PRIVATE PIANO STUDY AT LUTHER COLLEGE
Professors include: John Strauss (keyboard area coordinator), Xiao Hu, Du Huang, Miko
Kominami, and Marjorie Wharton
Overview of Course Content and Expectations
Piano study at Luther College is part of the liberal arts curriculum and should be regarded
as an academic discipline with requirements like any other college courses. An
individualized course of study will be worked out with each student.
In the course of a four-year study program, students will acquire an overview of the
repertory including Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, and Contemporary
music, and perform from a cross section of that repertory.
To help students learn to perform in front of an audience and to experience this exciting
and yet challenging aspect of music as a branch of the performing arts, piano instructors
will hold piano seminar regularly. The seminar setting offers the student a supportive
audience, and an opportunity to try out new repertoire on stage with help from an
experienced instructor.
Intelligent and consistent practice will lead you to greater enjoyment and musical growth.
We expect you to practice a minimum of 1 hour each day. Music Majors for whom piano
is the principal area of applied music (refer to as piano principal hereafter in this course
syllabus) should practice a minimum of two hours each day. IF YOU ARE
PRACTICING LESS THAN THE MINIMUM JUST DESCRIBED, YOU WILL NOT
MAKE ADEQUATE PROGRESS.
Course Requirement and Grading Policy
Attendance is required at all lessons and seminars. Illness and family emergency are the
only legitimate reasons for expecting a make-up lesson (See the Music Department
Guideline).
Seminar performance requirements:
Students should perform three different pieces or movements from memory in the course
of each semester. At a teacher’s discretion, one chamber piece or an accompaniment may
be substituted for a memorized piece. Students may repeat performances of the same
piece in successive weeks, until satisfied.
Piano Jury:
Piano principals are required to present two contrasting pieces in their jury each spring
semester, and pass the Sight Reading Fluency Exam before the senior year. Students who
perform a concerto with the orchestra or band, participate in a master class, or who
present a recital may be exempted from playing a jury at their teacher’s discretion during
the semester of their performance.
.
Students who have not satisfied their seminar requirements in any given semester must
also play a jury that semester.
Grades are based on weekly lesson preparation and progress; performance in seminars
(and in juries, when applicable). If you wonder how well you are doing at any point in
the semester, feel free to ask your instructor. Students who meet expectations described
in this syllabus should expect to receive a B for their work. (The Luther College average
GPA for the entire student body normally ranges between 3.0 and 3.2. That is to say, “B”
is average work at Luther College). Only students who do exceptional work should
expect to receive an “A”.
Registration, Studio Assignments, and Lesson times
Please make sure you are enrolling in the correct course level each semester during the
registration period and make changes if needed. Piano principals normally should take
hour-long lessons (register for 2 credits):
130 Private Instruction For all applied music students in their first year of study. Nonmajors and music majors in their secondary areas may repeat this course for credit in
subsequent years. Studio seminar is required.
230 Private Instruction Piano majors in their second year of study. All other students
may register for this course with consent of instructor. Studio seminar is required.
330 Private Instruction Piano majors in their third year of study. All other students may
register for this course with consent of instructor. Studio seminar is required.
430 Private Instruction Piano majors in their fourth year of study. All other students
may register for this course with consent of instructor. Studio seminar is required.
Piano faculty will announce studio assignment in the beginning of the semester, you will
be contacted by your teacher to establish lesson time and seminar dates.
Degree Recital and Small Ensemble Requirement
Consult with your teacher and the Music Department Guideline about the recital approval
jury, the degree recital, fulfilling degree recital requirements through general recitals, and
the small ensemble requirement.
Malfunctioning and Out of Tune Pianos
Please report all mechanical and tuning problems to Michael Reiter, the resident piano
technician. Please fill out a form on his door to describe the problem and the location of
the piano. Please remember: NO FOOD, DRINK, OR SMOKING IN ANY PRACTICE
ROOM!