Degree in Performance

Classical Guitar

Following is a description of the UTEP Guitar Program. This curriculum would apply to the following degrees:

  • Performance
  • Commercial Music[1]

What follows is a list of requirements for each semester of study. A minimum of 8 semesters is required to complete a degree.

Program Description

This program, comprised of a curriculum of private instruction, courses in chamber music, and the history of fretted instruments, is designed to prepare the student to meet the minimum standards of professionalism in the performance and private teaching of classical guitar. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of technique and interpretation through the performance of classical guitar repertoire and pedagogical materials.

Program Objectives

  • To be able to demonstrate knowledge of fundamental, intermediate, and advanced guitar technique through the execution of essential etudes and exercises.
  • To be able to demonstrate good interpretation skills assimilating theory, history, style, and technique through the performance of repertoire from the Renaissance to the 20th Century including the manipulation of melody through conventional ornamentation and, in MUSA 1290, simple improvisation over standard ii, V, I and Blues progressions. Throughout the program (lower level through higher level) it is assumed that students will learn melodic manipulations when learning music from the Renaissance to the Common Practice Era.
  • To be able to demonstrate knowledge of the history of fretted instruments, repertoire, and composers for guitar including conventions of melodic ornamentation from the Renaissance through the Common Practice Era. .
  • To be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills relating to proper chamber musicianship including, in MUSA 1290, improvisation of melodies over simple harmonic accompaniment provided by one or more other musicians. .

Program Goals

To be able to do the following:

  • Give public performances of concert works (solo and chamber) from the repertoire at the appropriate tempos, demonstrating control and knowledge of the proper technical and stylistic elements; continue development of technique and repertoire using the principles and methodologies learned.
  • Teach the principles and methodology of efficient playing and performance, and the principles of good chamber music playing.
  • Sightread at one’s level of playing.
  • Know from memory the materials used for the development of technique and their underlying principles (exercises, etudes, scales, arpeggios).
  • Know from memory and be able to teach the general history of fretted instruments, performing examples from the repertoire.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of ornamentation conventions from the Renaissance to the Common Practice Era.
  • Be able to pass an audition into a graduate program in performance.

Program Materials

Mateo Carcassi: Complete Method for Classical Guitar

Mateo Carcassi: 25 Essential Studies,

Fernando Sor: Complete Studies,

Leo Brouwer: 20 Estudios Sencillos,

Heitor Villalobos: 12 Etudes,

Scott Tennant: Pumping Nylon,

Henry Klose: Complete Method for Clarinet, (for sight-reading)

Aaron Shearer: Scale Pattern Studies

David Tannenbaum: The Essential Studies (3 volumes; text only, no music))

Charles Duncan: The Art of Classical Guitar Playing

Charles Duncan: The Art of Classical Guitar Playing: Supplemental Exercises

Lee Ryan: The Natural Classical Guitar.

Richard Provost: The Art and Technique of Performance

Richard Provost: The Art and Technique of Practicing

James Tyler: The Early Guitar

The Cambridge Companion to the Guitar (a series of histories of the guitar)

Applied Guitar Curriculum

Remedial Courses

MUSA 1290: Remedial Applied Guitar

Fundamentals of Guitar Technique and Musicianship

(private lesson – audition required)

MUSA 2280: Remedial Guitar Class

Fundamentals of Guitar Technique and Musicianship

(class – no audition)

Degree Required Courses

MUSA 1295: Lower Level Applied Guitar

Admission by audition

Assimilation andApplication of Fundamentals of Guitar Techniques

(4 semesters)

MUSA 3391: Upper Level Applied Guitar

Admission by audition

Intermediate Guitar Technique and Repertoire (upper level undergraduate)

MUSA 1265: Chamber Music

Applied Techniques and Repertoire

Begin in second year

MUSA 5391: Graduate Applied Guitar

Advanced Guitar Technique and Repertoire

Syllabi (by level)

MUSA 1290 or MUSA 2280:

Fundamentals of Guitar Technique and Musicianship (remedial)

Objectives:

To learn and demonstrate knowledge of good posture, hand positions, finger movement, synchronization of the hands, planting of right hand fingers, anticipation of left hand fingers, anticipation of the shift with the elbow, and control of timbre. Apply principles and concepts to exercises, arpeggios, and scales (no repertoire, no performance). Improve reading to meet the minimum standard for admittance to 1391. To be able to play simple solos adhering to the tenants of good technique and methodology.

Goals:

Learn five moveable forms of the major and pentatonic scales with proper methodology; execute with proper technique. Learn finger independence via the “spider” exercises in Tennant. Learn Guiliani Op. 1, 120 Right Hand Studies with proper execution of pluck, plant and damp; proper use of sequential and full plant with fingers; execute proper technique of legados (Tennant); Learn and perform solos from Volume 2 of the Christopher Parkening Method or Volume Two of the Sagreras Method. . Pass jury for acceptance into program.

Jury Requirements

  • Spider exercises executed fluently without movement in the inactive fingers or hand.
  • Barre exercises executed with good articulation and no left hand stress or pain.
  • Slurs articulated clearly. Slurred note is balanced with the first note.
  • Good sitting, hand and finger posture.
  • 5 forms of the major scale (one 1/16th note to a quarter; quarter note = 90).
  • 5 forms of the pentatonic scale (1 1/16th notes to a quarter; quarter note = 90).
  • All root position and inversions of the following: Major, minor, major-minor sevenths, minor-minor sevenths, and dominant seventh chords fingered on 3 or 4 adjacent strings accordingly (for example the following strings for major and minor chords: 1,2,3; 2,3,4; 3,4,5; 4,5,6)
  • Improvise quarter-note and eight-note melodies on ii - V7 – I and Blues progressions.
  • Arpeggios 1 through 40 in Guiliani Method, Op. 1 executed with proper planting and damping.
  • Pujol Etude 7 from Escuela Razonada, vol 2.
  • Sight read at level of playing
  • Perform 3 works from memory from volume 2 of the Christopher Parkening Classical Guitar Method. All from memory
  • Execute basic Baroque and Classical era ornamentations such as the trill, mordent, etc.

Materials

Guiliani; Klose ; Tennant ;Sagreras

MUSA 1295: Lower Level Applied Guitar

Assimilation and Application of the Fundamentals of Guitar Technique

4 semesters

Carcassi 25 Melodious Etudes, Op. 15; Renaissance lute, Baroque lute and guitar, Tarrega miniatures. Ponce Preludes, Jury to MUSA 3390

Semester 1

Objectives

Continue the development of good technique and musicianship through the performance of simple pieces and etudes with emphasis on building independence of the fingers in the first five positions and the synchronization of both hands. Improve reading to include dotted rhythms and triplets.

Goals

Learn and perform Carcassi Etudes 1 – 8, Brouwer Etudes 1-5, 1 lute piece from both the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Scale velocity: 4x16 = 90

Semester 2

Objectives:

Continue the development of good technique and musicianship through the performance of simple pieces and etudes with the emphasis on using the entire fingerboard and with increased complexity of texture and rhythm. Improve reading to include scores and keyboard music.

Goals

Learn and perform Carcassi Etudes 9-13, Brouwer Etudes 6-10, 1 lute piece from both the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Scale velocity: 4x16 = 100

Semester 3

Objectives

Continue the development of good technique and musicianship through the performance of pieces and etudes of increasing complexity that emphasize using the entire fingerboard . Continue velocity development. Improve reading.

Goals

Learn and perform Carcassi Etudes 14-19, 1 entire lute suite from both the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Scale velocity: 4x16 = 110

Semester 4

Objectives

Goals

Learn and perform Carcassi Etudes 20-25, 3 works from the Romantic period (Tarrega, Barrios, early Brouwer). Prepare for double jury (Early music suite, romantic pieces, 3 etudes, all exercises). Scale velocity: 4x16 = 120. Reading at level of playing.

Materials

Carcassi: 25 Melodious Etudes

Brouwer: Estudios Sencillos

Tennant: Pumping Nylon

Klose: Complete Method for Clarinet

Works by Sanz, DeVisse, Roncalli, Logy, Kufner, Milan, Dowland, Tarrega.

MUSA 3391 Audition Requirements (double jury advancement into Upper Level)

  • All pedagogical materials from memory, executed with accurate articulation in a relaxed and controlled manner.
  • 2 renaissance lute pieces
  • 2 baroque lute or guitar pieces
  • 2 works by Tarrega, Barrios, Lauro, or Ponce
  • Carcassi: 25 Melodious Etudes
  • Brouwer: Etudes 1-10
  • Sight read at level of playing

MUSA 3391: Upper Level Applied Guitar

Advanced Guitar Technique and Repertoire

(4 semesters)

J.S. Bach: Works for Cello and Lute; Tarrega concert works; Barrios;Villalobos; Sor Etudes; Brouwer Etudes 11 – 20; Jr. Recital; Sr. Recital

Semester 1

Objectives

Continue the development of good technique and musicianship through the performance of pieces and etudes with the emphasis on using the entire fingerboard, the frets above the 12th position, velocity development in arpeggios, and finger independence through the performance of increasingly complex contrapuntal music. Improve reading to include scores and keyboard music.

Goals

Learn Sor etudes 1-5; Villalobos etude no. 1; Cello suite 1, 2, or 3 by JS Bach; Brouwer early works, Scale velocity: = 4x16 = mm125 rest stroke; mm90 free stroke. Read at one’s level of playing.

Semester 2

Objectives

Continue the development of good technique and musicianship through the performance pieces and etudes of increasing complexity with the emphasis on using the entire fingerboard, the frets above the 12th position, velocity development in arpeggios, and finger independence through the performance of contrapuntal music. Improve reading to include scores and keyboard music.

Goals

Learn Sor etudes 6-10; Villalobos etude no. 1; Perform Cello Suite 1, 2, or 3 by JS Bach; Scale velocity: = 4x16 = mm130 rest stroke; mm100 free stroke. 1 Romantic work (Tarrega concert, Barrios, Villalobos, Lauro, etc.). Sight reading chamber music

Semester 3

Objectives

(Learn Jr. Recital works during the summer)

Jr. Recital (1/2 program). Continue the development of good technique and musicianship through the performance of pieces and etudes with the emphasis on using the entire fingerboard, the frets above the 12th position, velocity development in arpeggios and scales, and refining finger independence through the performance of contrapuntal music. Improve reading skills to include scores and keyboard reductions. Perform 1 chamber work.

Goals

Learn Sor etudes 11-15; Coste Etude no.25. Velocity development in 3 octave scales. Ornaments. Brouwer Estudios Sencillos 10-15. Scale velocity: = 4x16 = mm130 rest stroke; mm110 free stroke; Sight reading chamber music. Practice performing Jr. Recital program.

Semester 4

Goals

Continue the development of good technique and musicianship through the performance of pieces and etudes with the emphasis on using the entire fingerboard, the frets above the 12th position, velocity development in arpeggios and scales, and refining finger independence through the performance of contrapuntal music. Improve reading skills to include scores and keyboard reductions. Perform 1 chamber work.

Objectives

Learn Bach Lute Suite no. 3 or equivalent Baroque work. Ponce Valse; Villalobos Preludes. Boccherini Quintets.

Semester 5 (student can opt to finish requirements in a fifth semester. If not, all of the below listed goals and objectives must be met by the 4th sememster)

Objectives

Maintain and hone performance, technique, rhythm, memory, and reading skills. Perform. Record demo.

Goals

Senior Recital; Perform program prior to recital as often as possible. Scale velocity: = 4x16 = mm130 rest stroke; mm120 free stroke. Practice performing and recording. Sight reading chamber music.

[1] Commercial music majors must complete the entire 8 semester, but need only give one recital. The performance degree requires two recitals (1/2 hour in the 6th semester and 1 full hour in the last semester).