach you your music
3.   bring a blank tape to your lesson, to tape record your lesson; you may not understand what I am saying until you hear yourself sing

4.  Lesson will be devoted to:

a.  vocal technique
b.  language (diction)
c.  style
d.  interpretation

5. There is not enough time in a 30-60 minute lesson to teach you your music!  You must spend at least 30 minutes per day practicing or studying your music (memorizing, translating etc.).

General Comments

Technique:
Vocal progress commensurate with your age, your major, and length of study. Learn how to
develop momentum in your progress, then keep the progress advancing.

Practice 13-15 hours per week. Warm up the voice for 20 minutes before coming to your lessons.
Sleep an adequate amount the night before your voice lesson. Come to your lessons rested, with a
positive attitude and energy.

Hint: practice some every day, and long sessions two or three times a week. Always
practice some before ensemble rehearsals.

Breathing Exercises

Please practice the following exercises daily:

 
1. Panting. Practice until you can pant without pause for 1 minute.

2. Energy Breath. Exhale. Inhale in short, energetic puffs through your nose, filling abdomen and
thorax. Exhale energetically through open mouth using an unvocalized ÒAh!Ó. Repeat three times.

Medication

Please let me know what medications you take on a regular basis. They can affect greatly your
voice. Tylenol comes recommended for general pain relief for singers; other pain relievers may lead
to swollen vocal chords or increase the likelihood of bleeding in the vocal chords.
 

Accompanists
 You will be required to locate an accompanist who will be able to play for your lessons (I will assist you with this, but ultimately you are responsible to arrange this).  I will play for the majority of beginning level students, but be prepared for this expense, especially during recitals, master class or competitions.  The accompanist list is posted on my bulletin board.

 Tapes/CDs of some of the songs are available through the local music stores, e.g. Da Capo Music 224-5015
  Bring a tape to my office and I will record your accompaniment from the Vivace Computer Accompanist if  the
 song is in the repertoire list.

I.  JURIES
A.  songs from Repertoire list sung from memory
1.  you select one song
2.  we (the faculty) select one or two more songs
   3. 2 hrs. credit should sing at least three song at the jury
 

 Expectations for you at the Jury (Final)

1. Singing the song accurately. Having learned the rhythms, pitches, pronunciation of words, and
interludes precisely, the student performs the song accurately and freely while watching the music.

2. Singing the song from memory. The student sings accurately and freely without watching the
music.

3. Singing with emotional gesture in the voice. The student performs the song with spontaneous
emotional content.

4. Singing the song by heart. (The first three levels involve getting the song into the student; this stage
concerns getting the music out of the student.) The student goes beyond singing the music and
expressing emotion: he expresses himself through the song.

I expect first-year students to perform their songs for evaluation at level 2, second year
students at level 3, and third and fourth years students at level 4 or close to it.
 
 

I.  EVALUATION:
A.  Practice Journal (25%) VIA INTERNET (email)
B.  Master Class (15%)
1.  extra credit will be given additional performances
2. extra credit may also be earned for performing at other functions sanctioned by the     teacher
a. NATS, Lyons Club, Kiwanis, etc.
C.  Mid term grade (25%)
D.  Jury grade (35%)-which will be the average of all attending faculty
1. based on your performance in the jury itself
2. extra credit given for extra songs learned during the semester
E.  Scale:
   A=100-90
   B= 89-80
   C= 79-70
   D= 69-60
   F= 59-0