Music (BA)
Music (BA)
This program offered by Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts/
Department of Music
Program Description
The bachelor of arts (BA) degree with a major in music is
designed for a broad understanding of the music discipline
through the study of performance, music theory, and music
literature. The BA program allows a student to investigate diverse
areas of music within a flexible curricular framework.
All students In the BA music degree program must complete a
senior thesis. After a successful Pre-Recital Hearing for the music
faculty, BA students may present a non-degree recital. A nondegree recital does not replace the senior thesis requirement, but
may include material from the thesis project.
Performance Requirements
Much of the music that we make is collaborative in nature, with a
mix of keyboard, wind, brass, string, and percussion instruments,
and voices. So that performance majors develop an ability to
work with others beyond an accompanist, all performance majors
presenting junior and senior recitals will include on each recital
or in a Thursday student recital at least one 3-minute work that
includes collaboration with a performer other than or in addition to
piano. Works longer than 3 minutes are encouraged.
Degree Requirements
A minimum of 128 credit hours consisting of the following:
• 59 required credit hours
• Applicable University Global Citizenship Program hours
• Electives
Admission and Audition Requirements
Ensemble Requirements
Required Courses
Core Music Courses
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Performance Courses
• MUSC 0890 Recital Attendance (six semesters required) (0
hours)
• MUSC 4001-4005 Applied Music (12 hours)
• MUSC 1080, 1085, 2001, 2501 Class or Applied Piano (2-4
hours)
(minimum two semesters required)
• Major Ensemble
6 hours over eight semesters to be selected from:
• MUSC 4900 Webster University Concert Choir (1 hour
per semester)
• MUSC 4910 Webster University Chamber Singers (1
hour per semester)
• MUSC 4920 Webster University Women's Chorus (1
hour per semester)
• MUSC 4940 Webster University Orchestra (1 hour per
semester)
• MUSC 4950 Webster University Jazz Singers (1 hour
per semester)
• MUSC 4960 Webster University Jazz Ensemble (combo)
(1 hour per semester)
• MUSC 4980 Webster University Wind Ensemble (1 hour
per semester)
Each of the undergraduate degree programs in music includes
multiple semesters of participation in a major ensemble. Depending upon specific degree requirements, the major ensembles
include Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, Women's Chorus,
Chamber Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble (combo),
Jazz Singers, Big Band, and New Music Ensemble.
Music scholarship students are expected to participate in
performing ensembles as assigned in addition to those for which
they receive credit. In general, music majors are expected to
participate in at least two ensembles per semester.
Candidacy Examination
Each undergraduate music major must take a Candidacy
Examination in spring of the sophomore year or upon completion
of 45 or more credit hours as music majors (whichever comes
first). The Candidacy Examination assesses a student's success
in the first two years of music study. The examination helps the
music faculty determine a student's potential for graduation within
a given degree program.
The examination includes the performance of one or more works
and an interview with the faculty. While most students declare
their intention from their first semester (BM in performance,
BA in music, and so on), no student is actually accepted into
the department as a major until the Candidacy Examination is
completed successfully.
MUSC 1010, 1020, 2010, 2020 Music Theory I-IV (12 hours)
MUSC 1810, 1820 2810 Musicianship I-III (6 hours)
MUSC 2030, 2040 Survey of Music History I, II (6 hours)
MUSC 4700 Advanced Variable Topic (2-3 hours)
(taken in junior or senior year only)
Supportive Courses
• MUSC 4040 Music of the Twentieth Century (3 hours)
• MUSC 4611, 4612, 4613, 4614 Thesis sequence (4 hours)
A minimum of 6 credit hours selected from:
Piano Proficiency
Each undergraduate music major must demonstrate proficiency
on the piano keyboard. Proficiency is demonstrated through
at least two semesters of piano lessons or classes. Piano
Proficiency content is described in the Department of Music
Handbook. Music Education majors take a separate proficiency
exam no later than the junior year, the contents of which are
described in the Department of Music Handbook.
Webster University 2016-2017 Undergraduate Studies Catalog DRAFT
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MUSC 2820 Musicianship IV (2 hours)
MUSC 4001-4005 Applied Music (2 hours)
MUSC 3010 Composition (3 hours)
MUSC 3070 Orchestration I (3 hours)
MUSC 3170 Jazz History I (3 hours)
MUSC 3180 Jazz History II (3 hours)
MUSC 3410 Conducting I (3 hours)
MUSC 4140 Lyric Diction (2 hours)
MUSC 4150 The Art Song (3 hours)
MUSC 4160 Operatic Literature (3 hours)
MUSC 4170 Piano Literature (2 hours)
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Majors
To be admitted as an undergraduate music major or music minor,
applicants must complete an in-person audition/interview with
the music faculty and complete various diagnostic examinations.
Auditions are arranged through the Office of Undergraduate
Admissions. Specific information on the audition requirements for
each music degree program is available from the department’s
website. Priority consideration for performance scholarships is
given to students who complete all admission requirements before
March 30 of the application year.
Music (BA)
Music (BA)
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MUSC 4190 Orchestral Literature (3 hours)
MUSC 4250 Voice Pedagogy I (2 hours)
MUSC 4260 Piano Pedagogy I (2 hours)
MUSC 4360 The Working Musician (3 hours)
Students pursuing the BA in voice must fulfill a foreign language
requirement by studying French, German, or Italian. Students can
fulfill the requirement by successfully completing 9 credit hours,
by passing one appropriate 2000-level language course, or by
passing an intermediate level language competency examination.
All courses must be in the 16-week format. Students would
typically focus on a single foreign language; no more than two
foreign languages may be applied to this requirement. A student
may substitute another foreign language, subject to the approval
of the chair of the Department of Music, if the student successfully
completes a competency examination in that language.
Students pursuing the BA in voice must enroll in MUSC 0990.
All students in the BA music degree program must complete
a senior thesis. Through a successful Pre-Recital Hearing for
the music faculty, BA students are allowed to present a nonrequired recital. This recital does not replace the senior thesis
requirement, but the recital may include material from the thesis
project.
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Webster University 2016-2017 Undergraduate Studies Catalog DRAFT