CU Winds is open to all Cornell University’s students, and most of our ensemble members have majors other than music.
Cornell courses Music 3663 and Music 3631 aim to produce substantial growth in participants’ overall musicianship by improving skills such as intonation, technique, musicality, listening, ensemble balance and blend, rhythm, sight reading, and repertoire broadening. Wind Ensemble 3663 involves up to 50 rehearsals and 15-20 concerts, including tour(s). Wind Symphony plays two or more concerts each term, with up to 30 rehearsals.
Auditions are required for most ensembles.
Cornell University Wind Ensemble (CUWE) of CU Winds
MUS 3633; Spring semester 2011
Credit Hours: 1
Rehearsal Time and Place: Mondays 4:40—6:15pm and Wednesdays 4:40—6:40pm, Lincoln Hall B20 (or Bailey Hall, as needed)
Instructor: Cynthia Johnston Turner, D.M.A.
Contact at: 607-255-3712 (office), email: cpj6 {at} cornell(.)edu
Office: 340 Lincoln Hall; Hours: M & T 3:00-4:00pm or by appointment
(I will generally try to return emails within 24 hours. I am not available 24/7 however, and will not respond to emails that are addressed as “Hey”)
www.cuwinds.com
Welcome!
“The thing about performance, even if it’s only an illusion, is that it is a celebration of the fact that we do contain within ourselves infinite possibilities.” - Daniel Day Lewis
CU WINDS unites Cornell University students who seek remarkable music making through the process of preparing and performing established and emerging wind repertoire in both large and chamber ensembles.
Course Description and Rationale
The goal of this music performance course is to provide the opportunity for you as a woodwind, brass, or percussion performer to come together with other like-minded (and like-spirited) musicians in an ensemble setting to rehearse and perform the highest quality literature from the wind ensemble repertoire.
In this course we will focus on overall concepts of self and ensemble expression, engagement, participation, and performance. We will also address musical concepts of ensemble and individual balance, blend, intonation, phrasing, dynamics, articulation, tone, rhythmic precision, color, and ensemble clarity. We are going to LISTEN. Listen to ourselves, each other, the collective, the music.
Course Objectives
My goals for this Wind Ensemble (MUS3633) are to contribute substantially to your:
I believe that you are a highly competent individual who knows something about music and has something to offer everyone else in the course/ensemble. As such, I hope you will share your knowledge and ideas during the rehearsal process. Please don’t always rely on me. I invite you to help guide the rehearsal by vocalizing your musical ideas, sharing what you are hearing, and contributing to the collective concept of the music. We are by definition, an ensemble, and as such, we need to develop our skills for working as a group. Together we will define our concept of excellence.
What does it mean to be part of a section? Part of an ensemble? Leading a section? While I fear stating the obvious, if you are a section leader have the added responsibility of LEADING your section. That means guiding your section in matters of intonation, style, phrasing, sound, vibrato, dynamics, balance, precision, and articulation, not just during sectionals, but during each and every rehearsal. Section leaders are expected to organize and carry out sectionals as needed. (I expect at least once every two weeks…and not one desperate week before the performance.) Leaders are also expected to communicate with me regarding the progress of sectionals. Section members are expected to contribute to the section leader’s vision by actively participating and engaging fully in sectionals. I’ve chosen section leaders very carefully BUT, it’s a bit like sitting in the exit row on the airplane. If you don’t feel you can carry out the duties, or do not wish to for whatever reason, let me know and I’ll re-assign!
Weekly, I will post comments/questions on Blackboard. In addition to your contributions during rehearsal, this will be an opportunity for you to share information with me and your fellow ensemble members. You can post recordings, talk about the progress of rehearsals, share sectional material, discuss your concept of a piece or section of a piece, etc. Our main goal is to develop a set of criteria for how to listen.
Regular and faithful attendance to all rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and concerts is understood. Support of colleagues in CU Winds is expected. During rehearsal your commitment is to personal and ensemble excellence. Bring a pencil to every rehearsal and use it regularly to mark your music with the ideas we have expressed. Be early for rehearsal. Warm up and be mentally prepared before we begin. (“If you are on time, you are late.”) Commit to being an integral part of the ensemble. That means being supportive of each other, patient, helpful. An ensemble has little room for ego. Expect that I will commit fully to this group.
If missing a rehearsal is unavoidable, you must inform me AND your section leader at least 36 hours ahead of time AND you must secure a substitute for that rehearsal. Legitimate reasons for missing a rehearsal do not include studying, review sessions, or hunger…you get the idea.
You are expected to learn notes and rhythms before attending the next rehearsal. What?! Yes, that’s correct. The practice rooms should be full of the melodious sounds of wind ensemble music after the first rehearsal, and throughout the rotation. Each week, I will communicate what we will be rehearsing the following week or rehearsal. This will help guide your own rehearsal. You need to rehearse your individual part before you can contribute to the ensemble.
You can expect that I will have done my part and studied the score intensely. Let’s not waste each other’s time with the basics at rehearsal. Our time together as an ensemble is about transforming the music to another level. That’s precious.
**If you miss two rehearsals and/or sectionals without an explanation, you will be invited to leave the ensemble. Nothing personal, but your actions will be deemed unfair to the group. Students taking this course for credit will lose the credit.
You will receive a folder and music. Our librarian monitors this but it is also your responsibility. Take care of your music. If it is lost or damaged, you will be billed for the replacement cost ($15.00 for rentals; $3.00 for originals; $1.50 for photocopies). Leave your music and folders on the stand after each concert. I will post a rehearsal order of music each week on cuwinds.com. Please put your music in order before rehearsal.
Wind Ensemble has the opportunity to provide a unique and valuable service during Cornell’s Commencement weekend. During Senior Week (May 23-27, 2011), we rehearse every day to prepare new music for Convocation, a concert on the arts quad, PhD ceremony, and Commencement on May 28 and May 29. (Commencement draws our largest audience of the year, over 35,000 guests.) This is a professional gig and all wind ensembles members are expected to commit.
Regular Season Concert Attire: Women: Black blouse with sleeves (short or long). Black pants or full-length skirt OR long black dress. No mid-riffs showing. Black or plain hose or socks; black dress shoes.
Men: Black suit or tuxedo, white shirt, black bow tie or long tie, black socks, black dress shoes.
If you think it might look unprofessional, it will.
(Concert attire for Commencement weekend is less formal. CU Winds polo shirts, black pants or skirts [long], black shoes.)
Ensemble Grading: All musicians MUST register for this course, either for ensemble credit or P/F). Everyone begins each semester with an “A” grade. Given excellent attendance, consistent preparation and execution at rehearsals and performances, and a conscientious review of the above guidelines, your grade should remain an “A” or venture higher.
Attendance Policy:
1 tardy = no consequences, it happens, you’ll probably get the stink-eye.
2 tardies = 1 unexcused absence
1 unexcused absence = grade reduction from A to A-
2 unexcused absences = a B grade and an invitation to leave the ensemble
Course Texts/Repertoire: See attached for complete repertoire. All of the repertoire will offer unique challenges. Concert repertoire has been carefully selected. However, I always welcome input concerning repertoire, and I am willing to consider your suggestions.
Congratulations on being a Cornell University Wind Ensemble member! Let’s work hard, have fun and commit to excellence.
By arrangement with Cynthia Johnston Turner. Students must be enrolled in Wind Symphony or Wind Ensemble in the same semester.
Fall and spring. 4 credits per year. Corequisite: membership in Wind Ensemble. Cynthia Johnston Turner.
The goal of this music performance and service learning course is to provide the opportunity in which learning experiences address human and community needs, and to allow the necessary time for reflection on those experiences. The focus of the course is on musical and personal leadership within communities—from the local to the foreign and from the known to the unknown. Communities in this context are defined by the community of students and musicians within the wind ensemble, the local communities in Ithaca and other New York state schools, and school, conservatory, and municipal communities in Costa Rica.