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Music-Music Industry – BS

Program Overview:

The Music Industry program enables creative musicians who have a desire to forge a career in one of the many areas within today’s music industry the opportunity to engage in a multi-faceted course of study.  The Music Industry program curriculum contains three areas of equal focus, which all students are engaged in: songwriting and composition, audio recording and music production, and music business and entrepreneurship. Music Industry program graduates are knowledgeable in the areas of music production, songwriting, composing, arranging, music technology, sound recording and reinforcement, artist management, intellectual property and music law.  Each student will complete an internship with a music company and a senior Capstone project consisting of a full length CD written, produced, engineered, performed, and recorded by the student in the Saints and Sinners Recording Studio at Saint Rose.

The Music Industry program is housed in The Hearst Center for Communications and Interactive Media.  It provides access to state of the art recording studios, audio post-production rooms, television and radio studios, computer labs, and a showcase studio for live performances.  The Hearst Center fosters a creative and interactive environment in which young professionals take concepts and skills learned in the classroom and studio and apply them in pre-occupational settings. The Music Industry curriculum is complimented with a core education in liberal arts, the Music Industry program at Saint Rose a unique blend of progressive studies in contemporary music housed within a vibrant academic community.

Program Contacts:

Dr. Michael Lister

Music Department Chair

Email: listerm@mail.strose.edu

Mary Anne Nelson

Music Industry Program Coordinator

Email: nelsonm@mail.strose.edu

Program Webpage:

Music Industry, BS

Program Requirements:

Auditions

An audition 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 webpage (www.strose.edu/music). All Music Industry majors must demonstrate proficiency on an applied instrument or voice type at the audition. In addition to the audition requirements state on the website for each instrument or voice area, applicants will also have an opportunity to present an original song or composition, a performance in a jazz, vernacular, rock/pop or commercial style, or to demonstrate facility on an additional instrument or voice.


Songwriting/Composition:

As an alternative to primary study on an instrument or voice type, Music Industry majors may apply to concentrate in Songwriting/Composition. This program is designed for students who demonstrate exceptional ability across multiple disciplines including composition, songwriting, instrumental arranging, and instrumental/vocal performance. Due to the competitive nature of the Songwriting/Composition program, applicants should indicate during their audition whether they would like to be considered for acceptance into a voice or instrumental area of study in the event they are not accepted into the Songwriting/Composition program.

For information about auditions, including required and suggested music to perform, please consult the Music Department Audition webpage: https://www.strose.edu/academics/schools/school-of-arts-humanities/music/auditions/.


Transfer Credit and Advanced Placement Theory Credit


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 Advanced Ear Training and Sight Singing, respectively.

Acceptance of transfer credit will be evaluated at the time of entry by way of course placement tests in the appropriate areas at the time of audition and through a review of student transcripts. Based upon skill and work, music faculty may approve up to 4 semesters of applied lessons.

Music Talent Awards 

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.

As part of the responsibility for accepting this award, students will be required to perform in 1 to 2 ensembles in addition to the required performing ensemble, as determined by the Talent Award Committee. This responsibility is required for seven semesters for Music Industry majors.  Students seeking scholarship beyond the standard 8-semester sequence may submit their request to the Talent Award Committee for consideration (contact the Music Department for more information).

Applied Music

All Music Industry majors are required to complete eight semesters of applied study on their major instrument or voice.  Repertoire Class and Music Convocation are required for seven semesters. Semester and annual juries are part of the assessment tools used in applied study.  Please consult specific syllabi for detailed requirements.

Music Industry majors  in applied Songwriting/Composition will take primary applied Songwriting/Composition (MUS 397) in place of applied instrument or vocal lessons (MUS 393). Songwriters/Composers will also take MUS 300: Composition Seminar in place of MUS 100: Repertoire Class. Students are also required to fulfill 6 semesters of applied study in a secondary instrument or voice (MUS 394).

Major Ensembles 

Music Industry majors are required to participate in the major performing group appropriate to their applied concentration for a minimum of seven semesters.All Music majors are required to earn a minimum of four college credits of major ensemble participation. All transfer Music majors are required to take a minimum of four semesters of their major performing ensemble at The College of Saint Rose. Music Industry majors may substitute up to 4 semesters of MUS 280 for another major ensemble.

MUS 280 Commercial Music Recording Ensemble

MUS 287 Jazz Guitar Ensemble

MUS 289 Symphony Orchestra

MUS 290 Symphonic Band

MUS 291 Masterworks Chorale

MUS 292 Wind Ensemble

Major Ensemble Placement and Auditions

All Music Industry guitar and electric bass majors must audition for placement in MUS 280 and MUS 287 each semester. Participation in MUS 287 is required of all Music Industry guitar and electric bass majors, unless successfully placed in MUS 280

Each semester, auditions are held to determine placement in MUS 289 (Symphony Orchestra), MUS 290 (Symphonic Band), and MUS 292 (Wind Ensemble) for Music Industry strings, winds, brass, and percussion majors. Participation in MUS 289 is required of all Music Industry majors whose applied area is violin, viola, cello, harp or double bass. Participation in MUS 290, or 292 is required of all Music Industry brass, woodwind and percussion majors.

Participation in MUS 291 (Masterworks) is required of all vocal and piano Music Industry majors.

Small Ensembles 

All Music majors may participate in non-required ensembles. These include Brass Choir, Chamber Choir, Madrigal Singers, Women’s Chorale, Glee Club, Clarinet Choir, Flute Choir, Instrumental Jazz Ensemble, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Saxophone Ensemble, Vocal Chamber Music Ensemble, Opera Workshop, Brass Quintet, Women’s Chorale, Percussion Ensemble, Campus/Community Band, Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Winds.

Capstone Project

Music Industry majors are required to complete a capstone project in the form of full length CD during the senior year. The project requires the student to compose, record, perform, produce, and engineer all aspects of the album and present the final CD at the end of the semester as a playback presentation.  Music Industry faculty must approve a proposal in order to begin the project.

Overall Music Student Requirements 

Music majors are required to earn a minimum grade of C in all required music courses. Any and all of these courses in which a student receives a grade below C, are required to be repeated at Saint Rose until a grade of C or higher is attained.  

Music Department Listening List: Music students will be assessed on their knowledge of and familiarity with a body of music literature selected by the music faculty in MUS 302.

Music Theory Placement Exam: All entering music students, major and/or minor, will be required to take a Music Theory/Ear training placement test. Those students who do not achieve a passing score will be placed into MUS 110 (Fundamentals of Music) as a prerequisite to MUS 101 (Music Theory I) and MUS 103 Ear Training I).

Concert Attendance Requirements 

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).

Students are required to arrive before the beginning of the concert and stay until the end. For performances at The College of Saint Rose, students are required to submit programs signed by a member of the Saint Rose music faculty as evidence of attendance. For performances not at The College of Saint Rose, a program signed at the concert by a concert participant, or someone related to the performance, is required. The programs are to be submitted to their Repertoire Class Instructor (MUS 100) in accordance with the class syllabus.

Piano Proficiency (MUS 484

Music Industry majors are required to pass the piano proficiency prior to being approved to begin their senior project. It is administered during final exam week and may be taken during subsequent semesters until passed. Prerequisites: MUS 281 and MUS 282.


Core Curriculum

Music Theory and History (18 credits)

MUS 100Repertoire

0

or

MUS 300Composition Seminar

0

MUS 101Music Theory I

3

MUS 102Music Theory II

3

MUS 200Convocation

0

MUS 201Music Theory III

3

MUS 202Form/Analysis West/Non-W Music

3

MUS 301Music History 1

3

MUS 302Music History 2

3

Instrumental/Vocal concentrators take MUS 100

Songwriting/Composition concentrators take MUS 300.

MUS 100 or MUS 300, and MUS 200 must be taken for 7 semesters.

Ear Training and Solfege (8 credits)

MUS 103Ear Training and Solfege

2

MUS 104Ear Training and Solfege

2

MUS 203Adv Ear Train/Sol

2

MUS 204Adv Ear Train/Sol

2

Keyboard Harmony (4 credits)

MUS 281Keyboard Harmony 3

2

MUS 282Keyboard Harmony 4

2

MUS 484Piano Proficiency

0

Applied Music (8 credits)

MUS 393Applied Music Primary Instr

1

or

MUS 397Applied Composition

1

and

MUS 394Secondary Applied Music

0

Students must take 8 semesters of MUS 393 or MUS 397.

Songwriting/Composition concentrators must also take 6 semesters of MUS 394: Secondary Applied Lessons.


Semester and annual individual music juries are part of the assessment tool in all primary applied study.


Major Performing Ensembles (7 semesters/4 credits)

Students must take Ensemble for 4 semesters at 1 credit and 3 semesters at 0-1 credit. Ensemble is based on applied area.

MUS 280Commercial Music Record Ensemble

0 or 1

MUS 287Jazz Guitar Ensemble

0 or 1

MUS 289Symphony Orchestra

0 or 1

MUS 290Symphonic Band

0 or 1

MUS 291Masterworks Chorale

0 or 1

MUS 292Wind Ensemble

0 or 1

Music Industry

Commercial Music (13 credits)

MUS 253Jazz: Historical Overview

3

or

MUS 254History of Rock

3

MUS 334Orchestration & Instrumentat

3

MUS 351Jazz Arranging

3

MUS 352Songwriting Workshop

3

MUS 367Improvisation 1

1

Music Business (15 credits)

MUS 353Music Business Survey

3

MUS 358Artist Management

3

MUS 359Record Label & Publish Co

3

MUS 454Music Industry Internship

3

MUS 455Top:Music Industry

3

Music Technology (17 credits)

MUS 257Music Technology

3

MUS 354Intro to Pro Tools

3

MUS 350Recording Engineering

3 to 4

MUS 452Record Production Workshop

4

MUS 453Senior Studio Project/Seminar

3

MUS 453: To be eligible for this option, students are required to complete MUS 350, MUS 351, MUS 352, MUS 354 and MUS 452 with a B in each and receive approval of the project proposal.

Music-Music Industry Major Summary (Total Credits 122)

Core Curriculum 42 
Commercial Music 13
Music Business 15
Music Technology 17
Liberal Education Courses** 41

** MUS 257 Music Technology fulfills L08 and Music courses fulfill L05.


 

Suggested 4 Year Course Plan:

This suggested plan is designed to give students an idea of how to balance their coursework over 8 semesters and to graduate within 4 years. Most students will need to take a minimum of 30 credits each year in order to meet the graduation requirement of a minimum of 122 overall credits.  It should be used along with your Degree Works worksheet and in consultation with your faculty advisor. It is meant as a guide, not a definitive list of courses that must be taken as written. Your faculty advisor will help you make any necessary adjustments during advisement.

Year 1:

 

Fall (14-16 credits)

Spring (16-18 credits)

MUS 393: Applied Music (1)

MUS 393: Applied Music (1)

MUS 100: Repertoire Class (0)

MUS 100: Repertoire Class (0)

MUS 200: Convocation (0)

MUS 200: Convocation (0)

Ensemble: MUS 289, 290, or 292 (1)

Ensemble: MUS 289, 290, or 292 (0)

MUS 101: Music Theory I (3)

MUS 102: Music Theory II (3)

MUS 103: Ear Training/Solfege (2)

MUS 104: Ear Training/Solfege (2)

MUS 181: Keyboard Harmony (2) *

*If haven’t passed exam*

MUS 182: Keyboard Harmony II (2) *

*If haven’t passed exam*

MUS 353 Music Business Survey (3)

MUS 257 Music Tech (3)

ENG 105 (4)

Choice: Language L02 (3)

 

Choice: Literature L04 (4)

Year 2:

 

Fall (17 credits)

Spring (15 credits)

MUS 393: Applied Music (1)

MUS 393: Applied Music (1)

MUS 100: Repertoire Class (0)

MUS 100: Repertoire Class (0)

MUS 200: Convocation (0)

MUS 200: Convocation (0)

Ensemble: MUS 289, 290, or 292 (1)

Ensemble: MUS 289, 290, or 292 (0)

MUS 201: Music Theory III (3)

MUS 202: Form & Analysis (3)

MUS 203: Ear Training/Solfege (2)

MUS 204: Ear Training/Solfege (2)

MUS 281: Keyboard Harmony III (2)

MUS 282: Keyboard Harmony IV (2)

MUS 350 Recording Engineering (4)

MUS 452 Record Production (4)

MUS 359 Record Label or History L03 (3)

MUS 359 Record Label or History L03 (3)

Phys Ed Lib Ed (1)

MUS 484: Piano Proficiency (0)

 

Business Lib Ed L10 (3)


Year 3:

 

Fall (18 credits)

Spring (18 credits)

MUS 393: Applied Music (1)

MUS 393: Applied Music (1)

MUS 100: Repertoire Class (0)

MUS 100: Repertoire Class (0)

MUS 200: Convocation (0)

MUS 200: Convocation (0)

Ensemble: MUS 289, 290, or 292 (1)

Ensemble: MUS 289, 290, or 292 (1)

MUS 301: Music History I (3) *Fall*

Choice: Small Ensemble (0-1)

MUS 354 Pro Tools (3)

MUS 302: Music History II (3) *Spring*

MUS 367 Improv 1 (1)

MUS 351 Jazz Arranging (3)

Math Lib Ed (3)

Lib Ed (3)

MUS 352 or MUS 358 (3)

MUS 352 or MUS 358 (3)

MUS 334 Orchestration (3)

Choice: Lib Ed Lab Science (4)

Choice: Lib Ed-L12 (1) *Phys Ed*

 

Year 4:

 

Fall (11 credits)

Spring (14 credits)

MUS 453 or 454 Internship/Senior Proj  (3)

MUS 453 or 454 Internship/Senior Proj  (3)

MUS 393: Applied Music (1)

MUS 393 Applied (1)

MUS 100: Repertoire Class (0)

Choice: Lab Science L09 (4)

MUS 200: Convocation (0)

Choice: Philosophy Lib Ed (3)

Ensemble: MUS 289, 290, or 292 (1)

Elective/Lib Ed (3)  

MUS 455 Topics MI (3)

 

Further Disciplinary (3)

 

Internship/Field Experiences/Service:

Required Course

MUS 454Music Industry Internship

3

Culminating Academic Experiences:

Required Course

MUS 453Senior Studio Project/Seminar

3

Professional Accreditation:

The College of Saint Rose, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province, is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State. All of its degrees and programs are registered and its professional programs fully approved by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department.

The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://www.msche.org

The Department of Music at The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the U. S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://nasm.arts-accredit.org/

Admissions and Financial Aid Information:

The Undergraduate Admissions Office begins review of Freshman applications each fall in late September for the following Fall. Students are encouraged to submit a complete an application as early as November. The Admissions Team will return a decision on complete applications within just three weeks. The College awards academic scholarships at the same time.

What Makes an Application Complete

  • Online or Paper application (fee waived for online applicants!)
  • Official High School Transcripts
  • Official Transcripts for any College Level Courses
  • SAT or ACT scores  (See Test Optional FAQ's)
  • Letter of Recommendation from a Counselor or Teacher
  • Essay or Graded Paper
  • Applicants may also apply via the Common Application Online.
  • Art applicants are required to complete a portfolio review.

Admissions contact information (telephone number, admissions web pages)

Scholarships and Financial Aid

See Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid section for more information.

The Bottom Line

The total cost of The College of Saint Rose (including tuition, fees, room and board) is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast, and we still award more than $25 million in Saint Rose scholarships, grants and financial aid.

Take a look at our bottom line, and view a cost comparison with a four-year public institution.

More about Financial Aid

Financial Aid is defined as any grant, scholarship, loan, or employment opportunity given with the express purpose of assisting you with education-related expenses to make you education affordable. Financial Aid is awarded on the basis of student need and the availability of funds.

The Admission and Financial Aid teams have designed a Guide to Scholarships and Financial Aid to help prospective students and families get to the bottom line and find that The College of Saint Rose is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast--while maintaining powerful academic opportunities.

Find Out More: