California State University, Northridge Course Syllabus
Music DepartmentSpring Semester, 2004
Musicianship VI
 
Basic Info: MUS 312/L (2 units total)
MWF, 10:00–10:50, Rm. MU266

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 VI, continues and completes the course of study begun in levels I–V. Focus areas at this level include music fundamentals, solfege and sight singing, rhythm performance, melodic and harmonic dictation, rhythmic dictation, basic conducting, structured improvisation, and an introduction to (and analysis of) 20th-century compositional techniques.

Objectives:
  • Continue developing 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.
  • Continue developing 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 with an emphasis on 20th century harmonic techniques.
  • Continue development of aural recognition of chords structures, including chords with higher tertian structures.
  • Develop the ability to recognize 20th century compositional techniques and apply the appropriate form of analysis.
  • Develop the ability to use 20th century techniques in directed compositional exercises.
  • Continue development of structured improvisation skills in melodic, rhythmic and harmonic patterns.
Expectations: "Prerequisite: MU311/L. Development of basic skills in music making, including ear training; sightsinging; melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic dictation; conducting exercises; and fundamental terminology. One hour lecture, Two hours lab." (University Catalog)

Music 214 (Harmony II) is a co- or (preferrably) prerequisite for this class. In addition, good keyboard skills are an enormous asset.

Required Course Materials (available in the Matador Bookstore):
TEXT: Musicianship VI Course Manual, California State University, Northridge

Online Access:Some materials for this class will be delivered online. In general, you should be able to use any computer with an online connection. See About WebCT below for additional information.

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

About WebCT: Some content for this course will be delivered online via WebCT (Web Course Tools), an set of online instructional tools. To access WebCT, use the WebCT Login page found at http://webteach.csun.edu/.

myWebCT is your personal WebCT portal page. All classes in which you're enrolled that are using WebCT will appear on your myWebCT page. (New for Spring 2004: All students officially enrolled in this class via SOLAR are automatically registered into WebCT as well. If this class does not appear on your myWebCT page, it means you're not enrolled for the class; your myWebCT page will be updated within a day after you enroll in the class.)

Things you'll find at the WebCT Homepage for this course include: your grades; your attendance records; your Concert Card records; an electronic version of this Syllabus; links to helpful off-site resources; Quiz and Test materials. Please note that all your personal records (grades, attendance, Concert Cards) are kept confidential by WebCT; no other students can see your grades or other confidential information.

Important: when Quiz or Test materials are posted online, you are responsible for getting to them by the announced deadline.

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 Assignments20%
Written assignments covering the fundamentals of 20th century music will be made.
D.Quizzes (6) 20%
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 6 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. No scores 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.
 

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: February 13
Quiz #2: February 27
Quiz #3: March 19
Quiz #4: March 29
Quiz #5: April 30
Quiz #6: May 14

 Written Test #1: March 5
Written Test #2: April 16
Written Test #3: May 21		 Aural Test#1: March 22–26
Aural Test #2: May 24–27
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.

General Policies about In-Class Grade-Producing Work:
The nature of the CSUN Musicianship curriculum is such that a great deal of work, including many activities subject to grading, is done during class time. Therefore, faithful and on-time attendance is an extremely important component of the class. While the Music Department Attendance Policy (see below) specifies grade penalties for excessive absences, the following policies also apply to this class:
  • Weekly in-class performances (Solfege and Rhythms) are intended to be exactly that. It is not normally possible to make up in-class performances following an absence; it makes no difference whether the absence is "excused" or otherwise.
  • Quizzes and Tests. In-class quizzes and tests must be taken with the rest of the class when they are given; they cannot be made up after the fact. You may pre-arrange to take a quiz or test before your CSUN ensemble’s planned away date(s), but not upon your return. Arrangements for this accommodation must be made in a timely fashion before the expected absence.
  • Except as announced otherwise, written assignments are due at the beginning of the class period for which it is assigned. Assignments turned in up to one class period late will be accepted with a 10% grade penalty; assignments will not be accepted after that time.
  • Absences due to authorized school activities. If you must miss class because of an authorized school activity (e.g., ensemble performance), you are still responsible for any grade-producing activity (in-class performance, quiz, test) done during your absence. To that end, you have the option of arranging with the Instructor to fulfill the requirement prior to your absence; in such cases, you are responsible for making a timely request for this accommodation.
  • Any exception to these policies is at the sole discretion of the Instructor.
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.

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 (though you'll still receive on-campus credit).

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

FIRST DATE FOR CONCERT ATTENDANCE:
Monday, February 2, 2004
 LAST DATE FOR CONCERT ATTENDANCE:
Sunday, May 23, 2004
 

Final Word: You are responsible for knowing and following the entire contents of this syllabus.