Colorado State University – Pueblo
Capps Capozollo Academic Center for the Arts
Department of Music
Fall 2015
COURSE: Mus 113 - Vocal Techniques and Diction, 1 credit
MEETS: A/M 239, 11 a.m. – 11:50 a.m., T/Th
Instructor: Barbara Beck, Artist in Residence
(719) 549-2377 – Office
(719) 544-3333 – Home
[email protected]
Office: A/M 164
Office Hours: by appointment
Drop Date:
Sept. 07, by 5:00 p.m.
Last day to withdraw from course:
Oct. 23, by 5:00 p.m.
Syllabus
1.
Catalog Description:
*Instruction in the fundamentals of singing from a pedagogical approach.
Additional basic instruction in foreign language pronunciation (time
permitting). Primarily intended for students in Music Education.*
2.
Broad Topic Outline (subject to change):
Healthy Singing
Physical Balance
Breathing Efficiently
Focus, Being Present
Selecting Music
Learning Music Efficiently
Practice Habits
Performing
Understanding the Vocal Instrument
Muscles and Physical Alignment
Breathing
Making Sound
Vocal Quality and Resonance
Articulation and Expression
Maintaining a Healthy Voice
Introduction to IPA
Vowels, Consonants, Diphthongs and Triphthongs
3.
Specific Course Objectives:
To acquaint students with basic techniques of proper vocal production, use of
the breath, vowel placement and singing “on pitch”. The opportunity to sing
alone and with the class. To provide a fundamental exploration of the singing
and speaking voice. To give the beginnings of a vocabulary for the voice and
to acquaint the students with a means to transcribe lyrics phonetically.
By the conclusion of the Vocal Tech and Diction course (MUS 113), students
must demonstrate an ability to sing both solo and in ensemble with other class
members. In written tests they must also show a rudimentary understanding
of the breath, know the main cartilages of the larynx, the divisions of the
pharynx vocal tract, and demonstrate the use of the International Phonetic
Alphabet for singing in English. They will also be developing an
understanding of what constitutes healthy vocal sound.
4.
Course Coordinator/Resource Person: Barbara Beck, Artist in Residence
5.
Text: [REQUIRED]
The Singing Book, 3rd Edition by Meribeth Dayme & Cynthia Vaughn
Supporting Materials:
Videos: The Singer’s Voice – The Vocal Tract; The Vocal Folds;
A Fiber optic View of the Vocal Folds
Jessica Wolf’s The Art of Breathing
6.
Methods used in measuring student outcomes and competency levels:
Reading assignments are given for each week of the class. Students will be
required to vocalize and sing during the class. Written tests will be
administered at mid-term and again at finals week. Students will learn,
memorize and perform a minimum of two solo songs. One song will be
chosen from the textbook and the second may be from a source of the
student’s choosing. The student will be required to demonstrate competency
in the use of IPA to transcribe the texts of song(s). Because this class is a
skills class, attendance is mandatory. Class participation will be
evaluated by the instructor.
Grading:
Attendance:
20%
Improvement:
20%
Midterm:
15%
Class participation: 15%
Final exam:
30%
7. Academic Integrity
Students are responsible for reading, understanding, and adhering to the
college’s policies pertaining to academic integrity and plagiarism. Please
refer to the CSU-Pueblo Student Handbook and College Catalog. The
penalties for academic dishonesty are severe and ignorance is not an
acceptable excuse.
Academic dishonesty is any form of cheating which results in students giving
or receiving unauthorized assistance in an academic exercise or receiving
credit for work which is not their own. Any academic dishonesty is grounds
for dismissal. Any student judged to have engaged in cheating may receive a
failing grade for the work in question, a failing grade for the course, or any
other penalty which the instructor finds appropriate. Academic dishonesty is a
behavioral issue, not an issue of academic performance. As such, it is
considered an act of misconduct and is also subject to the University
disciplinary process as defined in the Student Code of Conduct.
The following acts of misconduct are acts of academic dishonesty:
1) Cheating: intentional using or attempting to use unauthorized materials,
information, or study aids in any academic exercise. The term academic
exercise includes all forms of work submitted for credit or hours.
2) Fabrication: intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any
information or citation in an academic exercise.
3) Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: intentionally or knowingly helping or
attempting to help another to violate a provision of the institutional code of
academic integrity.
4) Plagiarism: the deliberate adoption or reproduction of ideas, words, or
statements of another person as one’s own without acknowledgement.
5) Unauthorized Collaboration: intentionally sharing information or working
together in an academic exercise when such actions are not approved by the
course instructor.
8. Health and Safety of Musicians:
The health and safety of our students is of paramount concern.
Specific health and safety issues confronting musicians are summarized at:
http://www.music.iastate.edu/info/advising/healthandsafety.pdf
From that publication:
“Hearing health is essential to your lifelong success as a musician. Noise induced
hearing loss is largely preventable. You must avoid overexposure to loud sounds,
especially for long periods of time.”
“Musicians use their bodies in specific and highly trained ways, and injuries can
occur that can have lasting impact on performance ability. Performers need to be
aware of vocal and musculoskeletal health issues that affect them. Musicians at
all levels of achievement can suffer from repetitive stress injuries, neuromuscular
conditions or dystonias, and psychological issues including severe performance
anxiety.”
For additional information regarding health and safety concerns for musicians,
please contact David Volk, Chair, Department of Music [175 Music, 549-2552,
[email protected]].
More information about vocal health is addressed in the following publication:
http://www.dukehealth.org/repository/dukehealth/2010/12/22/13/57/10/0598/DV
CC%20vocal%20health.pdf
9. Disabilities Provision:
Students with disabilities are to be assertive in communicating with faculty and
staff members their need for reasonable accommodations in the classroom. If
you need course adaptations or academic adjustments because of a disability, if
you have emergency medical information to share, or if you need special
arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please notify the
instructor before the next class period.
“This University abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which stipulates that no student shall be
denied the benefits of an education “solely by reason of a handicap.” If you
have a documented disability that may impact your work in this class and for
which you may accommodations, you must be registered with and provide
documentation of your disability to, the Disability Services Office, which is
located in the LARC, Room 169.”