Students who want to teach in smaller school districts in South Dakota and surrounding states should consider a double instrumental and vocal major in music. Although this will require more than the 128 hours required for graduation, the student will be qualified to teach in grades K-12. While all courses in Plan I, Instrumental Major and Plan II, Vocal Major are required for the double major, only one of the two major performance areas is required. Participation in Symphonic/Marching Band or Marching/Concert Band or University/Civic Symphony and Collegiate Choir is mandatory each semester. Additional information about the double major is available from the coordinator of the music department or from the Dean of the School of Fine Arts.
Music Major Degree Requirements
- Major performance area-Students electing two hours of major applied credit must declare a major performance area at the first and all subsequent registrations each semester. The major performance area must be declared three consecutive semesters before the junior or senior recital. Keyboard or organ majors may choose any degree or degree option. Piano majors are required to take MUS 472 - Piano Pedagogy and MUS 340 - Keyboard Literature . Any student may take these courses as music electives.
- Secondary area-Piano. All music majors are required to take two consecutive semesters of piano instruction (private or class) in the freshman year and to pass the piano proficiency test. All majors must attempt the piano proficiency test by the end of the sophomore year. Students are required to continue study of piano until passing the test. Plan I majors whose performance area is instrumental must take two of the secondary performance hours in class or private voice. Plan II majors whose major performance area is voice must take six of the secondary performance hours in piano and other instruments.
-Other Instruments (percussion, strings, wind, voice). The secondary performance area gives the music major an opportunity to develop teaching proficiency on various instruments and voice. Instruments are available for students’ use without a rental charge.
- Ensembles-Ensembles are open to music majors and music minors, and to other Northern State University students as well. Ensembles serve as laboratory learning experiences, particularly for the music major. Major ensembles are the Symphonic, Marching and Concert Band, Concert Choir and University/Civic Symphony. All other ensembles are adjuncts of these.
-Participation
-All music majors whose major performance area is a wind or percussion instrument are required to play in the marching band, symphonic band and concert band each semester. String majors are required to play in the orchestra.
-All music majors whose major performance area is voice are required to be members of the Concert Choir each semester.
-Keyboard majors are required to participate in at least one major ensemble and urged to participate in as many other ensembles as possible.
-Music majors whose talent and interest warrant membership in these and other ensembles are encouraged to participate.
-All general instrumental students registered for private lessons other than voice and keyboard are required to participate in the primary ensemble for which they are qualified. All general students registered for private voice must audition for and, if selected, participate in a major choral ensemble during each semester for which they are registered for private voice.
-Music majors may not accept employment which conflicts with rehearsals or appearances of ensembles of which they are a member.
-Music majors who do not comply with these requirements will be denied registration in music courses.
-One hour of credit per semester may be earned in any or all ensembles
-Full-time student teachers must register for and participate in ensembles during the on-campus portion of their professional semester.
-Students may register for ensembles with or without credit; music majors and minors must, however, fulfill the ensemble credit as required in their program.
-The following ensembles may be taken with or without credit:
-MUEN 100 /MUEN 300 /MUEN 500 - Collegiate Choir
-MUEN 104 /MUEN 304 - Chamber Singers
-MUEN 105 /MUEN 305 - Vocal Jazz Ensemble
-MUEN 110 /MUEN 310 - Orchestra
-MUEN 120 /MUEN 320 - Marching Band
-MUEN 121 /MUEN 321 - Symphonic Band
-MUEN 122 /MUEN 322 - Concert Band
-MUEN 130 - Chamber Music Ensemble
-MUEN 150 /MUEN 350 - Woodwind Ensemble
-MUEN 160 /MUEN 360 - Brass Ensemble
-MUEN 170 /MUEN 370 - Percussion Ensemble
-MUEN 180 /MUEN 380 /MUEN 580 - Jazz Ensemble
- Music electives- Music elective courses offer opportunities to explore special interests in depth. Electives include any course with MUS prefix other than required courses.
- Sophomore screening- All sophomores and transfer music majors will be screened by the end of the spring semester of the sophomore year or at the end of the second semester of the transfer to determine their potential as a music major. All faculty will be involved in the screening in making specific student recommendations.
Overall student GPA, progress evaluations of freshman and sophomore theory, achievement in other academic classes and achievement in major and secondary performance areas will be evaluated during the screening process.
The major applied teacher, with assistance from other applied faculty, will assess performance ability. The final step in the process will be a conference with the student by the coordinator.
- Recitals and performances- Senior Recital. Every music major must present a half recital in his/her major performance area. All recital performances will be under the direction of the major applied professor.
-Solo Class/Concerts/Recital Attendance. Attendance at solo class, recitals and concerts is required of all music majors, according to the following criteria:
-Solo class-Students must attend three (3) solo classes each semester. Solo Class/Recital/Concert attendance is posted on D2L.
-Recitals, concerts-Students must attend ten (10) recitals and/or concerts as designated by the department coordinator each semester. With prior approval by the coordinator, one (1) outside concert/recital can be used towards the attendance requirements.
-Students will be given an attendance card upon entrance to the function. These should be signed and returned at the end of each performance. If you attend fewer than ten (10 ) recitals or three (3) solo classes, you will receive an unsatisfactory grade (U) in MUS 185 - Recital Attendance , for the semester.
-Jury Examination Performances. The final test for those taking lessons in their major and minor areas calls for a panel of instructors who will hear and critique students. This occurs at the end of fall and spring semesters.
-Students completing the Bachelor of Music Education (BME) will be required to fulfill the following:
-Perform the formal senior recital
-Complete the PRAXIS II Exam required of all teacher education graduates.
-Complete student teaching.
-Those students completing the Bachelor of Arts (BA) will be required to fulfill the following:
-Perform the formal senior recital
-BA senior recitals will be evaluated using the applied music evaluation form. Voice faculty will evaluate voice majors, wind/percussion//string faculty will evaluate wind/percussion/string majors and keyboard faculty will evaluate piano/organ majors.
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