MU 103 B: Introduction to Musicianship

Fall 2019 Syllabus

TIME: MW 11:00 – 12:15

ROOM: Regina 307
INSTRUCTOR: Justin Rowan, MM Office hours: by appointment only
Office: N/A
E-mail: JRowan@ndc.edu Please send email 24 hours in advance

MISSION: Notre Dame College, a Catholic institution in the tradition of the Sisters of Notre Dame,
educates a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional, and global responsibility.

COURSE RATIONAL: The study of music and/or theater demonstrates an understanding of the
performance arts, furthering the ability to develop lifelong creativity and critical thinking abilities to a
major degree program. Non-performance courses in music and theater meet the institution’s core
curriculum as a creative inquiry.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will introduce students with fundamentals in music theory that include musical notation,
harmony, melody, rhythm, terminology, time signatures, solfeggio, and aural skills.

PROGRAMMATIC LEARNING OUTCOMES:

1. Perform and/or attend performances of a variety of music representing both classical and
contemporary styles.
2. Use musical vocabulary accurately to describe musical styles and performances and to critique
musical events.
3. Recognize and respect the artistic creativity and professional discipline of composers, performers
and various types of artists.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• Define basic music theory and terminology (2)
• Interpret music notation for written theory and aural skills (2)
• Identify key signatures, intervals, time, and form (2)
• Analyze musical excerpts into intervals, rhythms, and tonality (1, 2, 3)
• Evaluate one’s and others musical theory for accuracy (1, 2, 3)
• Compose musical melodies and rhythms (2, 3)
Assessed by class participation, quizzes, exams, and peer-teaching exercises.

FOUNDATIONAL CURRICULUM OUTCOME:

Develop both creative and analytical thinking through the exploration of the creative process; define and
apply the vocabulary related to the elements, forms, and styles of music.

COLLEGE POLICIES:
• Personal Responsibility. Please take personal responsibility for your work and your future. You
need to work diligently in your classes, plan ahead for assignments and exams, and do your best.
These are probably the most portable set of expectations that will transfer into your future
professional world. Therefore, as the instructor I have the following expectations of all students:

1
 • Academic Dishonesty
o Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to the following: 1) the completion or
attempted completion of any academic work by means other than those permitted; and 2)
the alteration of a document relating to the grading process, including changing an
instructor’s grade book, or changing answers on a test after the time to complete the test
is over.
o Examples of academic dishonesty include but are not limited to: unauthorized
collaboration, copying another student’s answers, unauthorized aids on a test, using
purchased or pre-made term papers, plagiarism, and destroying another student’s work.
o Plagiarism occurs when an individual presents the ideas, thoughts, or words of another as
his or her own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, using phrases, sentences, or
ideas from a published source, including the internet, without citing that source,
representing another’s unpublished work as your own, rewriting or paraphrasing the work
of another without giving credit to that person by citation, submitting a paper as one’s
own work that has been copied, in whole or in part, from another’s work.
o Generally, the individual faculty member decides on sanctions for acts of academics
honestly; such decisions do not preclude further disciplinary action under college judicial
procedures. Those penalties include but are not limited to failure on the specific
assignment, failure in the course, and the establishment in the Office of Academic Affairs
on a plagiarism file for the offending student, which includes an Incident of Plagiarism
document detailing the offense.

• Disruptive Student Policy

The College seeks an environment that promotes academic achievement and integrity, that is
protective of free inquiry, and that serves the educational mission of Notre Dame College.
Similarly, the College seeks a community that is free from violence, threats, and intimidation;
that is respectful of the rights, opportunities, and welfare of students, faculty, staff, and guests of
Notre Dame College; and that does not threaten the physical or mental health or safety of
members of the College community. As a student at Notre Dame College you are expected adhere
to Student Code of Conduct. To review the Student Conduct Code, please see:
http://www.notredamecollege.edu/student-life-resources/student-handbook

• Student With Disabilities

Notre Dame College makes reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. A qualified
student with a disability may request support services from the Learning Center on a yearly basis.
In order to receive services at Notre Dame College, students with disabilities must provide
documentation which meets state and federal standards for indicating the presence of a disability.

COURSE POLICIES:

Attendance Policy
• Three unexcused absences are allowed. After three unexcused absences each subsequent absence
will result in 5% being deducted from the student’s final grade with absolutely no exceptions.
Please note that this percentage is taken from the final overall grade in the course and not from
the participation factor of the grade.
• Students arriving three minutes late or more will be counted as tardy. Three tardies will count as
an unexcused absence.
• Students are expected to stay for the entire length of the class.

2
• Students are not to leave class to make or to receive phone calls, text messages, or other
communications.
• Reasons for excused absence:
o a scheduled athletic game (NOT a practice). Instructor must be notified of the absence
BEFORE the class session that will be missed. Absences will only be excused if
notification is given before the class session.
o serious personal illness (that requires legitimate documentation from a medical doctor).
o Family or personal emergency. Prescheduled Medical and dental appointments are not
excused.
o Any preexisting class conflict must be approved by the conductor prior to the start of
classes.

• Phone/Device Policy
o Use of any electronic device is strictly prohibited. This includes smart phones, tablets,
laptops, smart watches, or any other similar devices at the discretion of the instructor. If a
student is seen using a device they will receive one warning to put it away in a pocket,
purse, backpack, etc. If the student is seen with a device out again it will be confiscated
for the remainder of the class session and kept in a box provided by the instructor at the
front of the classroom. All points will be deducted from the student’s daily participation
grade with no exception. Students may retrieve their devices at the end of class. Smart
watches are included in this policy. Students need not remove watches before class, but
excessive use will be treated in the same manner.
o Use of computers for note taking is not prohibited, but is strongly discouraged. The
ability to write notes on music is very limited in note-taking programs. If the instructor
suspects a computer is being used for any purpose beyond note taking the student will be
required to put it away and will lose all participation points for the day.
o Earbuds and headphones are to be removed and turned off during class. The same policy
for devices will be applied to these as well.
o During exams all students must place their devices on the board at the front of the
classroom and may retrieve them upon completion of the exam. Smart watches may stay
on, but students must demonstrate that they are in airplane mode, and any use of smart
watches during the exam will result in the student being asked to remove the watch
immediately after showing the instructor what was on the screen.
o The Instructor reserves the right to modify and interpret device policy throughout the
semester as is necessary.

• Exams
o All exams will be given in two separate sections. There will be a short written section
that every student will take. Following the written section students may choose to
complete an examination done on the piano and/or another instrument that they play or
sing OR complete a more detailed written examination that may include short answer and
more detailed questions covering the same material as the “performance” exam. These
two exams will cover the same material and will be worth the same points with no
preference given to one over the other.

Make-up Exam Policy

• Any missed exam will not be made up for any unexcused absences.
o In the event that you miss an exam due to serious personal illness or a scheduled
athletic game or performance, you are required to contact the instructor before the

3
 exam as well as provide proper documentation. An alternative date and time will
be discussed to make up the exam.
• If you do not provide proper communication/documentation for missing an exam, you will not be
able to make up the exam, resulting in a zero for your exam grade.

Communication Policy
• It is the student’s responsibility to check their email daily and respond within 24 hours.
• All communication outside of class should be sent to JRowan@ndc.edu. All emails from students
will be answered within 24 hours. Please do not send follow-up emails before 24 hours have
passed from initial communication.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND METHOD OF EVALUATION:

• In Class Work; Participation, Quizzes, Homework, Musical Participation: 30%
a. There are 30 class sessions over the semester. Each session will be worth 3 points.
Attendance, participation in discussion, and completion of assignments and in class work
will each be worth one point, for a total of three each day, for a total of 90 over the
semester.
• Musical composition assignment: 10%
• Concert Report: 10%
• Midterm: 20%
• Final Exam: 30%

• In Class Work will include the following:

a. Participation – Each student must actively participate in answering questions and
demonstrating the skills taught in each class. In accordance with the phone policy
mentioned above, students whose phones are taken during class will receive a zero for the
day’s participation grade. No exceptions.
b. Quizzes – Throughout the semester there will be quizzes on materials given. These may
be written, oral, or demonstrated on piano.
c. Homework – This may be written or completed on musictheory.net.
d. Musical Participation – Throughout the semester students will be asked to sing as a group
or individually, demonstrate knowledge on an instrument of their own or on piano, or
write music on sheet paper or on the board. Participation is required for each student.
Talent on these instruments or voice will NOT be assessed or graded – this is only a
participation grade.

COURSE MATERIALS:
• Staff paper. This can be purchased in a notebook or printed. This will be essential for
assignments, notes, and other work.
• Workbook pages. These will uploaded to Moodle to be printed off at some points throughout the
semester.

COMPOSITION PROJECT AND CONCERT REPORT

• Near the end of the semester a project in composition will be assigned to be presented and
performed in class. The performance may be given by the student on any instrument or voice of

4
 their choosing or by another student they ask to perform for them. If another person is to perform
a composition they must be given at LEAST one week’s notice before the due date.
• At any point in the semester all students must attend at least one orchestral performance given by
any approved orchestra and write a one-page (single spaced) report on the concert. Suggested
orchestras include but are not limited to: The Cleveland Orchestra, Canton Symphony Orchestra,
Akron Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. If
a student wishes to attend a concert of another orchestra not listed here it must be approved by the
instructor. No school orchestras will be approved with the exception of college conservatories
(I.E. Cleveland Institute of Music).

INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING OUTCOMES

Undergraduate students, as members of the Notre Dame College learning community, will be
able to do the following:
• Be Responsible:
o Personally - Choose a life that honors values, purpose and accountability to self
and others.
o Professionally – Contribute to and enrich one’s chosen discipline by acting
morally and ethically.
o Globally – Appreciate the world at local, national, and global levels and strive to
have a positive impact.
o Communicate Effectively: Articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively
in written and oral forms in a variety of formats and situations.
o Think Critically: Exercise open-minded reflection and reasoning to analyze,
evaluate and make decisions.
o Be Information Literate: Research and evaluate information for accuracy, value,
context, and meaning in order to formulate an argument.
o Practice Ethical Inquiry: Investigate and apply ethical reasoning in decision-
making using ethical principles, including Catholic social teaching.

5
 Spring 2019 Class Schedule
Schedule of topics is tentative and is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion

M 8/26 – Syllabus Review, terminology

W 8/28 – Note values, rhythms, time signatures
M 9/2 – Staff, Clefs, piano, note names
W 9/4 – Performance day, bring instruments if desired
M 9/9 – Accidentals
W 9/11 – Dots, ties, slurs
M 9/16 – Performance day
W 9/18 – Compound time signatures
M 9/23 – Introduction to intervals
W 9/25 – Intervals continued
M 9/30 – Key signatures and scales
W 10/2 – Key signatures and scales
M 10/7 – Midterm review
W 10/9 – Midterm Exam

The schedule of topics following the midterm exam and fall break will be given at a later date.

M 10/14
W 10/16
M 10/21
W 10/23
M 10/28
W 10/30
M 11/4
W 11/6
M 11/11
W 11/13
M 11/18
W 11/20
M 11/25
W 11/27 – Thanksgiving Break
M 12/2
W 12/4

6
M 12/9-12 Exam Week (Exam date to reflect NDC schedule)
T 12/17 – Final grades posted (if not earlier)