Singing school: Encyclopedia II - Singing school - Curriculum

Singing school - Curriculum

The basic subject taught at a singing school is music theory and sight reading, the ability to sing a piece of music by reading the music notation. The basic knowledge required to do this can usually be taught in one week, but a couple of years of practice are usually required to become proficient. Most religious schools also focus extensively on song leading, the ability to direct a group in vocal music. Song leading requires both music theory skills and public speaking skills. Most religious schools are associated with Christian religious traditions that allow only male leadership; thus, many schools offer song leading classes only for men and boys. ('See Christian views of women'.) Other schools allow women to attend song leading classes and practice the skills, but not lead, while still others teach men and women alike in the exact same program.

In addition, many schools teach harmony, the art of writing multiple parts of music for a song, and lyric writing, the art of composing words for a song.

Many singing schools have published their own small textbooks on music theory, harmony, and song and lyric composition. These are often offered to students as part of the tuition charge of the school. Students are also generally obliged to purchase a pitchpipe, a small instrument that sounds a single note. Those students that learn song leading are taught to use the pitchpipe to establish the key and starting note of a song. Primitive Baptists and others do not believe in or use a pitch pipe to establish pitch, instead pitching by ear.

It is common for students to continue to return to their singing school year after year, even after completing all the curriculum the school offers, for additional practice as well as for the social opportunity the school represents. Many singing school students eventually become teachers. Though singing schools do not have the prominence they once did, for many people they are an important event to look forward to year-round.

Sacred Harp singing schools use one or more of the 20th century editions of The Sacred Harp as curriculum. Some of these are one-day workshops held in conjunction with a singing convention. The emphasis is on teaching newcomers and advanced musicians the note system and traditions of Sacred Harp.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Curriculum", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki