Following are some guidelines and suggestions for the training of the voice in a systematic and structured manner. All study material, repertoire choices, and any other decisions regarding course of study are made solely at the discretion of the teacher. Each student will require an individualized course of study, based on basic talent, physical and emotional maturity, musical skills, and interest and commitment. This course of study may or may not strictly follow the set forth curriculum guidelines and sample repertoire.<\/p>\n
Special Note: Voice lessons are focused on acquiring vocal technical<\/em> and artistic<\/em> skills. Sight reading is a critical musical<\/em> skill for any singer, and the ECMS faculty would like to strongly encourage its pursuit. While sight reading is usually a naturally occurring part of any voice study, aural skills courses are strongly recommended in addition to voice lessons. Basic piano skills are also highly useful to any singer and studies of this instrument should also be considered in conjunction with voice lessons.<\/p>\n The sampling of suggested vocal repertoire included in this curriculum consists primarily of classical repertoire. The voice faculty recognizes that many students may have interests in vocal repertoire outside of the broad classical genre and some appropriate representative music theater pieces are included in the list. However, the faculty would like to emphasize the importance of the development of a basic technique most commonly associated with classical singing as a critical building block for the healthy pursuit of a variety of vocal musical styles.<\/p>\n High school freshman or equivalent<\/p>\n Methods<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Appropriate vocalizes as assigned by individual teachers<\/p>\n Technique<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Develop basic understanding of appropriate posture, breath control and support, and tonal placement. Explore and identify vocal instrument.<\/p>\n Skills<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Develop fundamental musical skills, including sight singing. Develop good practice habits, begin language exploration.<\/p>\n Evaluation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Mid-year written student\/teacher evaluation, end of school year jury (H.S. students only).<\/p>\n Sample Repertoire<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n All through the night (Welsh Folk Song) High school sophomore or equivalent<\/p>\n Methods<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Appropriate vocalizes as assigned by individual teachers, with optional study of printed vocalizes.<\/p>\n Technique<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In addition to work begun in Level 3, work on range development, vowel formation<\/p>\n Skills<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Continue developing language and sight singing skills, work on stage presence, and continue to develop good practice habits. Listen to recordings of respected classical singers and instrumentalists as a study aid to developing musical phrasing.<\/p>\n Evaluation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Mid-year written student\/teacher evaluation, end of school year jury (H.S. students only). Performance possibilities of various kinds (school recitals, studio recitals) may be offered to students who appear ready, are interested, and will benefit from such experience.<\/p>\n Sample Repertoire<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n When Love is Kind (Old English) High school junior or equivalent<\/p>\n Methods<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Continued and more extensive use of appropriate vocalizes as assigned by individual teachers, with optional study of printed vocalizes.<\/p>\n Technique<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In addition to work begun in Level 3 and 4, work on increasing flexibility and expressive singing.<\/p>\n Skills<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Continue improving sight reading skills. Set performance goals. Learn to recognize technical and musical problems as an aid to more effective practicing.<\/p>\n Evaluation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Mid-year written student\/teacher evaluation, end of school year jury (H.S. students only). Performance possibilities of various kinds (school recitals, studio recitals, competitions) may be offered to students who appear ready, are interested, and will benefit from such experience.<\/p>\n Sample Repertoire<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Still wie die Nacht (B\u00f6hm) High school senior or equivalent<\/p>\n Methods<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Continued and more extensive use of appropriate vocalizes of increasing technical difficulty as assigned by individual teachers, with optional study of printed vocalizes.<\/p>\n Technique<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Continued perfecting of work started in Levels 3, 4 and 5.<\/p>\n Skills<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Develop ability to recognize musical and technical problems. Understand the basic principles of technique. Fine-tune ability to fully integrate technical and emotive elements in a performance. Continue to actively practice sight reading. Fine tune basic comfort in singing in 4 to 5 languages.<\/p>\n Evaluation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Mid-year written student\/teacher evaluation, end of school year jury (H.S. students only). Performance possibilities of various kinds (school recitals, studio recitals, competitions, senior recital) may be offered to students who appear ready, are interested, and will benefit from such experience.<\/p>\n Sample Repertoire<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Ombra mai fu from Serse <\/em>(Handel)
\nLevel III<\/span><\/h2>\n
\nThe Virgin\u2019s Slumber Song (Reger)
\nLong Time Ago (arr. Copland)
\nThe Lass from the Low Country (Niles)
\nDrink to Me Only with Thine Eyes (Old English)
\nCaro mio ben (Giordano)
\nSebben crudele (Caldara)
\nCastle on a Cloud from Les Miserables<\/em> (Schonberg)
\nWhen the Children are Asleep from Carousel<\/em> (Rogers\/Hammerstein)<\/p>\n
\nLevel IV<\/span><\/h2>\n
\nO Rest in the Lord from Elijah <\/em>(Mendelssohn)
\nWere you there? (Spiritual)
\nNymphs and Shepherds (Purcell)
\nHere Amid the Shady Wood (Handel)
\nHeidenr\u00f6slein (Schubert)
\nDie Lotosblume (Schumann)
\nO cessate di piagarmi (A. Scarlatti)
\nNel cor piu non mi sento (Paisiello)
\nHow could I ever know from Secret Garden<\/em> (Simon\/Norman)
\nHe is an Englishman from H.M.S. Pinafore<\/em> (Gilbert\/Sullivan)<\/p>\n
\nLevel V<\/span><\/h2>\n
\nDu bist wie ein Blume (Schumann)
\nStrike the Viol (Purcell)
\nAn die Musik (Schubert)
\nDer Nussbaum (Schumann)
\nThe Vagabond (Vaughan Williams)
\nVaga luna che inargenti (Bellini)
\nWie Melodien zieht es mir (Brahms)
\nWhen I Have Sung My Songs (Charles)
\nBeau soir (Debussy)
\nVergin tutto amor (Durante)
\nPanis Angelicus (Franck)
\nSe tu m\u2019ami (Pergolesi)
\nAlma del core (Caldara)
\nSilver (Duke)
\nLoveliest of Trees (Duke)
\nIf I loved You from Carousel<\/em> (Rogers\/Hammerstein)
\nSanta Fe from Newsies<\/em> (Feldman\/Menken)<\/p>\n
\nLevel VI<\/span><\/h2>\n
\nMein gl\u00e4ubiges Herze from Cantata 68<\/em> (Bach)
\nWith Verdure Clad from Creation <\/em>(Haydn)
\nAlleluja from Exultate Jubilate <\/em>(Mozart)
\nBotschaft (Brahms)
\nLes Berceaux (Faur\u00e9)
\nL\u2019invitation au voyage (Duparc)
\nSure on this Shining Night (Barber)
\nNina (Pergolesi)
\nPoor Wandering One from Pirates of Penzance <\/em>(Gilbert\/Sullivan)
\nVerborgenheit (Wolf)
\nIl mio bel foco (Marcello)
\nWidmung (Schumann)
\nIs She Not Passing Fair? (Elgar)
\nVoi che sapete from Le Nozze di Figaro <\/em>(Mozart)
\nAbendempfindung (Mozart)
\nCare selve from Atalanta <\/em>(Handel)
\nA Change in Me from Beauty and the Beast <\/em>(Menkin\/Rice)
\nClose Every Door from Joseph and the Technicolored Dreamcoat <\/em>(Rice\/Lloyd Weber)<\/p>\n
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