Adv Chamber Singer

Catalog description

This course enables the participation of non-music majors in a choral ensemble at the 400 level. The course will meet concurrently with EITHER Music 089 or Music 104. The repertoire of the ensemble is selected from a wide range of choral literature from medieval chant to commissioned twenty-first century choral works. The goal of the ensemble is to provide artistic, meaningful, and successful choral performances. To achieve this goal, the learning objectives for individual students include attention toward individual vocal development, increased musicianship skill, and the discovery of new means of artistic expression. In addition to these individual objectives, the conductor of the ensemble also teaches directly toward the objectives of ensemble tone, blend, balance, intonation, dynamics, diction, phrasing, etc. Music 404 students are also required to engage in significant research and/or performance projects, the subject matter of which will be catered towards the students' individual research interests and/or the repertoire being studied each semester. These projects may include the study of the art of choral conducting that will culminate in leading the choir in a concert, the study of a specific composer, composition, performance practice or musical style that is featured in the semester's repertoire that will culminate in a major research paper, class presentations, and program notes on the choir's concerts, or other subject matter approved by the instructor. In addition to this requirement, Music 404 students will analyze and summarize bi-weekly scholarly articles chosen by the instructor, the information in which will be presented in class presentations. In addition, Music 404 students must take on a leadership role within the group by choosing and leading warm-ups and technical exercises under the supervision of the instructor, serving as section leaders, and/or serving as vocal soloists in the repertoire.