Bachelor of Music (BM) in Performance

Performance Areas

Bassoon	French Horn	Saxophone	Violin
Cello	Harp	Trombone	Voice
Clarinet	Oboe	Trumpet
Double Bass	Piano	Tuba
Flute	Percussion	Viola

Each student is assigned to a member of the faculty for private instruction. Individual instruction is given in one-hour lessons; every effort is made to consider the student’s preferences in studio assignment.

General Degree Requirements

To attain the BM, each student must meet the following requirements:

• Satisfactory completion of all courses in the chosen program of study as prescribed by the School of Music.
• Completion of at least 132 semester credits.
• Registration for eight semesters as a full-time student or the equivalent.
• Demonstration of proficiency in all technical or professional courses, including a satisfactory recital at the senior level for performance majors and a recital of original compositions for composition majors.

Performance Requirement (Applied Music)

Programs of study within the School of Music vary according to degree sought, area of specialization, and major instrument. Every undergraduate degree candidate in music must study a major instrument. Instruction is offered in the following areas: bassoon, cello, clarinet, double bass, euphonium, flute, harp, horn, oboe, percussion, piano, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, tuba, viola, violin, and voice.

Each student taking applied music is assigned to a member of the faculty for private instruction. Individual instruction is given in half-hour or hour lessons. An effort is made to consider the student’s preference in studio assignment. Students prepare and present recitals under the tutelage of a School of Music faculty member. Recital Permission Examinations must be passed before the scheduled recital.

Proficiency Levels

The School of Music employs the following system of levels to assess a student’s preparation or attainment in music performance.

Undergraduate Levels 1–8

These levels measure the student’s progress through the undergraduate program. Normally students progress one level each semester. Level 1 is the lowest level permitted for credit on the student’s major instrument. Level 6 is the minimum level required for graduation of students not majoring in performance. Level 8 is the minimum level required for graduation of performance majors.

Musical Organizations

Every full-time undergraduate student is required to perform in a musical organization for credit every semester in residence, up to a maximum of eight semesters. Music education students are exempt from musical organization during their semester of full-time practicum (student teaching).

These organizations and ensembles include:

• Chamber Chorus
• Chamber Orchestra
• Collaborative Piano
• Opera Theatre
• Opera Workshop
• Percussion Ensemble
• Symphonic Chorus
• Symphony Orchestra
• Time’s Arrow New Music Ensemble
• Concert Choir
• Wind Ensemble
• Women’s Chorale

Choral Requirements (CFA MU 653 and CFA MU 654)

For students who are not concentrating in an orchestral instrument, these organizations include the following:

MU 653 A1	Symphonic Chorus	.5 cr
MU 654 A1	Chamber Chorus	.5 cr
MU 654 B1	Women’s Chorale	.5 cr
MU 654 C1	Concert Choir	.5 cr

Students must register for two ensembles each semester,* including CFA MU 653 Symphonic Chorus, and one of the CFA MU 654 sections to be determined by audition. All undergraduate voice, keyboard, and musicology majors must audition for placement in one of the ensembles with a CFA MU 654 number. Freshman vocal performance majors must also attend the Movement Lab.

* Piano majors take MU 653 only in both semesters of the freshman and senior years. Please consult the Piano Program Outline for the remaining requirements.

Registration

• The student’s registration must be Symphonic Chorus (CFA MU 653) for .5 credit and one of the ensembles under the MU 654 number for .5 credit.
• Because placement cannot be determined until an audition is completed, the MU 654 section for purposes of preregistration is X1. Once assignment has been made, the School of Music administration will substitute the appropriate section for X1.

All incoming and returning students must sign up electronically for an audition during the first days of the Fall Semester. Those undergraduate students selected by the faculty for Opera Workshop should combine that registration (CFA MU 651) with one of the MU 654 sections, each for .5 credit.

Orchestra/Wind Ensemble—CFA MU 650

Students concentrating in an orchestral instrument are placed in Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, and/or Wind Ensemble.

Placement Auditions

Initial assignments to large instrumental ensembles, and seating within them, will be made on the basis of auditions held during the first week of school.

Each new and returning instrumentalist planning to participate in CFA MU 650 must audition. The audition will last approximately ten minutes. Sign up for auditions as well as audition repertoire is available online through the Music Student Resources link on our website. We advise students not to delay in signing up as available times fill up quickly.

Music History Requirement

All undergraduate music majors are required to take four semesters of music history. MU 221/223 History and Literature of Music 1 and MU 222/224 History and Literature of Music 2 are required. The remaining music history requirements may be taken from a selection of elective offerings.

The list of electives is broken down into Series A and Series B. In order to take any course in Series A (up to MU 329/339), which includes all of the period courses along with Opera and Performance Practice, the prerequisites are MU 221/223 and MU 222/224.

Courses in Series B (beginning with MU 340/350), comprising non-Western, jazz, and popular repertories, as well as interdisciplinary topics, are open to all students and do not require a prerequisite.

Placement Examinations in Music Theory and Aural Skills

All entering undergraduate students are required to take Placement Examinations in both music theory and aural skills. These examinations are given during the Summer Orientation sessions and in September before the start of classes. Accepted students are notified of the exam dates and are responsible for taking them. The material covered by the Placement Examinations includes basic harmony, aural skills, analysis, and counterpoint.