COURSE SYLLABUS
MUA 1/3/671-2, Section 71
Music and Communications Building
Room 446

GENERAL INFORMATION

Instructor: Bruce Golden, Lecturer Percussion Studies
Office phone: 216.687.2033
E-mail: b.golden@csuohio.edu

Schedule              
Please contact Judy Terrigno (j.terrigno@csuohio.edu) for permission to register for your lessons. She will need your CSU ID number, the MUA or MUS 3 digit number and the section number. This permission unlocks a course so that students may register. In order to help me deal with scheduling, please e-mail your personal schedule each semester. When it is necessary for me to reschedule lessons, I will let you know as far in advance as possible. You will receive all the lessons for which you have paid.  Music majors receive 14 lessons plus one jury. Non-music majors receive 15 lessons.

Department Guidelines
We will have a percussion meeting during the first week of the fall semester to discuss percussion department policies about practicing, practice rooms, ensembles, equipment, etc. Consult the percussion graduate assistant, Andrew Boynton, with any further questions.

Materials (bring the following to every lesson):

• Spiral-bound notebook (for assignments and taking notes)
• Spiral-bound staff paper notebook
• Music, mallets, and instruments for all currently assigned music Metronome

You must also own the following:

• Three ring binder(s)
• Sticks/mallets/beaters
• Small percussion instruments (Music majors only)

**See “EQUIPMENT” for more information**

OBJECTIVES and EXPECTATIONS
Lessons focus on developing performance skills on percussion instruments with emphasis on concert percussion.  Students expand their skills primarily through study of solo repertoire, exercises, etudes, and orchestral repertoire.  Course goals will vary from student to student depending on factors such as student’s prior experience, major, and career goals. (See below.) In most cases, however, this course will acquaint the student with those aspects of percussion playing most likely to be encountered in an orchestra and provide the student with the skills to perform at the highest level in that setting.

Graduate Students—Lessons focus on refinement of ability on concert percussion instruments with emphasis on audition preparation.  These skills are developed through practice, performing in ensembles, mock auditions and a recital.  Students are encouraged to seek professional gigs in their field, schedule permitting.  Specialization in either timpani or percussion is allowed.  Graduate students are expected to devote at least six hours per day to personal practice and part-time Percussion Ensemble participation is strongly encouraged.

Non-degree Seeking Students (Post-Graduate)—Lessons focus on refinement of ability on concert percussion instruments with emphasis on audition preparation.  These skills are developed through personal practice and professional engagements.  Specialization in either timpani or percussion is allowed.  Eight or more hours per day of personal practice is expected and part-time Percussion Ensemble participation is strongly encouraged.

Undergraduate Performance Majors—Lessons focus on developing a level of proficiency on snare drum, two and four-mallet keyboard, timpani, accessories, and drum set that will allow the student to go to the graduate school of his/her choice and/or audition successfully for a regional orchestra.  These skills are developed through practice, performing in ensembles, juries, and two recitals.  Performance majors are expected to devote at least six hours per day to personal practice and full-time Percussion Ensemble participation is strongly encouraged.

Undergraduate Music Education Majors—Lessons focus on developing a level of proficiency on all the major percussion instruments that will allow the student to teach percussion through the advanced high school level and play as an extra or section player with a local orchestra.  These skills are developed through practice, juries, and participation in performance ensembles.  Music Education majors are expected to devote at least three hours per day to personal practice and part-time Percussion Ensemble participation is strongly encouraged.  (Full time participation is recommended.)

Non Music Majors—Lessons will be designed based upon the skill level and interests of each student.  Practice and preparation for lessons is expected.  Participation in Percussion Ensemble is allowed only with permission of the director.

COURSE WORK
Lesson preparation—Weekly assignments are recorded by both instructor and student.  It is expected that all assigned material will be prepared.  Preparation includes not only practice, but also analysis of music being learned (i.e. harmonic/rhythmic/formal), score study, and CD listening when applicable.

Concert Attendance and Listening/Score Study Requirement (Undergraduate music majors ONLY):

Attend at least one live concert performance every week.  (Thursday series does not count.)  Bring the concert program to your lesson and be prepared to discuss the pieces you heard.

Suggestions: Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Cleveland Museum of Art concerts/recitals, Cleveland Chamber Music Society, Rocky River Chamber Music Society, Recitals given at: CSU, CIM, Baldwin Wallace, Oberlin, etc., Visiting ensembles and/or soloists presented at Severance Hall, CMA, Playhouse Square, local churches/synagogues, etc.

**There are numerous opportunities to attend free concerts in town.  Check listings in the Plain Dealer, Free Times, Cleveland Scene, cleveland.com, etc.  See Joyce daily to inquire about free tickets.  Spend money when you have to!

Familiarize yourself with at least one composition by a major composer every week.  Do this by listening to more than one recording of the piece and studying the score.  Be prepared to discuss the piece in your lesson.  Pay special attention to any percussion used in the composition.  (Note that this assignment is in addition to any listening associated with your assigned repertoire.)

Suggestions: Buy recordings and scores of the most major orchestral repertoire; Go to CSU library to listen to recordings and check out scores; Borrow CDs and scores from Cleveland Public Library; Refer to the attached list of suggested repertoire.

CSU Percussion Ensemble
The Percussion Ensemble performs one concert each semester.  All percussionists studying at CSU are strongly encouraged to participate.  Graduate students, non-degree seeking students, and Music Education major undergraduates participate on a part-time basis.  This usually involves participating in large group pieces (minimal number of rehearsals) and/or independently preparing a small group or solo piece as assigned.  Performance major undergraduates usually participate on a full-time basis, which involves participating in all pieces as assigned and rehearsing weekly.  Credit for the ensemble may be obtained by registering for MUS 106/506, Section 71—Chamber Ensemble.  A rehearsal schedule is created during the first 2 weeks of each semester.  Some rehearsals will take place in conjunction with Wind Ensemble rehearsals.  It is each student’s responsibility to check the bulletin board DAILY for schedule updates.

STUDIO CLASS
There will be several classes each semester.  Each studio class will be 2-3 hours in length.  Topics will include: accessory playing techniques, stick wrapping, and orchestral repertoire.  Attendance is mandatory, except under prior arrangement.  Students will be charged one lesson each for these classes.

STUDIO ACTIVITIES
All percussion students are expected to attend studio activities such as masterclasses, concerts by visiting percussion artists, and student percussion recitals.  Check the percussion bulletin board frequently to keep apprised of such events.

GRADING
Students are graded at each lesson on the following basis:
Overall preparedness and performance—70%
Weekly listening/score study and concert attendance (undergrad music majors only)—15%
Professionalism (on time with all materials, looking presentable, etc.)—15%

Final grades will be determined by averaging the weekly grades.

Scale: 

A= Excellent
B= Good
C= Average
F= Fail

JURIES (undergraduates only, as determined by degree program)
Jury materials will be selected before the eighth week of the semester.  These pieces will be prepared concurrent with regular lesson materials.  Details regarding juries can be found in the undergraduate handbook.

RECITALS
Recitals are required of all music majors.  It is the student’s responsibility to take care of all organizational details of her/his jury.  Refer to CSU student handbooks for details.

EQUIPMENT and BOOKS
**Please be sure to label all of your personal belongings**

Listed below are the absolute “must have” items for all percussionists at CSU (except non-music majors):

Supplies
Spiral bound notebook
Three-ring binder with dividers and clear plastic sheet protectors (For excerpts, exercises, handouts, etc)
Spiral bound staff paper notebook
Metronome (This is very important—Dr. Beat DB-66, DB-88, or comparable)
Stick case

Snare Books

Mallet Books

**There are many publications of these solos.  I recommend the version edited by Galamian from the International Music Company.  It is best to get a version with few, if any, added markings.

Timpani Books

Sticks and Mallets
Snare Drum: 2 pair general use stick such as, Firth SD1-Generals, ProMark T Freer-General Orchestral; Also one pair light-weight sticks such as Cooperman Graham Johns #1 or ProMark-Light Orchestral.
Xylophone/Bell mallets: one pair medium soft rubber (for practice) such as Freer Light Green Natural Rubber; one pair hard phenolic (for ensemble performance; One pair Malletech Becker “Blues” for xylophone solo work.  (Rattan preferred for two mallet work.)

Marimba/Vibraphone mallets: Set of four medium to medium hard yarn marimba mallets; set of four medium hard to hard cord vibraphone mallets such as Balter Green #22R.  (Birch preferred for marimba; rattan for vibraphone)

Timpani mallets: one pair for general use such as Adams/Duff #3; one pair hard or medium hard such as Adams/Duff #1 or #2.  (Also consider Black Swamp and California Percussion Technologies)

Drum set: Several pairs general drum set sticks such as: Firth 5A, Regal Tip 5A, etc.  (Nylon tips preferred)

Remember that this is a list of “must have” items for all serious percussionists.  It is meant to be the starting point for incoming freshman.  Through your undergraduate years you should plan on adding to your collection little-by-little as new situations require.  Some suggestions can be found in the section below.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO ACQUIRE (Eventually)
Specialty snare drum, field drum, and drum set sticks for extra loud and extra soft playing.

Keyboard mallets for all instruments that expand the array of hardness you have.  (Hint: Add harder sticks first, since they are more practical for ensemble playing.)

Complete a set of timpani mallets from hard to soft including specialty sticks such as holzschlagel and flip sticks.

Large instrument beaters such as bass drum, gong, and chime.

Accessory percussion instruments: triangle with clip and beaters, tambourine, one or two pairs of crash cymbals, castanets.

Replacement felt, yarn, and tools for wrapping timpani, marimba, and yarn mallets.

BOOK LISTS
Below is a reference list of commonly used concert percussion texts.  We will refer to it from time-to-time when a new text is required or recommended.

Timpani

Repertoire and Miscellaneous

SUGGESTIONS for UNDERGRADUATE LISTENING REQUIREMENT
* Indicates highly recommended

• Bach-Solo Violin and Cello Suites;
• Masses; Motets; Passions; Cantatas
• Barber-Medea’s Dance…; Essays for Orchestra;
• Concertos: Violin, Piano
• Bartok-Concerto for Orchestra;
• Music for Str, Perc, Celeste;
• Concertos: Piano, Violin,; Chamber Music
• Beethoven-Overtures*, Symphonies*, Missa Solemnis, Concertos: Piano*, Violin*; Fideleo, Chamber Music
• Brahms-Symphonies*; Overtures*;
• Concertos: Piano*; Violin; Chamber Music
• Britten-Young Person’s Guide*; Operas; Nocturne
• Bruckner-Symphonies; Motets
• Copland-Appalachian Spring*; Billy the Kid*; Rodeo;
• Symphony #3*
• Debussy-La Mer*; Images*, Nocturnes*
• Dvorak-Symphonies* (esp #7-9), Slavonic Dances
• Elgar-Enigma Variations; Pomp & Circumstance
• Gershwin-Rhapsody in Blue; Piano Concerto in F;
• American in Paris*
• Grieg-Piano Concertos; Norwegian Dances
• Handel-Oratorios, Water Music, Fireworks Music
• Haydn-Symphonies (esp #80-104*); Creation; Chamber Muisic
• Hindemith-Symphonic Metamorphosis*; Mathis de Maler;
• solo instrument sonatas
• Kabalevsky-Colas Breugnon Overture*
• Khachaturian-Gayena Ballet; Sparticus
• Kodaly-Hary Janos Suite*
• Liszt-Piano Concertos, Les Preludes
• Mahler-Symphonies (*esp #1, 5, 7); Das Lied von der Erde
• Messiaen-All large ensemble works with percussion
• Mozart-Overtures*, Symphonies*; Concertos: Piano*, Violin, Masses, Requiem*
• Nielsen-Symphonies (*esp #4 & #5); Clarinet Concerto
• Orff-Carmina Burana
• Puccini-Operas
• Prokofiev-Symphonies (*esp #5, 6, “Classical”);
• Alexander Nevsky, Romeo & Juliet;
• Scythian Suite
• Rachmaninov-Symphonies, Piano Concertos*; Isle of the Dead;
• Symphonic Dances
• Ravel-Daphnis et Chloe*, Alborado del Gracioso*;
• La Valse*
• Respighi-All orchestral works
• Rimsky-Korsakov-Capriccio Espagnol*, Scheherazade*
• Schubert-Symphonies ; Songs
• Schumann (Robert)-Symphonies
• Schuman (William)-Symphony #3, New England Triptych
• Shostakovich-Symphonies (*esp #1, 5, 7, 10, 11, 15)
• Sibelius-Symphonies (*esp #1, 2, 5); Tone poems
• Strauss-Tone Poems; Opera, Songs
• Stravinsky-Firebird*; Rite of Spring*, Petrouchka*, Oedipus Rex; Symphony of Psalms
• Tchaikovsky-Symphonies (*esp #4-6); Ballets
• Verdi-Operas; Requiem
• Wagner-Operas (*esp “Orchestral Highlights”)