Entrance Requirements

Minimum Music Theory Skills

You are expected to have the ability to fluently recognize and write:

• Note names in treble and bass clefs
• Enharmonic note names
• Simple and compound rhythms and meters
• Key signatures/circle of fifths: major and minor
• Scales: major, relative minor, andchromatic
• Chords: major and minor
• Familiarity with intervals and intervallic relationships
• Triads and inversions

All entering students will be required to complete the Theory I Prep Course during the summer before their freshman year. Students with less than satisfactory skills, or who do not complete the course, will work on remedial skills during their freshman year and begin Theory I their sophomore year.

Minimum Piano Skills

Pianists must demonstrate:

• Ability to coordinate hands together in playing major triads and five-note scales
• Fluency of note recognition in treble and bass clef
• Ability to sightread a simple melodic line in bass and/or treble clef

All Bachelor of Music degree students must pass a piano proficiency exam, typically taken at the end of the sophomore year. Students with minimal or no piano skills, as determined by the aforementioned placement test, will take beginning class piano until such time as they can enter the Class Piano Proficiency four-semester sequence. All others, except those with advanced piano skills, will begin the Class Piano Proficiency 4-semester sequence. Students with advanced piano skills should plan to demonstrate their ability with two contrasting pieces from standard repertoire (memory optional) and may complete their proficiency exam at any time after acceptance into the program.

Minimum Musicianship Skills

Musicians are expected to demonstrate:

• Ability to match pitches quickly and accurately
• Ability to sing back short melodic/rhythmic patterns correctly
• Fluent treble/bass note recognition
• Ability to count basic rhythms aloud and correctly (rhythmic values no smaller than 16ths)
• Sight singing of a simple melody in a major key (vocal technique is not a consideration)

Students with scores that are less than satisfactory will take other music courses their freshman year and begin Theory and Musicianship I their sophomore year. This usually means that the Bachelor of Music degree will take five years to complete.