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Vocal Music
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The Vocal Music prime at Carver focuses upon the development of musical skills and singing technique. Students are prepared for majoring in music in college with voice as their primary instrument. The following qualities are fundamental for students entering the Carver Vocal Music Program: musicality, personal initiative, self-discipline, good health, seriousness of purpose, and trainability.
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Program Description
Vocal Music Description
The Vocal Prime is a hybrid between the traditional applied voice lesson and class voice. At least once a week, each student receives individual attention and sings solo while other students take notes and make constructive criticism. Because all singers deal with the same issues, many aspects of singing can be effectively dealt with in a group setting, especially at the high school level. Nevertheless, Vocal Prime students are encouraged to take extra-curricular voice lessons and piano lessons.
All Vocal Music students are required to take part in occasional evening performances. Furthermore, students are required to attend numerous performances both on and off Carver’s campus including those of the Baltimore Opera Company, which generously provides the Baltimore County Public Schools with complimentary tickets. Students are required to keep journals of their reactions to these productions. They are also expected to audition for Carver musical productions.
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Course of Study
Level I: Students take Vocal Prime I and Music Theory I. In Vocal Prime I students develop vocal technique and musical skills while learning art songs in English. An introduction to the International Phonetic Alphabet and aspects of communication are included. Outcomes require students to perform two songs in English from memory before a faculty jury during final exam week. In Music Theory I key signatures, triads, clefs and their inversions, one-part melodic and rhythmic dictation, and introduction to the keyboard are covered.
Level II : Students take Vocal Prime II and Music Theory II. In Vocal Prime II students continue to develop vocal technique and musical skills while learning Italian art songs of the 17th and 18th centuries and continuing to expand their repertoire in English. Application of the International Phonetic Alphabet to singing in Italian is included. Outcomes require students to perform two songs from memory before a faculty jury during final exam week: one in Italian and one in English. In Music Theory II voice leading, seventh chords, secondary functions, two-part melodic and rhythmic dictation, and intermediate keyboard are covered.
Level III: Students take Vocal Prime III and classes in movement/dance and theatrical performance styles. In Vocal Prime III students continue to develop their vocal technique and musical skills while learning German art songs and continuing to expand their repertoire in English and Italian. Application of the International Phonetic Alphabet to singing in German is included. Outcomes require students to perform three songs from memory before a faculty jury during final exam week: one each in German, Italian and English. The knowledge and skills gained in the Music Theory classes will be maintained and expanded including attention to modulation and dictation/ear-training.
Level IV: Students take Vocal Prime IV and Opera/Musical Theatre Workshop. In Vocal Prime IV students continue to develop vocal technique and musical skills while learning French art songs and continuing to expand their repertoire in English, Italian, and German. Application of the International Phonetic Alphabet to singing in French is included. Outcomes require students to perform four songs from memory before a faculty jury during final exam week: one each in French, German, Italian and English. The English song may be from musical theatre. The knowledge and skills gained in the Music Theory classes will be maintained and expanded including 9th, 11th, and 13th chords, augmented sixth chords, and dictation/ear-training. In this way, students who choose to take the AP Music Theory test will be prepared. In Opera/Musical Theatre Workshop students develop skills in acting, staging, and producing vocally and thematically appropriate scenes from opera and musical theatre.
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