(Pintable Copy of Syllabus)

UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC
 
MUSIC 345:               CHORAL CONDUCTING
CREDIT:                    2 hrs.
LOCATION:               Rm. 104        Wed/Fri(9-9:50 am)
                                                              M(Lab 1-1:50 pm) 
INSTRUCTOR:          Dr. Robert Jones (robert.jones@notes.udayton.edu)
OFFICE:                   M/T 129
PHONE:                    93909
 
Requirements for this course need to be satisfied in order to receive a grade.  Your in-class performances will determine a large portion of your grade.  Furthermore, you must provide “vocal support” for your classmates as they will for you!
 
EACH STUDENT SHOULD DEMONSTRATE THE FOLLOWING CONDUCTING SKILLS:
 
1.   Good body posture
      
2.   Standard beat patterns using either and both hands
                 
3.   Knowledge of appropriate beat to be used

4.   Preparatory motion for attack
                 
5.   Use of left hand for standard signals
                 
6.   Syncopation

7.   Size of gesture
                 
8.   Textual understanding and interpretations
                 
 
SCORE READING AND MUSICAL SKILLS:
 
1.  Study and prepare a choral score for rehearsal purposes
                  A.            Ability to sing and conduct each individual parts of SATB scores
                  B.            Interpret with stylistic understanding choral music of the  various styles and
                                  periods of choral composition
                  C.            Give verbal directions clearly and concisel
                  D.             Indicate interpretive and stylistic ideas in gesture
                  E.            Change a choral sound appropriately through work on  breathing,
                                  diction (vowels and consonants), balance, blend and phrasing
                  F.            Encourage participation and a desire for improvement in members of
                                  choral group
 
*You should plan to participate in Pedagogy Lab which meets Mondays from 1-1:50 pm.
 
PROJECTS
 
Choose your topic from our text  Appendix A (p. 179)
                 
            - Your topic must be approved by the instructor by FEB. 15th
            - Length of your project should generally be between 6-9 pages.
            - Bibliography and footnotes should be included. 
 
TEXTBOOK:  CHORAL CONDUCTING:  Focus On Communication.  H. Decker and C. Kirk.  Waveland Press, Prospect Heights, IL,1995. 


OBSERVATION EXPERIENCE:
1. 20 hours of Field Experience
a. Local middle/Junior or secondary-school observation
b. Festival, All-State or Honors’ Chorus observation – May substitute for one hour of a class.

LISTENING LIST
 
Several major choral works from each musical era will be included (as assigned in class).  Listening quizes will be given.
 
GRADING

TESTS/QUIZES	30%
PROJECT	30%
VIDEOTAPINGS	30%
LAB PARTICIPATION	10%
	100%

 
*No unexcused absences are allowed.  Contact me before a class if you are going to be absent or the absence will be counted as unexcused.  After two absences of any type your final grade will drop two points. (If there is a physician’s note for an extended illness, I will not penalize you.)  In addition, for every two tardies your final grade will drop a point.  
 
 
BOOKS ON RESERVE
 
                  Brown, Howard.  “Music In the Renaissance,”  from Prentice-Hall History of Music Series, H. Wiley Hitchcock, ed.  Englewood Cliffs: 
                  Prentice-Hall, 1976.
 
                  Dart, Thurston.  The Interpretation of Music.  New York:  Harper Colophon, 1963.
 
                  Jacobs, Arthur, ed.  Choral Music.  Baltimore:  Penquin, 1963.
 
                  Robinson, Ray, ed.  Choral Music.  New York:  W. W. Norton, 1978.
 
                  Seay, Albert.  “Music in the Medieval World,”  from Prentice-Hall History of Music Series,  H. Wiley Hitchcock, ed.  Englewood  Cliffs: 
                  Prentice-Hall, 1965.
 
                  Simons, Harriet.  Choral Conducting:  A Leadership Approach.  Champaign:  Mark Foster, 1983.
 
                  Uhlrich, Homer.  A Survey of Choral Music.   Chicago:  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973.
 
                  Vindquist, M. and Neqal Zaslaw.  Performance Practice:  A Bibliography.  New York:  W. W. Norton, 1970.
 
                  Young, Percy.  The Choral Tradition.  New York:  W. W. Norton, 1981.

CLASS SCHEDULE

CHORAL CONDUCTING
Music 345
Winter 2008
CHORAL CONDUCTING:  Focus On Communication
 
Jan.     9     Perusal of syllabi/class schedule
                 Warm-ups/review exercises
                 Discuss musical selections to be conducted next class
                 Assignment:    Prepare select pieces for next class

           11   Conduct assigned pieces in class
                 Assignment: Read the Renaissance Era - p. 30-41 in text
 
          16    Discuss the Renaissance Era - p. 30-41
                 Discuss Ave Maria (Victoria) and Rest Sweet Nymphs (Pilkington)
                                
          18    Conduct Rest Sweet Nymphs
                 Assignment: Prepare Ave Maria

          21    Martin Luther King Day
                  
          23    Conduct Ave Maria
                 Assignment: Prepare Ave Maria & Rest for Error Detection Quiz
                   
          25    Score Error Detection Quiz on Ave Maria/Rest Sweet Nymphs
                    
          30    Test: Renaissance Style & Listening Test
                  Conduct Ave Maria & Rest

Feb.    1     VIDEOTAPE - Ave Maria and Rest Sweet Nymphs                
                 Assignment: Read Chapter 2 - The Baroque Era (p. 41-53)  
   
          6      Discuss Chapter 2 - The Baroque Era (p. 41-53)
                 ASSIGNMENT: Read Chapter 2: The Baroque Era (p. 41-53)                    
 
          8     OMEA Conference     
                                                  
          13   Conduct But As For His People
                 Listening/Style Discussion
                     
          15   Conduct He Sent A Thick Darkness
                *Inform me of your project title to be turned in at Final Exam

          20   Conduct He Sent A Thick Darkness
                Assignment: Prepare for Baroque Style Test & Listening Test

          22   Conduct He Sent A Thick Darkness
                Test: Baroque Style and Listening Test                 
                Assignment: Prepare conducting selections for Videotaping

          27   Video-Taping - But As For His People & He Sent A Thick Darkness
                Assignment: Prepare If Music Be the Food of Love-Confitebor (Mozart)                    
           
          29   Discuss If Music Be the Food of Love-Confitebor
                ASSIGNMENT:  Read the Classical & Romantic Period (p. 54-56)  

March  5     Conduct Confetibor
                 Listening/Style Discussion       
 
          7     Conduct If Music Be the Food of Love                                        
                 ASSIGNMENT:  Prepare Confitebor                            
                                   
         12     Conduct Confitebor in class
                 ASSIGNMENT:   Practice both selections                                      

         14     Conduct If Music Be The Food of Love in class
                
         14-23  Spring Break

         26     Conduct Confitebor in class                
                 Assignment: Prepare for test on Classical/Romantic style                                     
 
         28    Test: Classical/Romantic style
                Conduct If Music Be the Food of Love & Confitebor
               
April  2     Video-taping - If Music Be the Food of Love-Confitebor
                Assignment: Read the Twentieth Century (p. 58-68)          
              
         4     Discuss Twentieth Century (p. 58-68)
                Prepare The Lord To Me a Shepherd Is (p.346)
                Assignment: Read Chapter 5: Developing the Choral Instrument    

         9     Chapter 5 Discussion
                Conduct The Lord to Me   
           
         11   Conduct The Lord to Me
               Style/Listening Discussion
                  
        16   Chapter 5 (Continuation)
              Conduct The Lord to Me
       
        18   Examine select high school choral literature
              Conduct The Lord to Me a Shepherd Is
                                                    
        23   Epilogue:
              Test: Twentieth Century Style/Listening Test
              Prep for the final exam                             
                                                                                              
April 29   EXAM 2:30-4:20pm
              VIDEOTAPING  -  The Lord To Me A Shepherd Is                
              PROJECT DUE HERE
 
*This schedule is subject to change, if needed.