The Concentration in Music Performance is a credential, recorded on the transcript, recognizing significant accomplishment in musical performance by majors in the Department of Music. Admission to the Performance Concentration is by audition. The program serves students who are interested in developing their instrumental or vocal performance skills beyond the level required for the B.A. in Music. DMP students and College Arts Scholars may also earn the Performance Concentration credential.
Music majors who study performance with our faculty will be eligible to audition for this Concentration. Areas include jazz, classical music, and select genres of non-Western, popular, and folk music.
The Following Courses are for Performance Concentration I-II
- MUPF 3950 - Performance Concentration I, Credits: 2
- MUPF 3960 - Performance Concentration II, Credits: 2
For music majors enrolled in the Music Performance Concentration Program:
- Prerequisite: at least one semester of 2000-level study and a successful audition, normally to take place in the spring semester of the second year.
- One-hour weekly advanced lessons (13 per semester), and mandatory participation in the Performance Seminar; graded, 3 credits.
- Students at this level should make a time commitment to practice appropriate to the demands of the Concentration Program, in consultation with faculty mentors..
- Students play a jury, i.e. a brief performance for a group of faculty, at the end of each semester, in addition to a 15-30 minute solo performance once per year as part of the Performance Seminar.
The Following Courses are for Performance Concentration III-IV
- MUPF 4950 - Performance Concentration III, Credits: 2
- MUPF 4960 - Performance Concentration IV, Credits: 2
For music majors enrolled in the Music Performance Concentration Program:
- Prerequisite: MUPF 3950 and MUPF 3960.
- One-hour weekly advanced lessons (13 per semester); mandatory participation in the Performance Seminar.
- For MUPF 4960, fourth-year recital. Graded, 3 credits.
- Students at this level should make a time commitment to practicing appropriate to the demands of the Concentration Program, in consultation with faculty mentors.
- Students play a jury, i.e. a brief performance for a group of faculty, at the end of each semester, in addition to a 15-30 minute solo performance once per year as part of the Performance Seminar, and a spring semester full recital.
Program Eligibility and Application
The Concentration provides formal recognition for a few outstanding students who earn musical performance credits at an advanced level and with a coherent plan supervised by an assigned Concentration Advisor.
Admission to the Concentration is based on application and audition. By the time of application (deadline announced in the spring semester), all applicants must have:
- Completed at least one semester of private lessons (MUPF 2xxx, Performance)
- Passed a successful jury to allow them to enroll in advanced lessons (MUPF 3xxx, Advanced Performance)
- Declared the Music Major
Normally, the application and audition process will take place during the spring semester of the second year, so that the students will be in the program in their third and fourth years. Certain outstanding students may be allowed to audition at the end of their first year in order to enter the program at the beginning of their second year.
Candidates must submit an application form, accompanied by a written recommendation and approval to audition from their primary private lesson instructor, ensemble director, or other faculty member (an e-mail from them is sufficient).
Auditions will be held in March. While audition requirements will vary according to instrument and style, the general requirement will be two or three contrasting pieces or movements from the standard solo repertoire. Consult the relevant private teacher for further details. The jury will consist of the members of the Music Department's Performance Committee.
Upon review of the application and successful completion of the audition, the student will be admitted to the Concentration and assigned a Concentration Advisor.
Currently, admission is limited to five students per year.
Program Requirements
In addition to the requirements for the BA in Music, the Performance Concentration requires students to take 21 additional credits in advanced musical performance. To earn the Performance Concentration credential, students must have a cumulative GPA at graduation of 3.0 or above, and a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in all credits applied to the Performance Concentration.