Syllabus Course: Music Fundamentals, MUS 1050 Section: Venue: Days: Time: Room: Professor: Contact: Music Office (908) 737 4330 Email: Office Hours: Prerequisites: None. Music majors and minors should identify themselves as such at the start of the course. Catalogue description (Undergraduate Catalogue) Mus 1050, Music Fundamentals (3 credits) Introduction to rudiments of music and notation. Developing an understanding of the music language and facility in music reading and aural perception, through class and individual vocal and instrumental practice and written work. Requirement for early childhood and elementary education majors. Music Fundamentals official syllabus, Fall 2006, p.1
Registration and withdrawal: Students are referred to the University Bulletin for all registration deadlines and withdrawal dates pertaining to this course. Bulletins are available in the Registrar s office. Goals and content of the course: We begin with a premise: that music is an important part in well-balanced human life. Music embodies much of what it is to be human on the physical, on the emotional, on the intellectual, and many would contend on the spiritual plane. We are born with musical abilities and a need for musical expression. Babies and young children love to move to music and sing. In cultures where all people of the community are encouraged to make music throughout their childhood and adulthood (e.g. those in many African qnd South American countries), everybody can demonstrate well-developed musical skills. The purpose of this course is to bring non-music major students to re-discover their musical potential and to provide them with the opportunity to learn about music through making music. The essence of music is the musical experiences that engage our mind when we listen to or make music. Therefore, in order to bring us to an in-depth and authentic musical experience, Music Fundamentals will explore the basic elements in music (i.e. music theory) through practical music experiences. The basic elements in music include: Rhythm, Meter, Pitch, Keys, Intervals, Chords, Forms. Practical music experiences include: Reading Staff Notation, Listening, Conducting, Singing, Playing Percussion, Tone bells, Recorder, Guitar. Required text and instruments: Textbook: Winslow, R. W., Dallin, L. & Wiest, S. B. (2001) Music Skills for Classroom Teachers. New York: McGraw-Hill. Music Fundamentals official syllabus, Fall 2006, p.2
Soprano Recorder Other musical instruments, including guitars and percussions, will be provided by the Music Department during class. Students are required to bring to every class their textbook and a soprano recorder, from the second week of class onwards. Failing to do so will affect the class participation grade. Web site: http://www.lhafteck.pageout.net is the official website for Kean's Music Fundamentals course. Examinations: Mid-Term Examination: Written Exam: On or about (Date) Practical Exam: On or about (Date) Final Examination: Written Exam: On or about (Date) Practical Exam: On or about (Date) Note: Individual professors may choose to make use of additional quizzes. Because of time constraints, this course may skip some material in the textbook. None of this skipped material will appear on tests. Make-up policy for Examinations: To pass the course, you must take all examinations. No excused absences will be granted ahead of time. A make-up exam will be given only to those with a written Doctor's or Administrator's excuse, provided the instructor is informed within 24 hours of the missed exam. Concert Report: Music Fundamentals official syllabus, Fall 2006, p.3
During the semester, you will select and attend ONE public concert or performance of art music presented on an expert, professional level, and you will report on your experiences. You are required to check with your professor beforehand to ensure that your choice of concert is appropriate for this assignment. The report will consist of short type-written essays submitted along with ticket stubs and a copy of the program booklet. Please follow the Guidelines for Concert Reports below when preparing for the report. Report due: (Date) Reports submitted late will be given a penalty of 3 percentage points per day late. No report will be accepted after a week past the due date. Assignments: This is basically a practical course. Therefore, the most important assignments are to review the material covered in class and to practice your newly acquired musical skills regularly. However, individual professors may give special assignments to help reinforce the material. Since practice is the key to learning musical skills, you are required to practice reading music, clapping rhythm and playing recorder between classes failing which your ability to read and play music will not grow. Note that several short practice sessions (e.g. 10-30 minutes) are generally more effective than a single long weekly practice session. Lack of practice will affect the class participation grade. Attendance policy: To prevent the few classroom hours devoted to Music Fundamentals from being frittered away, classes will begin on time. Music Fundamentals is a hands-on practical course, similar to the laboratory science courses. You will learn to play various musical instruments and practice under close supervision of your professor during class. Therefore, students are expected to be in attendance, on time, mentally alert, and prepared for each session. All absences must be communicated to the instructor as soon as possible AND justified in writing (e.g. doctor s note, letter from another professor). They will be considered as unjustified absences failing to do so within ten days of the missed class. Music Fundamentals official syllabus, Fall 2006, p.4
For each unjustified lateness or early leave, one point will be subtracted from the term average before a term grade is assigned. For each unjustified absence, three points per single session and six points per double session will be subtracted from the term average before a term grade is assigned. Given the highly experiential and participatory nature of this course, any student who, over the course of the semester, does not attend eight single sessions or four double sessions, or more whatever the reason, justified or not will be advised to drop the course or will be given an F. Any student who has perfect attendance and no lateness or early leave will receive a bonus of three points added to the term average before term grades are assigned. Exception: Any student who requests in advance to be excused to observe a religious holiday on the University calendar will be granted permission. Term Grades: The average of your examination scores, concert report grade and class participation grade will account for your grand average. However, individual professors may include additional requirements for evaluation. The rewards and penalties for attendance mentioned above will be factored into your grand average to arrive at your final grade. Letter grades and grades expressed as percentages counterchange according to the following table: A : 96 100 A- : 90 95 B+ : 87 89 B : 84 86 B- : 80 83 C+ : 75 79 C : 70 74 D : 60 69 F : 0 59 Music Fundamentals official syllabus, Fall 2006, p.5
Special Students: We ask that any student with a disabling condition requiring special accommodations disclose this need to the professor at the very beginning of the course. (Special accommodations might include tape recorders, adaptive equipment, special note-taking or test-taking procedures, etc.) We shall work with the General Education and Learning Assistance Program and the Special Education Department to ensure that every student can participate in and benefit fully from this class. Student Code of Conduct & Academic Integrity Policy: Students are responsible for reading, understanding and applying the contents of the University s Academic Integrity Policy (AIP), available at the Center for Academic Success (A1) or online at www.kean.edu/academicintegrity.html. Immediate formal disciplinary action shall be taken against students using inappropriate language in class; who are discovered cheating during a written test (a serious violation of the AIP); and, more generally, who do not adhere to the University s Student Code of Conduct or the AIP. Possible changes to the syllabus: Although change is unlikely, this syllabus is subject to change. We shall make changes only as necessary for the effective running of the course. Notice will be given in class should a change be put into effect. Note: No food or drinks are allowed in the classroom with the exception of drinking water. No smoking is allowed inside the building. Cellphones must be turned off during class. Music Fundamentals official syllabus, Fall 2006, p.6
Guidelines for Concert Reports On the coverpage of your report, please put the following information: 1. Your Full Name 2. Music Fundamentals Section Number 3. Title of the Performance or the Band/Orchestra 4. Date of the Performance you attended 5. Attach ticket stub and concert program The report should include your observations and reflections based on the following questions. Try to attempt as many of them as you can. You will be graded according to the pertinence of your observations and the depth of your analytical thinking. 1. How many musicians/singers were there in this performance and what instruments were they playing? (If there was an orchestra in the theater pit, go and check at intermission or end of the performance.) 2. Name an instrument you may have discovered (or re-discovered, i.e. you had heard it before but didn t know how it looked like). Describe its sound (timbre, pitch) and how it made you feel throughout the performance or in a particular piece. 3. If there were singers, what voice type were they in your opinion (S,A,T,B, other)? Name them. 4. Name a piece that was performed at a slow tempo, another one at a fast tempo. 5. Do you think you found the meter of a particular piece? If so, what was it (name the piece)? 6. Name your preferred piece(s) and explain why (its characteristics, how it made you feel, etc.). 7. What other elements taught in the Music Fundamentals course did you identify or relate to in this performance (rhythm patterns, dynamics, modes, instrument playing, etc). Did the course so far bring you to listen to this performance differently? Elaborate. Music Fundamentals official syllabus, Fall 2006, p.7