Syllabus
FRHN 100 – 642: Applied Horn Lessons
Course Expectations
1) Attendance at all scheduled lessons, fully warmed-up and prepared.
a) Make-up lessons may be arranged, if needed, in advance.
b) Lack of preparation for a lesson, for any reason, is NO excuse.
i) If you come to a lesson clearly unprepared to perform the assigned material you will be subject to immediate dismissal from the lesson with no opportunity for a make-up.
c) All assigned material (solos and/or excerpts) should be well prepared in advance (prior to the scheduled lesson), including but not limited to: fully studying the music, listening to the work/passage (multiple times), and understanding all applicable performance elements.
2) All hornists taking applied lessons will perform in appropriate ensembles as designated by the instructor.
3) All hornists taking applied lessons will participate in, seminars, masterclasses, and all appropriate organized functions of the horn studio, unless directly excused by the instructor.
4) Attendance at all appropriate concerts involving students, faculty, or guest artists on the horn.
5) Development of appropriate skills including, but not limited to, tone, range, facility, dynamics, and proper performance practice (including improvised cadenza material and ornamentation as appropriate).
6) Use of digital recording and playback equipment for the purpose of practice evaluation, audition/competition preparation and tempo/intonation drills.
7) Important aspects of performance related injury(s) related to the discipline will be discussed. These include physical concerns related to the lip, teeth, facial muscles, arms, shoulders, back and lungs. In addition, important concerns and considerations regarding hearing health will be addressed. The student will learn how to adjust relative to diverse acoustical environments and direct exposure to sustained sound in a variety of rehearsal settings. The use of hearing protection as is appropriate/needed will be addressed. The use of headphones/ear inserts when listening to music will be addressed as well.
8) Check your email, the studio website (forthcoming), and my door daily for announcements.
9) Weather related emergencies will follow all policies established by the University of Mississippi.
Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to…
∙ Create an appropriate sound/tone relative to modern accepted orchestral standards.
∙ Explain and demonstrate basic elements necessary for successful execution of technical elements relative to the horn.
o Articulation
o Breath support
o Embouchure formation
o Hand position (right hand)
o Posture/playing position
∙ Articulate a working knowledge of the basic accepted repertoire for the horn including major solo, orchestral, and chamber works.
∙ Discuss and demonstrate accepted pedagogical approaches relative to the horn.
∙ Perform successfully in front of an audience, relative to their level of development.
∙ Prepare and execute a successful audition, relative to their level of development.
Course Texts and Materials
All students should own at least the following: (required)
∙ 60 Selected Studies Book I Kopprasch
∙ 40 Characteristic Studies Kling
∙ Recording device (phone is fine)
o Microphones for audition/competition recording can be loaned from the instructor.
∙ Any additional materials, solos, excerpts, method books, or texts designated by the instructor.
∙ Access to various horn excerpts (hornexcerpts.org) is also required.
Other (optional) materials useful to the horn pedagogy will be listed outside of my office.
Major Assignments
Etudes and Solo Literature
By the end of each academic year the student must be able to demonstrate all pertinent technical and musical aspects of each piece listed, or an approved equivalent:
1) 12:
a) Kopprash 1-10
b) Mozart, Concerto 3, mvmt. 2
2) 22/24:
a) Kopprash 12-19
b) Mozart, Concerto 3 (Complete)
3) 32/34:
a) Kopprasch 20-25
b) Belloli #1 (8 Studies)
c) Mozart Concerti 2, 3, 4 (Complete)
4) 42/44:
a) Kopprasch Book I (Complete)
b) Strauss Concerto #1 (Complete)
Scale Requirements
Scale juries happen during midterm, and are worth 10% of the final grade. See below the expected scales based on the course number you are currently enrolled in.
100
Major scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats with arpeggios, chromatic scale
121
All major scales with arpeggios, chromatic scale
122
Natural minor scales, with minor arpeggios
221/241
Harmonic minor scales, with minor arpeggios
222/242
Melodic minor scales, with minor arpeggios
321/341
Major scales in thirds
Final Solo Jury
A jury will be given at the end of the semester, typically of a solo or set of excerpts that were worked on throughout the semester. Required recitals count for that semester’s solo jury. Juries are held during finals week and are 20% of your final grade.
Lesson Attendance
Please contact me as soon as possible if you will be missing a lesson, with documentation as necessary. Each lesson during the semester will be given a pass/fail grade, based on the guidelines outlined in “Course Expectations”. Absences without documentation are considered ‘unexcused’ and a ‘fail’ for the week. Lessons are 60% of your total grade; failure of more than three (3) lessons may result in a lower letter grade for the semester.
Event Attendance
Attendance at required events are 10% of your final grade. This includes studio class and Instrumental Area Meetings. A schedule of IAMs is provided on the following page.
(certain sections of the syllabus have been removed to ensure relevance across academic years)