Piano Studio Policies - Fall 2016
MUPR 7226
Welcome to the Music Department! Dr. Holzer's piano teaching studio/office is Fine Arts 101-D. Enter Fine Arts from the side entrance that faces Ottenheimer Library. Graduate instruction in piano is advanced study, putting piano performance in the context of professional skills for the MA in Interdisciplinary Studies (MAIS), or the MEd with an emphasis in music. Repertoire is chosen according to the student's needs and abilities. Further information is provided about levels of difficulty of piano repertoire at the link for Repertoire Assignments. Lessons are comprised of the following:
Private Lessons: 14 weekly lessons per semester, 55 minutes in duration. Study of piano technique, and repertoire drawn from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th and 21st-century styles and historical periods.
Instruction in piano performance technology such as GarageBand, and how to use the iPad app ForScore are also included. I provide some lesson material on Blackboard; please be sure to log on to access material.
Please download a blank schedule form. Fill in the times when you are not available for a lesson, and return to me as an email attachment, or print off in hard copy and place in my box. I will assign lesson times when I have received completed schedule forms from all of my students. Students will be notified of their assigned lessons time prior to the first day of classes.
Objectives
1. The student will be able to perform piano music from multiple stylistic periods drawn from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th and 21st-century styles and historical periods. The expectation is that a student in MUPR 7226 will have earned an undergraduate music degree, or play repertoire comparable to a student who has completed study at the undergraduate MUPR 4226 level. Detailed information on repertoire expectations is available in Guidelines for Piano Principals .
2. The student will demonstrate mastery of performance concepts through discussions at weekly lessons, and completion of assigned written work. Material is posted on Blackboard.
Grading CriteriaThe following criteria will be considered in determining semester grades:
1. quality of weekly lesson preparation - accuracy (in pitches, rhythms, fingering, etc.), and musicianship (phrasing, dynamics, pedalling, ornaments, etc.)
2. amount of new repertoire learned during the semester. Repertoire is chosen in consultation with the teacher. See information about levels of difficulty of piano repertoire at the link for Repertoire Assignments.
3. lesson attendance
4. overall technical control and interpretive skill
5. performance on semester exam - by the end of the semester, the student should have prepared several pieces to a high level of accuracy and be able to perform them successfully at the last lesson.
Grades:
A= superior work - meaning wrong notes, incorrect rhythms, fingering, etc. are rare in the student's performance at lessons.
B= above average work
C= average work
D=passing work, below average
F= failing work
Required Materials:
Purchase copies of assigned sheet music. Information about where to buy music is provided below.
The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Music, 4th edition by Michael Kennedy (Oxford University Press; ISBN 019280037X; Available on Amazon.com www.amazon.com), or an equivalent music dictionary. (The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music & Musicians, Harvard University Press, ISBN 0-674-00084-6 for example.)
Also, metronome (app, wind-up or quartz model), lesson assignment folder, any assigned scores.
PIANO-either in the UALR Music Dept. practice facilities or in your home. See "PRACTICE" below.
Lesson Attendance Policy:
Attendance is required. You are expected to observe your scheduled lesson time, and to provide advance notice via email or phone and sufficient cause in the event that you need to cancel or re-schedule a lesson. Unexcused absences will lower your grade because you are not demonstrating quality of weekly lesson preparation or meeting other grade criteria if you fail to attend your lesson.
Optional: if you wish, you may bring a a recording device to your lesson if you wish to record the lesson.
Practice Requirements:
All piano students at MUPR 7226 are expected to practice at least one full hour daily, at least 5 days per week. Be aware that the amount of practicing you do directly affects the quality of your work and the amount of repertoire you are able to learn in a semester, which in turn determines your semester grade.
Facilities:
There are 8 piano practice modules located on the 2nd floor of the Fine Arts Building. Students may use the single-piano modules. Practice modules are generally available on a "first come-first served" basis during regular building hours, 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. daily.Piano Area Events:
Music majors in piano are expected to attend piano area events such as recitals and master classes featuring UALR piano faculty and guest artists. Admission is free, and you may bring guests, provided they are over age 6. The list of Piano Area Events is published in August for the academic year.
Points of Interest...
Classical Radio Station KLRE FM 90.5
Music Stores:
Local: Barnes & Noble 11500 Financial Center Pkwy. Phone: 954-7646
Saied Music Company 2921 Lakewood Village Dr. Phone: 758-0200
Carolyn's Keyboard Corner 11121 N. Rodney Parham Rd. Phone: 217-0275
To place a credit card phone order, you may also contact:
Sheet Music Plus Order online any time, or call toll-free at 1-800-743-3868 (USA and Canada only) Monday-Friday from 12 noon to 9 pm Eastern Standard Time.
Prima Music Order online. or call toll-free at 1-877-877-5743
Hutchins and Rea Order online. Atlanta, GA.
Brodt’s Music Store / Charlotte, NC Phone: 1-800-438-4129
Download free scores in the public domain from IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project)
Note: You may check scores out of Ottenheimer Library for preliminary study, but you are expected to buy your own scores for your assigned music for the semester.
Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty Statement: College and University regulations regarding academic dishonesty, as set forth in the UALR student handbook and other university documents and publications, will be strictly enforced in this class. Any student caught in the act of cheating will be assigned a grade of zero points (F) for the assignment in question. If written work does not appear to be your own, you will be questioned about it and appropriate action will be taken.
Students with Disabilities: Your success in this class is important to me, and it is the policy and practice of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to create inclusive learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you have a documented disability (or need to have a disability documented), and need an accommodation, please contact me privately as soon as possible, so that we can discuss with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) how to meet your specific needs and the requirements of the course. The DRC offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process among you, your instructor(s) and the DRC. Thus, if you have a disability, please contact me and/or the DRC, at 501-569-3143 (V/TTY) or 501-683-7629 (VP). For more information, visit the DRC website at http://ualr.edu/disability/
Web accessibility Statement: It is the policy and practice of UALR to make all web information accessible to students with disabilities. If you, as a student with a disability, have difficulty accessing any part of any online course materials for this class, please notify the instructor immediately.
Weather Policy: The UALR website, UALR email, the University’s main telephone number (501-569-3000), and the campus emergency alert system are the official means of communicating all information concerning weather-related closing. Local television and radio stations will also be notified. Weather and road conditions vary from place to place. Employees and students are expected to exercise good judgment regarding the safety of travel when road conditions are affected by the weather.
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