Voice Performance

Voice Performance Program Requirements

(124-126 credits)

Voice Performance Requirements (109-110 credits)

CAS General Education Curriculum (15-16 credits)


Voice Performance Requirements 

Complete the following courses:
Choirs and Conducting
CR 109Chapel Choir (2 terms)2
CR 209Schola Cantorum (2 terms)2
CR 509Symphonic Choir (4 terms)4
CR 215Fundamentals of Conducting3
Applied Music and Diction
VC 168AApplied Voice (8 terms) 116
Piano secondary (4 terms)
PI 103Piano Secondary I1
PI 104Piano Secondary II1
PI 203Piano Secondary III1
PI 205Piano Secondary VCPER1
Diction8
Introduction to Lyric Diction
Italian Diction
French Diction
German Diction
Theory and Music History
TH 141
TH 142
TH 241
Musicianship I
and Musicianship II
and Musicianship III
12
TH 342Contemporary Trends3
MH 247
MH 248
Music Historiography I
and Music Historiography II
6
MH 345Music Since 19003
Theory level I elective 33
Select one of the following:
Composition Class
Analytical Studies I
Orchestration
Song Writing
Electroacoustic Music
Theory level II elective 33
Select one of the following:
Choral and Instrumental Arranging
Form and Analysis
Contrapuntal Techniques
Special Topics in Theory 2
Analytical Studies II
Keyboard Harmony
Music History Elective
MH 433Seminar in Music History3
Professional Studies
VC 191Movement for the Performer2
VC 291The Singing Actor2
VC 305Singing in Italian and French2
or VC 306 Singing in German and English
VC 408Voice Science3
VC 433
VC 434
Song Literature I
and Song Literature II
4
VC 591Performing in Lyric Theater2
Foreign Language Proficiency: 4
Select one of the following options:18
Option 1:
Italian I
and Italian II
and French I
and French II
and German I
and German II
Or Option 2:
Italian I
and Italian II
and French I
and French II
and French III
and French IV
OR Option 3:
Italian I
and Italian II
and German I
and German II
and German III
and German IV
OR Option 4:
Select from:
Italian I
and Italian II
and Italian III
and Italian IV
AND
French I
and French II
OR
German I
and German II
Select one of the following:1-2
Opera Workshop
Opera Theater (Role)
Opera Theater (Tech)
Opera Theater (Ensemble)
Recitals 5
Student Recital
Student Recital
Free electives3
Total Credits109-110

Notes 

1

Attendance at weekly studio classes is required during all semesters of applied study.

2

MH 433 can be repeated for credit as long as the topics are different.

3

Level 2 theory classes can be taken as a level 1 theory. Level 1 classes cannot be used for level 2.

4

Students must complete six semesters of foreign language study.  Students must complete Italian I and II.  They must complete additional semesters of either French or German.  Semesters five and six may be of a third language (French or German) or additional semesters of Italian, French or German.  If students are exempted from one or more semesters of foreign language study, they must replace the missing course credits with other Arts and Sciences electives.

5

A half recital VC 001R must be presented in the junior year.  A full recital VC 002R must be presented in the senior year.

 CAS General Education Curriculum

I. ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES:
Reading and Writing6
Seminar in Writing and Rhetoric
Honors Seminar: Great Ideas I
Select one of the following:
Seminar in Writing and Research
Honors Seminar: Great Ideas II
Literature and Composition
II. DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES
Select one course from the Scientific or Social Perspectives:3-4
Scientific Perspectives
A. 4-Credit Lecture/Lab Combination Courses
Chemistry in the Kitchen
and Chemistry in the Kitchen Lab
Introduction to Environmental Sciences
and Introduction to Environmental Sciences Lab
Earth Systems Science
and Earth Materials and Processes Lab
Oceanography
and Introductory Oceanography Lab
Introduction to Sustainability Studies
and Intro to Sustainability Lab
B. 3-Credit Non-Lab Courses
Chemistry and Conflict
Idea to Innovation
Honors Seminar: The Environment: a Conflict of Interest
The Rhetoric of Science
Nature and Nurture
Life Science
Life Science: Brain and Behavior
Chemistry & Society
Fundamentals of Computer Science
Future of Natural Resources
Introduction to Climate Change
Earth Systems Science
Geology of National Parks
Environmental Geology
Mesozoic Ruling Reptiles
Oceanography
Astronomy
The Science of Mental Illness
Introduction to Forensics
OR
Social Perspectives
Nineteen Eighty-Four in Context: George Orwell’s Enduring Legacy
Under the Influence: Drugs, Deviance, and Culture
Honors Seminar:Politics/Literacy
Children and the Media
Creativity and Design Thinking
A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Play
Honors Seminar: The Environment: a Conflict of Interest
The Online Explosion: Radical Changes in Business and Communication
The Rhetoric of Science
The Law and Racial Progress
Mirrors of the Mind: The Interplay of Literature and Psychology
Honors Seminar: 20th Century European Ideologies
Modern European Ideologies: Social and Political Perspectives
Nature and Nurture
Genocide, Human Rights & Literature
Moral Psychology
Communication, Culture and Media
Global Film & Media Industries
Introduction to Gender Studies
Gender, War and Peace
Race, Class and Gender in Contemporary American Society
Power and Privilege in a Multicultural Society
U.S. Politics in Crisis
Power, Politics and Justice
Explorations in Psychology Honors
Psychology:The Science of Well-being
Psychology of Creativity
Psychology of Women
Sociological Imagination
Cultural Anthropology
Social Movements Abroad
Select one course from the Philosophical or Aesthetic Literature Perspectives:3
Philosophical Perspectives
Honors Seminar: Existentialism in Literature
Presence of Mind — Artificial Intelligence and Human Creativity
Honors Seminar: The Bible as Literature and Philosophy
Moral Psychology
Plato and Aristotle
Philosophical Thinking
Logic and Language
Ethics
American Philosophy
Philosophies of Education
Political Philosophy
Social Philosophy
Asian Philosophy
Symbolic Logic
Environmental Ethics
Modern Philosophy
Philosophy of the Sexes
Medical Ethics
Problems in 20th-Century Philosophy
Philosophy of Science
Theories of Knowledge
Philosophy of Mind
Theories of Reality
Indian Philosophy
Chinese Philosophy
Contemporary Ethics
Japanese Philosophy
OR
Aesthetic Perspective: Literature
American Memoir and Autobiography
Poetry and Poetics in American Culture
Kurt Vonnegut’s America
Age of Shakespeare: A Study in Cultural History
Nineteen Eighty-Four in Context: George Orwell’s Enduring Legacy
Under the Influence: Drugs, Deviance, and Culture
Honors Seminar:Politics/Literacy
The Fantastic in Literature, Art, and Media
Music and Literature
Honors Seminar: Existentialism in Literature
Race, Gender, and Sexuality in the Age of Empire
Shakespeare: Page, Stage & Screen
Mirrors of the Mind: The Interplay of Literature and Psychology
Inclusive Education and Representations of Disability
Honors Seminar: 20th Century European Ideologies
Honors Seminar: The Bible as Literature and Philosophy
Latinx in the 21st Century
Images of Women in Chinese Literature and Film
Understanding Literature
Arthurian Legends in Literature
Major American Authors
Major British Authors
Literature and Mythology
Monsters in Literature
Satire and Comedy
Introduction To Shakespeare
Literature and the Environment
Literature and Violence
Literature & Society
Literature and Psychology
Crime and Literature
Science Fiction
Black American Lit
Multi-Ethnic Literature in America
Women In Literature
Introduction to Poetry
The Short Story
Human Relationships in Literature (HONORS)
Global Literature
An Introduction to French Literature
Cultural Expression in French Film and Television
Portrait of the Hero in French Fiction
Mask & Reality in French Theater
Self in French Prose & Poetry
A Quest for Identity: Francophone Literature and Culture
Sex, Gender, and Fairy Tales
Masterworks of Western Literature I
Masterworks of Western Literature II
Introduction to Spanish Literature
Introduction to Latin-American/Latino Literature
The Hispanic Short Story: Transatlantic Connections
The Spanish Golden Age
From Colonies to Nations
Latin American/Latino Film and Fiction
Historical Perspectives:3
Select one of the following:
Pre-Modern World: Evolution to Revolution
World in the Modern Era: Exploration to Globalization
Contemporary World: Historical Perspectives
Cold War: A Global History
Total Credits15-16

Academic Plan of Study

The following educational plan is provided as a sample only.  Rider students who do not declare a major during their freshman year; who are in a Continuing Education Program; who change their major; or who transfer to Rider may follow a different plan to ensure a timely graduation.  Each student, with guidance from their academic advisor, will develop a personalized educational plan.

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Fall SemesterCredits
CR 109 Chapel Choir 1
VC 168A Applied Voice 2
PI 103 Piano Secondary I 1
VC 114 Introduction to Lyric Diction 2
TH 141 Musicianship I 4
ITA 100 Italian I 3
CMP 120
Seminar in Writing and Rhetoric
or Honors Seminar: Great Ideas I
3
 Semester Credit Hours16
Spring Semester
CR 109 Chapel Choir 1
VC 168A Applied Voice 2
PI 104 Piano Secondary II 1
VC 118 Italian Diction 2
TH 142 Musicianship II 4
ITA 101 Italian II 3
VC 191 Movement for the Performer 2
CMP 125
Seminar in Writing and Research
or Literature and Composition
or Honors Seminar: Great Ideas II
3
 Semester Credit Hours18
Year 2
Fall Semester
CR 209 Schola Cantorum 1
VC 168A Applied Voice 2
PI 203 Piano Secondary III 1
TH 241 Musicianship III 4
FRE 100
French I
or German I
3
MH 247 Music Historiography I 3
VC 291 The Singing Actor 2
 Semester Credit Hours16
Spring Semester
CR 209 Schola Cantorum 1
VC 168A Applied Voice 2
PI 205 Piano Secondary VCPER 1
VC 119
French Diction
or German Diction
2
MH 248 Music Historiography II 3
FRE 101
French II
or German II
3
Theory Level I elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Year 3
Fall Semester
CR 509 Symphonic Choir 1
VC 168A Applied Voice 2
CR 215 Fundamentals of Conducting 3
MH 345 Music Since 1900 3
VC 591 Performing in Lyric Theater 2
GER 100
German I
or French I
3
Theory Level II elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours17
Spring Semester
CR 509 Symphonic Choir 1
VC 168A Applied Voice 2
MH 433 Seminar in Music History 3
VC 408 Voice Science 3
VC 119
French Diction
or German Diction
2
GER 101
German II
or French II
3
TH 342 Contemporary Trends 3
Junior Recital  
 Semester Credit Hours17
Year 4
Fall Semester
CR 509 Symphonic Choir 1
VC 168A Applied Voice 2
VC 433 Song Literature I 2
VC 305
Singing in Italian and French
or Singing in German and English
2
HIS 150
Pre-Modern World: Evolution to Revolution
or World in the Modern Era: Exploration to Globalization
or Contemporary World: Historical Perspectives
or Cold War: A Global History
3
Free Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours13
Spring Semester
CR 509 Symphonic Choir 1
VC 168A Applied Voice 2
VC 434 Song Literature II 2
Select one of the following: 1-2
Opera Workshop
or Opera Theater (Ensemble)
or Opera Theater (Role)
or Opera Theater (Tech)
 
General Education Electives 6
Senior Recital  
 Semester Credit Hours12-13
 Total Credit Hours for Graduation124-125

Courses and Descriptions

CR 109 Chapel Choir 1 Credits

Comprised of undergraduate students in their first year of study, Chapel Choir focuses on music for men’s, women’s, and mixed chorus. The ensemble provides the fundamentals of artistic choral ensemble singing and a foundation for all Westminster choral ensembles. Placement hearing required.

CR 209 Schola Cantorum 1 Credits

Comprised of undergraduate students in their second year of study, Schola Cantorum focuses on music for mixed chorus and continues to build and refine the skills developed in Chapel Choir. This ensemble presents campus, community, and regional performances. Placement hearing required.

CR 215 Fundamentals of Conducting 3 Credits

This course provides the foundation of conducting technique and philosophy as it relates to choral ensemble. Primarily, it deals with the development of basic pedagogical proficiencies, specifically alignment, Laban gestural vocabulary, breathing, beat patterns, consistent tempo, and the development of expressive gesture for relaying various styles of music, i.e., legato, staccato and marcato. Basic philosophical understandings concerning the human aspects of the music making process and the role the conductor plays in that process also are emphasized. Specific techniques for dealing with technical elements, e.g., fermata, dynamics, changes of tempo, contrasts in style, also are covered. The overall focus of the course is to establish the important relationship between ear, body, and the choral sound.

Prerequisite(s): TH 141.

CR 509 Symphonic Choir 1 Credits

A large mixed chorus comprised of students above the lower division, including graduate students from all disciplines. The ensemble regularly performs in the region and focuses on the major choral/orchestral repertoire along with a wide variety of repertoire for large mixed chorus. Placement hearing required.

FRE 100 French I 3 Credits

Conversational French is taught through basic vocabulary and grammar building. Students will enjoy an immersion-style method emphasizing real-life situations and vocabulary in authentic cultural context, through an interactive textbook, videos, on-line resources, and oral/aural skill building using the technology in the Foreign Language Media Center to enhance learning. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Essential Competencies element of the CLAS general education curriculum.

Prerequisite(s): Placement test if French has been studied elsewhere.

FRE 101 French II 3 Credits

Building on learning in French I, students will begin to converse using more complicated grammatical structures within immersion-style classroom interactions. While the focus is still on conversation and aural skill building, composition skills receive greater emphasis. Students will enjoy an interactive textbook, Internet usage, and authentic videos shot on location in France. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Essential Competencies element of the CLAS general education curriculum.

Prerequisite(s): FRE 100 or placement test.

FRE 200 French III 3 Credits

This course builds on linguistic skills previously acquired through an emphasis on conversation and oral comprehension, and through vocabulary building. Grammar study is continued at a more advanced level, and students begin to read short passages focusing mainly on francophone culture and civilization. Film clips, Internet resources, and other computer-aided learning tools are used to create a dynamic immersion-style learning experience. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Essential Competencies element of the CLAS general education curriculum.

Prerequisite(s): FRE 101 or placement test.

FRE 201 French IV 3 Credits

While continuing the emphasis on aural/oral production and grammar and vocabulary building, short passages of greater complexity taken from literary texts, newspapers, and magazines will become the focus of conversation/composition activities. Technological resources will continue to enhance the immersion-style learning experience consistent with a course in advanced French. Successful completion of this course, or its equivalent, serves as a prerequisite for French courses at the 300 and 400 level. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Essential Competencies element of the CLAS general education curriculum.

Prerequisite(s): FRE 200 or placement test.

GER 100 German I 3 Credits

An introduction to German stressing the spoken language and the fundamentals of grammar. Students are required to work extensively with audio CDs. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Essential Competencies element of the CAS general education curriculum.

Prerequisite(s): placement test if German has been studied elsewhere.

GER 101 German II 3 Credits

A continuation of German 100. Communication skills are broadened, fundamental grammar is studied in more depth, and basic vocabulary is expanded. Students are required to work extensively with audio files. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Essential Competencies element of the CAS general education curriculum.

Prerequisite(s): GER 100 with a minimum grade of D or placement test.

GER 200 German III 3 Credits

Intensive review of German grammar and syntax with a systematic approach to oral expression and composition. Readings on contemporary German life and selections from modern literature. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Essential Competencies element of the CLAS general education curriculum.

Prerequisite(s): GER 101 or placement test.

GER 201 German IV 3 Credits

Continuation of grammar review and readings. Special emphasis on oral expression and composition of increasing sophistication, proceeding from concrete observations to theoretical and abstract discussion. This course counts towards the fulfillment of the Essential Competencies element of the CLAS general education curriculum.

Prerequisite(s): GER 200 or placement test.

ITA 100 Italian I 3 Credits

The language program objectives of our department are based on the premise that students must be able to demonstrate increased proficiency in interpersonal, interpretive and presentational communication skills as well as growth in cultural, literary and interdisciplinary knowledge as they move through a sequence of study. This course is the first part of the first year experience in Italian during which the development of communicative and cultural competencies are at the center of this experience. At the end of the course, successful students will be able to communicate short messages on highly predictable, everyday topics that affect them directly. They will also develop a sense of the cultural aspects of people who speak the target language. Cultural components include the importance or regions in the construction of Italian identity; differences in American and Italian school and university systems; the role of the family in Italian life. The course is conducted in Italian. This course fulfills LAS Core Curriculum Requirement I. Essential Competencies: Foreign Language.

ITA 101 Italian II 3 Credits

The language program objectives of our department are based on the premise that students must be able to demonstrate increased proficiency in interpersonal, interpretive and presentational communication skills as well as growth in cultural, literary and interdisciplinary knowledge as they move through a sequence of study. This course is the second part of the first year experience in Italian during which the development of communicative and cultural competencies are at the center of this experience. At the end of the course, successful students will be able to handle successfully a variety of uncomplicated communicative tasks in straightforward social situations. They will also develop a sense of the cultural aspects of people who speak the target language. Cultural components include differences between American and Italian cuisines, sports, routines, and healthcare systems. The course is conducted in Italian.

Prerequisite(s): ITA 100 or LL 145 or Placement Test.

ITA 200 Italian III 3 Credits

The language program objectives of our department are based on the premise that students must be able to demonstrate increased proficiency in interpersonal, interpretive and presentational communication skills as well as growth in cultural, literary and interdisciplinary knowledge as they move through a sequence of study. This course is the third part of the four-semester sequence in Italian. At the end of ITA 200, successful students achieve proficiency in Italian at the intermediate level in oral expression, listening comprehension, reading of short texts, and writing. Students will be able to successfully navigate conversational and written Italian in cultural contexts related to course themes: personal relationships, Italian communities, hobbies and free time activities, the value of social and political ideas, the Italian family across the generations. The course is conducted in Italian. This course fulfills LAS Core Curriculum Requirement I. Essential Competencies: Foreign Language.

Prerequisite(s): ITA 200 or LL 247 or placement test.

ITA 201 Italian IV 3 Credits

The language program objectives of our department are based on the premise that students must be able to demonstrate increased proficiency in interpersonal, interpretive and presentational communication skills as well as growth in cultural, literary and interdisciplinary knowledge as they move through a sequence of study. This course is the fourth and final part of the four-semester sequence in Italian. At the end of ITA 201, successful students achieve proficiency in Italian at the intermediate level in oral expression, listening comprehension, reading of short texts, and writing. Students will be able to successfully navigate conversational and written Italian in cultural contexts related to course themes: societal changes in Italian culture, science and technology, Italian contributions to the arts, media, and the culture of business in Italy. The course is conducted in Italian.

Prerequisite(s): ITA 200 with a minimum grade of D or LL 247 with a minimum grade of D. This course fulfills LAS Core Curriculum Requirement I. Essential Competencies: Foreign Language.

MH 247 Music Historiography I 3 Credits

Historiography I begins by exploring similarities and differences between various music cultures around the world, and continues with an examination of selected genres of Western Art Music of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. Basic information literacy skills, such as searching library catalogs, databases and reading academic articles also will be covered.

Prerequisite(s): CMP 125.

MH 248 Music Historiography II 3 Credits

Examines Western Art Music since 1750 and includes a research assignment that builds upon the information literacy skills gained in MH 247.

Prerequisite(s): MH 247.

MH 345 Music Since 1900 3 Credits

Examines controversies and aesthetic movements in 20th and 21st century music. Emphasis is placed upon critical reading and writing skills.

Prerequisite(s): MH 248.

MH 433 Seminar in Music History 3 Credits

The contents of courses carrying this number will vary with the special interests and qualifications of the instructors teaching them. Possible topics include period courses, courses from a distinct perspective, composer courses and genre courses.

Prerequisite(s): MH 248.

TH 141 Musicianship I 4 Credits

This course assists students in learning and integrating aural, performance, analytical and composition skills involving diatonic melody and harmony. Both the theoretical and the practical portion must be passed individually in order to receive a passing grade.

Prerequisite(s): TH 045 or passing a placement test.

TH 142 Musicianship II 4 Credits

A continuation of TH 141 involving chromatic melody and harmony with an introduction to binary and ternary form.

Prerequisite(s): minimum "C-" grade in TH 141.

TH 237 Composition Class 3 Credits

Class instruction in original composition. May be taken as a level I elective.

Prerequisite(s): For non Theory/Composition majors only, minimum "C-" grade in TH 142.

TH 241 Musicianship III 4 Credits

A continuation of TH 142 with an introduction to larger musical forms and counterpoint.

Prerequisite(s): minimum "C-" grade in TH 142.

TH 251 Analytical Studies I 3 Credits

An in-depth analytical study of a select body of tonal music to be determined by the instructor. The music, which will contain only the harmonic vocabulary and formal structures studied in TH 141 and TH 142, may vary each time the course is offered. May be taken as a level I theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): minimum "C-" grade in TH 142.

TH 253 Orchestration 3 Credits

A study of the orchestra and its individual instruments from the standpoints of the composer, arranger and conductor. May be taken as a level I theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): minimum "C-" grade in TH 142.

TH 255 Song Writing 3 Credits

Solo vocal composition in various styles. May be taken as a level I theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): minimum "C-" grade in TH 142.

TH 259 Electroacoustic Music 3 Credits

An introduction to the history and literature of electroacoustic music emphasizing hands-on creative opportunities in sequencing and digital sound processing. May be taken as a level I theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): minimum "C-" grade in TH 142.

TH 342 Contemporary Trends 3 Credits

An analytical study of the compositional techniques of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Prerequisite(s): TH 241.

TH 424 Choral and Instrumental Arranging 3 Credits

Arranging for various ensembles of voices and instruments. May be taken as a level II theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): TH 241.

TH 431 Form and Analysis 3 Credits

Study of the compositional process as observed in selected examples of music literature, predominantly from the tonal repertoire. May be taken as a level II theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): minimum "C-" grade in TH 241.

TH 432 Contrapuntal Techniques 3 Credits

18th century counterpoint with an emphasis on analysis and writing of original compositions. May be taken as a level II theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): minimum "C-" grade in TH 241.

TH 433 Special Topics in Theory 3 Credits

The content of the course carrying this number will vary with the special interests and qualifications of the professor teaching it. May be taken as a level II theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): minimum "C-" grade in TH 241.

TH 452 Analytical Studies II 3 Credits

An in-depth analytical study of a select body of tonal music to be determined by the instructor. The music, which will contain a more advanced harmonic vocabulary and larger formal structures than the music studied in TH 251, may vary each time the course is offered. May be taken as a level II theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): TH 241 with a minimum grade of C-.

TH 550 Keyboard Harmony 3 Credits

An intense exploration of and drill in musicianship-keyboard skills, including score reading, transposition, modulation, clef reading, figured bass realization, harmonizing melodies, improvising and lead sheet accompanying. Projects may include transposition of a number of songs (perhaps a complete set) into all keys, figured bass realization for a Bach cantata, improvisation of service music (prelude, offertory, interludes, chorale preludes, postlude), multiple re-harmonizations of hymns/chorales for a service and score reduction and performance of a movement of an orchestral work. May be taken as an undergraduate level II theory elective.

Prerequisite(s): Undergraduate, minimum "C-" grade in TH 241; Graduate, Removal of all theory deficiencies.

VC 001R Student Recital 0 Credits

25 Minute Student Recital.

VC 002R Student Recital 0 Credits

45-60 Minute Student Recital.

VC 114 Introduction to Lyric Diction 2 Credits

Introduction to the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) and the sounds of all major sung languages through oral and written drill. Open to Voice Performance majors only.

VC 118 Italian Diction 2 Credits

Introduction to the rules for singing Italian through the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), with oral and written drill. Open to Voice Performance majors only.

Prerequisite(s): VC 114.

VC 119 French Diction 2 Credits

Introduction to the rules for singing French through the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), with oral and written drill. Open to Voice Performance majors only.

Prerequisite(s): VC 114.

VC 120 German Diction 2 Credits

Introduction to the rules for singing German through the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), with oral and written drill. Open to Voice Performance majors only.

Prerequisite(s): VC 114.

VC 168A Applied Voice 2 Credits

One-hour, 2-credit required lesson. Included in tuition – no extra charge.

VC 191 Movement for the Performer 2 Credits

Movement exercises and etudes help students develop proper alignment, physical freedom, unification of voice, breath, and body, and help them explore the body as an expressive instrument.

VC 291 The Singing Actor 2 Credits

The introduction to vocal performance entails coaching of selected songs, arias or repertoire from music theater and techniques for performance preparation through intensive research. A final written project involves a musical and dramatic analysis of all chosen repertoire.

Prerequisite(s): successful completion of Level I voice jury.

VC 305 Singing in Italian and French 2 Credits

Master class and private coaching in vocal performance of Italian and French language song, recitative and opera arias. The class will focus on pronunciation, inflection and nuances of sung Italian and French.

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Level I jury; VC 118, VC 119.

VC 306 Singing in German and English 2 Credits

Master class and private coaching in vocal performance of German and English language song, recitative and opera arias. The class will focus on pronunciation, inflection and nuances of sung German and English.

Prerequisite(s): Successful completion of Level I Jury; VC 120.

VC 408 Voice Science 3 Credits

Study of the physics and physiology of voice production. Musical and vocal acoustics are explored using the facilities of the Westminster Voice Laboratory. Anatomic and physiologic underpinnings of respiration, phonation, articulation, registration and hearing are explored in depth.

VC 433 Song Literature I 2 Credits

A survey of solo literature for voice and accompanying instrument including solo vocal music of the Baroque period and German lieder.

Prerequisite(s): MH 248.

VC 434 Song Literature II 2 Credits

A survey of solo literature for voice and accompanying instrument including French mélodie, songs by nationalist composers, English and American song.

Prerequisite(s): MH 248.

VC 591 Performing in Lyric Theater 2 Credits

Performing in Lyric Theater offers techniques for the preparation of lyric roles in a theatrical setting. It will develop elements of stagecraft, systematize a process for preparations and exploration, and introduce the working relationship with director and conductor.

Prerequisite(s): Undergraduates, VC 291 and the successful completion of Level II jury, or permission of the Chair.

VC 592 Opera Workshop 2 Credits

Introduction to opera performance. Acting exercises, character development, dramatic exploration and musical coaching culminating in a workshop-format presentation. It is recommended that VC 491 or 691 be taken before this course. This course may be repeated for credit.

Prerequisite(s): Undergraduates, successful completion of the level II voice test or permission of the chair.

VC 593E Opera Theater (Ensemble) 1 Credits

This course involves preparation and performance of a role or in the chorus of a fully staged opera production. Open only by audition. May be repeated for credit.

VC 593R Opera Theater (Role) 2 Credits

This course involves preparation and performance of a role or in the chorus of a fully staged opera production. Open only by audition. May be repeated for credit.

VC 593T Opera Theater (Tech) 1 Credits

This course involves preparation and performance of a role or in the chorus of a fully staged opera production. Open only by audition. May be repeated for credit.