Program requirements for Music students

We are committed to delivering a Music program designed for students to attain their highest potential of musical excellence by nurturing your individual gifts in a highly supportive environment.

Concert Attendance/Music Literature course

All music majors and minors must enroll in the Concert Attendance/Music Literature course every semester of residency. You must pass this course in all semesters of residency to graduate, and it is a zero-credit pass/fail course. 

To pass this course, music majors must attend at least 14 recitals per term, and music minors must attend at least 10 recitals per term. You may obtain a maximum of 4 of those credits through concerts in which you perform.

Obtaining recital credit

The ONLY way to receive credit for Roshong Recital Hall events is for you to swipe your card at the end of the event. If you do not swipe your card, you will not receive credit.

  • You can count other music events held on and off campus for credit. To obtain credit for these events, staple your ticket stub to your program, print your name on it, and place it in the folder outside the Event Coordinator’s office - Jones 222. We will not count programs lacking a ticket stub or name.
  • You can also include streamed-only events by turning in a paragraph in Canvas about the concert and the day/time you watched it.
  • You will automatically receive credit for Music events you perform in and for which you are scheduled on the main Music Events list for each term (Student Recitals, Band/Choir/Orchestra concerts, etc.). You will not need to swipe your card or turn in a program/ticket stub.
  • If your ensemble performs somewhere other than Roshong Recital Hall or the Concert Hall, you may be able to receive some amount of credit depending upon the repertoire, length of performance, etc. We determine this type of credit on a case-by-case basis.
Curriculum requirements

All Music majors must enroll in Applied Music (private lessons) and a major ensemble every term. Check catalog and departmental checklists for specific music concentration requirements.

Every Music K-12 Teaching Option major must apply to the Department of Teacher Education once they have completed 30 semester hours.

Applied Music (private lessons)

Each professor sets specific practice and performance standards for Applied Music individually, and many music faculty also require attendance at a studio class or symposium as part of the course. Performance majors should enroll in 2 credits per term.

Major ensembles

Appropriate major ensembles:

  • Wind and percussion: concert band
  • Voice: choir
  • Strings: chamber orchestra/San Juan Symphony Youth Orchestra
  • Guitar: band or choir
  • Piano: orchestra, band, or choir
Juries

Juried exams are held for all Applied Music students at the end of each semester. Appearance before a faculty jury constitutes the final exam in the student’s applied area. Students performing a degree recital are exempt from a jury for that term.

For more information, visit our Recitals & Juries page.

Piano proficiency

All music majors must satisfy a proficiency requirement. Students with adequate skills may petition to take the examination from Dr. Campi-Walters. Those with poor keyboard backgrounds should enroll in the Piano Class sequence. Successful completion of these classes also satisfies the piano proficiency requirement. Contact Dr. Campi-Walters for proficiency exam requirements.

Recitals

For more information on recitals, visit our Recitals & Juries page.

Midday Music recitals

All music majors are required to perform on one Midday Music student recital per semester. These monthly recitals are held in Roshong Recital Hall on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Students performing either a junior or a senior recital do not need to perform a Midday Music recital during the same term. Performance in the Student Honors Recital will fulfill your student recital requirement for the Spring term.

Degree recitals

Junior Recitals are required of performance majors only. These may be half recitals given in conjunction with another student. Senior Recitals are required of all music majors during their senior year. This also fulfills the Senior Seminar requirement. The sophomore proficiency cannot be completed during the semester you register for senior seminar.

Sophomore proficiency exam

An extended jury, or proficiency exam, will be held during the student’s sophomore year. Students must pass this exam to continue as upper-division music majors. Consult the appropriate applied lesson instructor for specific requirements.