DIVISION OF WINDS & PERCUSSION
Policies & Requirements
It is each student’s responsibility to be familiar with the policies, requirements, and procedures of the division. If you have any questions, contact your advisor immediately to avoid delay in fulfilling requirements. In addition to knowing the policies and requirements of the division, students should read and become familiar with the academic policies described in the beginning of this handbook.
Performance Attendance (MUSC 099)
All undergraduate music majors must complete the MUSC 099 requirement as outlined in this handbook.
Noon Recitals
All Winds & Percussion students are required to perform on at least one noon recital each semester in which they are taking lessons on their major instrument, except semesters in which they are performing a degree recital. Registering for an MUSP course automatically blocks out a seventy-five-minute time slot so that students may attend and participate in the Noon Recital series (Tuesdays, 12:30–1:45 for all programs except jazz, which holds its series Fridays, 12:00–1:15). Students will obtain, complete, and submit a Student Recital Form from the Music Office, and return that form at least one week prior to the recital date. Forms must include the title and movements of the piece(s) to be performed, the full name of the composer and/or arranger, the full names of all performers, and an accurate timing for each piece. Performances should be between five and ten minutes in length (selections of less than five minutes must be approved by the major instructor). Pieces written to be accompanied must be performed with accompaniment. Appropriate dress is required.
In addition to performing on noon recitals, all Winds & Percussion students are required to attend at least five noon recitals per semester. Exceptions to this requirement will be allowed only if the student has unavoidable course scheduling conflicts due to required courses in a second major. Only the division coordinator can excuse a student from any portion of the Noon Recital requirement.
Students seeking the BM degree must meet this requirement for eight semesters. Students seeking the BME degree must meet this requirement for seven semesters. Students seeking the BA degree must meet this requirement for five semesters. Absences due to illness or for other legitimate reasons may be excused at the discretion of the studio teacher. However, failure to meet the minimum attendance requirement will result in the lowering of the applied studio grade by one third of a letter grade for each unexcused absence (i.e. one unexcused absence, A to A-; two unexcused absences, A- to B+.)
Ensemble Requirement
All Winds & Percussion students are required to participate in a large ensemble in each semester during which they are enrolled in lessons. Auditions take place at the beginning of each academic year, and students are placed into a large ensemble by the faculty audition committee.
Chamber Music
All BM Wind & Percussion Performance majors are required to complete six semesters of chamber music. Groups are formed by the chamber music faculty at the beginning of each semester. Requests for particular personnel and repertoire are welcome and encouraged, and attempts will be made to honor them if possible and appropriate, but not guaranteed.
Lesson and Jury Policies
When registering for applied lessons (MUSP), use the appropriate suffix for your instrument (e.g., MUSP 119G for flute).
Flute (G)
Oboe (H)
Clarinet (I)
Bassoon (J)
Saxophone (K)
Horn (L)
Trumpet (M)
Trombone (N)
Tuba (O)
Euphonium (P)
Percussion (Q)
All applied students are required to perform a jury examination at the end of each semester in which lessons are taken. This jury will be performed for a panel of at least three faculty members, one of whom will be the primary teacher. Students enrolled in the recital courses may use the recital in lieu of a jury at the discretion of the studio teacher.
Juries will not exceed fifteen minutes in length and should represent the student’s work for the semester and progress to date. Normally jury exams will feature a solo work but may also include scales, etudes, and/or orchestral excerpts. Juries will be graded on a pass/fail basis. A grade of “pass minus” (P-) will result in no higher than a “B” for the semester’s studio grade. A jury grade of fail (F) will result in no higher than a “D” for the semester studio grade.
Degree Recital Policies
Half recitals (required of junior B.M. students in the Wind and Percussion division) should consist of approximately thirty minutes of music and ideally the recital slot should be shared with another student. Full recitals should consist of approximately sixty minutes of music. Recital repertoire should represent a variety of styles and periods of solo repertoire and may include chamber works when appropriate. All degree recitals must be recorded. All recitals will be graded by a panel of two Winds & Percussion faculty members either live or by hearing the recital recording. The average of the two grades will determine the final semester grade.
Bachelor of Music (BM) Students
Students seeking the Bachelor of Music in Performance (BM) degree will enroll in the Major Series for applied lessons:
Freshman year: MUSP 119 120
Sophomore year: MUSP 217 218
Junior year: MUSP 315 316 (half recital)
Senior year: MUSP 419 420 (full recital)
All BM-Winds & Percussion students are required to play a half recital in their junior year (MUSP 316) and a full recital in their senior year (MUSP 420). For BM students seeking a jazz degree, a senior recital is required and a junior half recital is recommended but not required.
All BM seniors are required to register for MUSC 448: Wind and Percussion Literature concurrently with MUSP 420. The preparation of program notes for the senior recital is required as part of this course. These program notes must be approved by the studio teacher. Each set of program notes should be a minimum of 800 words, and be presented in double-spaced format. They should demonstrate an awareness of the historical context of the works, the importance of the works to the genre, and research from a rich variety of sources.
Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Arts (BME/BA) Students
Students seeking the Bachelor of Music Education (BME) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees will enroll in the Principal Series for applied lessons:
Freshman Courses MUSP 109 110
Sophomore Courses MUSP 207 208
Junior Courses MUSP 305 306
Senior Courses MUSP 409 410
For students seeking the BME degree, MUSP 410 is the terminal semester of applied study, and it is usually taken during the seventh semester (instead of 409). For students seeking the BA degree, MUSP 305 is the terminal semester of applied study. Students seeking lessons beyond the terminal semester must secure approval through the elective lessons process described in this handbook.
All BME students are required to play a half recital during the first semester of their senior year (MUSP 410).