Honors Program in Piano Performance

Admission

Potential Honors applicants will be identified during the end of their sophomore year and will be required to audition at the end of their junior year. In order to audition for the Honors Program, a student must be nominated by a member of the piano faculty and must meet the following requirements: a private study grade point average of 4.0 for the two preceding semesters; completion of three semesters of accompanying; appropriate completion of the performance major requirements in piano; and “good academic standing” for the preceding two semesters as defined in the Conservatory portion of this catalog.

Applicants must prepare 35 minutes of memorized and balanced repertoire. Auditions for the Honors Program will be open to the public and be adjudicated by no fewer than six members of the piano department. Students will advance past the audition stage only if selected by a two-thirds majority of the panel, and it is possible that no one will be chosen; a maximum of three students may be selected per year. If a student performs a successful audition, they must submit a proposal for an Honors Project to the Chair of the piano faculty and the Dean’s office before the first day of classes of the following fall semester. Proposals must receive approval from two-thirds of the piano department. A student will be notified by the department Chair of the status of his or her entrance into the Honors Program before the end of the Add/Drop period of the fall semester. If a final proposal is not approved before the end of the Add/Drop period, others may not be submitted. It is recommended that applicants seek assistance from members of the faculty and consult with the Associate Dean before submitting a final proposal.

Proposal/Project Requirements

All honors proposals must include the production of a professional quality CD to be funded by the department (see department Chair for limitations and restrictions). After the CD project is completed, it must be approved by two-thirds of the department and be submitted for external review to at least one individual to be selected by the piano faculty. If successful, the CD will become a permanent part of the library collection.

All honors projects will culminate in a public recital to be adjudicated by at least six members of the Keyboard Division, including the private teacher, the piano department Chair, and the Division Director. The recital must pass by a two-thirds majority.

Special efforts will be made to provide off-campus performance opportunities for Honors candidates.

Curricular and Program Requirements

A student who receives approval for an Honors Proposal will register for four credits of Honors study in each semester of his or her senior year. Free elective requirements for the performance major will be reduced by eight credits and the final Honors recital will replace the senior recital. If some part of the Honors Program, such as the recital or CD project, is not considered to be adequate but is completed, a student may receive credit for the work but not receive the distinction of Honors. Students who fail any portion of the required coursework in Honors will be removed from the program and must complete the standard performance major requirements in order to graduate.

Following successful completion of a project and approval by the piano department as defined above, the Chair of the piano department will submit the following to the Honors and Awards Committee of the Conservatory of Music: a brief rational pertaining to the student’s successful and meritorious completion of the Honors project; the project proposal; a CD of the recital; and the final project CD. If the Honors and Awards Committee approves the piano department recommendation, the student will be awarded the Baccalaureate distinction of Honors in Piano Performance.