All online MECA courses begin
on February 3 and conclude on
May 4, 2020.
Registration for all online
courses closes at 12:00 noon CST
on Friday, January 31.
Spring break for online
courses is March 16-20, 2020;
no courses will be held.
Dates for on-campus courses vary; please check each course's page
for specific dates. Registration
for all on-campus courses closes two weeks prior to the course
start date.
On-Campus Course Hours
Saturdays: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sundays: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
All single-credit weekend courses
will have pre- and post-course
components. Check each course's
page for specific details.
Questions?
Choral Arranging *
ONLINE
February 3–May 4, 2020
This course explores the essential concepts and techniques for arranging choral music at the elementary and secondary school levels, including voice types and ranges; notation; harmonic principles; the importance of text in regards to mood and melodic shape; keyboard accompaniment; homophonic and contrapuntal textures; two-, three- and four-part densities; and adapting an existing arrangement to a different setting. Lectures, discussion, analysis of musical examples, quizzes and arranging exercises are all components of this course.
Outcomes:
* Choral Arranging is offered at two course levels. Students enrolled in the MMEd program at VanderCook are eligible to enroll at the 500 level. Students not enrolled in the MMEd program who wish to earn graduate credit as a MECA Continuing Education student should register at the 7000 level. The difference in credits earned and tuition cost is attributed to the difference in tuition rates for the MMEd and MECA Continuing Education programs. If you are unsure which level is best for you, please contact us directly at meca@vandercook.edu.
Instructor: Thomas Jesse
Thomas Jesse (MMEd '13) studied music at Michigan State University and earned his music education at Northern Illinois University and his master’s from VanderCook. In his teaching career, Jesse has taught K-6 general music, 6-12 chorus, musical theatre, music technology, guitar, acting and theatre technology. He studied jazz arranging with Jennifer Barnes and choral arranging with longtime VanderCook professor Mary Ann Krupa. He has written arrangements for professional a cappella groups as well as numerous arrangements for women’s chorus and middle school chorus. He currently sings for FAMEntertainment and teaches 6-8th grade chorus and 6th grade general music at Kennedy Junior High in Lisle, IL.
Course Details
Choral Arranging
Instructor: Thomas Jesse
MECA Students:
3 Graduate Credits
Course Code 7550
Tuition: $1,050
MMEd Students:
2 Graduate Credits
Course Code 525
Tuition: $1,110
Tuition is due in full at the time of registration.
Online Chat Sessions
TBD
Prerequisites
Students will use notation software (of their choice) and should be comfortable using it.
Required Text(s)
Contemporary Choral Arranging by Arthur E. Ostrander
& Dana Wilson
(Prentice Hall,
ISBN: 0-13-169756-0)
Software/Hardware Requirements
Students must have access to notation software (i.e., Finale, Sibelius, Noteflight, Flat.io, MuseScore, etc.). Free versions are fine, but they may have limited access to saving scores and projects.
Whichever software is chosen, it should have the capability to import and export in Music XML format.
MECA Online Course Details
VanderCook Online is powered by Schoology (www.schoology.com). Through this learning management system, you'll be able to interact directly with your instructor, students in your classes, and members of the greater VanderCook Online community.
Spring 2020 MECA courses officially begin on Monday, February 3. Soon after you register, you'll be added as a new Schoology user. Be on the lookout for an email from Schoology with log-in instructions. Once you are given credentials, simply visit www.online.vandercook.edu to login. On the morning of February 3, you'll have access to your classroom and course material.
Some courses have specific online chat meeting times (please see course descriptions), while others have a flexible meeting schedule. You can expect all courses to meet together in a live online chat. If a live meeting time doesn’t work, you can work with your instructor to make other arrangements.
You’ll have the opportunity to work at your own pace each week while completing assignments and posting responses to discussion questions. You’ll constantly be interacting with your instructor and classmates online, and working through new material each week. We know how crazy school schedules can get, so our instructors try to make everything as flexible as possible!
Online grades will be reported by mid-May. If you are in need of a transcript please visit the online transcript request page. If you are in need a quick turn around time for your transcript please submit the transcript request to the registrar prior to the end of your course(s).