Skip to Main Content

Music – BA

Program Overview:

Program Contacts:

Program Requirements:

An audition with members of the Music Department faculty is required for everyone who wishes to major in Music at The College of Saint Rose. For examples of appropriate audition repertoire, please consult the College of Saint Rose Music Website and the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) manual, Levels V and VI, or the equivalent manual from another state music education association. Sight-reading may be required.  

Entering students with an advanced placement grade of 4 or 5 in the written and/or aural section of the AP Music Theory Exam will be advanced to MUS 201 Music Theory III and/or MUS 203 Ear Training and Sight Singing, respectively.

Music talent awards and academic scholarships are available to qualified entering students on the basis of their musical and academic abilities. Music talent scholarship recipients are required maintain a minimum average of 3.0 in their music courses and a minimum cumulative average of 2.0. Those who perform at an acceptable level on a secondary instrument or voice that may serve the needs of Department ensembles are also eligible for awards. 

Applied music instruction on their principal instrument or voice is required of all Music majors. All Bachelor of Arts in Music majors are required to complete eight semesters of applied study on their major instrument as specified in their given tracks. Repertoire Class and Music Convocation are required for each semester registered for applied lessons. Students are required to successfully complete an Upper Divisional Jury at before advancing to their fifth semester of applied lessons. Semester and annual juries are part of the assessment tools used in applied study.  Please consult specific syllabi for detailed requirements.

Bachelor of Arts in Music majors are required to participate in the major performing group appropriate to their applied concentration for eight semesters. All transfer students are required to take a minimum of four semesters of their major performing ensemble at The College of Saint Rose.

All Bachelor of Arts in music majors are required to complete four semesters of small ensembles appropriate to their applied Degree Track.  These ensembles include: Instrumental Jazz Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Chamber Choir, Brass Choir, Flute Choir, Woodwind Quintet, Double Reed Ensemble, Brass Quintet, Trombone Choir, Chamber Winds, Madrigal Singers, Opera Workshop, Women’s Chorale, Baroque Flute Ensemble, Men’s Glee Club, Clarinet Choir, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Saxophone Ensemble, Mixed Vocal/Instrumental Ensemble, Vocal/String/Piano Chamber Music Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Strings.

Students enrolled in music degree programs are required to attend ten live performances per semester as a member of the audience. Performances that will fulfill the concert attendance requirement are those presented by college and university ensembles, college student recitals, college faculty recitals, professional orchestras, chamber ensembles, soloists, student playbacks and selected commercial music performances which are approved by the music faculty of the individual Repertoire classes (MUS 100).

Bachelor of Arts in Music majors are required to pass the piano proficiency prior to being approved to begin their capstone project. It is administered during final exam week and may be taken during subsequent semesters until passed. Students will play scales, progressions, four-part open score, harmonization, solo repertoire, and an accompaniment for four performers. Prerequisites: MUS 281 and MUS 282.

Bachelor of Arts in Music majors are required to perform/produce a capstone project (MUS 450), which is congruent with and specified within their Degree Track.

 

MUS 101Music Theory I

3

MUS 102Music Theory II

3

MUS 201Music Theory III

3

MUS 202Form/Analysis West/Non-W Music

3

MUS 255Survey of Music 1

3

MUS 301Music History 1

3

MUS 302Music History 2

3

MUS 253Jazz: Historical Overview

3

MUS 254History of Rock

3

MUS 303World Music

3

MUS 103Ear Training and Solfege

2

MUS 104Ear Training and Solfege

2

MUS 203Adv Ear Train/Sol

2

MUS 204Adv Ear Train/Sol

2

MUS 281Keyboard Harmony 3

2

MUS 282Keyboard Harmony 4

2

MUS 484Piano Proficiency

0

MUS 291Masterworks Chorale

0 or 1

MUS 292Wind Ensemble

0 or 1

MUS 290Symphonic Band

0 or 1

MUS 287Jazz Guitar Ensemble

0 or 1

MUS 289Symphony Orchestra

0 or 1

Students will select a degree track by the end of their sophomore year. Students will need to complete any additional audition requirements specific to their chosen track before being accepted into the track. 

Vocal Performance Track: core requirements plus 8 semesters each of applied lessons (MUS 393), repertoire class (MUS 100) and convocation (MUS 200). 6 additional credits to be taken from MUS 434 (Vocal Diction), MUS 435 (Vocal Pedagogy), and other courses in vocal performance. The final project/capstone for the Instrumental Performance Track consists of a recital/concert performance of approximately 50 minutes.

Instrumental Performance Track: core requirements plus 8 semesters each of applied lessons (MUS 393), repertoire class (MUS 100) and convocation (MUS 200). 4 semesters of chamber music (MUS 268), and 2 additional credits to be taken from courses in instrumental performance. The final project/capstone for the Instrumental Performance Track consists of recital/concert performance of approximately 50 minutes.

Keyboard Performance Track: core requirements plus 8 semesters each of applied lessons (MUS 393), repertoire class (MUS 100) and convocation (MUS 200). 6 additional credits to be taken from Piano Pedagogy and other courses in piano performance. The final project/capstone for the Instrumental Performance Track consists of recital/concert performance of approximately 50 minutes.

Composition Track: core requirements plus 4 semesters in MUS 393 (Applied Voice or Instrument), 4 semesters in MUS 394 (Secondary Lessons in Applied Voice or Instrument), 4 semesters in MUS 397 (Applied Composition), 8 semesters in repertoire class (MUS 100) and Convocation (MUS 200), and 6 additional credits to be taken from Orchestration (MUS 334) and other courses in composition. The final project/capstone for the Music Composition Track consists of a performance/lecture where an original composition is presented.

Conducting Track: core requirements plus 4 semesters in MUS 393 (Applied Voice or Instrument), 4 semesters in MUS 394 (Secondary Lessons in Applied Voice or Instrument), 4 semesters in MUS 395 (Applied Conducting), 8 semesters in repertoire class (MUS 100) and Convocation (MUS 200), and 6 additional credits to be taken from MUS 223 (Choral Techniques), MUS 334 or 341 (Orchestration or Choral Arranging) and other courses in conducting. The final project/capstone for the Conducting Track consists of conducting an ensemble in a 30 minute concert/performance setting.

Music History/Theory Track: core requirements plus 4 semesters in MUS 393 (Applied Voice or Instrument), 4 semesters in MUS 394 (Secondary Lessons in Applied Voice or Instrument), 4 semesters in repertoire class (MUS 100), 8 semesters in Convocation (MUS 200), and 10 additional credits to be taken from courses in Music History and Theory. The final project/capstone for the Music History/Theory Track consists of presenting an academic paper on a musical subject.

Students who wish to change degree tracks will need to undergo all additional audition requirements as indicated in the specific track.


Core Curriculum

36

Degree Track

14

Major Performing Ensembles

8

Capstone

1

Liberal Education Courses

41

Electives

22

Culminating Academic Experiences:

MUS 450Senior Performance

0

Professional Accreditation:

Minor(s):

Admissions and Financial Aid Information:

Find Out More: