Courses on topics of interest to music students offered on the basis of need, interest, or timeliness. Prerequisite as determined by instructor. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher. May be repeated for credit. For specific section description, click to the Section Details in VitNet.

Survey of the principle styles, composers, genres, and forms associated with opera from 1600 through the 21st century. Consideration of representative works from those periods through directed reading, score examination, analysis, listening, and performance. Offered as needed. Prerequisites: 152, 237, 238, 327.

The course is designed as a practical introduction to choral arranging with exposure to pertinent elements of orchestration/instrumentation. Students will explore the art of choral arranging through critical evaluation, study of copyright, research of suitable source material, as well as examination of voicing, range, transposition, balance, notation, and texture. The course features guest speakers (brass, woodwind, and string specialists) and culminates with a forum performance of student arrangements. Students will use Finale software for arranging projects. Prerequisites: 205, 252.

A study of the art and science of teaching piano at the beginning and intermediate levels. Topics include teaching philosophy, learning styles and theories, individual and group instruction, teaching techniques, methods and materials, motivation and practice, technology, and the business aspects of creating and maintaining a private music studio. Class experiences include readings, discussion, presentations, observations, and practice teaching. Offered as needed.

Directed observation and teaching in middle school and high school; required for certification in Pre-K-12 and Choral Music 6-12. Prerequisite: 206; admission to the teacher education program; admission to student teaching.

Directed classroom observation and teaching in the elementary school; required for certification in Pre-K-12 and Choral 6-12. Prerequisite: 206; admission to the teacher education program; admission to student teaching.

A course presenting the study and critical analysis of many pedagogical approaches of the teaching of singing. For the advanced vocal/choral student, it is a research and discussion course with a major research project. The course includes learning anatomy and function of the vocal instrument, teaching observation, practice teaching, and studio business practices of private teaching. The teaching of private voice lessons is a practicum experience for the student teacher/singer. Restricted to students with junior or senior standing.

This course is for students who audition for and are cast in a major or minor role in an opera production. This performance course encompasses learning an operatic score and staging the work. Chamber operas have minimal costuming and set, and they are performed in the Recital Hall. Full length operas are performed with full costuming and set with orchestra in the Main Theatre. Opera productions rehearse three hours per night and five nights per week for a period of seven weeks. May be repeated.

A continuation of the development of skills learned in Conducting I, with emphasis on baton technique, gesture, score preparation, score reading and interpretation, performance practice, and rehearsal sequencing. Prerequisite: 265.

This course will emphasize the importance of Arts Therapy as a lay person when working with the Geriatric Dementia and Alzheimers Communities. Students will learn the importance and value of spending time bringing joy to geriatric individuals through use of visual, musical, or chair dancing arts. After three weeks of background knowledge and information about how the elderly, especially with dementia, qualify as an under-served community, students will explore different arts-based techniques to engage cognitive connections.