5.1 Jury Examinations

At the end of each semester of applied study, all music majors will be evaluated by a faculty committee to determine whether each student has met the requirements for the registered level. All students enrolled in applied study must take a jury as their final exam for that course. If, in the opinion of the faculty committee, the student has not met these requirements, the student will be placed on probation (see Probation below 5.3. After probation has been removed, the student will be required to register for the same level of study the following semester. If a student fails two juries at the same level, the student will be dropped from the music major. The student may reapply for admission to the program at a later time. Generally, a student must receive an overall grade of C to advance to the next level of applied study.

Jury exams normally are held during the final exam week. Each student should sign up for a jury time during the last week of classes and allow time prior to the beginning of the jury to fill out the jury form when he/she arrives. All solos with an accompaniment must be performed with an accompanist.

It is the student’s responsibility to consult with the applied instructor no later than one month in advance of juries to review and prepare all required materials for each level of jury.

5.2 Junior Qualifying Jury

Normally, at the end of the fourth semester of applied study, students are evaluated during the jury exam for placement in Upper Division study (majors). This jury exam is more extensive; therefore, students should consult with their applied instructor for specific requirements. At the junior qualifying jury, the student should present a typed repertoire sheet which includes all methods/techniques books, all studied solo repertoire and a list of all repertoire performed publicly. If a student selects a composition with piano accompaniment for his jury, he is required to perform with accompaniment. Students taking a junior qualifying jury must sign up for two consecutive jury time slots. Students should consult with their area coordinator for specific repertoire requirements. General requirements include the following:

A. Instrumental

1. Three stylistically contrasting compositions (etudes, solos), one of which must have keyboard accompaniment.

2. All major scales, minor scales in natural, melodic and harmonic forms, major and minor arpeggios, performed from memory at appropriate speeds.

3. Demonstration of proficiency in various articulations at various speeds.

4. Sight reading

B. Keyboard

1. Three stylistically contrasting compositions, including a Bach 3-voice fugue and a sonata movement.

2. Four octaves of all major scales, harmonic minor scales, major arpeggios, and minor arpeggios performed from memory at the appropriate speed.

C. Vocal

1. BM Students

a. Seven songs in four different languages and contrasting styles, including the IPA symbols for one song in each foreign language.

b. Students must submit a repertoire list of at least sixteen songs in a minimum of four languages including translations of all foreign language texts.

2. BM Music Education Students

a. Five songs in four different languages and contrasting styles, including the IPA symbols for one song in each foreign language.

b. Students must submit a repertoire list of at least twelve songs in a minimum of four languages including translations of all foreign language texts.

D. Composition and Electro-Acoustic Music

1. Minimum of four works, two of which must be from the last year (Sophomore) reflecting a solid grasp of technical issues (linear constructs, harmony, structure, instrumentation).

2. The pieces must have been developed under the guidance of the student’s applied instructor and have been approved by the instructor for this examination.

3. Works must be accompanied by corresponding printed score of professional quality and CD recordings. In case of purely electronic works, a CD recording or multi-channel playback will be satisfactory. All materials must be properly labeled.

4. Successful completion of all lower division core courses including Music 1-4 series, piano proficiency, and at least 170A and 167 (music technology).

E. Music Technology

Each jury examination shall include evidence of progress in the following areas:

1. Ensemble recordings of both large and small ensembles in various genres (classical, jazz, world music). Fully edited. Include audio CD.

2. Project demonstrating competency in advanced techniques, audio/sound for digital media, sound design, synthesis techniques, live interactive projects, installations, programming, etc. and others, as the jury requests approves.

3. Projects in audio technology as they apply to directed studies.

F. Jazz Studies

1. Instrumental and Vocal

The student is to prepare two short contrasting pieces (no more than 3-4 minutes each).

a. The performance should demonstrate the technical skills using an etude, or a transcribed jazz solo.

b. The performance also should demonstrate the player’s improvisational skills on a jazz standard or assigned piece by the applied instructor.

c. All major scales, dorian, and mixolydian scales, and major 7^th and minor 7^th chord arpeggios.

d. All students must demonstrate sight reading skills. Lead sheets will be provided by the faculty.

 Note: Particular emphasis and attention should be given to jazz stylization, swing feel, jazz phrasing, and jazz improvisation.

2. Rhythm Section Players

Attention will be paid to “time feel,” stylistic authenticity, technical proficiency, tone/touch and overall musicianship skills.

3. Guitar/Pianists

a. Must be able to play the melody and then improvise on both a ballad and a medium or up-tempo jazz standard. Comping (chord accompaniment) will be included as part of the jury using the chord changes from one of the jazz standards. This is to be played first in a jazz swing feel and then in a bossa-nova feel.

b. All students must demonstrate sight reading skills. Lead sheets will be provided by the faculty.

c. All major scales, dorian, and mixolydian scales, and major 7^th and minor 7^th chord arpeggios.

4. Drummers

a. Are expected to play appropriately in the following rhythmic feels: Swing, Bop, Latin (mambo, samba, bossa-nova, and Afro-Cuban 6/8) and a ballad using brushes.

b. All drummers must prepare a transcribed drum solo. Recommended drum soloists are: Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Philly Joe Jones.

c. Drummers also will be required to sight read and interpret/realize a jazz lead sheet.

5. Bassists

a. Are expected to improvise bass lines for:

i.  A rhythm changes tune AABA 32 bar (“I Got Rhythm,” “Oleo,” etc.) using a “two feel” on the A sections and walking on the B section

ii.  A jazz ballad (“Tenderly,”  “Body and Soul,” etc.)

iii.  The following Latin styles: mambo, samba, bossa-nova, and 6/9 Afro-Cuban.

b. All students must demonstrate sight reading skills. Lead sheets will be provided by the faculty.

c. All major scales, dorian, and mixolydian scales, and major 7^th and minor 7^th chord arpeggios.

5.3 Probation

Students receiving a semester jury grade below “C” will be placed on probation standing. While on probation, a student will not be permitted to enroll in applied music lessons and must privately remediate deficiencies at their own expense. At the end of the probation semester, the student must sign up for a jury and successfully pass all deficient material. If two consecutive juries are not passed, the student will be removed as a music major. Students on probation are encouraged to register for other music major courses while remediating required deficiencies.