MUAG 1905.003: English Diction – Syllabus

Monday & Wednesday – 8 AM to 8:50 AM – MUSI 289

INSTRUCTOR: Helen Dewey Reikofski, DMA - aka “Dr. R”

E-MAIL: AND

OFFICE HOURS: Mondays: 10AM -11AM, or by appointment

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

1. Kathryn LaBouff. Singing and Communicating in English (ISBN: 9780195311396)

2. Daniel Jones. Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary. Edited by Peter Roach, Jane

Setter, and John Esling. 18th ed. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press, 2011.[1]

REQUIRED SUPPLIES

3-RING BINDER with paper for in-class work, handouts and notes, a pencil, a USB drive.

Course Description

MUAG 1905 is introductory course for music majors, or related disciplines, that is designed to acquaint the student with the basic symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet used in spoken and lyric diction, and the rules for pronunciation in the English language in classical vocal music.

Course Objectives

This course will promote ease and clarity in singing English language songs, arias, and choral works, and will build skills, through the use of IPA (the International Phonetic Alphabet) and techniques of enunciation, in singing in three major dialects: American Standard (AS), the neutral pronunciation used for North American repertoire; Received Pronunciation (RP), both historic and modern, used for repertoire by composers and/or poets of the British Isles; and Mid-Atlantic (MA), a hybrid of North American and British diction used in European and other works that do not specifically require a British or American character.

Upon completion of this course a student should be able to

  1. employ the International Phonetic Alphabet as a valuable tool to aid diction choices, demonstrating proper pronunciation of all basic IPA symbols in transcriptions of songs,
  2. prepare their vocal texts using rules for pronunciation, enunciation, and expression taught in Singing and Communicating in English by Kathryn LaBouff,
  3. identify which dialects may be called for, considering composers, poets, librettists, and production needs,
  4. speak and sing texts in English with understanding, through the examination of syntax and sentence structure, and word stress and inflection,
  5. sing expressively, and with greater ease, allowing the texts to flow smoothly, or be accentuated without adding tension,
  6. access resources for pronunciation, meaning, and further research related to diction,
  7. utilize skills developed through in-class participation, and personal application, on their own repertoire, and class assignments.

Grading Policy

A: > 90%, B: > 80%, C: > 70%, D: > 60%, F: 60% and below, of the total number of points.

Your final grade will be based upon the average of your grades in the following categories: Attendance, in-class work, in-class participation; Quizzes taken in the first ten minutes of class; Mid-Term Exam, including pre-written work, in-class exam, and spoken and sung sections; Assignments posted on BlackBoard; Final Exam. See below.

Grading Criteria / Percentage of Final Grade
Attendance and participation in class discussion and written work,
and day to day singing. / 20%
Quizzes / 20%
Mid-Term Exam: oral, pre-written, and in-class written exam. / 20%
Assignments, worksheets / 20%
FINAL— MONDAY December 7, 2015
8:00 a.m. – 10 a.m. NOTE START TIME / 20%

Attendance/Participation: This includes class attendance, participation, preparedness, and demonstrating personal growth with using IPA in speaking and singing applications.

Attendance: One (1) absence is allowed without a grade penalty. Save it for late in the term.

If UNT causes you to be absent, such as TMEA, that will not count as your “1 no-penalty” absence.

Warning: Three (3) tardies will count as one absence.

Each absence thereafter will result in a lowering of the semester grade by 5%.

Any absence caused by UNT, such as a tour, has no effect on your grade, if documentation is received before the absence.

You are responsible for any notes, assignments, or announcements given in class, regardless of reason for the absence. You are advised to check BlackBoard and a classmate or two, to get notes on the class session missed.

Quizzes: Quizzes will be added together to form one grade.

Mid-Term: This includes spoken and sung sections, pre-prepared written material, and an in-class test.

Final: A Final Exam will be given on the date and at the time assigned by the University. Note that this exam, as listed on this syllabus, meets earlier than the scheduled class.

ON TIME ASSIGNMENTS/Extra Credit: Assignments are due on my desk at the beginning of each class, unless otherwise advised to ‘hold’ them for in-class corrections. Some assignments will be turned in by submitting to BlackBoard. Late work will rarely, if ever, be considered.

NEEDED: A FLASH DRIVE TO SAVE COPIES OF ALL WORK THAT YOU TURN IN. PLEASE SAVE ALL WORK RETURNED TO YOU, UNTIL THE SEMESTER IS OVER.

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TENTATIVE Schedule

Week 1/Class 1 MON AUG 24 Overview, Intro to IPA, BlackBoard, and the Syllabus

Week 1/Class 2 WED AUG 26 Assignment ONE is due 8/26/15

W2/C1 MON AUG 31 Assignment TWO is due. Binder. Quiz 1

W2/C2 WED SEP 2 Assignment THREE; MUST HAVE BOOK for a grade.

W3/C1 MON SEP 7 LABOR DAY NO CLASS. Assignment FOUR “Read Chapters 1&2”

W3/C2 WED SEP 9 Assignment FIVE “Complete exercises in Chapters 1&2” due 9/9/14.

W4/C1 MON 14 SEP Assignment SIX “Read Chapter 3 and Create 1 Page Rules 1-10” Quiz3

W4/C2 WED 16 SEP Assignment SEVEN “Transcribe Dr. R Assigned Piece”

W5/C1 MON 21 SEP Assignment EIGHT “Skim Chapters 4, 5 & 6” Quiz4

W5/C2 WED 23 SEP Assignment NINE. Bring 2 copies of your voice-teacher-assigned piece.

W6/C1 MON 28 SEP Assignment TEN “Read Chapters 7 & 8” Quiz5

W6/C2 WED 30 SEP Assignment ELEVEN “IPA of Your Voice Teacher Piece” On Bb and in your Binder (not on desk)

W7/C1 MON 5 OCT Assignment TWELVE “Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12” Quiz6

W7/C2 WED 7 OCT Assignment THIRTEEN “Bring Corrections” Attend & participate.

W8/C1 MON 12 OCT MID-TERM (Oral and Pre-Written) (10/12/15)

W8/C2 WED 14 OCT MID-TERM (Written In-Class Exam) (10/14/15)

W9/C1&2 MW 19 & 21 OCT Review & answer questions. Speak and sing and transcribe.

W10/C1 MON 26 OCT Assignment FOURTEEN “Read Chapters 13 & 14 thru p.220” Quiz7

W10/C2 WED 28 OCT In-class application

W11/C1 MON 2 NOV FIFTEEN: Chapter 14 p.221-240. Quiz8.

W11/C2 WED 4 NOV In-class application. Individual assignments as needed.

W12/C1 MON 9 NOV SIXTEEN: Chapter 15 & Appendix 3 –Quiz9

W12/C2 WED 11 NOV In-class application. Individual assignments as needed.

W13/C1 MON 16 NOV Quiz 10. End of Quizzes. Individual assignments as needed.

W13/C2 WED 18 NOV BINDER CHECK: All Quizzes organized. In-class application.

W14/ MON 23 NOV In-class application. Prepare for FINAL EXAM

W14/ WED 25 NOV (TBA) Thursday is Thanksgiving Holiday

W15/ MON NOV 30 In-class. Prepare for FINAL EXAM. Don't schedule your jury during a class.

W15/ WED DEC 2 In-class. Prepare for FINAL EXAM. Don't schedule your jury during a class.

FINAL— MONDAY DEC 7th, 2015 8:00AM – 10:00AM

5

Chart of Assignments

CHART OF ASSIGNMENTS
2015 MW / M (1st class of the week) / W (2nd class of the week)
blue= pianist scheduled
Week 1
AUG 24-26 / Attend class, receive syllabus, handouts, Intro Lecture, learn class names, transcribe and sing daily.
TOC, Syllabus, IPA for memorization, IPA cut&paste Vowel Chart, Jane Student Style Sheet. Draw Vowel Quadrilateral. / Assignment ONE (2 parts)
1.“Day One Questionnaire” due on my desk, just before class begins August 26, AND
2. email a) your name b) your voice teacher’s name, c) your choir or vocal ensembles, to both email addresses: and .
Week 2
AUG 31- SEP2 / Assignment TWO “3-Ring Binder” BRING to class 8/31/15
Open Binder Grade.
Quiz 1 from Binder / Assignment THREE “Must Have Books” due 9/2/15. (Continue to bring binder, and your LaBouff and Cambridge textbooks, to each class)
Week 3
SEP 7-9 / Assignment FOUR
“Read Chapters 1 & 2” Due 9/7/15. Labor Day- no class / Assignment FIVE “Complete Exercises in Chapters 1 & 2 through Exercise 2, p.27” Due 9/9/15 Quiz2
Be prepared to read the poem on page 9 aloud. Use pencil to mark a few places where 'stress' helps to keep the metricalflow of the poem. / For example: "And think of goose and yet ofchoose" is short-long, short-long, short-long, short-long. Try curvedlines for "short" and dashes for "long." Be able to mark stress/unstress (long/short) anywhere in the poem.
Week 4
SEP 14-16 / Assignment SIX “Read Chapter 3 and Create 1 page of Rules 1-10” Submit on Bb Quiz3
Prep in 5 groups p.31/32, 33/34, 35/36, 37/38, bottom of 40/41. / Assignment SEVEN “Transcribe Dr. R Assigned Piece” AND
p. 58 Sure on This Shining Night
Collab begins
Week 5
SEP 21-23 / Assignment EIGHT “Skim Chapters 4, 5 & 6” Quiz4 / Assignment NINE. “Bring 2 Copies of Music” of your voice-teacher-assigned piece: single sided, 3-hole punched both sides. Bring a document of the text AND Upload text of song to Bb. Use headings and Style Sheet formats.
Week 6
SEP 28-30 / Assignment TEN “Read Chapters 7 & 8” Quiz5 / Assignment ELEVEN “IPA of Your Voice Teacher Piece” submit on Bb and in your Binder (not on desk.)
Week 7
OCT 5-7 / Assignment TWELVE “Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12” Quiz6
and Review in class / Assignment THIRTEEN “Bring Corrections for a Grade”
IMPORTANT NOTE: Review the corrections you’ve been making, and questions you may have on the textbook, for in-class review. Attend and assist classmates in review for the midterm.
Week 8
OCT 12-14 / Midterm: MON (10/12/15)
In-class: Spoken and Sung portions / Midterm: WED (10/14/15) In-class Exam
Week 9
OCT 19-21 / Nothing Due. You’re welcome. / Speak and sing and transcribe.
Week 10
OCT 26-28 / Assignment FOURTEEN “Read Chapters 13 & 14 thru p.220” Quiz7 / In-class application. Individual assignments as needed.
Week 11
NOV 2-4 / Assignment FIFTEEN: “Read Chapter 14 p.221-240.” Quiz8. / In-class application. Individual assignments as needed.
Week 12
NOV 9-11 / Assignment SIXTEEN: “Read Chapter 15 & Appendix 3” –Quiz9 / In-class application. Individual assignments as needed.
Week 13
NOV 16-18 / Quiz 10. End of Quizzes. Individual assignments as needed / BINDER CHECK: All Quizzes organized. In-class application. Individual assignments as needed.
Week 14
NOV 23-25 / In-class application. Prepare for FINAL EXAM (THX is THUR) / In-class application. Prepare for FINAL EXAM (THX is THUR)
Week 15
NOV 30-DEC 2 / In-class application. Prepare for FINAL EXAM / In-class application. Prepare for FINAL EXAM
FINALS WEEK / FINAL—MONDAY DEC 7th, 2015 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
9am collaborative pianist

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Course-Related Academic Adjustments in Compliance with the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The UNT College of Music does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the recruitment and admission of students. The content of this class requires each student to:

(a) participate in a safe manner

(b) spontaneously process visual and verbal cues, respond verbally and in writing

(c) read and prepare written assignments, some by hand, some need to be typed

The student has the responsibility of informing the instructor of any condition that requires modifications. If you have a disability and feel you are unable to meet the requirements of this class without reasonable accommodations, please contact the Office of Disabilities Accommodation on campus. The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at http://www.unt.edu/oda. You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323

Academic Integrity Policy

In accordance with the University policies on student conduct, any acts of dishonesty, including, but not limited to, Cheating, Facilitating Academic Dishonesty, or Plagiarism, (which includes

“1. the knowing or negligent use by paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or

unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment.

2. the knowing or negligent unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person

or agency, the selling of term papers or other academic materials.”)

will result in automatic failure of the assignment in question and probable failure of the course and suspension from the University as deemed appropriate by the instructor, the Dean of Students office, and the Academic Integrity Officer. All issues of Academic Integrity will be submitted to . See http://vpaa.unt.edu/academic-integrity.htm

In addition, cases of conduct will be referred to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. Please refer to https://deanofstudents.unt.edu/conduct for more information.

Semester Drop Dates:

Students who wish to drop a course before the census date (12th class day during long semesters) may do so without instructor permission; they may do so online by visiting my.unt.edu or in person at the Registrar’s Office (in the Eagle Student Services Building). After the 12th class day, students must first receive written permission from the instructor, prior to dropping a course.

Information about add/drop dates for the Fall Semester:

http://www.unt.edu/registrar/schedule/fall/withdraw.html

General Academic Schedule:

http://essc.unt.edu/registrar/schedule/fall/calendar.html

Final Exam Schedule

The final exam schedule is linked below.
http://registrar.unt.edu/exams/final-exam-schedule/fall

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress

Undergraduates: A student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to continue to receive financial aid. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in addition to successfully completing a required number of credit hours based on total registered hours per term. Students cannot exceed attempted credit hours above 150% of their required degree plan. If a student does not maintain the required standards, the student may lose their financial aid eligibility.