Students will be placed into ensembles of varying instrumentation depending upon the instrumental/vocal makeup of class enrolment. A total of 2 hours of coaching/instruction per week will be given by music faculty. Faculty will be assigned responsibility for ensembles based on the makeup of the ensembles and expertise of the faculty. Much of the students’ ensemble rehearsal time will be unsupervised; they will receive approximately one hour per week of guidance by the instructor(s). After each performance, the members of each ensemble, aided by the instructor, will evaluate the performance and the preceding rehearsals to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the group’s performance, and discuss means of improvement.
Students will learn to make group decisions on all matters of ensemble rehearsal and performance.
- Development of cooperation in rehearsal - identifying and agreeing upon matters of tempo, dynamics, intonation, articulation, phrasing and interpretation, etc.
- Ensemble listening skills - hearing oneself within the group setting, relating aurally/musically to others in the ensemble
- When to lead, when to allow others to lead (allowing solo expression within the ensemble)
- Non-verbal communication during performance
- What to do when the performance comes apart (when musicians get lost or make mistakes that derail the performance)
Upon successful completion of this course, students should possess an increased understanding of rehearsal and performance issues related to small ensembles, in particular, how to listen to and to communicate with each other. Students should be able to identify problems within the ensemble, and have an understanding of how to address those problems to improve the performance. Students should be able to make group decisions on various matters during rehearsal, including musical interpretation and expression.
It is expected that students in third and fourth years will demonstrate a higher level of ensemble skills and musicianship than students in first and second years. They will be assessed using the same criteria but evaluated by a higher standard.
Preparation for and participation in rehearsals
(ongoing assessment, 30% at midterm, 30% at end of semester) 60%
Performance (at least once per semester) 30%
Group self-evaluation 10%
Instructors will provide materials for the course, or will provide a list of materials to be purchased.
MUSC 2434 or permission of instructor