APPLIED VOICE & VOICE SEMINAR

VOI 1010–4010, 1001–4001

FALL 2011

Instructor: Dr. Matthew Hoch

Studio: 115 CFA
Office Hours: By appointment.
Phone: 706-676-6384 (cell—please try to avoid my office phone)
E-mail: [email protected]

E-mail is the best way to get in contact with me. I will always reply to e-mail. If I don’t,
assume that I did not receive it. Please check your e-mail regularly for important
announcements.

REQUIRED MATERIALS (to be brought to every lesson)

1. Assigned music (to be purchased or borrowed from the library by the student)
2. Blank CD (or some alternative method of recording your lesson)
3. Your healthy, warmed-up voice
4. Pencil

COURSE DESCRIPTION: To reach an advanced stage of technical and musical

development using literature from all historical periods and styles.

PREREQUISITE: Studio assignment through Coordinator of Vocal Studies.

COURSE OBJECTIVE: To learn and reinforce the principles of healthy vocal technique,
to apply these principles to the interpretation of solo vocal repertoire, and to polish
performing skills.

PRACTICE: Vocal progress is dependent on regular practice. It is important to sing every

day. Often, several short practice sessions are better than one long one. Begin with
stretching and breathing exercises before proceeding to vocalization. Vocal practice
involves not only singing, but also studying your repertoire in non-vocal ways as well.
This includes such things as working on your translation, thinking about the meaning of a
particular poem or reflecting upon your character’s dramatic situation, and (perhaps most
important) memorization.

HEALTH: Good health is essential to any singer, so students are expected to take good
care of their health and thus, their instrument (by getting enough sleep, hydration, etc.).
Do your best to avoid alcohol, smoking, too much caffeine, and eating within three hours
of bedtime.

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ATTENDANCE: Regular, prompt attendance at lessons and seminars is expected. Never
be a “no-show” to your lesson. If you are ill, be sure to e-mail or call to cancel your
lesson. If you know you are contagious, please stay home so as not to spread your illness
through the studio.

According to policy, you will be offered at least ten lessons each semester. I will make up
any that I miss (illness, away performing, etc.), and I will do my best to make up any that
you miss. If holidays, NATS events, and school functions result in you having fewer than
ten lessons, we can set up make up times for you.

You are also required to attend all master classes and all voice recitals by faculty, Guests
Artists, and members of your studio unless you have an excellent reason to not attend
(and let me know in advance of the absence). These dates will always be announced in
seminar as far in advance of the event as possible.

MEMORIZATION: All jury music must be memorized by November 1st (or, the first day
after Spring Break in the spring). Memorization, especially in foreign languages, is
extremely time-consuming and must be incorporated into your daily practice routine. It is
far more effective to memorize for 15 minutes a day than spending several hours at once
the night before a lesson or seminar.

MUSIC: The student will purchase music for use in the studio or obtain the designated
scores from the library. Photocopying of music is illegal. Furthermore, music always
becomes more expensive, so this is the time to build your own music library.

LESSON TIMES: Please schedule a 50-minute lesson time with me at the beginning of
the semester. If you prefer two 25-minute slots on different days, that is fine too. If your
lesson is a full 50-minutes, make sure that your accompanist arrives for the second half of
the lesson, not the first. Also, please be aware that according to voice division and
university policy, one-hour lessons/classes are technically only fifty minutes in length.
Voice lessons do not entitle you to be late for your next class. We should make every
effort to leave enough passing time for you.

RECITALS/MASTERCLASSES: Every student, regardless of major, will be expected to

perform on a student recital at least once each semester. You are also expected to attend
faculty recitals, guest masterclasses, and any senior recitals/shows from your studio. If
you have conflicts with any of these events, be sure to discuss them with me well in
advance. (Don’t be a no-show.)

OPERAS AND MUSICALS: All voice performance majors are required to audition for
all opera productions. All musical theatre majors are required to audition for all musical
theatre productions. All other majors are highly encouraged to audition for opera and
musical theatre productions, though it is not required.

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REPERTOIRE: I will assign you repertoire that is appropriate for your voice and that will
best help you to accomplish our technical goals for the semester. You can pick your own
music too as long as you clear it with me. I would like to be kept informed of all music
you perform publicly.

The art of picking repertoire is a lot like the art of good gift-giving. A good gift is not
something you want to give someone, it is something the person would like to receive.
Consequently, a good song for you is not necessarily something you want to sing, it is
something that fits you and that you sound great on. There is a lot of repertoire that I love
that I will never sing publicly, because it does not show me off to best advantage. The
real blessing is always to find things that you love and that things that make you sound
great.

MY BELIEFS ABOUT VOICE TEACHING AND LEARNING:

1. Your voice is a unique, individual instrument, and I will teach it as such. A major part
about learning how to sing is making friends with your own personal instrument. No two
voices are alike, and no voice is ideal for all repertoires. I will never teach any two voices
the exact same way. Your journey will be about your own self-discovery.

2. I will not tell you how you should sound, or try to change the way you sound
fundamentally. Rather, I will simply teach you solid, mainstream technique which you
can then apply to your own natural instrument. (For example, when working on warmth,
a bright voice does not become dark, it becomes less bright.)

3. Vocal technique is not “mysterious.” Singing is simply the result of physiological

processes in your body. Learning singing involves learning about the body and the vocal
mechanism.

4. I believe that healthy vocal sounds are not “created” or “built”—they are “released.” It
is not about working muscles harder, it is about using muscles more efficiently. Think of
yourself as a javelin-thrower as opposed to a weight-lifter. When you are feeling vocal
fatigue, you should rest and change your strategy as opposed to pressing forward “to
build more stamina.”

5. I believe that a traditional, healthy, “classical” technique will give you the foundation
to sing all repertoires and styles in a healthy way. Securing a healthy classical technique
will also ensure that your voice will last throughout your career. Think: one technique,
different styles.

6. Take advantage of everything Shorter College has to offer you. Whatever major you
are, learn and love to sing opera, art song, musical theatre, and choral music. Be the best
actor and musician that you can be. The more well-rounded you are, the more
opportunities you’ll have throughout your musical life.

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WHAT A LESSON MAY INVOLVE:
1. Warm-ups
2. Technical exercises
3. Repertoire
4. Diction
5. Physical exercises
6. Performance skills
7. Musicianship
8. History and repertoire
9. Style
10. Career planning/discussions
11. Anything else deemed by the professor to be necessary to educate the
complete singer, the complete musician, the complete performer, and the
complete person.

STUDY PROCEDURE FOR NEW PIECES:

1. Learn the melody alone without the text.
(Be able to play the melody on the piano.)
2. Transcribe the text into IPA (if a foreign language).
3. Translate each word (if a foreign language).
4. Speak the text as a monologue.
5. Speak the text in rhythm.
6. Sing the text in rhythm on one pitch (“Johnny-One-Note”)
7. Integrate: combine text and melody.

RESOURCES:

http://www.shorter.edu/academics/arts/vocal_studies.htm

Explore the above website regularly for information essential to your study.

I also have many resources (books, etc.) in my studio that you are welcome to
peruse. In addition to learning how to sing, you will also learn a lot about how to
study singing, and a big part of this is learning where to go for help. It is expected
that in addition to growing as a singer, you can also grow academically through
your acquisition of knowledge through books, websites, videos, etc.

Musical Theatre: http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/

http:.//www.musicals101.com/
www.newmusicaltheater.com

Pedagogy/pathology: www.ncvs.com (great glossary of terms)

www.bbivar.com

Online translating dictionaries: www.wordreference.com

www.dictionaries.travlang.com

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 Translations: www.recmusic.org/lieder
www.aria-database.com

Journals: Classical Singer

Opera News
Journal of Singing
Choral Journal

Ordering music: www.tismusic.com

www.sheet-music.com

BOOK REPORTS

Book reports are not required, but may be done for extra credit--each one, if done well,
will boost your final letter grade on increment (B- to B, A to A+, etc.). I think that this
may be an appealing option to many of you as the A on a voice jury at Shorter College is
rare. This will give you an opportunity to raise that grade. Remember, even though book
reports are due at the end of the semester, there's nothing to stop you from reading over
the summer and handing in something in October. That still counts and may be less
stressful. A list of possible books is printed at the end of the syllabus. If you would like to
read something else, that’s great. Just run it by me.

The book report might address a specific challenge (studying singing, stage fright,
achieving a particular career goal). For extra credit, three-page “report” must be handed
by the final day of juries. The report should address what you have learned and how you
are applying the material to your singing.

PROGRAM NOTES

Performance, music education, and BA majors will write program notes for their jury
repertoire, due on November 15th in the fall and April 1st in the spring. Please use standard
program note format (see student handbook). This activity will prepare you for your
senior recitals, grad school, and your careers as performers, teachers, and scholars.

Musical Theatre majors do not have to hand in written program notes. However,
individual research is still important. I will still expect MT majors to "do the work" (i.e.,
know the content thoroughly), but you will not have to write anything down (unless you
want to). So, be prepared in lessons, if asked, to know the plots of your shows (in detail),
know or make decisions about your character and be able to explain them, know a little
about the writers of your show (what other shows they wrote, what year the show is, etc.).
Technically, this is all part of lesson preparation anyway, but the portion of your grade
that is devoted to program notes for classical majors will be given based on how well I
feel you prepare your literature in this way on a week-to-week basis.

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SEMINAR

You are expected to perform in seminar at least three times throughout the semester.
However, you are welcome, and strongly encouraged, to perform as often as possible.
The more you get up and perform, the stronger you will become as a performer. Seminar
performances are to be prepared for and taken seriously, but the environment will be a
friendly and supportive one. You are encouraged to take chances so that your
performance skills can be refined. In addition to performing, you are expected to be an
astute colleague to your peers. You will be called upon to offer both encouragement,
suggestions, and regularly contribute to studio conversation. If you are performing, please
wear proper performance attire, like you would wear to a Monday evening recital. The
final seminar before juries will be two hours in length and will be a “mock jury”
situation.

GRADING

Your vocal jury rubric will comprise 30% of your grade. The rest of the grade will be
determined by your studio teacher’s rubric (70%).

Grades are determined by both vocal ability and progress, work in weekly lessons,
applied voice exams, and your commitment to vocal study. My expectations are high, as
are those of all the Shorter voice faculty, thus a grade of A requires considerable effort
and vocal accomplishment. Grading of performance studies is inherently subjective to
some extent, but here are some criteria that outline many of the tasks essential for one to
perfect oneself as a competent singer, and thus enable one to assess in large part one’s
grade. The primary component is the applied exam. After the exam, I have the power to
raise or lower your grade as much as one letter. This will be determined by improvement,
preparation, attitude, attendance, and my discretion. Always feel free to check in with me
to discuss how your vocal progress.

1. Lessons: Attendance will be prompt, the student will have all materials, and the student
will be self-motivated in preparing songs and technical assignments.

2. Seminar: The student will attend regularly, contribute to discussion, and perform on a
frequent basis. Class is Mondays from 4:00–5:00 PM in the Evans Chorale Room,
Franklin Hall, or the Chapel (alternating).

3. Practice: The student will practice regularly in a thoughtful, concentrated manner so

that technical progress can be facilitated.

4. Research: Text, IPA, translation, character, dates, composer, poet, lyricist, etc.

5. Reading assignment: The student may complete a reading assignment for extra credit

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6. Applied Exam: The student will complete an applied exam and be graded by the voice
faculty during the months of November and April. Details will be announced later in the
semester.

NATS

The National Association of Teachers of Singing is the most important professional

organization in the field of voice teaching and learning. Every year, state and regional
auditions are held. I expect you to attend unless you have an excellent reason to not
attend. BFA musical theatre majors often have conflicts with the theatre schedule, and
this is understandable—I will speak with your director to determine whether you should
attend. The experience is an important part of your vocal growth. Dates and locations are
as follows:

GA-NATS: Clayton State University, Morrow, GA, February 17–18, 2012

SER-NATS: University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, March 29–31, 2012

STUDENT OUTCOMES

The student will complete:

1. Phonetic transcriptions (in IPA) of all pieces in a foreign language
2. Word-for-word translations of foreign texts
3. Background report on the composer and poet/librettist for assigned pieces.
[Principle I: Learning and Analysis; Principle III: College Skills]

The student will learn the principles of vocal health.

[Principle VII: Physical, Spiritual, & Emotional Wellness]

The student will combine research, practice, and performances skills in their lessons,
studio class performances, and applied exams and will incorporate critiques from the
instructor and other studio members to improve and refine performances.
[Principle IV: Integrating Knowledge; Principle VIII: Careers]

The student will gain increased appreciation and understanding of vocal literature.
[Principle VI: Arts and Religion]

HONOR CODE

“I will seek to maintain a high standard of honesty and truthfulness for myself and for the
College. I will neither give nor receive any unauthorized aid in my academic work, nor
will I permit such action by any member of this community. I will respect the persons
and property of the community, and I will not condone discourteous or dishonest
treatment of these by my peers.”

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 MISSION STATEMENT

The Mission of Shorter College is to provide quality higher education, enabling and
encouraging student commitment to active life-long learning, personal spiritual values,
responsible citizenship, and community and societal leadership in a global context. The
College seeks to accomplish this Mission through quality undergraduate liberal arts
programs, specialized professional programs, and select graduate programs.
Geographically distant locations provide educational opportunities to individuals who are
unable to attend classes in a traditional setting. The College affirms a commitment to the
Christian faith and strives to integrate Christian values within a nurturing community in
its whole process of education.

DISABILITY

If you have a disability for which you may need accommodations, you are encouraged to
contact the Director of Educational Support in FSU 219 (706-233-7323) as early as
possible in the semester to discuss your needs.

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 ART SONG STUDY SHEET (for personal use)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON ART SONG

Title of song: _________________________________________________________

Name of larger work: ________________________________________________________

Date poem written: _____________ Date song composed: _______________

POET

Full name: ______________________________________________

Birth and death dates: _________________ Nationality: __________________

Genre of this work: __________________________________

Name two other works: ________________________________________________________

Something you were surprised to learn about him/her: ____________________________________

At least 5 words that describe the works of this poet: _____________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

COMPOSER

Name: ____________________________________ Dates: ____________________

Nationality: _________________________ Genre: __________________________

Two other works written:

_____________________________________________________________________

Something you were surprised to learn about him/her: ____________________________

At least 5 words that describe the work of this composer:

____________________________________________________________________

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 MUSICAL THEATRE SONG/ARIA STUDY SHEET (for personal use)

Title of song: _________________________________________________________

Name of show: ________________________________________________________

Year of show’s premiere _____________

Where the song comes in the show: ________________________________________

Time and setting of show ________________________________________________

Character’s name: _____________________

At least 5 words that describe him/her: _____________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Other songs sung by this character:

______________________________________________________________________

LYRICIST/LIBRETTIST

Name: _____________________________________ Dates: _________________

Other works written:

___________________________________________________________________

Major historic event that occurred during lifetime: ___________________________

At least 5 words that describe the work of this lyricist:

____________________________________________________________________

COMPOSER

Name: ____________________________________ Dates: ____________________

Other works written:

_____________________________________________________________________

Major historic event that occurred during lifetime: ____________________________

At least 5 words that describe the work of this composer:

_____________________________________________________________________

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 [Example of what you could hand in for your song sheet assignment.]

Sometimes With One I Love (1957) [Whitman] Ned Rorem

Look Down, Fair Moon (1957) [Whitman] (1923–)
Gliding O’er All (1957) [Whitman]
Gods (1957) [Whitman]

Ned Rorem (b. 1923) has won acclaim not only for his music, but for his writings as well:
In addition to being a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, he is also a well-published music
critic and one of the best-selling diarists in the United States. Rorem was influenced at an
early age by the French composers, and particularly by the songs of Francis Poulenc. He
sought to achieve an American equivalent of the French art song aesthetic by expressing
his own nationalism through his settings of American poets, notably Paul Goodman,
Theodore Roethke, and Walt Whitman, whom Rorem set dozens of times in the forties,
fifties, and sixties. The set presented on this recital joins together four Whitman texts that
Rorem wrote in 1957: ‘Sometimes With One I Love’ honesty reflects the pain and
resolution of the text. ‘Look Down, Fair Moon’ is one of Whitman’s war lyrics; in it,
Rorem deftly encompasses an astonishing emotional range over the course of one short
page. In ‘Gliding O’er All’ Whitman and Rorem joyfully champion the voyage of the
soul through all things, including death. The final song, ‘Gods’ is a lengthy text that acts
as a personal creed for Whitman, a definition of his own personal religion.

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 SEMESTER READING IDEAS
HOCH VOICE STUDIO

Brown, Oren L. Discover Your Voice: How to Develop Healthy Voice Habits. San
Diego: Singular Publishing Group, Inc., 1996.

Dayme, Meribeth Bunch. The Performer’s Voice: Realizing Your Vocal Potential. New
York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2005.

Cameron, Julia. The Artist’s Way. New York: G. Putman’s Sons, 1992.

Eustis, Lynn. The Singer’s Ego: Finding a Balance between Life and Music. Chicago:
GIA, 2005.

Green, Barry. The Inner Game of Music. New York: Pan, 1987.

Herrigel, Eugen. Zen in the Art of Archery. New York: Random House, 1953/1981.

Hines, Jerome. Great Singers on Great Singing. New York: Limelight Editions, 1982.

Jordan, James. The Musician’s Soul. Chicago: GIA, 1999.

-----. The Musician’s Spirit: Connecting to Others through Story. Chicago: GIA, 2002.

-----. The Musician’s Walk: An Ethical Labyrinth. Chicago: GIA, 2005.

Kagen, Sergius. On Studying Singing. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1950.

Lamperti, Giovanni Battista. Vocal Wisdom, Enlarged Edition. Transcribed William Earl
Brown. New York: Taplinger Publishing Company, 1931.

McClosky, David Blair. Your Voice at it’s Best. Boston: Boston Music Company, 1972.

Stanislavski, Constantin. An Actor Prepares. New York: Theatre Arts Book, 1989.

-----. Building a Character. New York: Theatre Arts Book, 1989.

-----. Creating a Role. New York: Theatre Arts Book, 1989.

Ware, Clifton. The Singer’s Life: Goals and Roles. St. Paul: Birth Grove Publishing,
2005.

AND MANY OTHERS AS WELL…

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 VOICE RUBRIC – DR. MATTHEW HOCH’S STUDIO

Points Criteria Notes

Weekly Preparation (20 pts.)
● Shows up on time
● Has all materials (music, pencil, CD, etc.)
● Is dressed appropriately
● Writes translations and IPA in music
● Provides music for accompanist on time
● Rehearses regularly with accompanist
● Comes to each lesson with assignments
completed (learning the music and/or text)
● Completes additional assignments on time
(research, listening, etc.)
Fulfillment of Semester Expectations (20 pts.)
● Communicates (responsive to e-mail, etc.)
● Participates in NATS (state and regional)
● Performed in opera or musical
(required for MT and performance majors)
● Performed in recital (if applicable)
● Memorized by appropriate date
● Jury sheet on time
● Performed at least three times in seminars
● Offers weekly comments in seminars
● Program notes done well and on time
● Returns music on time (if borrowed)
● Attends required master classes, recitals, etc.
Engagement (20 pts.)
● Consistently attends lessons (remains healthy)
● Is willing to try everything he/she is asked to do
● Interacts positively with the teacher and the
learning process
● Is curious and passionate about the art and
learning process
● Works toward clearly defined career goals
● Works to fullest potential
Technique/Performance (20 pts.)
● Tone quality
● Intonation
● Musicianship (vocal/musical accuracy)
● Diction/articulation
● Musicality/expression (phrasing, dynamics,
style)
● Stage presence
● Commitment to text and character
Improvement (20 pts.)
● Consistent display of practice
● Consistent weekly vocal and musical growth
● Consistent application of technical aspects
● Overall improvement (vocal, musical,
performance, etc.)

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