Instructor: Dennis Davis
Office: 112 Foster Building
Phone: (859) 622-5007
FAX 859-622-1333
Email:dennis.davis@eku.edu
Office Hours: By appointment
- National standards demand that aspiring professional guitarists develop guitar ensemble skills.
- Audition required. The EKU guitar ensemble is open to all EKU students. Students interested in learing more about the EKU guitar ensemble, or becoming a guitar major or minor need to contact Dennis Davis.
- Students will learn musicianship.
- Students will learn proper guitar technique.
- Students will learn how to present historically informed and creatively expressive performances of literature for guitar ensemble from every major style period..
- Students will learn ensemble mechanics and rehearsal techniques.
- Students will present prepared literature in weekly rehearsals.
- Students will perform as required during the semester and those performances will be assessed by both the student and the instructor.
- Students will participate in several recital performances each semester. Students are required to perform in convocation each semester. Other performances will also be required. A recording session will occur the week before or after each EKU Guitar Ensemble Concert.
- Video and Audio recordings will assist the assessment process.
- Instruments: All students should own a quality classical guitar (eventually spending $2,500-$5,000 as opposed to $200 or less) and a versatile electric suited for jazz (humbucking pickups in neck and bridge position- preferably splitable).
- Accessories: footstool, small music stand, concert attire, metronome, music dictionary, nail care kit (diamond file, buffing board, 600 grit or equivalent sand paper, replacement nails or ping pong ball, and superglue with metal needle in the cap), cables, recording device (or similar device - tape deck, minidisc, etc...), volume pedal, amplifier, and picks.
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Articles, journals, and books explaining various aspects of guitar technique, performance, history, and pedagogy.
- Recordings and scores.
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Various items from my personal collection as necessary.
- Alternate ensemble times will be arranged when the professor has a scheduling conflict. An unexcused student absence lowers the semester grade by one letter. Only verifiable university or medical absences will be accepted. Three tardy arrivals equal one absence. Missing a concert, dress rehearsal, or other required performance results in a failing grade for the semester. Note: rehearsals must begin on time - meaning all preparatory issues: tuning, music wrangling, and so forth are completed before rehearsal time.
- Rehearsals will be graded weekly, averaged, and combined with concert performance grades to produce a semester score. The first rehearsal of each semester is used to define objectives, discuss priorities, test reading skills, and set goals. Grades are based on degree of improvement, quality of preparation, amount of material covered, attendance, and, how effectively the semester goals are realized. The grade 'B' indicates progress; 'A' indicates exceptional work. Any student receiving less than a B needs to reassess his or her goals and career choice.
- It is assumed that ensemble parts will be practiced and carefully considered. I am fairly adept at knowing whether or not parts have been practiced. I can also tell the difference between a nervous student struggling to play something they have practiced and a student that is really unprepared. If a student comes to ensemble unprepared they will be sent to the practice room to work on the assignment. Three or more unprepared rehearsals lowers your semester grade by one letter.
- The semester grade will be lowered by one letter for each unexcused absence or three tardies. Missing a required concert results in a failing grade.
- The study of music demands, as do all the arts, not only natural ability and talents, but also more importantly dedication, sacrifice, self-discipline, inquisitiveness, and the unrelenting desire to achieve excellence. Success requires all of these attributes. Natural ability is not a substitute for any other component. In fact, natural ability often unfairly enjoys the credit earned by hard work and dedication. It is assumed that music students are here to get the most from the Department of Music, its faculty, and resources, and, that music students will work consistently towards advancement in all areas, including those required outside the field of music.
- Directed ensemble rehearsal is on Tuesdays from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. The ensemble will also rehearse an additional five (5) hours per week, or whatever amount of time is necessary to achieve the weekly goals.
- It is assumed that ensemble parts will be practiced and carefully considered. I am fairly adept at knowing whether or not parts have been practiced. I can also tell the difference between a nervous student struggling to play something they have practiced and a student that is really unprepared. If a student comes to ensemble unprepared they will be sent to the practice room to work on the assignment. Three or more unprepared rehearsals lowers your semester grade by one letter.
Convocation, Jury, and Solo Concert Attire:
- Degree Recitals: Tuxedo or Coat and tie with dress pants, shoes, and socks. Some events may permit concert black. All attire decisions are made by the instructor. A performing musician is expected to own a tuxedo. It is the "uniform" of the industry. Tuxedo rental shops frequently sell used tuxedos at reasonable prices.
- Guitar ensemble: Concert black, tuxedo, or similar approved apparel depending on the situation.
- Jury (regular and Sophomore comprehensives): Dress shirt and tie with dress pants, shoes, and socks.
- Convocation: Same as jury.
- The ensemble will present an EKU concert every semester.
- Additional Performances: Other performances will be required on a regular basis and include concerts at other universities, recording sessions, and other opportunities as required.
- A recording session will occur every semester.
- All EKU guitar department recordings are the sole property of the EKU department of music.
Musicianship and Lesson Professionalism*
A. Responsibility for Punctuality. You are prompt and reliable. Unforeseen circumstances (i.e. death in the family) may necessitate your absence, but you notify your colleagues, give your parts to a colleague to substitute for you, or, reschedule rehearsals. You are not always pulling at the schedule and asking to change things. You all agree to a schedule and keep it. You are consistent.
B. Responsibility for essential equipment. You come to rehearsals prepared with your instrument, footstool, pencils, tuning fork, metronome, extra strings, music stand, and music cut and taped ready for reading. You do not expect other people to take care of you. You take your music seriously and you act in a professional manner. The rehearsals begin on time - all the tuning and preparatory work is done.
C. Responsibility for your playing. You can play your part. You have studied the music, fingered the part, practiced it, and have warmed up. Ensemble meetings are to rehearse the whole piece, not individual parts. Symphony musicians dare not come to a rehearsal unprepared to play their parts. You do not hold back the progress of the group by being careless about your preparation. Your job is to listen to every part in rehearsal. How can you listen to anyone elseÕs part if you are struggling to read your own? Know when to layout or reduce your part for the sake of the group's progress.
D. Responsibility for contributing ideas. If you are the first chair player, you have immediate responsibility for suggesting modes of rehearsal and interpretative ideas. You have a leadership role. If you are a member of the group, you have an ensemble obligation to keep working for the best performance of the piece, speaking out, contributing ideas and reactions. Regardless of your role in the ensemble, you should come to each rehearsal prepared to move things forward.
II. LISTENING
A. Listening for correct pitches, tuning, attacks, releases, rhythm, balance, color, phrasing, dynamics, in your playing. Singing while you play takes care of these issues naturally.
B. Listening to the piece outside of rehearsal Ñ keep it in your head, conjuring up images of its sound, tapping rhythms, singing pitches, getting the piece into your bones. Sing, Sing, Sing. If the music is in your mind and in your ear, then you can get it into your fingers. The reverse never works.
C. Record yourself often to check for progress. The recording can be both rewarding and quite painful. It is an important tool for progress.
D. Listen to recordings by other ensembles, especially non-guitarists.
III. ATTITUDE
A. Learn to seriously consider other opinions. Ensemble playing is not solo playing. The piece should reflect a joint agreement by all players as to how they want it to sound. Advocate your own feelings strongly, courteously, listen for responses, then balance everything out.
B. Learn to be tolerant of othersÕ limitations, errors, bad days; they have to bear with yours... Stay purposeful, but flexible and helpful. Human interaction flourishes with courtesy, respect, and humility. Learn the art of civilized disagreement - bring any lingering issues to me. Most importantly, the vibe must remain positive.
C. Cultivate the ability to trade inconveniences. You may have to schedule rehearsals that are inconvenient for you sometimes in order to accommodate the whole group. Be willing to do that. Group rather than self is the key concept in ensemble. There should be times when rehearsals are scheduled to suit your convenience as a trade off.
D. Treat everyone with respect regardless of what you think about them and their skill. Any public/private gathering involving guitar majors demands mutual respect. Do not play while others speak. Suppress the urge to make those witty, biting, and counterproductive comments. It is easy for joking to escalate into something much more serious. The guitar department exudes a collective vibe - and that vibe must be positive. Work diligently to remain positive. We are all part of the human condition and guitar is really insignificant by comparison.
* Adapted from writings by Professor Clare Callahan with permission.
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