Bachelor of Arts in Music
The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree is specifically designed to permit a student to concentrate on music within the context of a liberal arts program. The unique feature of this degree is the approximately 40 percent required degree credits in music courses. This percentage allows the student ample opportunity to pursue music studies as well as a broad range of liberal arts subjects.
The required musicianship courses consists of music theory, form and analysis, counterpoint, music history, and four to six music elective courses chosen from an array of course offerings within Townsend School of Music. Eleven musical performance credits are required consisting of keyboard skills and applied music lessons.
The Common Core and the Distributional Program or the Great Books Program must be taken to complete the credits for the general studies area. As well, 8 additional non-music elective credits are to be taken within the College of Liberal Arts.
Additional requirements for this degree include a functional keyboard proficiency examination, a sight-singing skills examination, attendance at 72 recitals during the undergraduate years of study and a senior project.
While recognizing that students often pursue the Bachelor of Arts in Music irrespective of specific career goals, Townsend School of Music encourages students in the Bachelor of Arts program to choose an area of emphasis beyond the degree requirements. Students develop these interests by choosing as electives music courses related to their areas of emphasis.
Students in pursuit of the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in music may elect for the senior project a recital like that described above, or may choose a research project which might involve any of the following: a 45- to 60-minute recital; the writing and presentation of a paper or lecture; the writing and presentation of a lecture-recital; a conducting project/performance; the composition and performance of an original piece; or any valid presentation or project approved by the dean of Townsend School of Music. Because students pursuing the bachelor of arts frequently major in more than one subject, the senior project may be interdisciplinary in topic, theme or approach.
Areas of emphasis include:
A. Performance
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in performance may elect, with permission of the applied teacher, to give non-required recitals in the freshman, sophomore, and/or junior years, and may apply for consideration for departmental honors for the senior recital. Requirements for departmental honors are as follows: 1.) maintain an overall 3.5 grade point average in music; 2.) present an honors project that is pursued and completed on a level significantly higher than would normally be required for a senior project. Students may also, with permission of the applied teacher and ensemble directors, elect to practice their performing experience in multiple ensembles. They may also choose any of the following courses to enhance their knowledge of solo literature and their performance skills: Song Literature, Sacred Vocal Literature, Piano or Organ Literature and Materials, Literature of Orchestral Instruments, Accompanying, or Jazz Improvisation. The senior project is likely to be a solo recital.
B. Church Music
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in church music are encouraged to participate as vocal soloists/section leaders, conductors, or accompanists for local churches, often with remuneration. The choral, voice and keyboard faculty assist the students with procurement of such positions, for these experiences are considered to be most valuable for the students. Students are encouraged to enroll in private applied study in voice or organ in addition to their major instruments, and may choose as electives any of the following courses: Basic Conducting, Advanced Choral Conducting and Literature, Church Music Methods, History of Church Music, Sacred Vocal Literature and Accompanying. Participation in both large and small choral ensembles is also recommended. The senior project might include performances as both a conductor and a solo performer.
C. Music History
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in music history are encouraged to complete the entire 12-credit hour music history sequence (bachelor of arts students are required to complete only nine hours of music history). Other music electives most relevant to the emphasis in music history include: History of Church Music, Song Literature, Sacred Vocal Literature, Piano/organ Literature and Materials, Literature of Orchestral Instruments and Advanced Choral Conducting and Literature. The student must enroll in Special Topics in Music during the senior year to prepare a senior project which might be an extended research paper or a lecture-recital.
D. Music Theory
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis in music theory are encouraged to choose from electives from the following courses: Music Technology, Orchestration, Jazz Improvisation, Acoustical Foundations of Music (cross-listed as Physics 103/Music 103) and Applied Lessons in Composition. The student must enroll in Special Topics in Music to prepare a senior project which might be an extended research paper or a lecture-recital.
E. Composition
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in music with an emphasis in composition are expected to enroll in private applied lessons in composition as well as in an applied performance area. The senior recital might thus include solo performance of the student's compositions. It is suggested that students choosing a composition emphasis elect to enroll in any of the following courses: Orchestration, Jazz Improvisation, Music Technology, Song Literature, Basic Conducting, Advanced Choral Conducting and Literature, Literature of Orchestral Instruments, Sacred Vocal Literature and Accompanying. Composition students are encouraged to participate in both choral and instrumental ensembles.