Chattanooga State Community College

Chattanooga, Tennessee
Humanities and Fine Arts Division
Course Syllabus

MUS 1510-01/02 Applied Voice

Instructor: Dr. Jennifer (Arbogast) Wilson
Room: H-129
Phone: (423)697-2431
E-mail: jennifer.arbogast@chattanoogastate.edu

Catalog Course Description:

This course consists of private musical instruction consisting of one lesson per week, beginning at the
student’s level of development. Daily practice is required.

Textbook/Materials:
The student may be required to print or purchase music, as assigned by the instructor.

Required Student Learning Outcomes:

Program Student Learning Outcome (PSLO)
Acquire additional competencies needed for transfer to a BA/BS degree.

Course Student Learning Outcomes (CSLO)

1. CSLO1. Frame a comparative context through which they can critically assess, as well as
personally apply, principles of musicianship
2. CSLO2. Analyze and interpret musical notation in the form of notated scores
3. CSLO3. Articulate the basic stylistic parameters of musical form
4. CSLO4. Identify and critically assess the broad historical divisions of western musical
development
5. CSLO5. Apply music notation sight-reading skills to a primary instrument or vocal category in
both an individual and group context
6. CSLO6. Demonstrate a level of proficiency of basic piano/keyboard skills

Learning Indicators:
The student’s ability to demonstrate the following will be indicators of their success in achieving the
program and course level student learning outcomes.
1. Read and play selected musical works of appropriate difficulty with accuracy and confidence.
2. Perform selected scales and chord exercises as appropriate, and understand their theoretical
basis.
3. Know and understand all the most common symbols and terms used in music.
4. Demonstrate functional skills in preparation for the piano proficiency test.
Required Assessments:
Assessment Names and Descriptions:
1. Students will be assigned appropriate musical works for analysis and study.
2. Students will be assigned technical exercises and pieces which illustrate functional techniques.
3. When appropriate, students will be required to perform in seminar and/or on the student
recital.
4. Students will be required to participate in an end-of-the-semester assessment of his/her
progress, in a jury or some other venue.

CSLO/Assessment Alignment and grade distribution:

Assessment CSLO Description
Weekly assignments CSLO# 1, 2, 3, and 5 Assignment of pieces, exercises
for study and practice
Performance CSLO# 5 and 6 Performance of pieces in Music
Seminar, Jury, or other
performance venues
Discussions CSLO# 3 and 4 Discussion of practice
techniques, interpretation, and
other aspects of music
preparation during regular
lesson times

Grading Scale or Policy

The final grade for the student will be based on the amount of progress and development throughout the
semester, documentation of practice time, and participation in the final jury. Assessment of the
performance component of the grade is necessarily subjective, and will be based on the judgment of the
instructor, with reference to the student’s realistic potential for improvement.

Attendance/Progress 50% of final grade

Memory Checks 25% of final grade
Final Jury Assessment 25% of final grade

1080-1200 points A
960-1079 points B
840-959 points C
780-839 points D
779 or below F
Instructor Policies:

Attendance Policy
• The student is expected to be present at every lesson at the assigned lesson time. If a student is
not feeling well or has any symptoms of illness, they should not come to campus. A student should
e-mail in advance of the lesson and request either an excused absence or a Zoom session if they
are feeling unwell.
• Absence policy:
o If the student notifies the instructor prior to the lesson, it is considered “excused.” More
than 3 excused absences may affect the grade and will be considered and dealt with on a
case-by-case basis. If the grade is at risk due to absences, the student will be notified in
writing via e-mail.
o If the student does not notify the instructor of the absence prior to the start time of a
lesson, it is considered “unexcused.” More than 1 unexcused absence will result in the
deduction of a letter grade per absence beyond the first one.
o You are expected to make it a priority to come at your regularly scheduled time.
§ A make-up lesson must be scheduled within ONE WEEK of an excused absence.
You are not required to do a make-up lesson, but if you do one, you are required
to schedule it promptly following the missed lesson. (In other words, you may not
“save it up” in case you feel like you need it. That creates scheduling issues at the
end of the semester, because many students try to wait to reschedule their
excused absence until the end, and it is not possible for the instructor to
accommodate that.)
• HOLIDAY POLICY: All school holidays mean all classes are canceled. There are NO LESSONS when
school is closed. There are no make-up lessons for lessons missed due to holidays. This includes
Labor Day, Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Spring Break. If campus
is closed due to inclement weather, these lessons will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Participation and Progress

• The student must show up prepared to work weekly. Time in lessons should be appropriately
managed, and the student should evidence progress from the previous week that is indicative of
effective practice time.
• Remember: practicing is more about quality than quantity, but it is imperative that the student
practice the techniques learned in lessons outside of the classroom in order to make necessary
improvements. Non-majors/theatre majors should spend 30 minutes per day, 4 days per week
practicing outside of the lesson. Voice majors should plan on practicing a minimum of 45 minutes
a day 5 days a week outside of the lesson.

Memory Checks
• The student will sing each of their songs from memory in the lesson prior to juries. These can be
completed at the student’s pace, but must be done by the last lesson of the semester. If the
student would like to be given deadlines, the instructor will provide spaced out deadlines for each
song.
Juries
• Voice Juries will be on Monday of finals week from 9:00am-12:30pm in the Humanities
Auditorium. This is your final exam for MUS1510 Voice Instruction. All students enrolled in
MUS1510 are required to complete a performance assessment, which will take place at the end
of the semester via participation in a Final Jury or Sophomore Platform.
o Sophomore Platforms are completed by music majors whose primary instrument is voice
in their penultimate semester at CSCC.
• Any student that does not participate in the Final Jury, regardless of major, will lower their
final grade by 25%.
• Students who presented a full or half recital at Chattanooga State in the current semester are
not required to participate in juries.
• In extremely rare cases, and only in the event reasonable justification for exemption from a final
jury can be provided, an exception can be made at the discretion of the instructor. In this case,
the final assessment will be completed during the final lesson.
• FINAL ASSESSMENT REPERTOIRE EXPECTATIONS:
o Music majors whose primary instrument is voice MUST present a minimum of 5
MEMORIZED pieces at the jury. If fewer pieces are presented, the final grade will be
lowered by a letter grade per piece of music that is missing. A minimum of two pieces in
a foreign language. A maximum of one musical theatre piece may be included in the
five pieces, and must use “legit Broadway” technique.
o Non-music majors with a 2-credit hour lesson must present a minimum of 5
MEMORIZED pieces at the jury. At least one of the five must be a classical piece, foreign
language optional. The other selections may come from the genre best suited for the
student’s goals.
o Non-music majors with a 1-credit hour lesson must present a minimum of 3
MEMORIZED pieces at the jury. Repertoire selections should come from the genre best
suited for the student’s goals.

Weekly Schedule/Dates:
MUS 1510-01 is a 25 minute lesson each week MUS1510-02 is a 50 minute lesson each week

DATES WE DO NOT HAVE CLASS:

Monday, January 17 Martin Luther King Jr Day
Monday, March 7 through Friday, March 11 SPRING BREAK! J

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