Graduate Moveable do for Singers and Conductors

MU550
Spring Semester (this course runs every other year) 
Credits: 1
Prequisite: Graduate Ear Training (exam or proficiency) or permission 
Meeting: Monday 1:00–2:50
Instructor: Dr. William Cutter

This course, offered every other Spring and required for all Choral Conducting MM students, focuses on the moveable do system. Moveable do emphasizes the perceptual (relative) system of pitch identification rather than the operational (absolute) system employed by fixed do and thus is of great benefit to singers who produce their pitches entirely by ear. Coursework moves methodically from the most basic aspects of pitch and rhythm to more complex uses of the following musical skills:

Developing a pitch and rhythm vocabulary
• singing intervals, scales, triads, and melodic sequences
• conducting basic metric patterns
• memorizing rhythmic patterns

Single line melodies
• diatonic melodies in all major keys
• melodies in all forms of the minor (natural, harmonic, melodic)
• melodies which modulate to closely related keys (relative minor, dominant, parallel minor)
• chromatic syllables (functional and non-functional)
• melodies which modulate to distant key areas
• highly chromatic and atonal melodic materials

Single line rhythms
• simple duple, triple and compound meters
• syncopation, hemiola, and two against three
• asymmetrical meters

Two or more melodic lines
• canons
• duets
• four-part choral music

Two or more rhythmic lines
• canons
• duets
• two against three
• cross rhythms
• metric modulation 

Grading 

Homework 40%
Midterm Project 25%
Final Project 35%