CANCELLED (4/29) - The Art of Song: Celebrating Black American Composers
Course Description
Summary
The Art of Song is a recurring voice technique class that centers around a specific topic within the vast canon of vocal repertoire.
This course focuses on the performance and interpretation of art song repertoire by celebrated 20th-century Black American composers such as Hall Johnson, Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, William Grant Still, and more. Through a combination of technical vocal training, performance practice, and critical analysis, students will develop their singing and performance skills while examining the cultural and historical contexts that shaped the works of these composers.
In addition to learning and performing songs from the repertoire, students will be given short readings and written assignments to delve further into the roots of Black American concert music and vocal repertoire.
Students enrolled in this course should have some literacy in Western musical notation, as we will primarily be learning songs from sheet music.
Learning Outcomes
- Functional training in voice technique
- Understand the cultural, historical, and social contexts influencing the works of Black American composers in the 20th century
- Increased confidence in singing and performing
Prerequisites
Instructor permission is required. Students interested in this course must have previously taken at least one semester of Intermediate Voice, or otherwise have some demonstrated experience in voice training and learning from sheet music.
Email virginiakelsey@bennington.edu to express interest.