Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Alternate Currents Performance Ensemble (Face-to-Face)

MUSC 3390-01

Course: MUSC 3390-01
Credits: 1
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: MUSC
CRN: 32035

Course Description

This course is designed to give students a contemporary music performance experience in an ensemble setting. Students can participate in a variety of roles in the ensemble, including composer, arranger, performer, etc., depending on their experience and areas of expertise. Students will have opportunities to interact with other members of the ensemble to create live and recorded performances for audio and video distribution. Performance and/or demonstration of the works of this ensemble will be part of the assessment used in the course. (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)]

Required Texts

No text is required for this course. Sheet music will be distributed to the student periodically throughout the semester.

Learning Outcomes

  • Rehearse with an awareness of others.
  • Contribute musically to the whole.
  • Demonstrate expressive and technically appropriate performances.
  • Achieve and maintain high expectations of themselves and others.

Course Requirements

Weekly preparation and practice

It is expected that students arrive to each rehearsal ready to play their parts. Sight-reading and learning your parts on the spot is not acceptable. Students who persist in coming to rehearsals unprepared will have their grade affected significantly.

Repertoire to learn (Set List)

Each student will learn the following songs for concerts and the end-of-semester tour:

Set List

  • Sing a Song – Earth, Wind, and Fire
  • Hello From the Other Side – Adele
  • Happy – Pharrell Williams
  • Me! – Taylor Swift

Other Songs

  • We Built This City – Starship – Arrange together
  • TBD – Arrange together

Choir Songs

  • Million Dreams – Greatest Showman
  • Queen Medley
Grading breakdown
AssignmentsDatesPercentage Breakdown
Attendance Policy20%
Preparedness10%
Commercial Music Concert at Heritage Cen.20%
High School Tour15%
Commercial Music Showcase Performance20%
Music Video Recording15%
Total100%
Letter grade scale
Letter GradePercentage
A93% - 100%
A-90% - 92.99%
B+87% - 89.99%
B83% - 86.99%
B-80% - 82.99%
C+77% - 79.99%
C73% - 76.99%
C-70% - 72.99%
D+67% - 69.99%
D63% - 66.99%
D-60% - 62.99%
FBelow 60%

Course Outline

Performances and key dates
  • Commercial Music Concert at Heritage Center: Feb 13, 7:00
  • High School Tours: March
  • Music Video Recording
  • Commercial Music Showcase: Nov 8 & April 4, 7:00 (5pm call)
Final project timeline

Final Music Video Recording: The last two weeks of class will be devoted to making a live recording of some or all of our songs. Students will be involved in all aspects of preproduction, recording, and post-production.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

No late work will be accepted.

Attendance Policy

You must be at all rehearsals and performances. Roll will be taken each day. Please remember to arrive early, and that rehearsal will begin at 2:00 pm sharp. Any unexcused absence may result in one letter grade drop. The third will result in removal. There are no excused absences for performances and/or dress rehearsals. Students will receive a failing grade for any missed performance or recording.

Students are expected to arrive to each class on time and should only miss a class if there is an emergency or other valid reason. Attendance counts for 20% of the final grade and will be impacted greatly if students do not show up. Each student will be allowed one excused absence without penalty. Students must communicate with the instructor via email or phone at least 24 hours in advance of the class to be missed in order to excuse their absence. Texting will not be permitted as a method of communicating these absences.

Course Fees

None

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.