MUSIC HISTORY 203

EXAMS AND GRADING

(F-08)

I will grade by the numbers. There are 2 exams at 50 points apiece, 2 repertory quizzes at 20 points apiece, and 10 preparations at 6 points apiece, making 200 points for the semester.

Preparations are due on Tuesdays. They are graded on the following scale:

6 points on time and well done

5 on time but mediocre

3 late and well done (late is any time after class ends)

2 late and mediocre

0 missing

Repertory quizzes. A repertory quiz will consist of 4 to 6 short excerpts from works listed in the syllabus, some from NAWM, some from the supplementary listening. Half of the excerpts will be by ear: I will play them on the stereo and you will answer the questions. For the other; half I will play the excerpt and you will also have a score.

For each excerpt you should know the composer and the title of the piece. If the piece comes from a larger work (e.g. an opera), you should know the title of that too. Know when the piece was composed within about 20 years in either direction. Know the genre (opera, ballet, violin sonata, etc.) If it’s a dramatic work, know (in a general way) what’s going on in this excerpt and which characters are involved. If there’s a text, know what it says (in a general way, not a translation).

If you have the score, you should know what the markings mean – e.g. the little numbers beneath a bass line indicate what harmonies the continuo player should play. Also if you have a score you should be able to say where in the piece the excerpt comes from – e.g. the beginning, the vocal entrance, the beginning of the development (in a sonata-allegro movement), etc.

If you play or sing a piece, you know all these things perfectly well. My goal is for you to have a similar grasp of pieces in a broader repertory.

Exams. There will be two exams, and they will not be cumulative, i.e. the second exam will over only the second half of the course. The exams will have four parts:

Repertory – As described above under “repertory quizzes”

Discussion of scores – I will give you scores of passages from 2 or 3 assigned pieces and ask you to explain some of the things about them that we discussed in class – e.g. diagram their form, show how they exemplify the composer’s style, explicate the text

ID – I’ll give you names, terms and buzzwords that we covered in class and ask you to define them, explain them, or say why they’re important . These will be short answers (1-2 sentences). Names, terms and buzzwords will be highlighted in the lecture notes on the website.

Essay – I’ll give you a choice of topics and ask you to write an essay of a page or two.These will be issues or themes that I emphasized in lecture

Make-ups. Missed quizzes and exams cannot be made up unless you have a short term leave of absence for the day you missed. Short term leaves are normally granted only for significant professional opportuniites, family death or medical emergencies. You can download the form at http://www.sfcm.edu/pdf/Short_Term_Leave_of_Absence_student-07nov01.pdf. Fill it out and turn it in to the Dean's office with supporting documentation. If you get a short term leave, I will schedule a make-up. I will also count late preparations as on time if you had a short term leave on the due date.

Final grades will be assigned on the standard scale: 90%-100% = A; 80-89%=B; 70-79%=C; 60-69%=D. To pass the course you will need 60%, which means 120 points or better. As you see, there are plenty of opportunities to do well by coming to class, turning preparations in on time, and studying for exams and quizzes.