Performance Major: Piano Concentration

Accompanying Courses

The following courses are available to piano concentrators and to other qualified keyboard players interested in accompanying:

• APST 112 - Keyboard Accompanying (Vocal)  
• APST 113 - Keyboard Accompanying (Instrumental)  
• APST 204 - Interpretation of Art Song  
• MLIT 220 - The Lied  
• MLIT 221 - The Mélodie  

Private Study Committee Examinations

First Major Committee

The first major committee examination will consist of 15 minutes of solo music, prepared with the principal private study teacher, to be performed from memory for a faculty jury composed of the entire piano department, at the end of the first year. Transfer students with two or more semesters of piano credit will not be required to take this examination. This examination will not be graded and is advisory in nature. Comments will be offered by the jury.

Second Major Committee

The second major committee examination will consist of 25 minutes of solo music, of which 12 minutes will be heard. Repertoire must include a minimum of two contrasting styles and include at least one work written before 1900. This repertoire is to be prepared with the principal private study teacher, and is to be performed from memory for a faculty jury composed of the entire piano department, at the end of the fourth semester of study. It is graded Pass/No Pass and must be passed by a majority of the jury in order for the student to continue as a performance major with a piano concentration. Comments will be offered by the jury. A failed second major committee examination may be taken a second time in the first two weeks of the following semester. At least one work must be new repertoire.

Third Major Committee

The third major committee examination will consist of one piece chosen by the student from three selected by the faculty and announced two weeks before the examination date. This music will be self-prepared, without help from the principal private study teacher or others,  and is to be performed from memory for a faculty jury composed of the entire piano department, at the end of the fifth semester of study. This examination will be graded and comments will be offered by the jury. Students who do not receive an average grade of B- or better will be required to repeat the committee examination.

Performance Requirements

Junior Recital

The junior recital consists of solo works performed from memory, lasting at minimum 25 minutes and at maximum 35 minutes.

Senior Recital

The senior recital consists of at least 50 minutes of solo repertoire performed from memory. In addition, chamber works or concertos can be scheduled. A balance of repertoire is expected. Unusual or esoteric programs must be submitted to the piano department for approval. Students are required to play a pre-recital hearing (20 minutes) a minimum of two weeks before their senior recital. The senior recital may be performed during the first or second semester, or during Winter Term.

Admission

Potential applicants to the Honors Program in Performance: Piano Concentration 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 4.00 for the two preceding semesters;
• completion of three semesters of accompanying;
• appropriate completion of the performance major: piano concentration requirements; and
• “good academic standing” for the preceding two semesters as defined in the Academic Policies  section 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 adjudicated by no less than two-thirds of the piano department faculty. 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 department 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 faculty. A student will be notified by the department chair of the status of their 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.

Proposal/Project Requirements

All honors proposals must include the production of a professional-quality compact disc (CD) to be funded by the piano department (see department chair for limitations and restrictions). The completed CD must be submitted to the chair by the end of the first week following spring break. If it is approved by two-thirds of the piano department faculty, it will then be submitted for external review to at least one individual to be selected by the piano faculty. (This individual will be chosen from a list of pianists suggested by the student and his teacher.) If successful, the CD will become a permanent part of the library collection.

All honors projects will culminate in a public recital to be given by the end of classes in the spring semester. It will 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 of these members.

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 their 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 will 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 rationale pertaining to the student’s successful and meritorious completion of the honors project;
• the project proposal;
• a recording 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 Performance: Piano.