Music

A student must earn a grade of C or higher in all prerequisite Music courses in order to advance to the next core course in the sequence of required courses. Exceptionally, a student who receives a D may be given permission to continue in the sequence if recommended by both the instructor and the full-time Music faculty.

Ensemble Requirement

Participation in all ensembles is contingent on an audition and permission of a full-time Music faculty member. All music students are required to participate in a minimum of four semesters of a performing ensemble. Enrollment in a performing ensemble course each semester is encouraged. Ensemble courses taken after the fourth semester may count as electives, but will not apply toward the credits required for the BA in Music.

Private Instruction in Voice or Instrument and Composition

 The college funds private lessons for a limited number of qualified Music majors in the B.A. program. Students pursuing a major in Music, who earn a 2.7 GPA in required pre-major or core Music courses, and making appropriate progress toward fulfilling the degree requirements are eligible for enrollment in college-funded private instruction for credit. Admission into private instruction is determined by audition, which must take place before registration in MUS 181. To qualify for private lessons in voice or an instrument, students will be asked to perform major and minor scales and arpeggios, two prepared pieces, and will be asked to read a short musical composition at sight. To qualify for private lessons in composition, students must submit a portfolio of their works or electronic sound clips. In the BA, private lessons are elective. Students enrolled in private lessons must maintain a 2.7 cumulative average in core music courses. For each semester of private lessons, the student must be enrolled in at least six credits of music classes and must be enrolled in an Ensemble. These courses which may not be repeated—are non-liberal arts and sciences courses and should be taken in sequence. Performance Workshop is a co-requisite with private lessons. Students who are enrolled in college-funded lessons must satisfy the following criteria to remain eligible on a semester-by-semester basis:

1. Earn an average GPA of 2.7 in pre-major or core Music courses; 

2. Receive a grade of B in the juried examination that takes place at the end of each semester; for composition students: submit to the full-time Music faculty a substantial work at the end of each semester, and, if possible, have the piece performed at an end-of-semester recital;

3. Make satisfactory progress towards completing the B.A. in Music through: 

   a. full-time enrollment status at CSI (12 credits or more for each semester of lessons);

   b. enrollment in 6 or more credits of Music courses in each semester of study;

4. Be enrolled in an ensemble for each semester of enrollment in private lessons.

Enrollment in Chamber Music and Other Small Ensembles

The college funds enrollment in chamber music, small jazz ensembles, and other small ensembles for a limited number of qualified Music majors. Students pursuing a major in Music and who are making appropriate progress toward fulfilling the degree requirements are eligible for enrollment in college-funded private instruction for credit. Admission into small ensembles is determined by audition, which must take place before registration in course.
Students enrolled in chamber music, small jazz ensembles, and small ensembles must maintain a 2.7 cumulative average in academic music classes (theory, history, and musicianship). For each semester of private lessons, the student must be enrolled in at least six credits of music classes. (Some flexibility is possible for first- and last-semester students.) Students may receive credit for a maximum of eight semesters of private lessons. Students who are enrolled in college-funded small ensembles must satisfy the following criteria to remain eligible on a semester-by-semester basis:

1. rehearse with the ensemble every week;

2. give a public performance, which serves as a final examination, at the end of each semester of enrollment;

3. maintain full-time enrollment status at CSI (12 credits or more for each semester of ensemble);

4. make satisfactory progress toward completing the Music degree.

Junior and Senior Project Courses

Courses numbered course, MUS 394, course, MUS 494 and are project courses. They are available to Music majors who wish to perform a full-length public recital, write a large-scale composition, or complete a research project in music theory or music history of significant scope and length. A full-time music faculty member and/or applied music instructor must supervise any of these endeavors.

Students who wish to enroll in course Junior Project in Performance and course Senior Project in Performance must fulfill the following requirements:

1. be enrolled in private lessons with a CSI-applied music professor for no fewer than two consecutive semesters before registering for a junior or senior recital;

2. earn a grade of B+ or higher every semester before enrollment in junior or senior recital;

3. at the end of the semester before the recital, perform before a jury of Music faculty members a 20-minute audition of music in diverse styles representative of the repertoire to be performed at the recital.

At the request of the student, when the grade point average warrants the appellation, these courses may be designated as Junior Honors Project or Senior Honors Project. Juniors who hope to enroll in either course or course must have completed at least 25 credits of the general education requirement, including course.

To graduate with Honors in Music, a student must have a 3.5 grade point average in music courses and must complete an honors thesis in composition or performance under the supervision of a full-time faculty member.