Santa Monica College

Syllabus for

Music 50B, Intermediate Voice

I. Catalogue Description

Continued development of vocal technique, musicianship, style and interpretations and song repertoire.

II. Examples of appropriate text or other required reading:

1. Vaccai – download free copy from


www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=22929

III. Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate basic vocal skills and techniques

2. Apply and demonstrate interpretive skills

3. Employ the singing of a second language

4. Value and appraise singers of various styles and techniques

5. Prepare and perform solos, duets, trios, etc. via performances before peers in

                                            classroom

IV. Methods of presentation:

1. Lecture - discussion

2. Individual and group vocalization

3. Performances in class

4. Recorded performances outside (or in class) to be evaluated by instructor and class together

5.Evaluation and corrections of class performance

6. Use of practice materials of vocalizes for daily practice by student

7. Rehearsal by appointment with class accompanist

8. Performance in class with accompanist

9.Recordings, videos, etc. as models

V. Lecture Content

Lecture 1 - overview of singing - some demonstration of harmonics, applications, etc.

Lecture II - the larynx: how the vocal folds work; muscles; exercises

Lecture III - breathing for singing - how, why, how often

Lecture IV - video of the working vocal folds-discussion follows: applications of what was viewed

Lecture V - Vowels - what are they? How do we make them? How do we use them in singing? Singing vowels vs. spoken vowels. Exercises follow discussion

Lecture VI - Text and poetry in singing."Acting"the text against the music. The composer vs. the lyricist.

Lecture VII - 1. Spotting and the Performance game: how to control the audience and know it. 2. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) vs. harmonics

Lecture VIII - Review/Mid term

Lecture IX - Vibrato - Why use it?  What is it?  When it shouldn't be used.  Why we like it.  Tension vs. release.

Lecture X - Style: classical vs. pop;  Baroque vs. Romantic:  Folk vs. Classical, vs. pop  -  Amateur vs. pro:   etc. vs. etc.

Lecture XI - Vocal Categories and Key Signatures - What's the best key?  What can you transpose vs. what you shouldn't. Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass and all the subdivisions.  Who cares whether or not Ella Fitzgerald was a soprano or not? Who cares if Cecilia Bartoli is a mezzo or not?

Lecture XII - Repertoire- What's best for you? Discussion followed by evaluation

Lecture XIII - Stage Fright - what to do when everything is right except your nerves. Use of nervous energy: positive and negative- shallow breathing - shaking knees, etc.

Lecture XIV ........... everything else in the whole world.

REVIEW for Final

This course is designed to add additional skills to those learned in Music 50A, including special techniques, new styles and performance techniques.

The student is asked to perform a song of his or her choice during the first two weeks of class.An assessment is made by the instructor of the student's performance and suggestions are made for further improvement.

There is an online series of lessons and additional clips to study (including a further study of harmonics, to improve a singer's technique, create an understanding of vowels and their associated pitches, which will lead to introducing the I.P.A. (International Phonetic Alphabet)).

In this semester, we also focus on molecular air pressure in the vocal tract and how that applies to a technique of singing which accurately pinpoints and develops a sense of tactility inside the vocal tract. This is important for understanding how the “singer's formant” is created and amplified.

More advanced performance techniques are also stressed, such as “spotting” to increase the audience's perception that the singer in “concentrated.”

As in Music 50A, students are expected to memorize the songs they will perform ( at least 3 songs during the semester) and set up appointments with the coach/accompanist for the class.. Missing these appointments and/or lack of memorization can lead to a lowering of a potential grade as well as make for a poor showing during performance.

Feedback form classmates is welcomed and moderated by the instructor and coach/accompanist. Negativity is not welcome, but positive reinforcement is.

More advanced exercises and warm-ups are also studied and used. In this case, more specific exercises for specific problems, as opposed to general warm-up exercises. The singer whose performance is scheduled on a particular day is expected to have warmed up prior to class.

Depending on the class, and the assessment of the teacher, there might be a “class” song to be memorized and performed as well as the three required songs. And in this semester, we add a song in a foreign language.

In this class, we also introduce more advanced sight singing techniques, continuing to use Vaccai to improve interval recognition and other skills (grupetti, chromatic scales, appogiature, etc).

Assesments:

Using the above criteria, the instructor along with the coach/accompanist form a grade based on the student's success rate and improvement during the semester. As this is also “night” class and some leniency is given for absence and tardiness. Generally, three absences will create a “blinking light, “ and the student will be warned that further absences from class and/or rehearsals will cause a lowering of the student's grade.

If you drop the class for any reason, AND YOU DO NOT INFORM ME PERSONALLY (either in writing or in person) I will give an "F." This is almost the only way you can fail this class, so please take notice - if you drop for any reason, let me know!!! You must be at the final exam in person or you will receive an "F" unless excused prior to the exam.

The order of study for these classes
can be found on line HERE
(click here)