Syllabus
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Montclair State University
John J. Cali School of Music
Applied French Horn Syllabus, Spring 2020
Instructor: Kyle Hoyt
Contact Info: Cell: 646-425-6579 Email: hoytkyle@gmail.com
Course Description/Course Learning Goals/Objectives:
All Applied french horn students at Cali will be challenged to play to the peak of their potential with a conservatory-style, performance-oriented program of individual study. Each student’s course of study, and the music assigned, will reflect both that student’s current ability level, and also the potential and expectation of rapid improvement. In general, the following areas will be addressed during the course of study in french horn: excellent sound production through the full range of the instrument; technique; phrasing and interpretation; performance success under pressure; music reading; transposition; and aural and singing skills. These goals will be reached through study of solo literature, etudes and exercises, scales, orchestral excerpts, and repertoire for the large and small ensembles of which the student is a member.
Instruments: All Applied french horn students must own a professional quality double french horn such as a Conn 8D, Yamaha 667 and the like. Other instruments such as triple horns and descant horns are also very beneficial for extreme high register playing. Students should also become familiar with the Wagner Tuba and Natural Horn.
Texts and Materials:
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All Applied students must own the following textbooks:
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Koprasch 60 Etudes Chambers Ed., Sixty Selected Studies for Horn, International
John R. Shoemaker, Legato Etudes for French Horn, Belwin/Alfred Music
Corbin Wagner, The How-to Horn Book, Cornopub
Gabriel Pares, Pares Scales, Rubank
Max Pottag and Albert Andraud, 335 Selected Melodious Progressive and Technical Studies for
French Horn Book 1 & 2, Southern Music Company
Phillip Farkas, The Art of French Horn Playing, Warner Bros.
Arthur Labar, Horn Players Audition Handbook, Alfred Music
ADDITIONAL TEXTS WILL BE ASSIGNED BASED ON EACH STUDENT’S REQUIREMENTS.
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Solo literature, and assigned additional texts, are also required purchases. Students must purchase all music they will study and perform. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU BUDGET TEXTBOOK MONEY FOR MUSIC AND ETUDE BOOKS REQUIRED FOR THIS COURSE.
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All students must own a metronome, and bring it to every lesson.
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All students must provide a spiral notebook of music paper for written lessons.
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Ownership of an electronic tuner is highly recommended.
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Ownership of a high-quality recording device, such as the Zoom H4N or Roland R-05, is highly recommended.
Requirements and Expectations: Weekly assignments will be made during each lesson. It is expected that the entire assignment will be prepared for the following lesson. You must build and maintain a very regular practice schedule to ensure adequate progress. We will develop practice skills and regimens together during lessons. Plan to practice a minimum of 1.5 to 3 hours daily, breaking this into smaller practice sessions for best results. My perception of how well you prepare your lesson assignments, and how hard you are working as a horn student, comprises 50% of your semester Base Grade.
Scheduling and Attendance: Each student will receive 14 lessons per semester. I will collect everyone’s free time, and contact information at the beginning of the semester. Each week, I will create a lesson schedule for the following week, based on our mutual availability. It is each student’s responsibility to update me on changes in available times, and any changed contact information such as new email or cell phone. I will send the lesson schedule out by email on a weekly basis.
I place a high value on responsible communication skills. It is each student’s responsibility to get the weekly schedule information, and to update me on any changed contact information such as new email or cell phone. If your email is not working, you must get the schedule from another student or contact me. If you are not able to make the lesson time I have assigned, you must contact me as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours before the lesson. It is each student’s responsibility to reply in a timely manner (within 24 hours) when I send out a schedule change or an inquiry. Non-Emergency lesson cancellations on the part of the student will count toward the 14 lessons per Semester.
If a conflict occurs, every effort will be made to schedule a make-up lesson. Excused absences by the student require 24 hours’ advance notice, a doctor’s note in case of illness, and my discretion whether to excuse the absence. Excused absences will not be granted to complete other course work. Unexcused absences will not be made up and will subtract from the 14 lessons per Semester.
Grading: Semester grades will be based on jury grade, preparation/work ethic, attendance, and improvement during the semester, using the following method:
The average jury grade among the faculty constitutes 50% of the Base Grade. The other 50% of the Base Grade is determined by the student’s preparation and work ethic as I perceive it during the semester.
The Base Grade will be lowered one full letter grade for each unexcused absence. Four unexcused absences will result in a failing grade.
At my discretion, the Base Grade may be raised or lowered up to one full letter grade for attitude and improvement, and extra assignments (ie..Practice journals)
Assignments: Additional assignments, such as concert attendance and written Listening Log entries, will be based on individual student needs. Assignments are expected to be completed on time, and will constitute part of the overall preparation/work ethic grade.
Juries: The jury is the “final exam” for applied lessons. One or two days at the end of the semester will be designated for brass juries, and you will sign up for a time to perform on that day. We will prepare and select your jury repertoire during the semester. Typical jury repertoire will include some or all of the following: scales; an accompanied solo; a transposition etude, prepared in several keys; another etude such as Verne Reynolds; and orchestral excerpts. The jury will be performed for members of the brass faculty, each of whom will write a jury critique sheet for you and assign you a letter grade. The average of faculty jury grades will constitute 50% of the semester Base Grade.
Accompanists: Students at Cali are strongly encouraged to perform with our excellent staff pianists, in weekly Practicum classes, in solo recitals and juries. I will provide you a list of recommended accompanists for the horn studio. Please make an effort to use those recommended, as they are familiar with the repertoire. It is your responsibility to anticipate your need for accompanists, to get your music to them well in advance, and to arrange rehearsal and performance times with them. Failure to arrange for a pianist for a performance that should be accompanied may result in a lower semester grade.
Sample Repertoire: Students will prepare solo and etude repertoire based on their current playing ability, and chosen to foster rapid improvement. The repertoire below represents a rough guideline for the kind of material Cali School students learn at each grade level. It is not an exhaustive list. You do not need to buy all the music listed here, but it is to your advantage to learn lots of repertoire, both for yourself and for your students.
FRESHMAN
Scales: all major scales, slurred and tongued.
C three Octave Chromatic
Methods and Etudes
Koprasch Book 1 & 2
Anton Horner Primary Studies
Gallay 12 Etudes for Second Horn
Solos may be selected from the following list:
Mozart Horn Concertos #1 & #3, Anton Glazunov “Reverie”, R. Gliere “Nocturne” and “Intermezzo”, A. Corelli Sonata, Saint-Saens “Romance”, Richard Strauss “Andante” for Horn and Piano, Scriabine “Romance”, Saint-Saens “Morceau De Concert”
SOPHOMORE
Scales: all major scales, slurred and tongued.
Add all natural minor scales, or all 3 minor scale types up to 4 sharps/4 flats.
All chromatic scales, slurred.
Methods and Etudes
Max Pottag, ed. “Preparatory Melodies to Solo Work for French Horn” (Belwin)
Franz Strauss “Seventeen Concert Studies”
Johannes Brahms “Ten Horn Studies”
8 Studies by A. Belloli
Solos may be selected from the following list:
Mozart Horn Concerto #2, Beethoven “Sonata for horn and piano”, Krol “Laudatio”, Ketting “Intrada”, Paul Dukas “Villanelle”, Franz Strauss “Nocturne”
JUNIOR
Methods and Etudes
J.F. Gallay “Twelve Etudes Brilliantes” op. 43
Verne Reynolds “48 Etudes”
Maxime Alphonse “200 New Melodic and Gradual Studies for horn”
Solos may be selected from the following list:
Mozart Horn Concerto #4, R. Strauss Horn Concerto #1, Emmanuel Chabrier “Larghetto”, Paul Hindemith “Sonata for horn and piano”, Haydn Horn Concerto #1
Standard Orchestral and Opera Excerpts
SENIOR
Methods and Etudes
Verne Reynolds “48 Etudes”
Solos may be selected from the following list:
R. Strauss “Horn Concerto #2”, Persichetti “Parable for Solo Horn”, Olivier Messiaen: Appel Interstellaire from Des Canyons aux Étoiles, Gordon Jacob “Concerto”, Schumann “Adagio and Allegro”,
Stronger and more emphasis on Standard Orchestral and Opera Excerpts
GRADUATE PERFORMANCE
All the above solo and etude repertoire, plus intense focused study of orchestral repertoire.
Emphasis on preparation for professional Orchestral, Opera, and Band Auditions using the following:
Frequent Mock auditions
Attendance of professional performances
Orchestral Repertoire Reading Sessions
Standard Repertoire Classes
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