MUA 100 – Recital Class
Fall Semester 2014
Mondays 2:30-3:45
LPAC Recital Hall
No Web Component
Dr. Rebecca Mindock
LPAC #1129
251-460-6482
mindock@southalabama.edu
Office Hours: posted and by appt.
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Description
A convocation required each term of all full-time music majors meeting each week in laboratory session
to hear performances, perform, and discuss performing techniques, plus ten evening public programs.
Six semesters of successful participation required for graduation with adjustments for transfer students.
Course Goals and Objectives
Recital Class is designed to provide performance experience as well as exposure to performances and
repertoire beyond the students’ areas of specialization. All music students should be exposed to a large
and varied body of music through applied study, performance, and attendance at recitals, concerts, and
other performances. Recital Class is a continuation of the study of repertoire acquired in applied lessons
and music history/literature courses.
Schedule, Attendance, and Grades
Recital Class will meet on Mondays at 2:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Laidlaw Performing Arts
Center. Students enrolled should plan to attend all Monday afternoon convocations. Attendance will be
monitored by scanning your Student ID at the beginning of Recital Class and any discrepancies will be
verified by the return of your signed and completed listening forms. It is your responsibility to make
sure that you have a valid Student ID and that you always bring it to Recital Class in order to log
your attendance. IDs will only be scanned at the beginning of class; if you are inexcusably late and
arrive after the scanner has been put away, you will be considered absent, so be sure to be on time.
Recital Class members’ final grades will be determined utilizing the following criteria:
1. “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory” will be awarded based on attendance in Recital Class as well
as outside music performances.
2. Six (6) semesters of “Satisfactory” are required for Bachelor of Music degrees to be awarded.
3. Each semester of enrollment requires the following:
a. Attendance at all Monday afternoon Recital Classes is expected.
b. One (1) unexcused absence will be allowed each semester.
c. Absences due to verifiable illness, emergency, or scheduled musical performance may be
excused at the discretion of the coordinator. Absence due to work conflicts will not be
considered excused.
4. Attendance at ten (10) approved musical performances during the semester is expected. These
will be documented by placing a copy of the program in the collection box located in the Music
Office (LPAC 1072). Students must include their name, student number, and “MUA 100” on
the program in order to be credited with attendance. In cases where there is no printed
Mindock MUA 100 Syllabus, p.2
program, the preceding information must be supplied as well as the name, location, date, and
time of the event attended in addition to a performer’s signature verifying your attendance.
Events outside of the normally recognized and accepted venues will be approved on a case by
case basis by the coordinator. Please do not request rock concerts, country music shows, events
in bar venues, and the like to be considered. Additionally, students will receive attendance
credit for any event in which he/she is a performer (subject to approval of the coordinator).
Please turn in programs for concerts in which you perform, just as you would for concerts that
you attend. If extenuating circumstances prevent you from having a program to turn in for a
university concert at which you performed, you may, at the discretion of the coordinator, submit
a written description of that concert (including the date, ensemble, your role in the performance,
etc.) that has been signed by the major professor responsible for that performance. Please do not
turn in ticket stubs or photocopies; program originals only, unless otherwise approved by the
coordinator.
All ten concert programs are due in the collection box in the Music Office
by 5pm on Tuesday, December 9th!
If you need ideas for concerts to attend, you can find a calendar of performances both on and off campus
at www.southalabama.edu/music/recitalattendance.
Performer Procedures
It is recommended that every student perform at least once during the semester with the approval of their
applied teacher. Students who intend to perform should sign the tentative performance schedule placed
in the Department of Music office (LPAC 1072). No student should sign up to perform without the prior
consent and knowledge of their applied teacher. It is the responsibility of the student to coordinate
Recital Class appearances with their teacher and to inform the Recital Class coordinator of any changes
to the schedule. Do not request to perform in a specific order. In order to perform for Recital Class, a
student should be enrolled in MUA 100 or enrolled in Applied Music with a member of the USA Music
Faculty. Student ensembles must be coached, directed, or sponsored by a USA Music Faculty member.
Students with consent to perform must sign up by entering the following in the Recital Class sign-up
book, kept in the Department of Music office:
Name of student
Instrument/voice range
Title/composer of piece (including selected movement(s), if applicable)
Approximate length of piece
Name of applied faculty member/ensemble director
This information needs to be filled in to completion at the time of sign-up; anyone who attempts to
“place hold” by writing incomplete information will be erased from the sign-up book.
In order to perform, sign-up must occur by the Friday before the desired recital class.
It is expected that each Recital Class performer will observe usual stage deportment for a recital setting.
Each performer will announce their name, the title and composer of the work(s) to be performed, and the
name of the accompanist when applicable. A stage crew will be appointed by the coordinator, and it is
the responsibility of each performer to communicate any equipment needs to the crew prior to the
Mindock MUA 100 Syllabus, p.3
beginning of the class. All performers should appear on stage suitably attired (business casual at a
minimum) for an afternoon recital, since this is a component of the performance preparation the class is
designed to provide. Performers registered for MUA 100 should also take care to still scan their ID cards
as they normally would when attending Recital Class, in order to ensure that their attendance is logged.
Listener Procedures
The objective for audience members is a state of active listening. Students should exhibit appropriate
deportment throughout Recital Class. No hats or hoods should be worn inside the Recital Hall. No cell
phones or other electronic devices, silent or otherwise, should be utilized or visible during any portion of
the class. A bearing of engaged listening and attention should be maintained throughout the class, i.e.
good posture, attentive to performer, etc. Audience members should avoid causing any noise or motion
that could be distracting to the performers. Be respectful and attentive just like you would want an
audience to act while you are on stage.
Comment Sheets
All students not actively performing in Recital Class are to fill out a comment sheet for each performer.
These sheets are passed out at the beginning of class, along with a program of the day’s performers.
Please employ courteous, thoughtful, and constructive criticism when filling out comment sheets. These
serve both as feedback for the student performers and as a way for the students completing the comment
sheets to practice assessing musical performance and learning how to give concise but effective
feedback. These comment sheets also serve as a back-up attendance system should the card scanner
suffer a mechanical problem, and therefore it is important that each non-performing student turn in a
comment sheet with their name and JAG number clearly indicated on the top. Names and JAG numbers
will be removed before the comment sheets are given to the performers, so that all comments remain
anonymous. However, the Recital Class coordinator will review the comment sheets before distributing
them. Any student who turns in an incomplete or inappropriate comment sheet will be given a
warning via email by the Recital Class coordinator. Once this warning has been issued, any
further incomplete comment sheets turned in by the student will result in an absence for that day,
which may negatively affect your ability to pass the course.
JagAlert
JagAlert is a program intended to help students be successful in 100-200 level courses. If, by the 5-7
week mark, your logged attendance reflects two or more absences, you will receive an email instructing
you to see the coordinator along with instructions to access an online tutorial intended to help with
common problems affecting academic performance. Watch for this email during week 8 of this
semester.
Final Drop Date
The final date to withdraw from the course is October 24, 2014.
Students with Disabilities
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, students with bona fide disabilities will be
afforded reasonable accommodations. The Office of Special Student Services (OSSS) will certify a
disability and advise faculty members of reasonable accommodations. If you have a specific disability
that qualifies you for academic accommodations, please notify the instructor/professor and provide
Mindock MUA 100 Syllabus, p.4
certification from the Office of Special Student Services. OSSS is located at 5828 Old Shell Road at
Jaguar Drive, (251-460-7212).
Counseling and Testing Services
Counseling and Testing Services provides a variety of free and confidential services for students. For
further information regarding this resource go to www.southalabama.edu/counseling or call the office at
460-7051.
Changes in Course Requirements
Not all classes progress at the same rate thus course requirements might have to be modified as
circumstances dictate. You will be given written notice if the course requirements need to be changed.
Academic Disruption Policy
The University of South Alabama’s policy regarding Academic Disruption is found in The Lowdown,
the student handbook.
http://www.southalabama.edu/lowdown/academicdisruption.shtml
Disruptive academic behavior is defined as individual or group conduct that interrupts or interferes with
any educational activity or environment, infringes upon the rights and privileges of others, results in or
threatens the destruction of property and/or is otherwise prejudicial to the maintenance of order in an
academic environment. The coordinator expects all students to be cordial, courteous and respectful of
faculty members and fellow students.
Student Academic Conduct Policy
The University of South Alabama’s policy regarding Student Academic Conduct Policy is found in The
Lowdown: http://www.southalabama.edu/lowdown/academicconductpolicy.shtml
The University of South Alabama is a community of scholars in which the ideals of freedom of inquiry,
freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and freedom of the individual are sustained. The University
is committed to supporting the exercise of any right guaranteed to individuals by the Constitution and
the Code of Alabama and to educating students relative to their responsibilities. Penalties may range
from the loss of credit for a particular assignment to dismissal from the University. Degree revocation
may be warranted in cases involving academic misconduct by former students while they were students
at USA. Note that dismissal from any University of South Alabama college or school for reasons of
academic misconduct will also result in permanent dismissal from the University. Faculty, students, and
staff are responsible for acquainting themselves with, adhering to, and promoting policies governing
academic conduct. Students are expected to complete their own coursework and not provide
unauthorized information or materials to another student. Students may learn about the meaning of
plagiarism and how to avoid it at the following link:
http://www.southalabama.edu/univlib/instruction/plagiarismforstudents.html