Vocal Music

Objectives

Students must excel in the following areas:

• Vocal performance, including expressive solo singing in a variety of styles, and ensemble singing.
• Written and aural music theory skills, including sight reading of music.
• Piano skills at a basic to advanced level.

Goals For Students

1. Students will demonstrate excellent vocal performance skills including expressive, accurate singing; proper breath management; and appropriate stage presence and deportment, both as soloists and in ensemble.
2. Students will demonstrate excellent written and aural music theory skills, with an emphasis on music sight reading.
3. Students will demonstrate basic to advanced skills in playing piano and accompanying.
4. Students will demonstrate knowledge of music history and the characteristics of various music styles of performance.
5. Students will demonstrate the skills necessary to use technology applications in music.
6. Graduating seniors should be able to perform a successful college or conservatory audition and demonstrate the level of musical competence necessary for college courses in performance technique, music-reading, and music-writing.

Vocal Music Sequence of Courses

All Vocal Music majors are expected to maintain a minimum of a “B” in their arts classes.
Electives: Show Choir I-IV, Jazz Vocal Styles.
½ Credit Elective Courses: Opera Workshop I/II, Music History I/II, Computer Applications in Music.
*appropriate theory class assigned through written examination
**Piano Lab may be taken during any year after the student’s first year.

Students who complete the four-year program are required to have 12 arts credits to graduate.

Students who complete a three-year program are required to have 9 arts credits to graduate.

SYLLABI

Advanced Vocal Techniques IV, Ayers

Concert Choir, Bonds

Jazz Vocal Style, Seikaly

Opera Workshop, Ayers

Show Choir I-IV, Bonds

Vocal Techniques I-IV

Duke Ellington School of the Arts:

Improving Your Audition for the

Vocal Music Department

We are looking for:

• Vocal potential – does your voice have the potential to develop to the point where you could sing professionally?  Is your musical gift above average?

• Performance and musical potential – do you have the personality to be a performer, or, is your gift for music so great that you can succeed in some other area of musical study (composition, recording technology, teaching, etc.)?

• Passion about music – are you truly excited by music and/or singing?  Will that make you a dedicated student who practices and strives for excellence?

• Possibility for academic success – can you do well enough academically to stay in school (maintain a “C” average overall)?

• Cooperative attitude – can you work well with others in class and outside of it?

The Audition: You will sing for at least one member of the vocal faculty who will also ask you to do some vocal exercises and sight sing. We need to know the range of your voice, the quality of your musical ear, and whether your natural gifts are strong enough to succeed in our program.

To present yourself in the best light possible:

• Decide exactly what song you will present and PREPARE it (memorize it, singing in tune).

• Say your name and answer questions clearly and completely. 

• Be ready to talk about yourself, your past musical experiences, your goals for the future.  Give these ideas some thought—is Duke Ellington REALLY where you want to be? Why?  Is singing your hobby or your passion? 

• Dress appropriately—look like a professional.