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Course Syllabus

MUSC 1850 String Workshop and Pedagogy II

  • Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
  • Department: Music
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1; Lecture: 2; Lab: 0
  • Prerequisites: MUSC 1840 or permission of instructor
  • Semesters Offered: Spring
  • Semester Approved: Fall 2021
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2026
  • End Semester: Summer 2027
  • Optimum Class Size: 15
  • Maximum Class Size: 20

Course Description

Building on skills acquired in the prerequisite course, MUSC 1840, this course focuses on more advanced playing techniques of stringed instruments including violin, viola, cello, and string bass. This course is required for instrumental music education majors.

Justification

The instrumental music major, regardless of his/her main instrument, must attain a playing proficiency on all of the other instruments in the band and orchestra. Following this course, students will continue with the woodwind, brass, and percussion families. Courses of this type are taught at other schools in Utah that grant degrees in Music Education. This class most closely resembles MUSC 1752 (String Instrument Study II and Lab) at the University of Utah.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Each semester students will learn to play one of the four primary string instruments, (violin, viola, cello, bass) as assigned by the instructor.
  2. Students will be able to discuss and write about current topics in string music education.
  3. Students will be able to teach mock lessons and rehearse other beginning students in front of the string pedagogy class.
  4. Students will be able to identify major musical works of string orchestra literature.

Course Content

Building on skills acquired in MUSC 1840, the class will focus on intermediate playing skills on a stringed instrument and on string classroom teaching. The course will continue to address such playing issues as left and right hand techniques, finger patterns, vibrato, shifting, bowing definitions, and instrument set-up. Lectures will also focus on creating classroom assignments, class discipline, course content, and student recruitment. Students will study current string method books that contain multicultural music in addition to teaching musical terms and skills from said cultures. Class discussions will include approaches to teaching about this variety of music with respect and cultural understanding. The course will also provide short teaching experiences during class which will be reviewed and discussed by the teacher and fellow students. These reviews and discussions will include ideas for teaching all perspectives in a string class, as well as other string teaching techniques.