MUSIC
DIPLOMA PROGRAM COURSE DESCRIPTIONS:
APPLIED
INSTRUMENTS:
(Major
areas of instrument study):
One half-hour
lesson each week, plus ensemble and sight-reading on the chosen
instrument. Guitar, Bass, Voice, Keyboard, Percussion. Several
styles of instruction are available. They include: Jazz,
Rock, Blues, Folk, New Acoustic, and Country. Traditional
Bluegrass Instruments [Guitar, Acoustic Bass, Banjo, Mandolin,
Dobro, and Bluegrass Fiddle] are those presently offered.
In addition to a major
instrument, students have a choice of selecting one of two study
emphasis areas, performance or education. Performance is
the emphasis on playing your instrument for public performance
either in a group or solo setting. This study area requires a
recital before completion. Education is geared toward private
lesson studio teaching and does not require a recital.
Note: Credits are not part of our present diploma program but
are listed because we are working on and anticipating offering
degree granting programs in the future.
Note: Students
may occur additional costs if they require makeup hours for course
completion. Instructors may charge up to $30 per hour for
instruction hours outside of class.
APPLIED INSTRUCTION
CLASSES
Applied Instruction I
2 credits
Individual instruction involving
the student in the study of their primary instrument. The lessons
involve technique, reading ability, learning pieces of music in
various styles, and when functional, the introduction of improvisational
techniques. All instruction is presented with the level of the
individual in mind. At the conclusion of the semester the student
is evaluated on their progress by presenting a playing examination,
which demonstrates the progress of the semester.
Applied Instruction II
2 credits
Continued private instruction
on the student’s primary instrument. The lessons involve
technique, reading ability, learning pieces of music in various
styles, and when it is functional, the introduction of improvisational
techniques. All instruction is presented with the level of the
individual in mind. At the conclusion of the semester the student
is evaluated on their progress with a final performance. [Prerequisite:
Applied Instruction I or Consent of Instructor]
Applied Instruction III
2 credits
Continued private instruction on student’s
primary instrument. The lessons involve technique, reading ability,
learning pieces of music in a variety of styles, and the study
of improvisational techniques as it applies to different styles.
All instruction is presented with the level of the individual
in mind. At the conclusion of the semester the student will be
evaluated on their progress with a final performance.[Prerequisite:
Applied Instruction II or Consent of Instructor]
ARRANGING CLASSES
Contemporary Composing &Arranging
2 credits
Students are involved in the technique
of adapting existing music and creating original music for various
vocal and instrumental mediums. They are expected to arrange rock
combo and jazz ensembles using a variety of instruments and vocal
combinations. Use of computer software enables students to create
music for a large ensemble, which may include horns and strings,
the projects will be listened to for the purpose of providing
students with feedback. Original music may also be used for arrangement
and a variety of styles are covered. [Prerequisite: Music Theory
II or Consent of Instructor]
BUSINESS
OF MUSIC CLASSES
The Business of Music
2 credits
An overview of the business considerations of music.
When you earn money from your musical endeavors there can be legal,
tax, and record keeping requirements. This class touches
on many of these aspects such as business start-up, contracts,
promotion, agents, band formation, copyright issues, and federal
and state tax issues.
Ear Training I
1 credit
This class focuses on ear training through identifying
basic rhythm patterns, interval sounds and scale types.
Sessions include: sounding out rhythms while conducting meter
patterns, notation of rhythmic dictation and writing basic pitch
dictation.
Ear Training II
1 credit
Continued aural training in rhythm
and pitch materials. Further identification of various intervals,
continued melodic dictation and rhythmic dictation, sounding out
rhythms and singing melodies, intervals and scales. [Prerequisite:
Ear Training I or Consent of Instructor]
Ear
Training III
1 credit
Continued ear training in rhythm and pitch materials.
Additional focus on harmonic sounds such as identifying basic
types of chords and chord progressions, interval dictation, further
melodic and rhythmic dictation and chord progression dictation.
[NOTE
– PRESENTLY NOT IN THE CURRICULUM]
