California State University, Northridge Course Syllabus
Music DepartmentFall Semester, 2003
Musicianship V
 
Basic Info: MUS 311/L (2 units total)
MWF, 10:00–10:50, Rm. MU265

Instructor: Timothy Howard, DMA
E-mail: thoward@drmusic.com
On-campus phone: 818-677-3179
Office hours (MU227): TBA

Description: The three-year sequence of Musicianship classes (levels I–VI) provides a structured environment in which students develop the basic musical skills expected of those working toward the B.A. and B.M. degrees. The present class, Musicianship V, continues the course of study begun in levels I through IV. Focus areas at this level include music fundamentals, solfege and sight singing, rhythm performance, melodic and harmonic dictation, rhythmic dictation, basic conducting and structured improvisation.

Objectives:
  • Develop the ability to sing (both prepared and at sight) major, minor, and 20th Century melodies, from modulation to distant keys through beginning 20th Century scale techniques, using both movable and fixed solfege syllables.
  • Develop the ability to perform rhythms in simple, compound, asymmetrical meters and non-metered music through multiple levels of subdivision using various rhythm syllable systems.
  • Continue developing melodic and rhythmic dictation skills.
  • Continue development of conducting patterns and skills.
  • Continue development of harmonic dictation skills including secondary, borrowed, augmented sixths, Neapolitans chords and harmonic progressions that modulate.
  • Continue development of aural recognition of chords structures, including chords with higher tertian structures.
  • Continue development of structured improvisation skills in melodic, rhythmic and harmonic patterns.
Expectations: Music 212 (Musicianship IV) and Music 214 (Harmony II) are prerequisites for this class. In addition, good keyboard skills will be an enormous asset.

Required Course Materials (available in the Matador Bookstore):
TEXT: Musicianship V Course Manual, California State University, Northridge
SOFTWARE: MacGamut Computer Program

Things to Bring to Each Class Meeting:
Musicianship V Course Manual
Pencils with erasers

Grading Categories & Descriptions:
A.In-Class Solfege and Sight-Singing Performance10%
B.In-Class Rhythm Performance10%
Individual performances of solfege and rhythm examples. These should be prepared for the appropriate week with the policies listed below, unless otherwise instructed by your course instructor. Where applicable, you must follow all tempo, conducting and other indications on the page.
C.Written Assignments15%
Written assignments covering the fundamentals of 20th century music will be made.
D.Quizzes (5) 15%
Each of these quizzes may include dictation (melodic, rhythmic, harmonic), aural interval, chord qualities, and non-harmonic tone identification. Each quiz takes 15-20 minutes, typically at the beginning of a class period. The lowest score of the 5 will be dropped.
E.Written Tests (3) 20%
Each of these tests take an entire class period and may include any dictation and/or identification components studied to date. The lowest score of the 3 will be dropped.
F.Individual Aural Tests (2) 20%
Aural Test #1 (held midway through the semester) covers all solfege and rhythm reading exercises from weeks 1-8; Aural Test # 2 (held during Finals week) contains all sight-singing and rhythm reading exercises from weeks 9-15. Both tests include examples of unprepared sight singing and rhythm reading material.
G.Computer MacGamut Levels10%
MacGamut is computer software you will use for independent ear training practice. Each category of work (scales, melodic dictation, etc.) has levels of increasing difficulty. The chart at the front of your Musicianship V Course Manual identifies the levels you must complete by the end of the semester; due date(s) will be announced in class.

Grading Scale:
 
A+  93.00–100.00
A–  90.00–92.99		 B+  87.00–89.99
B+  83.00–86.99
B–  80.00–82.99		 C+  77.00–79.99
C+  73.00–76.99
C–  70.00–72.99		 No grades of "D" are given,
except for attendance reasons
F+00.00–69.99
For additional information, see How Grading Works, below.

Calendar of Tests & Quizzes:
Quiz #1-September 12
Quiz #2-October 10
Quiz #3-October 24
Quiz #4-November 14
Quiz #5-November 21

 Written Test #1-September 26
Written Test #2-October 31
Written Test #3-December 5		 Aural Test#1-October 13-18
Aural Test #2-December 8-11
Typical Weekly Schedule:
Monday: Prepared Solfege Performance exercises due; some dictation work.
Wednesday: Prepared Rhythm Performance exercises due; some dictation work.
Friday: Dictation work; catch up with other unfinished business.

Test, Quiz, In-Class Performance and Homework Policies:
  • Tests and quizzes must be taken with the rest of the class when they are given. Missed tests and quizzes cannot be made up (exception: a doctor's written excuse no later than 2 class periods following the missed test or quiz).
  • In-Class Performance (solfege and rhythms) must be done on schedule; performance order will be determined randomly. Except as described below, missed performance opportunities cannot be made up, period.
  • Homework Assignments are due at the beginning of class each Friday. A 10% penalty will be assessed for assignments turned in by the beginning of the next class period; no credit will be given for work submitted thereafter. Except as the Instructor may specify, all homework assignments must be completed using pencil only.If you must miss class because of an authorized school activity (e.g., ensemble performance), you are responsible to submit any assignment(s) due the day of your absence prior to your absence. In addition, you may make arrangements with the Instructor to do any in-class performance work you'll miss while away; you must make the arrangements well in advance, and you must do the performance prior to your absence.
Music Department Attendance Policy:
Each absence in excess of 10% of total contact hours lowers the semester grade by one-third (+/-). Two "tardies" constitute one absence.

Some General Advice:
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR MacGamut WORK TO THE LAST WEEK OR TWO OF THE SEMESTER! Doing so will mean not only almost sure failure to receive full credit for the MacGamut component of the course, but will hinder your ability to receive full benefit from your other work in the class.

If You've Not Used MacGamut Before...
In order to register your copy of MacGamut, you need an e-mail account; you'll also need one each time you report your work to the instructor. Nearly any e-mail account will do (including free accounts from Hotmail, Yahoo and others), but it is strongly recommended that you obtain and use the free account to which you're entitled as a CSUN student. For information, follow the online instructions found at http://www.csun.edu/itr/guides/account.html.

Unfortunately, the MacGamut software offers no way for you to start at any particular level; therefore, you need to start at level 1 for each category. Since this is the fifth semester in the sequence, you'll have some additional work to catch up with your classmates. The positive issue in all this is that since you have the skill to have tested directly into Musicianship V, it should not be difficult–just a bit time-consuming–for you to complete the MacGamut work for the previous four semesters.

Academic Integrity:
By their nature and content, most music courses encourage collaborative work, which is to be expected and respected. However, work on assignments or projects which is clearly plagiarized, or for which the student intentionally misleads the instructor as to its origin, will not be tolerated.

How Grading Works in this Class:
You receive both a "class" grade and a "lab" grade for this course. The "class" grade is calculated using the Grading Categories & Descriptions and Grading Scale guidelines above, minus any attendance penalty. Assuming you complete your Concert Attendance Requirement (see below), you receive the same grade for the "lab" portion of the course.

If you do not fulfill the Concert Attendance Requirement, you will receive an Incomplete for the "lab" portion of the course. In order to clear this Incomplete, you must attend 13 concerts (yes, all 13–not just the balance of concerts you didn't already attend) during the next semester. No concert attendance is held over to the next semester. Incompletes not cleared within 12 months are automatically converted to a F(Fail) by the University Admissions and Records Office.

Concert Attendance Requirement:
Attendance at 13 concerts is required to receive the lab portion of your grade (see How Grading Works, above). Of these, 9 must be Music Department events; the remaining 4 may (but do not need to be) be outside concerts.

On-Campus Concerts: Concert cards are collected at the door following most on-campus events. Look for the sign that states "Concert Cards Collected Here." No concert cards can be turned in after the event, not even to your musicianship teacher. Please do not ask. Forgetting your card(s) is not an excuse: you simply won't receive credit for that concert. So, plan ahead: bring a card–duplicate cards will not be available at the concert–and remember to turn it in at the conclusion of the concert.

Off-Campus Concerts: In order to receive credit for outside concert attendance, you must turn in a program and a ticket with your recital card to your musicianship Instructor within two weeks following the event.

Note: Concert Cards are not collected at some on-campus events; for those rare occasions, report your attendance as you would for an off-campus event.

The Bottom Line: Plan for concert attendance-it is part of this course and your grade.

FIRST DATE FOR CONCERT ATTENDANCE:
Monday, August 25, 2003
 LAST DATE FOR CONCERT ATTENDANCE:
Sunday, December 7, 2003
 

Final Word: It is each student's responsibility to know and follow the entire contents of this syllabus.