Applied Study

Students majoring in music must select one area of applied music for a principal concentration. Majors must be enrolled for 1 hour of credit whenever studying in their principal applied concentration. The number of semesters required varies according to degree type; please consult Degree Programs for more specific requirement information.

Students must also select a secondary area of concentration. Except in the case of music majors whose principal applied concentration is piano, the secondary applied area must be piano. Music Education Majors must enroll in three semesters of their secondary, and General Music Studies or Fine Arts-Music Emphasis Majors must take two semesters of their secondary (or until MUSC 207-Piano Proficiency is completed). All majors with a secondary in piano must continue to be enrolled in piano until MUSC 207-Piano Proficiency is completed. Preparation for the proficiency will be developed through class instruction (MUSC 101, 102, 201-Piano as a Secondary Concentration) unless it is the judgment of the piano faculty that a student's substantial background in piano warrants private lessons (MUSC 104-Applied Study-Piano) to complete the proficiency. Students whose principal area of concentration is organ must complete MUSC 207-Piano Proficiency by the end of the second semester of study. All majors whose principal instrument is piano must enroll in one semester of organ study.

Minors select one area of applied music for their principal concentration. The General Music Studies minor must be enrolled for four semesters and the Music Ministry minor for three semesters. Music minors must also select a secondary area of concentration and be enrolled in the applied concentration for two semesters. Either the principal or the secondary applied area for minors must be piano.

Lesson Attendance - When a student must miss an applied music lesson, he or she must notify the teacher twenty-four hours in advance regardless of the reason for the absence. In case of illness or emergency, the student should telephone a message to the professor's studio or to the Music Office so that the professor receives notice as soon as possible. If the absence is due to illness or emergency, the lesson will be made up. Other absences are considered to be cuts. The student bears responsibility to arrange make-up lessons with the professor. If three consecutive cuts occur, the professor may recommend, in writing, that the student drop the applied study for that semester. Individual teachers may have additional policies. These policies are to be stated at the first lesson and in the syllabus.

Practice - The student is expected to manage his or her time so as to make practice a priority throughout the semester. Practice facilities are provided in the practice rooms of Seeger Memorial Chapel. All students are to sign up for practice time at the beginning of each semester. If a student finds someone else in his or her practice room at the assigned time, the music student should ask that person or persons to leave. This policy includes Seeger stage when those using it have not reserved the hall.

On occasion, music majors or minors may elect to change their area of principal applied study. In such cases, two semesters of the area in which the student formerly studied may be used to fulfill the principal applied study requirement. This allowance is with the permission of the music faculty. Students may designate the former principal applied area as their secondary area and may designate the former secondary applied area as their principal area.

Students wishing to change applied teachers should make a written petition to the music faculty before the end of the semester preceding the desired change. Any student at Milligan College may elect to take one hour in an area of applied study, depending on the availability of the professor and with the permission of the music chair. Applied music courses may not be audited.

Applied Study Accompanists
Each voice or instrumental student is responsible for securing an accompanist. Students may consult with the piano/accompanying professor, Anne Elliott,  for names of possible accompanists. Students are strongly advised to select student accompanists who are enrolled in Applied Accompanying.

Applied Study - Voice
Applied study in voice involves the learning of both technique and repertoire. The repertoire may include songs from the following categories:

• Art song literature in Italian, German, French, and English
• Operatic aria literature in Italian, German, French, and English
• Oratorio aria literature from the Baroque, Classic, Romantic, and 20th Century periods
• Sacred song literature, including African/American spirituals and sacred art songs
• English and American songs from musical theatre and contemporary Christian music

Music majors whose principal applied area is voice will prepare a "self-study selection" each semester. The selection is to be chosen by the student with the approval of the professor and must be a work that has not been previously studied by the student. The professor will not coach the student's preparation of the selection. The "self-study selection" is designed to assist the student in his/her ability to prepare unfamiliar works.

Applied Study - Piano
Applied study in piano consists of repertoire and technique study appropriate to the level of the student. Repertoire from the major periods (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Twentieth Century) will be covered over the course of the student's study.

Applied Study - Organ
Students taking applied organ study must have sufficient background in piano studies (at least one year is suggested). Students learn fundamentals of organ technique, different musical styles, principles of registration, a wide variety of literature, and methods of efficient practice. Emphasis is placed on beginning pedal studies and hand-foot coordination. Recital literature, service music and hymn playing are also studied according to each student's tastes and abilities. Each student will be expected to acquire a pair of organ shoes and procure an organ key from the Music Office.

Applied Study - Instrumental
Applied instrumental students study techniques for tone production, exercises that stress musical accuracy and proper playing techniques, and the history and repertoire of their particular instrument. Repertoire from different periods and categories of music are chosen at the discretion of the instructor, based on the musical proficiency of the individual.

PIANO PROFICIENCY

MUSC 101, 102, and 201 - Piano as a Secondary Concentration is the preparation for completion of Musc 207 - Piano Proficiency. A student who has previously studied piano may be placed in MUSC 104 - Applied Study-Piano instead.

In the event a student does not pass MUSC 207-Piano Proficiency after completion of MUSC 201, the student will enroll in MUSC 104 - Applied Study-Piano the following semester and remain in private piano study until the proficiency is passed.

The proficiency consists of the following requirements:

1. Two solo selections from memory (from Mach text Chapter 6 or other approved repertoire)
2. Technique in eighth notes (m.m. quarter note=60), hands played together:

   a. All major scales, 2 octaves with standard fingering, ascending and descending
   b. All harmonic minor scales, 2 octaves with standard fingering, ascending and descending
   c. Chromatic scales, 2 octaves, ascending and descending, hands separate
   d. Arpeggios-All major and minor triads, 2 octaves, ascending and descending; standard fingering at m.m. quarter note=60

3. Chords - Four qualities of triads and inversions, five qualities of seventh chords in root-position
4. Chord progressions: Major:I-IV-I-V⁷-I in all keys; Minor:i-iv-i-V⁷-i in all keys
5. Harmonization: lead sheet with pop chord symbols, using primary and secondary triads in broken-chord accompaniment in quarter notes (15 min. preparation)
6. Hymn: One hymn from a regular hymnal or simplified hymnal at congregational singing (with preparation)
7. Transposition: One prepared hymn from a simplified hymnal or regular hymnal of at least 3 lines length (with preparation)
8. Sight reading: no preparation
9. Open score - SATB - with tenor part written in treble clef (with preparation)

GUIDELINES FOR JURIES & PIANO PROFICIENCY

Each semester of their applied study, music majors (including Fine Arts-Music emphasis) and minors take a jury in the principal area. Music majors not taking MUSC 101, 102, or 201 also take a jury in the secondary area each semester of their applied study. Students enrolled in Piano as a Secondary Concentration take MUSC 207-Piano Proficiency when the professor deems the student prepared. Note the following exemptions from juries:

1. Non-seniors presenting an acceptable solo recital of at least 15 minutes in length after mid-term are exempt from performing a jury that semester.
2. Seniors who student teach during the semester.
3. Seniors who present a senior recital after mid-term.

The student will complete a copy of the jury sheet downloaded from the Music Jury Website . All jury sheets must be typed; handwritten jury entries will not be accepted. The student will present three copies of the jury sheet, as well as two copies of the music for each repertoire and etude selection listed on the jury sheet, to faculty upon arrival at the jury. Failure to do so will result in reduction of the jury grade.

Attire for jury should be professionally appropriate, with men wearing tie and suit or sport coat, and women wearing a dress or skirt. Dress shoes are to be worn. Each student may have the opportunity to choose the selection to be performed first in the jury. Each faculty member will record a grade for the student's performance on the jury sheet as well as any appropriate comments.

The student's applied instructor will collect the jury sheets for that student's performance and average the scores to obtain the grade for the jury. The jury will count for 15% of the final semester grade for the applied course. For students exempt from juries because of a recital performance, the recital grade will count 15% of the final semester grade for the applied course.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Tuesday Recitals
Student Recitals - Students are required to perform in one afternoon recital in their applied music principal concentration area. Applied study professors will schedule the performance date at the beginning of the semester at a time appropriate for the student's preparation and the professor's availability. Students who miss their last applied lesson before their scheduled performance date will not be allowed to perform. Students who have failed to secure and rehearse with their accompanist at least two weeks before the scheduled performance date will not be allowed to perform. All performers must conform to the dress code.

Sophomore & Junior Recitals
Outstanding sophomores will be allowed to perform a sophomore recital at the discretion of their applied professor and approval of the department chair. Junior recitals, of approximately thirty minutes in length, may be given with permission of the applied professor.

Senior Recitals
Senior Recitals are performed at the student's request and with the professor's and music chair's permission. A Senior Recital or Senior Project is required for General Music Studies - Applied Majors. Full recitals are evening events of one-hour in length. All senior recitals will be performed during the fall semester of the senior year; no senior recitals will be scheduled for the spring semester. (In the rare case that a student does not pass their recital hearing, this allows them to complete a senior project in the spring.)

The student must pass a recital hearing before the music faculty, scheduled at the beginning of the semester, a minimum of four weeks prior to the recital. Responsibility for scheduling the hearing, as well as on-stage rehearsal time rests with the student. In case of sickness, a maximum of a one week extension may be granted for the hearing. A complete check list and time table for the senor recital is available from the music secretary. For additional information, refer to Senior Recital/Project Information and Forms.

At the hearing, the student must present two copies of the music in a three-ring binder and four copies of the repertoire list in program order to faculty. For vocalists and pianists, repertoire must be completely memorized at the time of the hearing.

A recital rubric will be used to determine the pass/fail of the hearing.

An acceptable hearing is defined as a performance whose preparation and musical competencies are deemed adequate by the music faculty at the time of the hearing to ensure a quality performance on the scheduled recital date. Failure to pass the recital hearing may result in completing a senior project the next semester.

Home | About Milligan | Admission | Academics | Student life
Spiritual life | Athletics | Alumni & friends

Milligan College, P.O. Box 500, Milligan College, TN 37682
423.461.8700 | admissions@milligan.edu