Music

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The Division of Music provides students with the opportunity to study music within the context of a liberal arts education. The Division offers three baccalaureate degree programs:

The Bachelor of Science degree in General Music Education is a professional degree, stressing competence in teaching vocal, instrumental, and general music from kindergarten through high school. Students acquire a common body of knowledge and skills that constitute a basic foundation for work and continuing growth as a professional musician. Studies are intended to develop knowledge and competencies in performance, aural and analytical skills, composition and improvisation, history and repertoire, and music technology and teaching methodology. This degree prepares students for professional teacher certification (K-12) in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Bachelor of Science in Music Degree, with studies in Music Industry & Recording Technology, (MIRT) prepares students for a broad range of professional activities in the music world. Our music majors are, first and foremost, outstanding, well-rounded musicians. These students use their musicianship to enhance and complement their understanding of music production, business, and promotion. Students will also learn about the various intersections between the music industry, film, television, globalization, religion, and politics, making them more competitive in the marketplace.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Music  allows students to acquire a broad knowledge of music, stressing the development of musicianship, the ability to perform and an intellectual grasp of the art. Students pursuing this degree are encouraged to achieve the highest possible level of musical discrimination, creativity, and skill in performance.

Music Auditions and Admission to Music Majors

Official admission to any of the three baccalaureate degrees listed above is by audition only. Auditions may be scheduled on certain designated days during the academic year or by appointment during the summer months. In special circumstances, applicants may request admission into a major after the successful completion of their jury examination at the end of their first semester of study.

The audition must demonstrate musicianship, musical sensitivity, and performance skill on the student’s primary instrument. Three contrasting compositions of the student’s choice must be presented. In addition, the student may be asked to take a music theory test, demonstrate basic music reading skills, to show satisfactory proficiency in executing major and minor scales and technical studies, and to answer questions concerning their musical experience and training. Audition candidates should dress appropriately for their audition, and present themselves in a dignified and professional manner.

Performance Attendance

All music majors are required to complete six semesters of Recital Attendance, a zero-credit, pass/fail course.  In order to pass recital attendance, a student must attend and/or perform in at least fifteen concerts/recitals per semester.

Performance Requirements

All music majors, in consultation with their applied music instructors, are required to perform in a student recital at least once each semester.

All General Music Education and Music (BA) students are required to perform a solo recital during their senior year. Six credits with a grade of 2.0 or higher in the primary instrument must be completed before presenting the senior recital. The senior recital will be graded by the music faculty and the result reported in the student’s permanent file. Before performing the senior recital, the student must successfully complete a recital hearing at least two weeks prior to the recital date. The recital program and all program notes must be presented at the recital hearing for approval by the music faculty. Should the student fail the recital hearing, a second hearing may be required and the recital date may be delayed.

At the discretion of the applied music instructor, any music major may request permission from the music faculty to present a junior recital. This recital is often shared with another junior music major, and is subject to the same rules and standards as a senior recital.

Piano Proficiency Requirements

All music majors are required to meet basic piano requirements before graduation. Students majoring in Music (BA), General Music Education , or Music (BS) must pass a piano proficiency examination, which is normally taken after four semesters of piano study. The examination may include scales, chords, repertoire, sight reading, harmonization, transposition, and accompaniment. A student must continue to enroll in applied piano until he or she passes all areas of the exam, regardless of how many credits in piano are accumulated. If the student passes the exam completely before the end of the sophomore year, he or she may study voice or another instrument to satisfy the requirement in secondary instrument. More detailed piano proficiency instructions and requirements may be obtained from the student’s advisor or the Director of Keyboard Studies.

Applied Music

Applied music study is an important part of a music student’s experience at York College. Whether the student is taking private lessons as a requirement or as an extracurricular activity, it is in the private studio that the student learns to apply musicianship and to develop skill in performance.

Applied music lessons should be scheduled with the applied music instructor or the Coordinator of the Division of Music during the first full week of classes. Once the drop/add period is over, and the student has scheduled a lesson time, the applied music fee will not be refunded for any reason (see catalog under Special Fees ).

The applied music student is expected to practice daily (typically at least one hour) in order to make the necessary progress toward mastery of his or her instrument.

Depending on the number of credits enrolled, the student will receive (12) 30-minute lessons or (12) 50-minute lessons during a semester. Excused absences due to student illness or other reasons will be rescheduled at the instructor’s discretion.Lessons missed by the instructor will normally be rescheduled.

All students pursuing the Bachelor of Science degree in General Music Education are required to participate in chamber music ensembles (small ensembles) every semester. These groups will be supervised and coached by the appropriate applied music faculty member in the student’s primary area of study. Students will study repertoire that features one performer on a part, which may include duets, trios, quartets, and/or other chamber music configurations. The Music faculty considers this requirement to be critical in assisting the General Music Education student in achieving the essential competency and experience for the effective teaching of chamber music activities.

Jury Examinations

All students majoring in one of the three degrees in music are required to take a jury examination on their primary applied instrument at the end of each semester of study. The examination will be administered by a committee of music faculty members, who will present the student with written comments regarding their progress and a grade for the examination. This grade will constitute 25% of the student’s final semester grade in applied music.

Satisfactory progress must be demonstrated with each additional semester of study. Should the student fail to do so, the examining committee may recommend that the student be placed on music probation. If the probationary status is not removed after one additional semester of study, the student may be dropped from his or her respective major and may be in danger of losing any financial aid awarded through the Music Division. A student may be removed from music probation by demonstrating satisfactory progress in the primary applied music area during the jury examination following the semester of music probation.

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