# MUSE 466/566-1001: Hand Drum Ensemble UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS College of Fine Arts / School of Music / Percussion Area Fall 2026 | | | | ------------------- | --------------------------------- | | **Time** | Fr 10:00AM - 11:15AM | | **Class Location** | HFA 235 | | **Office Location** | HFA 208 | | **Office Hours** | by appointment | | **Phone:** | n/a | | **WebCampus** | https://www.it.unlv.edu/webcampus | | **Email** | [email protected] | **_Note:_** The instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus as it relates to how the course is administered. ## Course Description Hand Drum Ensemble is a chamber music course exploring the hand-percussion traditions of the Middle East and Mediterranean, taught in the "master drummer" style through rote (aural) learning as an ensemble. The course centers on frame and goblet drums such as the tar, riq, bendir, and darbuka, and extends into additional hand-percussion traditions including Afro-Cuban and Afro-Peruvian styles. Students learn idiomatic hand and finger techniques, internalize groove and interlocking rhythmic parts in non-Western meters, and develop the aural skills required to acquire and retain music without notation. ## Course Prerequisite(s) n/a ## Course Rationale Hand percussion carries deep cultural significance, and the traditions studied here transmit far more than repertoire. The idiomatic hand and finger techniques of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean drumming develop finger dexterity and independence that most other percussion mediums do not, with high transfer value across a percussionist's craft. The music itself builds listening, groove, and command of meters and interlocking rhythmic components rarely encountered in Western art music. Finally, the course develops the student's capacity to learn by rote—an aural modality largely set aside in modern pedagogy, yet the essential mode of transmission for anyone who later seeks out and studies with a master drummer in a traditional setting. ## [[4.1.0 What are "Program Competencies"|Program Competencies]] **[[4.1.1 BM Competencies|BM Competencies]] (MUSE 466):** - Perform in solo and ensemble (large and small) settings at a level appropriate for the area of specialization, with sufficient technical and musical skills requisite for artistic self-expression. - Demonstrate knowledge of styles, composers, genres, forms, and processes—including contributions made by composers of multicultural societies. **[[4.1.2 MM Competencies|MM Competencies]] (MUSE 566):** - Demonstrate advanced proficiency in performance, showcasing technical skill, expressiveness, and interpretive depth in ensemble settings at a professional level. - Demonstrate an understanding of diverse musical traditions, cultural perspectives, and inclusive pedagogical approaches in performance, teaching, and scholarship. **[[4.1.3 DMA Competencies|DMA Competencies]] (MUSE 566):** - Perform or conduct and rehearse in an area of specialization at the highest level of professional practice. - Display a thorough understanding of the history of their instrument and a comprehensive knowledge of the repertoire and literature specific to the area of specialization. ## Course Competencies - Rehearsal preparation and week-to-week retention of rote-taught material - Execution of idiomatic hand and finger techniques on frame and goblet drums (tar, riq, bendir, darbuka, and related instruments) - Demonstration of groove, timekeeping, and interlocking-part awareness in non-Western meters - Aural learning: acquiring, retaining, and reproducing material by ear without notation - Demonstration of professionalism and musical excellence during live performance - Contribution to the ensemble through positivity, engagement, and maximum effort ## Learning Outcomes/Course Objectives 1. Perform idiomatic techniques on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean hand drums (tar, riq, bendir, darbuka, and related instruments). 2. Understand the cultural and historical context of the traditions studied, including Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Afro-Cuban, and Afro-Peruvian hand percussion. 3. Develop finger dexterity and independence with high transfer value to other percussion mediums. 4. Internalize groove, meter, and interlocking rhythmic components characteristic of non-Western musical traditions. 5. Develop the ability to learn by rote—acquiring and retaining music aurally—as preparation for study with master drummers in traditional settings. ## Required Text No text purchase is required. Materials are transmitted aurally in class. ## Evaluation Methods Ensembles carry few point-bearing assignments. **The final grade is a qualitative judgment against the assessable areas listed under [[#Course Competencies]]**. See **[[#Grading Policy]]** for the qualitative scale. ## Attendance Policy As a chamber ensemble course, every student is crucial to the shared experience among peers. Attendance is mandatory, and failure to communicate possible absences will result in a lowered or failing grade at the instructor's discretion. Because material is taught by rote and cannot be recovered from notation, missed rehearsals are especially difficult to make up—consistent attendance is essential. Most absences due to illness or other life events are often fully excused with reasonable advance notification. Communicate impending punctuality or absence issues as early as it is safe to do so. ## Grading Policy Ensembles have few point-bearing assignments. The following is a general, qualitative representation of letter grades relative to the **four areas of assessment** from the **[[#Course Competencies]]**: | Grade range | Descriptor | Standard | |---|---|---| | A- to A | Proficient | Consistently demonstrates/achieves | | B to B+ | Sufficient | Frequently demonstrates/achieves | | C to B- | Sufficient | Sometimes demonstrates/achieves | | D- to C- | Insufficient | Rarely demonstrates/achieves | | F | Deficient | Never demonstrates/achieves | Interpretation of this policy and final grades are at the discretion of the instructor. In general, being punctual, prepared, and engaged in class will result in a positive final grade. Concerns regarding a student's potential underperformance will be addressed between instructor and student well before a negative grade is earned by the end of a semester. # Course Agenda/Schedule | **Module/Week #** | **Activity** | **Due/Benchmark Dates** | | ----------------- | ------------ | ----------------------- | | — | — | — | | | | | ## [[6.6 University Policies|University Policies]]