Music Department Highlights of 2014-15 Curriculum
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Developing Practice; a look at the development of effective practice strategies for the
burgeoning musician, including a department workshop led by Amy Christman on 'The
Talent Code' and neuroscience that supports the notion of deep practice, the creation,
collection, and implementation of practice strategies in Technique Classes, and student
presentations in a department sharing session
Creating Community; a department-wide effort to recognize the importance of and build
community, through 'Why-Not? Wednesday' sharing sessions, a focus on community
service through performance based outreach, the inclusion of non-performance roles for
all department members, and through targeted department-wide events that recognize
and celebrate the diversity in our student population
Expansion of Music Theory curriculum; Double the amount of time devoted weekly to
Music Theory I & II, which now includes musicianship, keyboarding, and precomposition skills as part of a more comprehensive curriculum
MU & TH departments collaborating to offer 'Singing for Actors' and 'Acting for Singers'
elective courses, which will culminate in a combined 'Dance for the Musical Theater
Stage' in the spring semester
Music Composition and Dance collaboration on new works
Music Composition and Creative Writing collaboration on new works
Oct 26-29th, Three (of 4) students accepted to the NAfME National Honor Ensembles,
participate in the National Honor Ensemble Festival in Nashville, TN
Oct. 30, ECA Voices performs with the Three Mo' Tenors, at the Schubert Theatre, New
Haven CT
Nov. 12, ECA Jazz Collective performs at CT Voices for Children Kids' First Awards
Ceremony in West Hartford, CT
Saturday, Nov. 15, 39 students (up from 25 in 2013, and 19 in 2012,) will audition for the
CMEA Southern Region Music Festival
Recital Series: Thursday, November 13, Sunday, Nov. 16 (An afternoon recital at The
Little Theater on Lincoln Street, to feature solo and small ensemble performances,)
Wednesday, February 25 (Senior Recital, candidates for the ECA Performer's
Certificate,) and Wednesday, March 11 (Sophomore & Junior Recital)
Annual full-department concerts, December 4th & April 8th
May 2015, Concert Performance of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
9th Annual New Music Festival, Music for Social Change, May 2015, to feature works
by student and professional composers.