APPLIED SYLLABUS

Applied Single Reeds
DEPT. OF MUSIC
Dr. Amy Simmons
FA 223
881-7413
asimmons@utm.edu

Purpose: The purpose of this course is to provide private, one-on-one instruction in clarinet and/or saxophone. The following are requirements of a student enrolled in this class:

Practice: Each performance major is required to practice a minimum of 15 hours per week. Each music education major is required to practice a minimum of 10 hours per week. Each BA and non-major is required to practice a minimum of 5 hours per week. Practicing the minimum amount of time each week should adequately prepare you for your lessons. In other words, you are prepared to participate in an average (grade of C) or better (grade of A or B) lesson. More practice time (of the EFFECIENT nature!) will help ensure a more prepared lesson and a stronger chance at increasing your grade for that lesson (see Grading, below). In other words, for a music education major, 10 hours of practice a week does not ensure an A, as 15 hours of practice a week does not guarantee one either. However, less than 10 hours a week of practice will guarantee a below-average performance in the lesson resulting in a lower grade.

Be Prepared: For your lessons, you are expected to have warmed up and selected a working, nice-sounding reed. You must have all of your assigned materials with you. Repertoire will be chosen from the standard literature in consultation with Dr. Simmons. Be outside of my door at least 5 minutes before your lesson, and knock when your lesson is to start if the prior lesson is not finished. NO playing off of photocopies is allowed, UNLESS you are waiting for music you have already ordered. Order ALL music and materials in a timely fashion.

Attendance at Lessons: You are required to attend each lesson and will receive a grade of ‘0' if not present without prior notification. PRIOR NOTIFICATION IS DEFINED AS AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. If I miss a lesson due to a scheduling conflict, I will give prior notice and make myself available for make-up lessons. Notify me in person, via phone or e-mail if you plan to miss a lesson, and I will schedule a make-up lesson at my discretion. You are only allowed 1 rescheduled lesson for lack of preparation before your grade begins to go down. Every lesson rescheduled (due to lack of preparation) after the first will result in a minimum of 3 points off of your lesson grade (out of 11 possible points). In the event of illness or school obligations (this does not include sorority/fraternity), notify me immediately to reschedule. IF A STUDENT MISSES 2 OR MORE LESSONS WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE, THE GRADE OF ‘F' WILL BE ASSIGNED FOR THE ENTIRE SEMESTER, REGARDLESS OF PREVIOUSLY EARNED GRADES.

Attendance, other: You are required to attend a studio class that will meet on Wednesdays at 3pm, in the absence of Recital Class. You are required to attend Recital Class (excluding non-majors) all other Wednesdays. You are STRONGLY encouraged to attend each recital or ensemble that involves clarinet….i.e. band, another students' recital with chamber music involving clarinet, etc. You are also strongly encouraged to attend other recitals outside of our field. The best way to learn music is to LISTEN.

Lessons: Lessons are divided into 3 parts: warm-up exercises, etudes, solo literature. The warm-up section will cover long tones, tuning, voicing, scales, etc. The etude section will cover tonguing exercises, standard etudes and any extra studies for particular needs. The solo literature section will cover orchestral excerpts, chamber music parts, unaccompanied works and standard woodwind solo literature. You are expected to divide your practice time this way as well.

Grading: Grades are based on a combination of completion of assigned materials and general progress. Each lesson is assigned a grade based on the following scale:

11 A+, 10 A, 9 A- , 8 B+, 7 B, 6 B-, 5 C+, 4 C, 3 C-, 2 D+, 1 D-, 0 F

Your final grade consists of the average score of all lessons, plus a scale test (which counts one lesson grade) and your jury which counts a total of 3 lesson grades. If a jury grade is 2 letter grades below the average grade for the semester, the final grade is automatically lowered by one letter grade.

Performance: Each music MAJOR enrolled in the studio is REQUIRED to perform AT LEAST once at Recital Class EVERY SEMESTER. Performing more than once is encouraged. Music Minors are STRONGLY encouraged to perform on workshop. EVERY person in the studio is required to perform a SCALES TEST at the end of the semester as well as a jury for the instrumental faculty. I must approve Recital Class performances at least a week in advance of the performance date. If a junior or senior recital is forthcoming, more Recital Class performances may be assigned at my discretion.

Accompanist: Each music major should contact your own accompanist. This should be done within the first 3 weeks of the semester. You should provide the accompanist with your music, name, e-mail address, phone number and recital class date/jury date. Music minors are encouraged, but not required, to contact your own accompanist. We will discuss this in your first lesson.

Practice Journal: Each student, regardless of their major, is required to keep a practice journal. The purpose is to catalog practice habits in order to improve upon them. Each entry must be made immediately after or during a practice session.

Average work is graded as “C” work…A grade of “B” or “A” is an EARNED grade that is the result of diligent practice, intuitive thought and personal involvement and initiative. You must be in charge of your own progress and learning!