Choral Arranging for Your Choir
Graduate Level
Credits / Units
2 or 3
Course Term
must be completed within
9 months of registration.
Course Code
EDUX 9136
Price Per Credit
$185
Course Description:
Selecting repertoire that matches the ability of your choir does not need to be a challenge when you compose music written specifically for them! Guided by Dr. Tim Sharp, composer, conductor, and former national ACDA Executive Director, you will learn techniques to write meaningful choral arrangements that highlight your choirs’ strengths, while showcasing your own creativity. Analyzing the elements of text, melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, and timbre, this Forward Motion course is directed towards an emerging composer who wants to explore their capabilities and test the waters of composition. At the end of the course, you will have created your own arrangement and may take advantage of one-on-one instructional coaching from Dr. Sharp to review your work.
This course is intended for teachers and choral conductors at any point in their career. No pre-requisite required. Students will need internet access to complete online video content available at www.fwdmotion.org, basic word processing skills, and access to *music notation software such as Finale, Sibelius, Noteflight, Flat I/O, or MuseScore. Additional credit may be earned when scheduling private instruction with Dr. Sharp.
*Composing by hand is acceptable if desired as this course does not provide instruction or support using notation software. Software such as Musescore, Noteflight and Flat I/O are free with limited, but useable features. Musescore’s free software currently provides the most features.
Course Outcomes:
Students will…
- Learn about tools of composition regarding text, melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, and timbre.
- Reflect on strengths and weaknesses of their singers to inform repertoire composition and selection
- Compose and analyze their own choral arrangement
Course Components:
This course includes online video lectures, prescribed comprehension response questions, reflection essays, and a final composition. All coursework instructions and videos will be found on www.fwdmotion.org. Completed coursework should be submitted online via the interactive Forward Motion module available immediately after registration and sign-in. Students must receive a passing grade to receive university credit by earning “acceptable” or “excellent” on each assignment rubric.
Forward Motion awards academic credit in partnership with Dominican University of California. Graduate-Level Extension Semester Credits/Units are primarily used for professional development or salary advancement and are transferable to degree programs only on the approval of the institution being petitioned. The words credits and units are used interchangeably as geographical locations vary in terminology. Participants are advised to obtain prior employer approval for use in salary advancement. Dominican University of California is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).