School Of Music - UTRGV

MUSIC ENSEMBLESMusic Ensembles perform on campus and in various communities throughout Texas and the nation.Ensembles are open to all students, regardless of major, and may serve as elective courses in anycollege of the university. Please note which ensembles require an audition for participation. Alimited number of instruments are available to students who wish to join these groups.Large Ensembles: Wind Symphony Wind Ensemble Concert Band Symphony Orchestra University Choir Master Chorale Opera Workshop Guitar Ensemble Jazz Ensemble Latin Ensemble Jazz Combo Mariachi AztlánCHAMBER MUSICChamber music stresses the study, preparation and performance of small-ensemble music in likeinstrument groupings, mixed-instrument ensembles and vocal ensembles. Many applied musicstudios have formed ensembles with their music majors. Many of the ensembles have performed atregional, national, and international venues such as the Texas Music Educators Association StateConvention, the National Trumpet Competition, the Eastern Trombone Workshop, and theInternational Tuba/Euphonium Conference. Current chamber music offerings include: Flute Choir Clarinet Choir Saxophone Quartets Trumpet Ensemble Horn Ensemble Trombone Choir Tuba/Euphonium Percussion Ensemble Brass Choir Ensemble String Quartet Guitar Quartet Pep BandUTRGV SCHOOL OF MUSIC10

ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURESGeneral RequirementsAll full-time (12 semester hours or more) music majors are required to adhere to the followingpolicies and procedures:All students seeking the BM degree in Music must:1) Register for and participate in their prescribed major ensemble until degreerequirements are completed.2) Register for applied music until degree requirements are completed. Thestudent should have satisfied all jury and recital requirements.3) Register for and pass three semester hours of class piano.4) Perform in at least one public recital per semester.5) Fulfill all solo recital requirements as prescribed.6) Make a grade of “C” or better in every music course taken toward the degree.In sequential music courses, a grade of “C” must be made in order to progress to the next musiccourse in the sequence.Grading PolicyIt is departmental and university policy that faculty list grading procedures and policies in theircourse syllabi. Faculty will follow the grading policies as outlined in their syllabi. Grades areassigned to students in a fair and equitable manner based upon the grading policies andprocedures listed in the syllabi.Music Faculty grade and return homework, tests, and other assignments in a reasonable and timelymanner given the circumstances of their teaching assignments. Faculty maintain accurate grades ofstudents' work and will make available an accounting of a student's academic standing whenrequested by the students through a scheduled appointment.Testing PolicyIt is departmental and university policy that all tests be administered in a fair and equitable manner.Students are expected and required to follow testing procedures and policies in an atmosphere ofhonesty and truthfulness. The following policies have been adopted by the Music Department andare required procedures for exams and tests:Excused AbsencesAccording to UTRGV policy, absences that may be excused include the following:1. Absences for University-Recognized Activities2. Religious Holy Days3. Active Military Service4. Injury or Serious Illness5. Jury DutyUTRGV SCHOOL OF MUSIC11

Cell Phone PolicyCell phones and other electronic devices may not be used or displayed in a classroom, rehearsal,recital, concert or other academic or musical event. A faculty member may ask the student to leavethe classroom or venue until the conclusion of the class, rehearsal, or concert if the student is foundin violation of this policy.SCHOOL OF MUSIC POLICIESApplied LessonsStudents must pass an audition for a panel of faculty members in the specific applied area in orderto begin applied lesson study. Applied study is prioritized first for majors in that applied area, thenfor secondary and music minors. Enrollment in specific applied studios is at the discretion of theapplied instructor and available hours within their teaching load. Those not sufficiently advancedfor college level applied lessons are encouraged to enroll in “class” lessons, if offered in thatsemester.All students in applied lessons must also enroll in appropriate major ensembles related to the areaof study (i.e.Choir for voice,Orchestra for strings, etc.). Students admitted to the School of Musicoutside of the performance track may re-audition for consideration as a Performance Major eitherduring School of Music audition days or at end of semester juries before a panel of facultymembers in the specific applied area.At the beginning of each semester, in order to be assigned a lesson time, a complete classschedule must be submitted to the assigned applied instructor by the first day of classes. Lessontime assignments are at the discretion of the applied teacher in reference to registered courseconflicts of the students. Students must schedule their primary lesson time prior to schedulingsecondary applied lessons or coaching times. Non-university conflicts are not guaranteed to beaccommodated in applied lesson scheduling. Lessons may be assigned anytime in the normal classhours of the university.Applied Lesson GradingApplied lesson grades are determined with the following ratio: 75% as determined by appliedinstructor based on weekly lesson grades, effort, improvement, practice habits, etc.; 25% averagedgrade from jury grades. Note: failure to achieve an averaged grade of 70 from the jury panel resultsin a non-passing grade for the semester and will require re- enrollment in that section of appliedstudy in order to move forward in the degree plan. The grade may be adversely affected byunexcused absences, as specified by the applied instructor in their syllabus. Students must informthe applied instructor at least 24 hours in advance of the absence in order to be considered for“excused” status. One excused student absence is allowed each semester. Excused absences maybe made up at the discretion and convenience of the applied instructor. Unexcused absences willnot be considered for a make-up lesson. Students must receive a "C" or higher to advance to thenext level of applied lessons.UTRGV SCHOOL OF MUSIC12

Failure to enroll in Applied StudyIf prior to completion of your degree recitals, you do not enroll in applied lessons for twoconsecutive semesters, you will be administratively dropped from the degree. You will be notifiedby the School of Music that you will be required to audition for re- admittance into the musicprogram of study.Ensemble participationEach student must register for and participate in the appropriate major ensemble each semester.Certain small ensembles may be considered in fulfilling this requirement. See your applied teacherfor more information. Once the minimum required number of semesters has been met for thestudent’s degree plan, students are encouraged to continue to register under Audit. Upper orlower level registration is to align with applied lessons, depending on the result of the upper levelaudition.JuriesJuries are a formal performance covering all the work over the course of the semester. The jury, atthe end of each semester, makes up 25% of your applied lesson grade. In some performance areas,students may be required to play a scale or technique jury, earlier in the semester. The day andtime of the jury are assigned by the applied area. Students must receive no less than a 70 averagefrom all faculty members hearing the jury to receive credit for an applied lesson course. Note thatin semesters that students have successfully performed a degree recital, they are not required toplay a jury. Also, faculty in a specific applied area may decide that other substantive performanceswithin the same semester can count as sufficient “performance testing” to waive the juryrequirement. Such performances may include principal operatic roles, concerto performances, nondegree recitals, etc. Vocal juries are expected to include music in a suitable mix of languages, frommemory as appropriate to performance practice, and in a quantity as deemed appropriate by theapplied instructor. Other areas have specific requirements concerning memorization andrepertoire.Performing with Collaborative PianistsStudents are to sign-up for coaching times with the Piano Faculty member who is responsible forthe collaborative duties in each specific area (voice, winds/brass, or strings). Each collaborativepianist will set schedules for coaching times and will decide upon specific policies in relation totheir work as collaborator. It is the student’s responsibility to be fully communicative with the PianoFaculty member in terms of repertoire, performance dates, and any scheduling issues.UTRGV SCHOOL OF MUSIC13

Instrumental and Vocal Collaborative Piano:POLICIES Collaborative pianists will cover all student needs that are described within the degree plan. Theseinclude:I.II.III.IV.V. Accompanying juries for music majors on their primary instrument.Degree recitals.Studio recitals (maximum one recital per studio per semester).Lab performances.Voice Auditions on official audition dates.Collaborative pianists will allot the following number of 30-minute rehearsals for each student in thefollowing hierarchy:I. Graduate Students: 12 rehearsals per semester maximum.II. Senior Recitals: 10 rehearsals per semester maximum.III. Upper-Level Students and Junior Recitals: 8 rehearsals per semester maximum.IV. Sophomore Recitals/Hearing: 5 rehearsals per semester 1 Hearing maximum.a. Sophomore recitals/hearing must be scheduled during normal business hours (9:00am-5:00pm)or during a student’s semester jury.V. Lower-Level Students: 4 rehearsals per semester maximum. Collaborative pianists will not be available to accompany A student’s coaching time is allotted on a weekly basis and may not be cumulatively spent at alater part of the semester (i.e., if a student does not come to rehearsals until a later part of thesemester, their allotted time earlier in the semester is forfeit). Collaborative pianists will spend a maximum of 3 hours of contact time per week accompanying studentsfor every hour of release time granted. This is all-inclusive towards rehearsals, seminars, and ensembles. Collaborative pianists will organize and schedule their accompanying activities in a manner to best servestudents and to avoid long periods of unsafe, continuous or excessive accompanying. Collaborative pianists are not available to rehearse with students over Winter, Spring, or Summer break. Collaborative pianists will play for student recordings if the recording is made during a regular coachingtime and is completed within said rehearsal time. There are no exceptions to this provision. Collaborative pianists are available to accompany UTRGV faculty recitals and guest artists as peravailability, with the minimum notice and receipt of all scores five weeks prior to performance. non-required degree recitalsmusic minorsnon-majorssecondary students (i.e. music majors taking a secondary instrument)concurrent enrollment studentsOutside events including (but not limited to) NATS, the Concerto Competition, off-campus recitals,and any performance that is not explicitly specified on the degree plan.UTRGV SCHOOL OF MUSIC14

a. Pianists can accompany one guest artist master class per year, per studio as long as they takeplace during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm). Upon request, the piano faculty will provide a list of outside accompanists available for hire.Instrumental and Vocal Collaborative Piano:PROCEDURES3. Provide the collaborative pianist with the music three weeks prior to first rehearsal and fiveweeks prior to performance.A. The deadline for submission of all scores is November 1 for Fall Semester and April 1 forSpring Semester. If a student has not submitted their score by these dates, they must hire anoutside accompanist.B. Students must be adequately prepared for their coaching sessions so that the time is usedeffectively.C. If a student intends to give a required degree recital, the applied teacher must schedule thestudent’s hearing and recital date prior to the first rehearsal. Rehearsals will not begin until alldates are schedule and confirmed with the student and their Collaborative pianist. Thisprocedure also applies to studio recitals.D. Rehearsals will not begin until all dates are scheduled and confirmed with the student and theirpianist.E. Students must perform their recital during the semester of preparation in order to receive aweekly rehearsal with a collaborative pianist.F. Students will not receive additional rehearsal time if they intend to give their recital in thefollowing semester. For example, if a student wishes to perform a recital in January or \February, then they will receive a weekly rehearsal time in January and February only.G. Collaborative pianists will perform with a recital student only for the amount of time officiallydefined by the Applied Area Handbooks. If a student wishes to perform a degree recital thatexceeds the official length, they are required to hire an outside accompanist for the remainingportion of their recital.4. Provide their collaborative pianist with two-sided copies of the music with holes punched,original copies, or electronic copies sent in .PDF format. Please retain the original page turns from the score.Pages may be taped together but should not be stapled.Copies must be legible.Copies need to include all the notes to be played.If the music is illegible or incomplete, it will be returned to the student and the rehearsal will be cancelled.5. Collaborative pianist must be notified immediately if repertoire or schedule changes must bemade; accommodation is not guaranteed.6. Collaborative pianists will provide an email address, sign-up sheet, or schedule students inperson in their office on individual basis.A. Please check with your accompanist to see which method they prefer.UTRGV SCHOOL OF MUSIC15

B. If a student does not sign up for their first coaching by October 15 for Fall Semester and March15 for Spring Semester, they are responsible for hiring an outside accompanist.C. If a student is absent from a rehearsal, the rehearsal cannot be made up.D. All student recitals without exception must be completed by the end of finals week.E. If a student recital is scheduled for after finals week, the student must hire an outsideaccompanist.F. Applied instrumental and vocal faculty are welcome to attend rehearsals to check for balanceand ensemble provided that advance notice is given and is performance-ready.Recital Lab Performance and Concert AttendanceSubject to the approval of his or her applied instructor, each student is to perform at least once persemester in Music Lab (applied instructors may submit, at their discretion, seminar, studio class, orrecital performances to satisfy this requirement). This is to be a full and complete performance, withall parts present, (i.e. if it is written with piano, it must be performed with piano). Your appliedprofessor will submit the Music Lab form to the Music Lab coordinator ahead of time.POLICIES:ANY music student taking lessons, chamber music group registered for coaching with UTRGVfaculty, or student enrolled in academic courses is eligible to perform or present a topic on theRecital Lab. All Labs will run from 12:30pm-1:45pm on Tuesday or Thursday. A complete schedulefor both campuses will be available through the Blackboard page as well as on the Recital Labrequest form on the SoM Website. 15 Lab Concerts will be offered on each campus each semesterWeekly Recital Labs in Brownsville will be held in the Blue RoomWeekly Recital Labs in Edinburg will be held in the Library Auditorium, except for 1 Lab eachsemester, that will be held in the Band Room (with preference given to percussion studio memberson that date)STC Transfer students with a completed associates degree should complete 2 semesters of recital labat UTRGVPROCEDURES – to Perform or Present:The online Lab Request Form, located on the School of Music website (http://www.utrgv.edu/music/ under “Quick Links”) must be filled out by the Applied Faculty, Academic Faculty, orChamber Coach. All available semester Lab dates can be found on the Lab request form.Lab requests must be submitted no later than 1 week prior to the requested Lab performance date.The Recital Lab schedule is final – no additional Lab dates will be added.Incomplete requests will not be accepted.Requests are accepted on a first-come first-served basis.UTRGV SCHOOL OF MUSIC16

Any student requesting multiple Lab dates will be placed on wait-list status for additional dates andcan perform as time allows.Any student requesting to perform more than one work, or more than one movement on any singleLab date will be placed on wait-list status for the additional selections, and can perform as timeallows.Student performers/presenters and all appropriate Faculty members will receive a copy of the Labprogram via email by no later than the previous Tuesday (for Thursday Labs) or the previous Friday(for Tuesday Labs).Students who need to cancel their appearance on the Lab program must notify the Lab Coordinatorfor their campus via email before the program is created.Failure to provide ample notification will result in forfeiture of any and/or all future Lab performancesin that semester.Performing students and all appropriate faculty will receive a recording of the performance viaemailed link, following each performance.CONCERT/LAB ATTENDANCEUpdated 1/8/18POLICIES:Concert/Lab Attendance is a Departmental requirement.Undergraduate music majors are required to attend 15 events per semester. The 15 events can beany combination of on-campus concerts (in which the student does not perform) and Labperformances (even those in which the student performs). The student may substitute any of the 15required events with a maximum of two off-campus concerts per semester. BM Education degree requires 5 semesters concert attendance to graduate.BM Performance degree requires 5 semesters concert attendance to graduate.Music minors and Graduate students do not have a SoM concert attendance requirement, but arewelcome to attend/perform/present.PROCEDURES – to Receive Attendance Credit:Students must sel

SCHOOL OF MUSIC FACULTY AND STAFF 34 Faculty listing by Area 35 UTRGV SCHOOL OF MUSIC 5. INTRODUCTION The Music Student Handbook is designed to provide information concerning your musical studies at the UTRGV School of Music. It contains information about departmental policies and procedures,