Course Syllabus for Vocal Instruction

Course Information: MUSI-2325.001, ENS, Fall 2010, MW 11:30-12:45, AH1 1.106

Professor Contact Information: Hoyt Neal, (214) 334-5205

AH1 1.106, Office hours: 12:45 – 1:15 MW
hoyt.neal@utdallas.edu, hoytneal@hotmail.com

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions: To receive a good grade in this course,
all students should have the ability to match pitches and sing melodies on pitch, the ability to learn to sing their
solos, and the willingness to follow instructions and show continuous improvement. If you do not meet these
requirements, you should drop the course immediately. I will talk with you about other ways to pursue your
vocal/musical training.

Course Description: This class is designed for the all singers who have not mastered basic vocal skills, which is
approximately 99% of the singers in the world. It presents the basic principles of singing and reading music.
Students will learn to produce beautiful sounds easily and artistically as they sing selected easy songs. The main
object of the course will be to demonstrate continuous improvement in beautiful and artistic singing.

Students will sing constantly by themselves in class and for the Fall Arts Festival Concert, Saturday afternoon, Dec
11? Clear this date immediately.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes: Students will learn and perform at least four songs. Class time will
consist of lecture, demonstration, discussion, exercises, supervised practice, and performance in groups and as
individuals. Songs will be performed from memory.

Singing for artistic purposes requires the complex coordination of many parts of the body. Approximately four to
six hours practice per week will be needed outside of class time. One must actually sing and practice singing in
order to learn to sing better. There is no last minute cramming in this course.

A variety of resources are available for individual study, including recorded listening materials, music dictionaries
and theory software. Additional aid will be available through our staff accompanist, Michael McVay, JO 1.206,
michael.mcvay@utdallas.edu. He can make individual CD recordings of your song to help you learn it.

Required Textbooks and Materials: The required textbooks are: Teach Yourself To Sing (textbook and
enhanced CD), Karen F. Surmani, Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. and The Best Songs Ever, Hal Leonard, 6th Edition.
Professor Neal and students will select individual pieces from these books to prepare for performances.

Suggested Course Materials: A good metronome (or one on a computer) to help establish sensitivity to the beat
of the music, a notebook for class notes, and a sharpened pencil will greatly help you.

Assignments & Academic Calendar: This calendar is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

Date Events/Information
August 23 Buy the books: Review Syllabus. Complete Form. Turn in song selection for Arts
Festival Match. Basics of Vocal Technique, Breathing/Posture, Practicing
August 25 Match pitches? Lecture from Book Concepts of Singing, Posture, uh,uh,uh,uh,uh,
Singing Down, EE, AY, UH, OH, OO,
August 30 Concepts of Singing, Lecture from Book Singing DOWN, Singing UP
September 1 Concepts of Singing, Lecture from Book
September 3 Friday Not a class day Census Last Day to Add/Drop a Course Fall 2010
September 6 Labor Day Holiday
September 8 Sing Your Song Day
Course Syllabus MUSI-2325.001, ENS, Vocal Instruction I Page 2

September 13 Song Assignments. Concepts of Singing, Practicing & Learning a Song

September 15 Concepts of Singing, Lecture from Book
September 20 Written Test on Concepts of Singing
September 22 Warm Up, Sing
September 27 Warm Up, Sing
September 29 Sing Song I
October 4 Warm Up, Sing
October 6 Warm Up, Sing
October 11 Sing Song II
October 13 Turn in song selection for Arts Festival
October 18 Warm Up, Sing Song Selections with Music.
October 20 Warm Up, Sing Song Selections with Music.
October 25 Sing Song III
October 27 Warm Up, Sing Song Selections with Music
November 1 Sing Song I, Song II, Song III
November 3 Rehearse Songs for Arts Festival
November 8 Rehearse Songs for Arts Festival
November 10 Rehearse Songs for Arts Festival
November 15 Rehearse Songs for Arts Festival
November 17 Rehearse Songs for Arts Festival
November 22 Rehearse Arts Festival Show
November 24 Thanksgiving
November 29 Rehearse Arts Festival Show (must be here)
December 1 Rehearse Arts Festival Show (must be here)
December 6 Rehearse Arts Festival Show (must be here)

December 11? STUDENT ARTS FESTIVAL, Saturday Afternoon ? (must be here)

December 13 Final, Perform Sing Song I, Song II, Song III or Arts Festival Song

Grading Policy:
Class attendance and participation and practice outside of the class are strong indicators of success. I and the whole
class can tell if you are practicing or not. Developing one’s ear for correct singing in others is part of the learning
process in this class.

Grading is based on attendance (5% or more). Attendance is required because a large part of your work occurs
during class. You are allowed four (4) absences in the semester without any grade penalty. Each additional absence
will result in a reduction in your final grade by one full letter grade for each subsequent absence (i.e., an A will be
lowered to a B, and so forth). Absence for any of the last three classes before the performance may result in
reduction of one’s grade. An excused absence means that you notify me within 24 hours of the missed class, about a
legitimate reason to not be in class. If there is a medical reason for your absence, you must submit a doctor’s note
validating your condition. If there is a death in the family, I need proof of the death and that you attended the
funeral. Sore throat? Can’t sing? Come anyway! You can learn by listening. Students will be expected to arrive on
time and stay until dismissed.

Class participation (5% or more), our success depends on the efficient use of time during class. The ideal
rehearsal process is that each singer gives his/her own best effort, I process the result and give notes to improve
performance. Each class member is expected to give full attention to the person singing at the moment. The other
members should look at the music being performed, if available, and take notes on the performance corrections, and
maintain a focus and demeanor that contributes to the success of the singer’s performance and theirs. This course
focuses on the key skills that must be mastered by all singers who want to effectively perform publicly.

Any behavior by a student that interferes with any part of this process is harmful to producing an effective and
moving performance and is unfair to all other members of the class. Any student who exhibits such behavior will be
Course Syllabus MUSI-2325.001, ENS, Vocal Instruction I Page 3

subject to the lowering of his/her final grade to as low as an F based on the harm done to the class and/or the failure
to respond to requests to improve harmful behavior(s).

Required concert attendance reports (10%). Students in all lower level Music classes are required to attend
two(2) concerts each semester at UTD. I will require a two page report with the program/ticket attached. Find
future concerts at http://www.utdallas.edu/ah/events/events-music.html.

PERFORMANCE EXAMS: Each student will perform for the class several times during the semester. Students
will not be compared to each other, but will be graded according to their own ability and the progress they make
during the semester. Three basic songs will be assigned to all students to support the basics being taught. Failure to
learn assigned songs will result in a 15% reduction from the final grade.

Singing for the Arts Festival is an absolute requirement. The Student Arts Festival, December 11?, is a performance
exam. The time we are scheduled to assemble and sing will be announced. Please clear this date immediately.
Your fitness to perform at the Arts Festival will be judged by the professor and your grade will be adjusted
accordingly.

Grading is based on attendance (5% or more), class participation (5% or more), concert reports (10%)
written test (20%), in-class performances and continuous individual progress (not perfection) (40%), and
Arts festival performance (20%). The grading scale is as follows: A = 100 - 90, B = 89 - 80, C = 79 - 70, D = 69
– 60, and F = 59 - 0. You may ask about your grade at any time during the semester.

Course & Instructor Policies: There will be no make ups, late work will result in lower grade. See grading
policy for information about class attendance.

In an effort to “go green,” the Provost says we need not include the cut-and-paste information
about University policy in our syllabi. Instead, we can include the URL address of the web
page that describes University policy (http://provost.utdallas.edu/home/syllabus-policies-and-
procedures-text) or http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies and ask students to review this
material on their own.

These descriptions and timelines, except those written by the University, are subject to change at the
discretion of the Professor