MUO 123 – String Ensemble
Dr. Robert Seebacher
Fall 2014
Office Hours By Appointment
e-mail: rseebacher@southalabma.edu
Mondays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and additional meetings as assigned
Laidlaw Performing Arts Center, Room 1102
Enrollment in this course requires concurrent enrollment in MUO 133
(University Orchestra).
Required Materials:
1. Instrument (with bow), in functional, working order
2. Music folder containing assigned sheet music
3. Pencil
4. All necessary accessories (rosin, mutes, replacement strings, etc.)
Course Description:
This course will focus on the study and performance of literature for all combinations of
string ensembles. Concepts, techniques, style, and exposure to literature will be presented
in a seminar style format; that is an exchange of ideas mediated by the instructor.
Course Format:
This course will be a combination of rehearsal time and seminar-style studio time. It does
not contain a Web Component.
Objective:
This course will focus on fundamentals of string ensemble playing. This course is a
performance ensemble that allows each student opportunities for growth on their given
instrument. Furthermore, the student will develop performance skills by exploring the
chamber orchestra repertoire and performing such pieces in a highly artistic manner.
Grading and Attendance:
As this class is a performance ensemble, attendance and active participation are the core
requirements. Failure to attend this class, with all music well prepared, will result in a
drastic reduction of the student’s grade (as much as one letter grade for every absence or
ill prepared session). Of course, TRUE, DOCUMENTED EMERGENCIES should be
discussed with the instructor. This policy is quite simple; attend and prepare for all
rehearsals and the student’s success in this ensemble is assured.
This course contains a lecture component. Students are expected to take notes and
compile handouts in an organized fashion. At the last class session of this course,
students will submit their notebooks for review by the instructor. The notebook
submission is worth 200 points.
A grade of F* will be assigned for students missing more than three class sessions in
succession.
Rehearsals, Repertoire, and Concerts:
Repertoire is decided and selected by the conductor from the standard and accessible
works for string ensembles. As each era of music requires techniques and performance
practice skills inherent to that particular time period, the repertoire will include works
from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Twentieth and Twenty First Century eras.
Current repertoire includes:
Peter Warlock: Capriol Suite for Strings
Edward Elgar: Elegy for Strings
Concerts and additional rehearsals are as follows:
Thursday, November 6th, 2014 – Call time is 6:00 – LPAC
String Orchestra Fall Concert
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014 – 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. – Mitchell Center
Dress Rehearsal for the President’s Holiday Concert
Thursday, December 4th, 2014 – Call time is 6:00 p.m. – Mitchell Center
President’s Holiday Concert (The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.)
Additional concerts and performances (including recital class performances) will be
scheduled once the ensemble has reached a reasonably high artistic level and the
members of the ensemble have achieved a reasonably high comfort level with the
repertoire. The decision to perform concerts will be held entirely by the instructor.
Should a student miss a dress rehearsal or concert, they will receive a grade of “F” for the
semester.
Dates, venues, times, and repertoire are subject to change. (See the section Changes to
This Syllabus.)
Private Study and Practicing:
The success of this ensemble lies almost exclusively with the students’ desire and drive to
study privately, practice proficiently and regularly, and dedicate themselves wholly to the
ensemble. No less than the student’s very best will be accepted. The level of repertoire
selected and performed is limited only by the students’ level of dedication and work
ethic.
BE PREPARED TO PERFORM, EXPECT TO PERFORM.
Changes to This Syllabus:
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.
Dates, venues, times, and repertoire may be changed. As much advanced notice as
possible will be provided to the student. Any changes to this syllabus will be presented to
the student in writing and/or distributed to the student via their University e-mail account.
(See “Important Notice Regarding Your University E-mail Account.”)
Important Notice Regarding Your University E-mail Account:
The primary means of communication outside of this class will be via your
UNIVERSITY e-mail account (not a personal e-mail account). It is the student’s
responsibility to set-up, maintain, and check this account daily. Changes to this syllabus
will be sent via e-mail to the student’s university e-mail account.
For your convenience, the following section addressing University Email is copied from
the Undergraduate/Graduate Bulletin 2012-2013:
“Each student admitted to the University of South Alabama is assigned a free, permanent,
official University e-mail address (@jagmail.southalabama.edu). Most changes in
University policies and official University correspondence will be transmitted via the
student's official e-mail account. Instructors may also utilize this address to communicate
with students. Students are responsible for regularly reading e-mail sent to this address.
The official University e-mail address cannot be changed, but students may elect to have
official mail forwarded to any other personal e-mail address. To activate your jagmail
account, select that link on the University's PAWS web site
at http://paws.southalabama.edu.”
Any questions, concerns, or problems relating to your University email account should be
addressed as soon as possible with the Office of Academic Computing at 251-460-6161.
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.
Academic Conduct offensives, in any form, including any and all forms of plagiarism,
will be reported as described in the University’s Policy and will result in a grade of “F”
(zero points awarded) for any and all assignments, tests, quizzes, or other course grading
associated with the offense.
Simply stated, this instructor of this course will enforce the Academic Conduct Policy
with out hesitation and with absolutely no exception.
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 certification from the
Office of Special Student Services. OSSS is located at 5828 Old Shell Road at Jaguar
Drive, (251-460-7212).
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.
Students are expected to be cordial, courteous, and respectful of faculty members and
fellow students.
Use of Audio Recording Devices and Computers:
Some students find it helpful to record lecture sessions. Permission is herby granted by
the instructor to utilize audio (not video) recording devices in this class. The student
may only use these recordings for personal, non-public studying purposes.
Computers are allowed only for the purpose of taking notes. You must utilize a word
processing program for note taking (such as Microsoft Word). You may not e-mail
notes, distribute them to anyone, sell them, or paste images or other documents into
your notes. You may not use a computer in any way during an exam. Any usage of your
computer for reasons other than note taking during designated lecture sessions will be
considered academic disruption (see “Academic Disruption Policy”) and full
disciplinary action, as allowed by the University, will be pursued. In short, paper and
pencil is the preferred means of note taking in this class.
Assistance with Writing:
The University offers, as a resource to students, the “University Writing Center.”
Students that are experiencing challenges with their writing assignments are encouraged
to seek assistance from this center. Please note that the tutors at the Writing Center will
not compose a paper for a student. They are not an editing service. Rather, the student
should form the basic ideas that will best fulfill the assignment and include, if possible, a
draft of an intended thesis statement. The student should compose a draft of the paper.
The student should then schedule an appointment with a tutor at the Writing Center to
assist in the editing of the paper’s structure, content, and flow as well as establish a strong
thesis statement that is well supported. The student should take their class notes with
them, particularly the notes from the lecture session during which the instructor gives the
student clear and detailed expectations of the paper.
Online Writing Support:
The University of South Alabama provides online writing tutoring services through
SMARTHINKING, an online tutoring service. SMARTHINKING is available at
http://services.smarthinking.com. Students may enter the site by logging on with their Jag
number and using the last four digits of the social security number as the password. For
log-on problems, technical questions and/or on-campus writing assistance, contact the
USA Writing Center at 251-460-6480 or e-mail csaint-paul@usouthal.edu.
Information about the University Writing Center and Online Writing Lab can be found
online at
http://www.southalabama.edu/univlib/instruction/antiplagiarism/writinghelp.html.
ACCESS TO STUDENT RECORDS (FERPA regulations)
1. No information from records, files, or data directly related to a student other than that
defined as "directory information" (name, address, phone number, email address) shall be
disclosed or released to any individual or agency outside the University with prior written
consent of the student, except lawful subpoena or court order.
2. Academic records will be available to faculty and University personnel for legitimate
educational purposes ONLY (e.g. advising).
3. The student will have the right of access and review of all such information.
4. Parents may request access to student records by submitting the appropriate form to
the Registrar's Office.
At the end of the semester, the instructor reserves the right to give no final exam and
semester grade results until after the grade notification has been made to students through
USA's PAWS system.
Complete information regarding FERPA regulations can be found in the “Student Record
Policy” section of The Lowdown, A Student Handbook.