Lesson Syllabus

Sonoma State University Lesson Syllabus

General Considerations:

Each student must be officially registered and enrolled for a lesson in order to attend.
Each student who passes a lesson audition, meets the enrollment requirement, and is approved by the department for private lesson funding by the university (or has agreed to abide by the personal payment requirements as outlined) is entitled to 15 (30 minute), 10 (45 minute) or 7 (1 hour) lessons per semester.
Lesson participation for all trumpet students involves: demonstrated verbal and musical participation; musical assignment preparation (as outlined verbally or in written form by the instructor) -to include items from: Schlossberg, Clarke, Arban, and Standard Trumpet Solo and Etude Literature. Jazz Majors may also be required to prepare material which may include: scales, chords, II-V licks, solo transcription, melody memorization, articulation, and tune materials.

Grading Considerations:

A-exceptional work beyond what is required; work of considerable quantity and quality; complete assimilation of material; possible memorization; beyond technical considerations; dwelling in the artistic realm; excellent and earnest attitude toward instructor; perfect attendance;
B- work completed as required with a gracious and supportive attitude; required material is completed with good quality; perhaps not at the level of material mastery but shows excellent efforts; puts in more than last minute time on assigned tasks; near perfect attendance; perhaps late once or twice;
C- work completed, but not within the time frame specified by the instructor; has the necessary abilities, but does not demonstrate full potential; last minute efforts are the norm; some attitude difficulties or conflicts; unprepared once or twice; possibly late to several lessons or missing one lesson completely; lost or missing materials at one lesson;
D- tries but is barely able to accomplish minimum requirements; attendance and attitude difficulties exist; missing materials more than once; lost materials more than once; late more often than on time; missing more than one lesson; repeatedly unprepared; disruptive;
F- almost no work is accomplished; excessive attendance and attitude problems exist; this grade jeopardizes the student’s ability to repeat private instruction in future semesters.

Additional Considerations:

Lessons may include midterm and/or final exam "performances" (in the lesson setting) of works completed, as well as possible written midterm and final reports by the instructor (as needed).
Students are expected to bring the required musical texts, a pencil, music paper, a notepad, and a properly functioning musical instrument to each lesson.
If the student can not make a lesson, he is expected to call the instructor 24 hours in advance of the lesson time in order to facilitate schedule adjustments for the instructor.
Despite this allowance for a special case, the student is expected to attend all lessons on time and prepared.
If a student does not call 24 hours in advance and misses a scheduled lesson, the student forfeits the ability to make-up or reschedule that lesson.
Missing 2 or more lessons during the semester may result in the student being dropped from the class and/or replaced by another student.
Calling to cancel and appointment on the day of the lesson is polite but does not change the 24 hour cancellation necessity.
Take responsibility for lesson time. It should be a test of one's daily work on the music not a personal practice session.