MUS 444-001

Vocal Pedagogy

Dr. Susan Fleming

Office Hours: TBA and by appointment

Room 184; phone: 348-1470 (o)

sfleming@music.as.ua.edu

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

This course is intended for undergraduate vocal performance majors. It is a "learn-by-doing" class, and provides the student with the opportunity to study the practical aspects of learning to sing, as well as how to teach someone else to sing. Emphasis will center on the introduction of various pedagogical attitudes and their merits and/or shortcomings, as well as concrete information and sources to aid in instruction.

TEXTS:

Required: A Beginning Singer's Guide by Richard Davis

Optional: A Soprano on Her Head by Eloise Ristad and The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey

Other reading assignments will be on reserve in the Media Center, as well as a reserve list for reference purposes in the Music Library.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Two tests (midterm and final) from materials covered in class and from assigned readings.
2. Teach 1 student ½ hour lesson per week. This student is NOT to have had prior voice lessons on any level --i.e., a beginner. The student will be "taught" IN CLASS twice, for you as instructor to receive feedback and assistance on how to proceed teaching the student.
3. Keep a journal of the weekly lessons with your student. Include exercises/vocalizes used (and why you used these specific ones), specific problems addressed (and how they were addressed), progress (or none) made, literature assigned, etc. Journal is due at the end of class Thursday, November 20, 2003.
4. Expect pop quizzes -- they WILL happen!
5. Due every Tuesday, beginning Sept. 4, read and critique an article from one of the following (14 total): Bodymind and Voice, vol. 3 --chapters 1, 8, 9, 10, 12 (Media Center - xerox); Vocal Health and Pedagogy --chapters 13, 18, 19, 26, 29 (Media Center - xerox); any pedagogical article from recent NATS Journals (since 2000); any chapter from a pedagogical text on Gorgas reserve list. Summarize information so that it will be of help to you in the future (include bibliographical information for this purpose).
6. Observe 1 lesson (minimum) taught by each voice faculty member. Make notes on what you observed -- what you thought worked, what didn't work, and/or questions you have about methods used. Include this in your Journal (due Nov. 20).

GRADES:

Scale is: A+ = 98-100; A = 94-97; A- = 90-93; B+ = 87-89; B = 83-86; B- = 80-82; C+ = 77-79; C = 73-76; C- = 70-72; D+ = 67-69; D = 63-66; D- = 60-62; F = 0-59.

Incompletes will be granted only in extreme circumstances (please see University catalog for specifics). Grades are based on the following criteria:

• 20% Class attendance and participation. Class attendance is required. Two unexcused absences result in automatic lowering of final grade by 1 letter. Each subsequent unexcused absence continues to lower grade by 1 letter.
• 20% Tests (10% each)
• 20% Journal (due Thursday, Nov. 29)
• 10% Teaching evaluation - based on two classroom "lessons"
• 5% Observations of faculty lessons (in journal)
• 25 Weekly reading assignments