Assessments

Entering Freshmen

Audition and Interview

Students will perform two contrasting pieces and engage in a discussion of expectations and possibilities with the faculty. Faculty will rate the students as one of the following:

• Full acceptance - These students are eligible for consideration for a scholarship
• Provisional acceptance - These students will be encouraged to work hard and audition again at the end of the first semester.
• Acceptance as a music minor
• Acceptance denied

Required of all music students: This audition and interview must be completed before a student can officially declare music as a major and enroll in primary applied study.

Administered by the Recruitment and Retention Committee

Freshmen

Praxis I Exam (general)

This is a standardized exam required for admission to teacher education.

• passing score or equivalent required for acceptance into BM-Education program.

Performance Audition (end of Freshman year)

This is a special audition for acceptance into the BM-Performance program, normally held concurrently with the jury for the second semester of applied music study (MUSC 182).  Accepted students continue their applied studies at a level of 3 credits per semester. Audition repertoire must include the following:

Voice

At least six songs and arias including the following:

• Songs in English and at least two other languages
• At least one post-nineteenth century art song
• An aria from an opera or oratorio, sung in the original language

Piano

All major and harmonic minor scales, hands together, 2 octaves in eighth notes at quarter = 120 and three compositions from the following: 

• Bach Prelude and fugues, Suites,3-part Sinfonias; Handel Suites, Scarlatti Sonatas.
• A Sonata movement by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Clementi. 
• Composition at least 5 minutes in length by Schumann, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, or Brahms. 
• An Impressionistic or Twentieth-century work by Debussy, Ravel, Bartok, Prokofiev, Gershwin, or Copland.

Instruments

All major and minor scales (and arpeggios on woodwinds and mallet percussion), over the standard range of the instrument, slurred or tongued, in eighth notes at quarter = 144, and 3 repertory pieces, to be chosen in consultation with instructor, of a level of difficulty corresponding to or exceeding that of the following:

• a sonata by G.F. Handel (for flute or oboe)
• Andante and Allegro by André Chailleux (for saxophone)
• Fantasy-Piece, op. 73/1 by Robert Schumann (for clarinet)
• Sonata for Bassoon by G.P. Telemann.
• Concerto for Trumpet by F.J. Haydn
• a concerto for horn by W.A. Mozart
• Morceau Symphonique by Alexandre Guilmant (for trombone/euphonium)
• Introduction and Dance by J.E. Barat (for tuba)

Percussionists must perform on snare drum (Three Dances for Solo Snare Drum by Warren Benson), timpani (Introduction and Allegro by Saul Goodman), and mallets (Rain Dance by Alice Gomez)

Required for acceptance into BM-Performance degree program. 

Administered by the Applied Music Committee

Music Education Essay and Interview (held in April, end of Freshman year)

• addresses philosophical issues and aspirations
• required of all BM (Education)
• administered by the Music Education Faculty

Sophomores

Promotional Performance and Presentation 

This is a special Jury held at the end of the fourth semester of applied music study, for all students enrolled in MUSC282. 

• Each student must prepare a minimum of *15 minutes of music representing at least two contrasting styles which has been approved by his/her applied teacher. Singers must prepare repertoire representing at least four languages. A student may not pass the sophomore promotional if he/she does not have at least 15 minutes of music performance ready. Students will be required to specify the timings of each piece on their jury sheet. These timings must be signed off by that student's applied teacher. 
• At least two-thirds of the repertoire must have been learned in the semester of the promotional exam.
• Students must provide the jury with at least three sets of photocopies of the scores of their repertoire. These copies shall be discarded after the promotional exam.
• **Students must be prepared to speak about each work/composer and field questions from the jury.  Students are expected to show historical, theoretical, and practical insight into the works they are performing and be able to make informed judgments about the composers and their works. Students are allowed to have ONE 3" x 5" NOTE CARD as reference for the all the works/composers on their sophomore promotional.
• If a student does not pass the sophomore promotional, he/she may retake it the following semester. Students may not take the sophomore promotional more than two times.

**Students will perform music from their list of repertoire as chosen by the jury for approximately ten minutes. Students will speak about the works/composers for approximately ten minutes.

• Oral Presentation Guidelines

Required of all music students enrolled in MUSC282.

Administered by the full music faculty

Piano Proficiency Exam (May be taken earlier than the end of the sophomore year)

• Keyboard/Piano Proficiency Requirements

Required of all music majors

Administered by the piano faculty

Juniors

Recital Hearing (during the appropriate semester)

• Junior/Degree Recital Planning Guidelines
• Required of Junior BM-Performance
• Administered and adjudicated by a designated committee

Seniors

Recital Hearing (during appropriate Semester)

• Junior/Degree Recital Planning Guidelines
• required of all students in MUSC 483 Capstone Applied Music course (BA students may opt for a Capstone course MUSC 484 in which they present a project instead of the recital. See catalog.)
• administered by the applied committee and adjudicated by a designated committee

Praxis II Exam (Music, taken during Senior Year)

• standardized exam required for teacher license
• required of BM-Education

Student Assessments listed by Degree

BA

• Audition and Interview
• Promotional Performance and Presentation
• Piano Proficiency
• Recital hearing/Capstone Project hearing

BA with Piano Pedagogy Emphasis

• Audition and Interview
• Promotional Performance and Presentation
• Piano Proficiency
• Recital Hearing

BM (performance)

• Audition and Interview
• Performance Audition
• Promotional Performance and Presentation
• Piano Proficiency
• Recital Hearing - Junior
• Recital Hearing - Senior

BM (education)

• Audition and Interview
• Praxis I Exam
• Music Education Essay and Interview
• Promotional Performance and Presentation
• Piano Proficiency
• Praxis II Exam
• Recital hearing

See bulletin board or website for the exam schedule.