The University Senate of Michigan Technological University

 

Proposal 9-14
(Voting Units:  Academic)

 

Visual and Performing Arts Department Minor Degree Proposal

“Minor in Music Performance “
(19 credits)

 

 

I. Introduction

 

The Visual and Performing Arts department offers minors in general music, jazz, music technology, and composition. The proposed new Minor in Music Performance will complete a solid core music curriculum for our department by focusing on the performance aspect of musicianship.

 

II. Rationale

 

The Minor in Music Performance embodies a performance-centric music curriculum that mirrors, in spirit, a bachelor of music in performance degree (BM).  This new minor will enable student musicians to develop higher levels of musicianship and artistry by structuring the degree around pre-existing music courses that have a performance focus.  The direct result of this would be higher quality music ensembles that would attract even better students to Tech.

 

The minor focuses heavily on music performance courses requiring multiple semesters of music ensemble, two semesters of private music instruction, the  Advanced Musicianship course (score study, musicianship, and conducting technique), and the completion of a public performance activity (concerto, recital, lecture-recital) as a final project.  In addition to the performance courses, students are required to take the foundational academic music courses (Music Theory I, Music Theory II, Music History).

 

Students have the option of also taking the Basic Musicianship course (sight-singing, ear training, formal analysis), additional semesters of private lessons, the Group Voice course, and a varied complement of auditioned music ensembles for electives.  Students are required to take five elective credits, thus encouraging them to take multiple semesters of music performance courses in private, group, and ensemble settings.  The expanded list of auditioned music ensembles allows for both emerging and advanced music students to receive credit for playing in the ensemble that matches their skill sets.

 

In addition, this minor will hopefully attract students looking to maintain excellence in musicianship while studying in other majors such as Engineering, Computer Science, Business, and Forestry.

 

 

 

 

III. Details of Catalogue Copy

 

a.       Title of minor: Minor in Music Performance

b.       Catalogue description: This VPA minor focuses heavily on music performance, with courses that cover conducting, musicianship & interpretation, private music lessons, performing in an ensemble, and a final public recital.

c.       List of courses:

Minor in Music Performance – 19 credits

                                                                                                                           

Required Courses (14 credits)                                                                  

Take the following courses:                                                                               

FA 2500 Music Theory I                                                                                  3

FA 2570 Private Music Instruction (two semesters at .5 credits each)              1

FA 3501 Advanced Musicianship                                                                    3

FA 3530 Music Theory II                                                                                 3

FA 3560 Music History                                                                                    3

FA 4970 Final Project                                                                                       1

                                                                                                                          14

Elective Courses (5 credits)                                                                      

Take five credits from the courses below.  Two of these credits must be a music ensemble:    FA 2402, FA 2430, FA 3400, FA 3401, FA 3430, FA 3510, FA 3580, FA 4420, FA 4400.  Music ensembles and Private Music Instruction (FA 2570) may be repeated for credit:                                                               

FA 2501 Basic Musicianship                                                                            2

FA 2570 Private Music Instruction                                                                   1

FA 2580 Group Voice                                                                                      2

FA 2402 Campus Concert Band                                                                       1

FA 2430 R&D Jazz Band                                                                                 1

FA 3400 Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra                                                      1

FA 3401 Wind Symphony                                                                                1

FA 3430 Jazz Lab Band                                                                                    1

FA 3510 Concert Choir                                                                                    1

FA 3580 Chamber Choir                                                                                  1

FA 4420 Music Performance: Jazz                                                                   1

FA 4400 Chamber Music Seminar                                                                   1

FA 4620 Musical Theatre Performance                                                            3

                                                                                           5

 

d.       Prerequisites: none

 

 

IV. New Course Descriptions: none

 

V. Estimated Costs: There are no fiscal costs associated with implementing this minor.  This minor will provide students a way to organize pre-existing course offerings into a structured curriculum; it will also help increase enrollment in upper division courses.

 

VI. Planned Implementation Date: Fall 2014

 

Introduced to Senate: 20 November 2013
Approved by Senate: 11 December 2013

Approved by Administration: 17 December 2013