Brass Instruments Class

Course Description:  Brass Instruments Class is a course designed to give the college music education major the fundamentals of techniques, materials, and hands‑on experience necessary to teach beginning and intermediate students on all brass instruments.  For this course of study, the principle brass instruments are trumpet, horn, trombone, baritone, and tuba.  The course is divided into three sections: 

            I. Historical Development and Anatomy of the Brass Instruments

            II. The Individual Brass Instruments

            III. Teaching Techniques for Brass Instruments

Required and Suggested Texts:  There are no required texts for this class.  Suggested texts are:

            A Complete Guide to Brass, Third Edition, Scott Whitener.  Thomson-Schirmer, 2007.  ISBN 0-534-50988-6

            Brass Instruments: Their History and Development, Anthony Baines.  Dover Publications, 1993. 

            ISBN 0-486-27574-4

            Teaching Brass, Second Edition, Wayne Bailey.  McGraw-Hill, 2008.  ISBN 0-07-352658-4

            Brass Ensemble Method for Music Educators, Jay Zorn.  Wadsworth Publishing, 1977.  ISBN 0-534-00503-9

            Instrumental Music Pedagogy, Daniel L. Kohut.  Prentice-Hall, 1973.  ISBN 0-13-467944-X

Office Hours:  Dr. Archambo’s office hours will be posted on his door by the end of the first week of classes.

Course Objectives:  The student will achieve competency in teaching beginning students on the brass instruments.  The student will understand the characteristics that are common among the brass instruments and the acoustical properties of the brass instruments.  The student will also be able to produce and control sounds on selected brass instruments.  

GRADING.  Each question on written exams is given a numerical point value.  Every exam will total 100 possible points.  Grading is on a scale of:

     100-94 = A                                       83-75   = C                                            69-0     = F

     93-84   = B                                       74-70   = D

Semester grading follows the same scale.  Grading will be determined from specific assignments, written exams, playing exams, a final exam, and class attendance.  If you do not attend class, you will be expected to come in on your own time and get all assignments.  Take home assignments are due when announced and will not we accepted late.  Please take notes.  Please keep your notes so you can review for exams.  Written exams will include material covered in the class and will include multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions.   

The instructor reserves the right to add, adjust, or cancel assignments as the course progresses.   The method of obtaining the final grade will remain essentially the same:  the total points achieved will be divided by the total points possible to obtain a percentage, and a grade will be assigned according to a percentage scale.

Attendance Policy:  Students are expected to be in class each Monday and Wednesday.  There are 28 class meetings this semester.  The student can be dropped from the class after the fourth absence (equal to two weeks of classes).  Please call Dr. Archambo at 696-5511 or 642-6076 prior to the absence and leave a message for Dr. Archambo if you are going to be absent.  The student is expected to have note-taking materials for each class and is expected to take notes.

The instrument you will be using is property of the State of Texas.  You are responsible for keeping the instrument in the condition it was in when it was checked out to you.  When you receive the instrument, check it and make note of any dents or problems.  If the instrument is stolen, you will be required to pay the replacement costs.

Conduct Statement:  College students are adults and are expected to behave accordingly.

Academic Dishonesty Statement:  Academic Dishonesty: Cheating, collusion, and plagiarism (the act of using source material of other persons, either published or unpublished, without following the accepted techniques of crediting, or the submission for credit of work not the individual’s to whom credit is given).  Additional guidelines on procedures in these matters may be found in the Dean of Students’ Office.  Cheating includes, but is not limited to: (1) use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations; (2) dependence upon the aid

of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; or (3) the acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the university faculty or staff.  The term “plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and

clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.  The term “collusion” means collaboration with another person in preparing work offered for credit of that collaboration is not authorized by the faculty member in charge.

Student Honor Creed

"As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.  Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only tobe honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.  We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all studentwork is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.  We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

Special Needs Statement:  Students with a disability must be registered with Disability Support Services before classroom accommodations can be provided.  If you have a documented disability that will impact your work in this class, please contact me to discuss your needs.  Disability Support Services is located in the Clark Student Center, Room 168.  They may also be contacted at 397-4140.

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information that needs sharing, or if you need special accommodations in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with the professor as soon as possible.

Student Privacy Statement:  Federal privacy law prohibits me from releasing information about students to certain parties outside of the university without the signed consent of the student.  Thus, in almost all cases I will not discuss your academic progress or other matters with your parents.  Please do not have them call me.  Regardless of these important legal considerations, it is my general policy to communicate with the students, not their parents, even when a student has signed a consent form.