Jury Requirements for Composition

MUS 150A COMPOSITION MAJORS

FIRST YEAR

Composition majors must enroll for 2 credits of piano (MUS 150A) in both Fall and Spring semesters. They will be expected to play a jury at the end of each semester in the first year. The performance jury will be the final exam for that semester. A student will be considered a first year piano major until they have successfully completed two juries. Each faculty member attending the jury will provide the student with written comments and a jury grade. The student’s final grade will be an average of all the grades given by the faculty attending the jury. It is strongly suggested that the student’s final grade, given by his/her major professor, not deviate more than .5 from the jury grade.

TECHNIQUE:
Scales
Major, harmonic, and melodic minor in all keys. Hands together in parallel motion, four octaves, in groups of four, at a speed of mm. 108-120.

Arpeggios
Major and minor triad arpeggios in root position and inversions. Hands together in parallel motion, four octaves, in groups of four, at a speed of mm. 108-120.
Dominant and diminished seventh arpeggios in root position and inversions. Hands together, four octaves, parallel motion, in groups of four, at a speed of mm. 108-120.

Studies
Appropriate to the student’s needs as decided by the major professor. It is recommended that each student learn a minimum of two studies each semester.

REPERTOIRE:

Keyboard composers before 1770.
Classical Period (Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven).
Romantic Period.
Impressionistic and Contemporary Periods.

All repertoire will be decided in consultation with the student’s major professor according to the professor’s assessment of the needs and abilities of the individual student. It is recommended that each student learn a minimum of two compositions from each category in the course of a year.

JURY EXAMINATIONS:
In the first year there will be a jury examination at the end of each semester. The jury will be 15 minutes in length. All music, with the exception of the study and the composition chosen from Group I, must be memorized.

JURY I: The student will be responsible for all the technique listed above or one study. Repertoire will consist of two compositions chosen from any two groups listed above.

JURY II: Technique will consist of technique (or study) not presented at Jury I. Repertoire will consist of two compositions chosen from the two repertoire groups not represented in Jury I.

It is expected that students will prepare complete compositions for performance juries. The faculty present at the performance jury will be responsible for choosing specific technique to be performed. It is the prerogative of the faculty present at the jury to hear only portions of repertoire as time allows. The student must complete a jury report form and bring it to his/her jury. The report form will be become a part of the student’s permanent record.

SECOND YEAR

Composition and music education majors must enroll for 2 credits of piano (MUS 150A) in both Fall and Spring semesters. They will be expected to play a jury at the end of each semester in the second year. The performance jury will be the final exam for that semester. A student will be considered a second year piano major until they have successfully completed two juries. Each faculty member attending the jury will provide the student with written comments and a jury grade. The student’s final grade will be an average of all the grades given by the faculty attending the jury. It is strongly suggested that the student’s final grade, given by his/her major professor, not deviate more than .5 from the jury grade.

TECHNIQUE:
Scales
Major, harmonic, and melodic minor in all keys. Hands together in parallel-contrary motion series, four octaves, in groups of four, at a speed of mm. 108-120.

Arpeggios
Major and minor triad arpeggios in root position and inversions. Hands together in parallel-contrary motion series, four octaves, in groups of four, at a speed of mm. 108-120.

Dominant and diminished seventh arpeggios in root position and inversions. Hands together, four octaves, parallel motion, in groups of four, at a speed of mm. 108-120.

Studies
Appropriate to the student’s needs as decided by the major professor. It is recommended that each student learn a minimum of two studies each semester.

REPERTOIRE:

Keyboard composers before 1770.
Classical Period (Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven).
Romantic Period.
Impressionistic and Contemporary Periods.

JURY EXAMINATIONS:
In the second year there will be a jury examination at the end of each semester. The jury will be 15 minutes in length. All music, with the exception of the study and the composition chosen from Group I, must be memorized.

JURY I: The student will be responsible for all the technique listed above or one study. Repertoire will consist of two compositions chosen from any two groups listed above.

JURY II: Technique will consist of technique (or study) not presented at Jury I. Repertoire will consist of two compositions chosen from the two repertoire groups not represented in Jury I.

This jury, the Barrier jury, will be considered a qualifying exam for enrollment in MUS350A.

MUS 350A COMPOSITION MAJORS

THIRD YEAR

Composition majors must enroll for 2 credits of piano (MUS 350A) in both Fall and Spring semesters. They will be expected to play a jury at the end of each semester in the third year. The performance jury will be the final exam for that semester. A student will be considered a third year piano major until they have successfully completed two juries. Each faculty member attending the jury will provide the student with written comments and a jury grade. The student’s final grade will be an average of all the grades given by the faculty attending the jury. It is strongly suggested that the student’s final grade, given by his/her major professor, not deviate more than .5 from the jury grade.

TECHNIQUE:
Scales
Major and harmonic minor in all keys. Hands together in thirds and sixths, four octaves, in groups of four, at a speed of mm. 108-120.

Arpeggios
Major and minor triad arpeggios in root position and inversions. Hands together in parallel-contrary motion series, four octaves, in groups of four, at a speed of mm. 96-108.
Dominant and diminished seventh arpeggios in root position and inversions. Hands together, four octaves, parallel-contrary motion series, in groups of four, at a speed of mm. 96-108.

Studies
Appropriate to the student’s needs as decided by the major professor. It is recommended that each student learn a minimum of two studies each semester.

REPERTOIRE:

Keyboard composers before 1770.
Classical Period (Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven).
Romantic Period.
Impressionistic and Contemporary Periods
A composition selected by the instructor and prepared by the student without assistance.

JURY EXAMINATIONS:
In the third year there will be a jury examination at the end of each semester. Jury I will be 15 minutes in length. Jury II will be 30 minutes in length. All music, with the exception of the study and the composition chosen from Group I, must be memorized.

This will be the exit jury.

JURY I: The student will be responsible for all the technique listed above and one study. Repertoire will consist of two compositions chosen from categories I-IV.

JURY II: A 30 minute recital program with groups I-IV represented. The composition from Category V will be performed as part of this program. The student, in consultation with his/her major professor, may repeat two works played at Jury I. No technical work is heard at this jury.