Trombone Curriculum at UF

MVB 1413, 2423, 3433, 4443

Course Materials

ALL STUDENTS must provide and maintain their own professional grade instrument.
ALL STUDENTS must own and use a metronome and a tuner.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:
• Arban: Complete Method for Trombone and Euphonium - Alessi/Bowman Edition (Encore) - [NOT the old Mantia edition]
• David Schwartz: Breakfast: Intonation Practice for Trombonists (w/ CD)
• Blazevich: Studies in Clefs (Hunsberger edition recommended)

Other methods, etude books, solos, etc. are assigned on an individual basis (see handout: Trombone Study Materials).

Cost of materials and fees for accompanists for recitals (see Course Design and Policies) are ongoing expenses which each student must be prepared to meet as necessary throughout the duration of each term.

Objectives and Purposes of this course

(1) to facilitate the development of each student to the highest level of musical artistry that he or she is capable of or aspires to, and at least to the minimal level appropriate to that student's area of concentration; (2) learning to perform in public with poise and confidence; and (3) gaining knowledge and insights into pedagogical principles, teaching strategies and etude and recital literature. For those students pursuing a degree in music, the knowledge and skills being learned and developed in the theory, history, literature, and education areas are applied in learning to prepare and perform music at a professional level.

Course Grading

The final grade: 50% studio grade / 50% jury grade (average of grades of jury members). Junior and Senior recital juries are in lieu of end-of-semester jury exam.
The studio grade is determined from:
    1. Quality and productivity of lesson work which reflect:
        a. Active participation with an open, positive attitude during lessons and studio class .
        b. Satisfactory preparation for all lessons.
        c. Continual progress in physical conditioning, basic playing skills, and artistry 
    2. Artistic quality of required recital performances
    3. Participation and support of ALL studio activities including:
        Trombone Ensemble Rehearsals and Performances
        Attendance of all on-campus recitals by members of the studio (including the instructor)

General Studio Grade Profiles (any or all of these may apply to your earned studio grade): 
    A = Consistently outstanding preparation; working on material appropriate to your level                 and area of concentration; succesful completion of all required assignments and                     exams, no cuts, unexcused absences or excessive excused absences.
    B = Preparation is generally satisfactory ocassionally outstanding, progressing in most                 areas, playing college level material OR making rapid progress in overcoming                         deficiencies.
    C = Occasionally prepared; minimal progress and/or extremely deficient in fundamentals;             little or no participation or support of studio activities; less than perfect attendance                     record.
    D = Usually unprepared; little or no progress; No support or participation in studio                             activities.
    E = Never prepared; 3 or more unexcused absences. 

PRIORITY AND COMMITMENT TO UF SOM: All full-time students must give University courses first priority over all outside activities such as employment and professional or social organizations. Absences will not be excused for those reasons. Please make sure employers, fraternities, sororities, etc understand and agree to this.

Course Design and Policies

Each student is given a 50 minute lesson each week. In addition, all students must meet together in a weekly studio class. While lessons are individualized to match each student's unique abilities and learning style, the course sequence follows a general progression from emphasis on fundamentals to the development of a performing repertoire that, for graduate and undergraduate music majors and minors, culminates in the presentation of one or two solo recitals.

Attendance of all weekly lessons and studio classes is required. Make up lessons are arranged only for lessons missed for legitimate reasons of illness or family or personal emergency and only if at least 24 hour notice was given. Absences for any other reason will result in grade penalties. Three unexcused cuts or failure to appear at a required jury exam will result in automatic failure of the course.

Scale Lessons and Scale Proficiency Examinations:
Three lessons during each semester of the first two years of study, or at the discretion of the instructor, will be dedicated to mastery of scales and arpeggios and other issues of basic technique. Scale proficiency examinations will be given in the second and third scale lessons of each semester and will be scored either pass or no pass.

The required text is: Breakfast: Intonation Practice for Trombonists by David Schwartz (available from www.hickeys.com).

To pass the scale proficiency examinations you must play the sections of "Breakfast" with the CD accompaniment as indicated on the chart below. To get a "pass" you must play with intonation, with good time, play the scale and arpeggio sets fluently (with no hesitations) using the "correct" slide positions, and your playing must be virtually error-free. If you do not pass a scale exam, you may have the opportunity to replay it, along with the current exam material, at the next scheduled scale lesson (good advice: PASS IT THE FIRST TIME - DO NOT GET BEHIND). Failure to complete both scheduled scale exams in a semester will result in a lower grade than otherwise and possible failure of the course. YES, you may take exams early and complete the requirements ahead of schedule.

Performance Project: all graduate and undergraduate students are required to perform at least once a semester in a studio class, brass area, or general student recital or other approved venue. Repertoire will be selected from works studied in the studio during the current or previous semester and will include a piano accompaniment. Chamber music is acceptable if the student's part is of significant soloistic substance. Unaccompanied or electro-acoustic works may be performed with approval of the instructor.

Final jury examination consists of performing before a panel of three faculty members. The student will bring to the exam a repertoire sheet listing all materials studied during the semester. The exam will begin with a selection of the student's choice afterwhich members of the jury will select items from the list. Questions may be asked concerning musical terms, style, or structure of the works played. The exam may last up to 15 minutes.

Minimum Technical Competency Goals by Year and Course Level

First Year - MVB 1413
Mastery of Jennings' Conditioning Exercises, development of characteristic tone, development of satisfactory legato and detached articulation styles, range security to c2, completion of scale lessons and exams 1-6 (major and natural minor scales, arpeggio, and tuning exercises), ability to play with consistently good intonation, and fluency in reading tenor and alto clefs.

Second Year - MVB 2423
Double and triple tonguing technique on repeated notes, range security to d-flat2, completion of scale lessons and exams 7-12 (melodic and harmonic minors, arpeggios, and tuning exercises), continued progress and refinement in all technical and artistic aspects of trombone playing.

Third Year - MVB 3433
Double and triple tonguing technique on scalar passages, range security to d2, continued progress and refinement in all technical and artistic aspects of trombone playing, ability to prepare and perform a successful full or half recital (as per specific degree requirements).

Fourth Year - MVB 4443 (performance majors or performance certificate candidates)
Range security up to Eflat2, ability to audition competitively for a professional band or orchestra, a graduate program in a reputable college or conservatory, or in national or international level competitions. Continued development in mastery of all technical and artistic aspects of trombone playing, ability to prepare and perform a full recital of advanced level repertoire at a quality appropriate to a developing professional level performer.

Bass Trombone Students
Competencies are essentially the same as above although range requirements are modified. Added to the above is the progressive mastery of the double valve technique and register as appropriate to the demands of the instrument's current solo and orchestral repertoire.

Legalities

Academic Honesty
Be honest in all of your academic work. Any suspicions or allegations of academic honesty will be adjudicated by the Student Honor Court and may result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the University.

Photocopying and copyright laws: I do not pretend to understand copyright laws related to photocopying and I am possibly in violation on occassion. I THINK I understand the spirit of these laws: in a "nutshell" - do not photocopy published material in order to avoid purchasing what you should rightfully be purchasing. To do so is to steal from those who created the material and those who published it. These people are vital members of the same professional community we are all part of - or hope to be someday. Consider these things before you photocopy anything.

Plagiarism: to willfully or knowingly claim the written creative work of another as your own is a serious breach of academic honesty and integrity. It is a crime. If I am caught doing it, I will be fired. If you are caught doing it, you will be expelled from the University. Do not do it. When quoting and paraphrasing someone else's words or ideas in your papers, ALWAYS acknowledge your sources. Consult a standard "style guide" (i.e. MLA or Turabian) for more specifics.

Multiple submission of an assignment: Submitting the same paper of assignment to more that one course, without the knowledge and agreement of both course instructors is academically dishonest.

To the majority of students and faculty who do their work honorably and with integrity, witnessing cheating of any kind is deeply offensive and repulsive. All of us have every right to be intolerant of cheating.

Accomodations for students with disabilities

Students requesting classroom accomodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must the provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accomodation.