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Course Syllabus

MUSC 1840 String Workshop and Pedagogy I

  • Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
  • Department: Music
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 1; Lecture: 2; Lab: 0
  • Semesters Offered: Fall
  • Semester Approved: Fall 2026
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2031
  • End Semester: Summer 2032
  • Optimum Class Size: 15
  • Maximum Class Size: 20

Course Description

This course focuses on learning the fundamental skills necessary to play the string instruments (violin, viola, cello, and string bass), and the skills necessary to teach those fundamentals to others. Required for instrumental music majors.

Justification

The instrumental music major, regardless of his/her main instrument, must attain a playing proficiency on all of the other instruments in the band and orchestra. Following this course, students will continue with the woodwind, brass, and percussion families. Courses of this type are taught at other schools in Utah that grant degrees in Music Education. This class most closely resembles MUSC 1750 (String Instrument Study I and Lab) at the University of Utah.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Upon successful completion of this course students will show foundational skills in one of the four primary string instruments, (violin, viola, cello, bass) as assigned by the instructor.
  2. Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to discuss and write about current topics in string music education.
  3. Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to teach mock lessons and rehearse other beginning students in front of the string pedagogy class.
  4. Upon successful completion of this course students willl be able to identify major musical works of string orchestra literature.

Course Content

The class will focus on beginning playing skills on a stringed instrument and on string classroom teaching. The course will address such playing issues as left and right hand techniques, finger patterns, vibrato, shifting, bowing definitions, and instrument set-up. Lectures will also focus on creating classroom assignments, class discipline, course content, and student recruitment. Students will study current string method books containing music from a wide array of times and cultures. They will learn to teach skills and concepts from those resources. The course will also provide short teaching experiences during class, which will be reviewed and discussed by the teacher and fellow students. These reviews and discussions will include ideas for teaching all perspectives in a string orchestra class, as well as other string teaching techniques.