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    Mar 29, 2024  
2014-2015 Graduate Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Performance, MM


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Master of Music degree program


Students seeking the master’s degree should consult their applied lesson teacher, thesis advisor or division chair in preparing a tentative program to meet the degree requirements and in selecting an advisory committee.

Degree requirements

Requirements for each degree program are outlined below. The Office of Graduate Studies in Music provides complete information concerning procedures, administrative details and GRE requirements for individual programs. Students applying for the MM in performance or jazz studies may satisfy the GRE requirement by completing an on-campus writing examination. Details are available in the Office of Graduate Studies.

The Graduation Preparation Course (GPC) provided for international students by the Intensive English Language Institute will not be accepted as a substitute for the GRE requirement.

Before the degree is granted, the candidate must pass a final comprehensive examination — either oral, written or both — covering the field of concentration and, if applicable, the thesis or research problem. Performance majors must take the examination after the completion of the MM degree recital requirement. The examination may be taken no more than three times.

Participation in performance laboratories

Participation in two terms/semesters of laboratory or ensemble is recommended for all master’s degree students. Students who major in band or orchestral instruments are required to participate, with or without credit, in two terms/semesters of laboratory; one term/semester is required for voice majors. Laboratories are a cappella choir, chamber choir, concert choir, men’s chorus, women’s chorus, grand chorus, symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, symphonic band, concert band, marching band, jazz labs and accompanying. To meet this requirement, students must choose laboratories approved by the major advisors. Credit may be earned by enrolling in the courses listed below (1 semester hour each).

Ensembles available for graduate student participation are: opera theater, collegium musicum, chamber orchestra, wind ensemble, brass choir, trumpet choir, horn choir, trombone choir, tuba-euphonium ensemble, flute choir, percussion ensemble, steel drum band, marimba ensemble, African ensemble, Gamelan ensemble, electric and acoustic guitar ensembles, NOVA ensemble, and smaller string, woodwind, brass, harp and jazz chamber ensembles.

Performance major


Performance majors may specialize in piano, collaborative piano, organ, harpsichord, voice, conducting or any of the following orchestral instruments: violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, percussion, harp, guitar or woodwinds. Keyboard students are required to complete secondary study which must be related to the major area of study, i.e., harpsichord, organ or piano (exceptions may be approved by the division chair).

Students must receive a grade of B or better for all courses counting toward the degree, including deficiency courses.

The programs are described below. At the point of graduation, students pursuing the performance major will be listed as having a specialization in the appropriate area.

Piano specialization


To be admitted to the 32-hour program, each applicant must show proof of having played a solo senior recital or its equivalent. Also, each applicant must play an audition for the piano faculty. The audition must consist of three major works: (1) a contrapuntal work, preferably 18th century; (2) a complete sonata of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert; (3) any other standard work. All three are to be performed from memory.

After qualification, each term/semester’s repertoire shall include a virtuoso etude. Each candidate also must present a standard concerto and at least one non-traditional 20th-century work during the course of study.

The following courses are required.

Additional requirements


Related field, 9 hours

Select an area from those listed below.

Electives, 6 hours

Six hours of electives are required for the major in piano.

Additional requirements

In addition, the following repertoire must be memorized. The repertoire must consist of material that the candidate has studied since becoming a graduate student.

  1. Two complete programs must be presented publicly. The programs for the public recitals must be approved in advance by the piano faculty.
  2. One complete concerto drawn from the standard repertoire.
  3. Attendance at all area departmental recitals is required. Unexcused absences will result in the final course grade being lowered. For additional information, consult the divisional and area handbooks.

Collaborative Piano specialization


To be admitted to this 37-hour program, each applicant must first meet the entrance requirements for the specialization in piano by performing an audition of collaborative works from the list of approved works, consisting of one movement of a major sonata or other large work involving piano with another instrument, and a 10 minute vocal program representing art songs and operatic repertoire. In addition, the applicant must play a 5–10 minute solo piece from memory. Consult with the coordinator of collaborative piano in order to arrange for this audition.

Additional requirements


Related field, 9 hours

German, Italian and/or French recommended for vocal option. For other options, select an area from those listed below.

Electives, 6 hours

Suggested courses for electives:

Additional Requirements

Two recital programs representing the candidate’s chosen emphasis must be presented.

Organ specialization


Before becoming a candidate for this degree, the applicant who is not a graduate of UNT in organ must perform before a faculty jury a 30-minute program representative of undergraduate repertoire.

The following courses are required for the 32-hour program.

2 hours selected from


Additional requirements


Related field, 9 hours

Select an area from those listed below. For those electing conducting as a related field, MUAG 5810  is required and may count toward the 9-hour related field course options.

Electives, 3–6 hours

Three to six hours of electives also are required to complete the 32-hour specialization in organ.

Additional requirements

All students must demonstrate proficiency at a level equivalent to the Associate Examination of the American Guild of Organists.

In addition, two recital programs must be performed publicly, the first of which may be 45 minutes; the second program of 50-55 minutes, counts as the actual MM program. The repertoire for both programs must consist of material that the candidate has studied since becoming a graduate student. The program for the public recital must be approved in advance by the organ faculty.

Performance majors are required to play one major work from memory on the degree recital.

Attendance at all area departmental recitals is required. Unexcused absences will result in the final course grade being lowered. For additional information, consult the divisional and area handbooks.

Harpsichord specialization


To be admitted to the program, each applicant must show proof of having played a solo senior recital or its equivalent. The applicant who is not a graduate of UNT in harpsichord must perform before the faculty a 30-minute program representative of undergraduate repertoire.

The following courses are required for the 32-hour program.

Additional requirements


Related field, 9 hours

Select an area from those listed below.

Additional requirements

Two complete recital programs must be prepared, one of which must be presented publicly. The repertoire for both programs must consist of material that the candidate has studied since becoming a graduate student. The harpsichord and early music faculty must approve the program for the public recital in advance. The student is required to play 10 to 15 minutes of the recital from memory.

The student must demonstrate proficiency at playing from figured bass pieces equivalent to compositions of Telemann, Quantz, Corelli, Handel and Marais. Thirty minutes of ensemble music for which the student plays continuo must be presented publicly. It is expected that this requirement will be completed in Collegium performances.

Voice specialization


Students wishing to specialize in voice must meet the following requirements to qualify for admission to candidacy.

  1. A repertoire as extensive as that required for the Bachelor of Music degree with a major in voice at UNT.
  2. Performance from memory before a faculty jury a program of at least 20 minutes that includes selections in Italian, French, German and English, as well as an aria from an opera and one from an oratorio. Detailed instructions for the audition should be obtained from the chair of the division of vocal studies prior to or at registration. Students will be required to take, without graduate credit, the undergraduate diction courses in those languages in which they do not demonstrate proficiency.

The following courses are required for the 32-hour program.

Additional requirements


Related field, 9 hours

Select an area from those listed below.

Electives, 7 hours

Seven hours of electives also are required for the major in voice.

Additional requirements

Students are required to take jury examinations in each term/semester of enrollment in voice until the recital is successfully completed.

During the final term/semester of graduate study, the student will be required to present one complete recital from memory. Any recital being presented as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s degree in voice must be approved both in program content and in performance quality by the voice faculty. The performance of the recital must be approved at a hearing by the voice faculty at least three weeks prior to the date of public presentation.

Orchestral Instrument specialization


Before being admitted to graduate study with a specialization in an orchestral instrument, candidates will perform an audition before a faculty jury. This audition must consist of repertoire appropriate to the area and degree.

The following courses are required for the 32-hour program.

Additional requirements


Related field, 9 hours

Select an area from those listed below.

Electives, 9 hours

Nine hours of electives also are required for the specialization in an orchestral instrument.

Additional requirements

In addition, all majors will perform a complete recital in public, consisting of music that the candidate has studied since becoming a graduate student at the University of North Texas. The repertoire for this recital will be determined by the student’s major teacher, subject to approval of the area faculty. The recital performance will be passed upon by a majority of those faculty members in attendance from the student’s area of performance.

Woodwinds specialization


To be admitted to the program the applicant must pass auditions on the principal and two other woodwind instruments.

The following courses are required for the 32-hour program.

Additional requirements


Related field, 9 hours

Select an area from those listed below.

Electives, 4 hours

Four hours of electives also are required for the specialization in woodwinds.

Additional requirements

Graduation requirements include relevant minimum standards for the principal instrument and the four other woodwinds. The candidate will perform a recital on the principal instrument and two of the other woodwind instruments to complete the program. Appropriate minimum standards and requirements on the remaining two woodwind instruments will be met in jury examination. Repertoire and memorization requirements will be determined by the student’s teacher, subject to approval of the woodwind faculty. Recital performance will be passed upon by a majority of the woodwind faculty members in attendance.

Conducting specialization


Applicants for the Master of Music degree in performance with a specialization in conducting must hold the Bachelor of Music degree or its equivalent. This program is open to a limited number of students based on the availability of conducting opportunities. Applicants are requested to submit a complete dossier, including transcripts, curriculum vitae, letters of recommendation, programs, high-quality video recordings (DVD or VHS) of the applicant conducting (include, if possible, excerpts from both a rehearsal and a performance) and a statement of career objectives. All materials should be submitted by the first Monday in December to the College of Music Office of Admissions.

On the basis of the written applications and tape evaluations, selected choral studies and orchestral studies conducting applicants will be asked to come to the campus for an audition and interview at their own expense. Applicants will audition before the conducting faculty with a university ensemble appropriate to the major area of emphasis (band, choir, opera or orchestra).

The following courses are required for the 36-hour program.

Related field


All master’s degree performance majors must include on their degree plan a related field of not fewer than 9 hours selected from the options list below.

Collaborative piano


Required: audition (audition procedures may be found in the Piano Area Handbook online); 6 hours selected from

3 additional hours

Remaining 3 hours determined in consultation with related field advisor. Students must present a public collaborative recital as a final project.

Composition


Application procedures and prerequisites are included in the Composition Student Handbook, which may be downloaded from the composition division web site: music.unt.edu/comp. Required:

Conducting


(Not open as a related field to those with a specialization in conducting.) Required: audition, 9 hours selected from:

Early music


Required: A total of 9 hours must be completed.

6 hours selected from

Music and medicine


Required:

Music education


Required: 9 hours selected from any 5000- or 6000-level MUED course.

Piano pedagogy


Classes taken as a result of deficiencies may not be counted toward the related field or as electives.

Applied music


(Available only to those with a conducting specialization.) Required: audition

  • MUAC 5500 level (6 hours)

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