Commercial Applied Music III – CMUS 251

CG • Section 16WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 09/20/2023

Course Description

Continuation of CMUS 152, private lessons appropriate to commercial music disciplines, which include voice, guitar, keyboard, bass, drums, recording engineering and producing, songwriting, film scoring, and other solo instruments.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

The purpose of this course is to develop technical fluency, expressive musicianship, and professionalism in performance. Private instruction is the most effective way to develop a high level of musical skill.

Course Assignment

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Quiz: Lesson Scheduling Availability and Applied Background

This quiz will consist of seven (7) short answer and one (1) file upload questions, will allow for one attempt, and will not have a time limit. In this quiz, the student will communicate his/her schedule availability to his/her instructor. The student must communicate all available times when a lesson could occur while being clear about the time zone in which he/she lives. Also, the student will indicate his/her top 3 preferred times. The student will then answer questions about applied lesson goals and experience. A video of the student playing/singing or example of recent composition is also required depending on applied area of study.

Lesson Assignments (12)

Vocal/Instrumental students will be assigned technical exercises, etudes, and/or repertoire. Technical facility will be demonstrated in all three of the above categories, while expressiveness will be demonstrated in repertoire. Performance should be stylistically appropriate, informed by both stylistic and theoretical analysis.

Songwriting/Filmscoring students will be working on individual projects and will be expected to show improvement each week in their applied lesson based on instructor feedback. Students will be expected to submit files each week showing steady progression as the student prepares for the final project.

The instructional delivery method is video conferencing through platforms like Zoom, Skype, or MS Teams. Grades are assigned in the learning management system. An accompanist, if required, can be present with the student. When an accompaniment track is appropriate, the track can be played from a phone through a Bluetooth speaker while the student’s laptop is used for the live video conference with the professor. A lesson grade will be assigned by the instructor each week based on completion of the assignments given in the previous lesson. 

Songwriting and film-scoring students will be required to use the appropriate software/technology as necessary for their weekly projects. 

The student should use the Lesson Template to upload his/her applied lesson notes to each assignment on Canvas following a completed lesson.

Final Performance Assignment

At the end of the semester, the student will video record a final performance and upload a link to this video to the learning management system.

For vocal/instrumental students, this performance consists of assigned selections prepared during the semester. In this performance, the student should demonstrate technical fluency and expressivity, give a stylistically appropriate performance, and demonstrate professionalism in performance.

For songwriting/film scoring students, this performance consists of submissions of a song(s) or score prepared throughout the semester with attention to edits and suggestions made by the faculty member, resulting in professionally engraved or recorded work.

For vocal/instrumental students, the student will record a final performance of 2-3 musical selections, each of which can be an individual video. The student will then upload the recorded videos to YouTube. The student will provide links to the videos in the Final Performance Template and upload the completed template to Canvas for his/her submission.

For songwriting/film-scoring students, the student should be sure to prepare his/her completed project in the medium requested by his/her professor. The student will save his/her project to Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive. Then, the student will submit the link to access the stored project in the assignment link in Canvas. Use of the Final Performance Template is not necessary for songwriting/film-scoring students. 

All students should use the Jury System link provided under the Final Performance Resources section within the assignment on Canvas. The student will sign into the Jury System using his/her Liberty University credentials, then enter in the required information and include a link to his/her stored videos or projects.