Performance

Music students at Kutztown University are presented with a wide variety of exciting opportunities to perform in their applied medium.

Performance is seen as the practical application of learning and skills obtained in the classroom and lessons. In addition to studying and reading about music, the student gains expertise as a musician through real-life experiences in making music. In doing so, the student is required to synthesize all knowledge of analysis, style, performance practice, history, theory, et al, in the performance. These goals are accomplished at Kutztown university through performance experiences in a solo applied medium and through participation in both large and small ensembles.

 

Applied Study

Each student majoring in music must select one area of applied music as the solo performing medium. Upon acceptance into the music major, the student will take applied lessons every semester of enrollment, culminating in a senior recital. Seven credits will be counted toward graduation, plus the senior recital. One credit hour represents one half-hour lesson. Specific lesson times are scheduled at the beginning of the semester with each teacher.

 

Practice

Each student is required to practice the minimum number of hours as determined by the teacher. Practice facilities are provided in the Old Main Building. The Wenger V-Room is also available for practice use and is located in the C wing of Old Main.

 

Master Classes

Several teachers offer master classes which are designed to develop performing skills in a small group setting. Students have the opportunity to perform in master classes. Occasionally, renowned performers and teachers are present as featured guests in master classes, allowing music students to gain experience from specialists in their field.

 

Performance Lab

One goal of the music degrees at KU is to help music majors develop as performers by providing graduated opportunities for them to perform. To this end the Department of Music holds performance labs in the Georgian Room of the Old Main Building on the second and fourth Thursday of each month during the semester. The performance lab is designed to be more relaxed in nature than the concert hall setting, and audiences are smaller in number. All music majors are required to attend. Attendance at performance labs is reported to faculty members and is considered in determining the final semester grade in the principle applied area. Each music major is required to perform once per semester in his/her principle applied area.

 

Student Recitals

Several times each semester student recitals are held on campus which give students opportunities for public performance. Recitals are generally held in Schaeffer Auditorium or the Georgian Room in Old Main. Talented students who are selected by their teachers are scheduled to perform.

 

Jury Procedures

The student's progress will be observed and evaluated by music faculty through juries at the end of each semester, thereby assessing the student's growth and advancement.

The music faculty feels that the jury is chiefly a learning experience. As such it provides the student with an opportunity to further develop performing skills while ensuring that sufficient repertoire is prepared. It confirms that the student is making acceptable progress in both literature and technique and functions in a similar way as a final exam in any course.

Juries occur during the final exam week at the end of each semester. Specific dates and times are announced. The student should check with the applied professor for additional information. Normally all teachers of an applied area serve as the jury panel. Evaluations are written on a jury report sheet. A copy of the evaluation is kept in the student's permanent file in the music office. Subsequent to the jury the professor shares the evaluation information with the student.

The jury score will count no more than 20% of the semester grade in applied study.

The student will not present a jury in the recital semester.

 

Maintaining Music Major Status

Music majors will take applied lessons in their solo performing medium every semester of enrollment (except music education majors during the student teaching semester). Each student will need to successfully advance through progressive levels of skill in the applied performing area. Prescribed levels are identified for each applied area and are provided by the applied teacher.

Music majors must receive a final semester grade of "C" or better in their solo performing medium in order to continue as a music major. Any semester in which a student fails to receive a final semester grade of "C" or better in the solo performing medium will lose status as a  music major, and immediately will need to declare a new major, or the Registrar's Office will identify the student as an Undeclared Major.

 

Senior Recitals

The jury in the semester prior to the recital will constitute a hearing to determine whether the student will present a public recital or a jury recital. If the music faculty determines that the student has developed appropriate performance skills, the student will present a 50-minute public recital. There may be certain students who the music faculty feel are candidates for graduation whose strengths and life goals are in other areas of music (i.e., music therapy, library, history, music business), and whose interests are not primarily in professional performing. For those students, the music faculty may recommend that the student present a 25-minute jury recital.

Repertoire performed on the recital will demonstrate technical ability and musicianship, and will represent a variety of styles, genres, and time periods as is appropriate for the medium.

The recital date will be scheduled through the professor and will be included in the Department of Music schedule of performances. (Jury recitals will be presented during regularly schedule jury times.)

The recital program must be prepared in sufficient time to be duplicated by the university copy center.

Persons who wish to have an audio tape recording of their recital will need to complete a Concert CD Order Form. The form is available in the Music Office.

 

Ensembles

Every student is required to register in ensemble every semester of enrollment, except when prevented from being able to do so (i.e., semester internship, study abroad, student teaching). Exceptions from the requirement to register in ensemble are determined by the Department of Music Chair.

A minimum of six semesters of a large ensemble in the student's solo performing medium for the BA Music Major, or five for the BS Music Education major, and a minimum of two semesters of a small ensemble in the student's solo performing medium are required.

 

Concert Attendance Requirements

According to the NASM, "all music students must be exposed to a large and varied body of music through attendance at recitals, concerts, operas and other performance." For this reason, music majors are required to attend a certain number of specified recitals and other concerts each semester. The required number is determined by the faculty and announced at the beginning of each semester. Attendance at required concerts is reported to faculty members and is considered in determining the final semester grade in the principle applied area.