Policies and/or requirements for BA and Music Education Majors. All music students are responsible for adhering to these policies and meeting these requirements.
Music Majors may use any available locker (one only) in Rockwell Hall. Please use the smallest locker that you need. Lockers are assigned at the beginning of each semester and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students must register their locker online. Students switching lockers must also notify the Music Department office or complete a new locker registration form.
Lockers are property of Buffalo State College and are subject to search and seizure at any time, without notice. Students who have graduated, are currently student teaching, have changed majors outside of music, or are no longer enrolled at Buffalo State College must remove the lock and locker contents. Locks that remain will be removed and the contents seized. Locks on lockers not on file with the Music Department office will also be removed and the contents seized.
Access to general use practice rooms will be granted only to music majors. Due to heightened security and safety measures, access to general use practice rooms is controlled by use of Student/Faculty ID Cards issues by Buffalo State.
Students who abuse the privilege of practice room access by using the rooms for purposes other than those intended, or who compromise security by lending their ID Card to an unauthorized person or propping the access door, will lose practice room access for a period determined by the Music Department Chair.
All students are required to use their Buffalo State College e-mail account. Vital communications from the college, department and faculty will be sent via the student’s campus email.
Individual lessons in instrumental or vocal performance are required for no less than four semesters (BA), or no less than seven semesters (B.Mus.). Applied music students are required to perform before a faculty jury for each semester of study. The faculty jury will provide critique and a grade of the performance. Bachelor of Arts in Music students must complete and pass the applied lesson sequence through the MUS 273 level by the end of the sixth semester of study, or they may be dismissed from the major. Bachelor of Arts students who wish to continue in the applied lesson sequence beyond the MUS 273 level will be accommodated based upon instructor availability and at the discretion of either the vocal or instrumental coordinator.
Bachelor of Music in Music Education students must complete MUS 471 prior to student teaching.
Non-Music Majors, B.A. in Arts & Letters students, or Music Majors focusing on a secondary instrument may enroll in MUS 112 (half-hour) lessons. MUS 112 lessons are only offered to students participating in Music Department ensemble and with the permission of the Music Department Chair. Students in MUS 112 lessons may not perform a recital, and are not required to perform a jury. Students may continue MUS 112 Applied Lessons for subsequent semesters at the discretion of the Area Coordinator and the Music Department Chair.
Applied music lessons are delivered weekly. Full attendance is required; lessons missed as a result of an excused absence must be made-up in a timely fashion and at the convenience of the applied music instructor. Students must call instructors a minimum of 24 hours in advance to ask for an excused absence. Failure to notify an instructor in advance of missing a lesson constitutes an unexcused absence. Unexcused absences will result in the lowering of the student’s grade by one quality point (A to A-) and a make-up lesson is solely at the discretion of the instructor.
As lessons occur only once weekly, missed lessons are a serious breach of continuity in the course of applied study. Therefore, weekly lesson attendance is imperative. Since many lessons are delivered by part-time faculty who may have other commitments, it is extremely difficult for these faculty to make up missed lessons. Do not schedule anything else during your assigned lesson time, no matter how important it may seem. Lessons should only be rescheduled in the event of an illness, an emergency, or a school concert conflict.
All students taking applied lessons at the MUS 171 level or higher must attend, as a listener, SIX performances per semester, and volunteer to work for ONE music department performance. Students taking half-hour lessons (MUS 112) are exempt from this requirement but are strongly urged to follow it.
A list of Music Department events is posted at the beginning of each semester and is available through on the Music Department website. When attending these events, students must obtain a stamp on their program from a music faculty representative immediately following the performance. In the unlikely event that no faculty representative is available to stamp your program or no stamp is available, student should have any music faculty or staff member sign their program.
Students may also choose to attend and receive credit for off-campus performances with prior approval from the Music Department Chair. Students must e-mail their request to the Music Department Chair no later than 24 hours before the performance. In all cases, these performances must take place during the current semester and must receive department chair approval. The Chair will respond with an email that states either, “APPROVED” or “NOT APPROVED”. If approved, the student must print the approval email and attach it to the off-campus performance program and ticket stub (if available). If the approval email is not attached, the program/ticket stub shall not count toward the seven required performances. Performances by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra do not require prior approval from the Music Department Chair.
Every semester, students must submit SEVEN stamped or approved programs to the Music Department Office to receive full credit for concert attendance. Please do not forget to get a program from the concert at which you volunteer. It is the student’s responsibility to write their name on each stamped or email approved program/ticket stub and file it properly in the file located in the Music Department Office. Programs without a name or that are not properly filed will not receive concert attendance credit. The deadline for submission of concert attendance programs is 12:00 pm on the last day of classes prior to CEP Week.
Students are encouraged to submit their seven stamped or approved programs periodically, or as soon as they have fulfilled the requirement. In the event that the concert attendance requirement is not fulfilled, the student's applied music grade is lowered by one quality point (i.e., A to A-) for each missing performance. No Applied Lesson grade shall be lowered beyond C- due to missing concert attendance.
“Collegium” is the Buffalo State term for the Music Department’s general student recitals, which are held periodically throughout the semester. All music majors are required to attend all scheduled Collegia each semester. See the Music Department Chair if you have an unavoidable conflict. Unexcused absences will result in the lowering of your applied music grade by one whole letter grade (ie: A to B) for each missed Collegium. Students must swipe their Buffalo State Student ID Card prior to the beginning of each Collegia and are encouraged to arrive early.
While all types of performances are welcome, all music majors are required to perform as a soloist on a Collegium at least once per academic year. Students enrolled in MUS 371, 373, 471, 472 lessons will be REQUIRED to perform during the Fall semester, and students enrolled in MUS 171, 173, 271, 273 will be REQURIED to performing during the Spring semester. There will be a sign-up sheet for collegium performance located in the music department office and spots will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Failure to perform as a soloist on at least one Collegium per academic year will result in a conference with your applied teacher and the Department Chairperson regarding your level of dedication to your craft, and may result in the lowering of your applied music grade. Some applied studios may require more frequent Collegium performance participation.
Designed to serve candidates in the B.A. in Music, the Music Forum presents guest speakers and student workshops periodically throughout the semester. The aim of the forum is to explore career options and occupational pathways for students with a liberal arts degree in music. Attendance at all assigned Music Fora each semester is mandatory for students in the B.A. in Music. Unexcused absences will result in the lowering of your applied music grade by one whole letter grade (ie: A to B) for each missed Music Forum. Students must sign in prior to the beginning of each Music Forum and are encouraged to arrive early. If your name does not appear on the sheet, it is your responsibility to write it in. Though candidates in the Bachelor of Music in Music Education are not required to attend, they are encouraged and welcome to participate.
“Studio class” is the Buffalo State term for the informal performance and feedback sessions for students and is organized by instrument type (e.g., woodwinds, voice, brass, percussion, strings, piano) Studio classes are offered multiple times each semester. All music majors enrolled in MUS 171-473 are required to attend all scheduled studio classes each semester. Students enrolled in MUS 112 lessons are invited to attend studio class and may be invited/required to perform at the discretion of the applied studio instructor. See your applied music instructor or advisor if you have an unavoidable conflict. Unexcused absences may result in the lowering of your applied music grade by one quality point. All music majors are required to perform as part of a studio class at least once per semester. Failure to perform on at least one studio class per semester may result in a conference with your applied teacher and the Department Chairperson regarding your level of dedication to your craft. Some applied studios may require more frequent studio class performance participation.
“Jury” is the Buffalo State term for the solo performance, which occurs upon the completion of each semester of applied instruction. All students are required to perform a jury while enrolled in applied instruction. The juried performance determines whether the student is promoted to the subsequent level of applied music instruction (e.g., 171 to 173, 173 to 271, 271 to 273, etc.). Students enrolled in MUS 112 are not required to perform a Jury. All juries will contain a sight-reading component of commensurate difficulty with the level of applied study.
Students who successfully perform a Full or Half Recital may seek permission to be excused from performing a jury for the semester in which the recital occurred. Permission will be granted by the either the Vocal or Instrumental Coordinator, in consultation with the applied instructor.
A Half Recital (see Half Recital) is required for the Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree. There is no recital requirement for the Bachelor of Arts in Music. BA students are permitted and encouraged to perform a half recital with the written consent of the applied instructor and the appropriate vocal or instrumental coordinator. Full recitals (see Full Recital) are also permitted for BA and B. Mus. students with the written consent of the applied instructor and the appropriate Vocal or Instrumental Coordinator. It is the responsibility of all students presenting a recital to complete and submit a Recital Booking Form by study day of the semester prior to which the proposed recital is to occur. All students presenting a recital must adhere to the deadlines and requirements listed on the Recital Booking Form, and gather all of the required signatures. Failure to adhere to proper recital booking procedures will result in the forfeiture of the recital.
All instrumental and vocal students requiring piano accompaniment will be assigned a faculty or staff accompanist and must register for MUS 110 "Accompanist/Coach" under the assigned accompanist. The list of accompanist assignments and their respective CRN numbers will be posted outside of Rockwell Hall 104, and be distributed to all students and faculty at the beginning of the semester. Students are required to attend a half-hour rehearsal/coaching session each week in addition to their weekly applied lesson. Failure to attend these coaching sessions will result in a lowering of the student's grade for MUS 110 and may affect the student's applied lesson grade.
Students must rehearse with their accompanist a minimum of two times before any performance (Jury, Collegium, Studio Class). Recital preparation and more difficult repertoire will require additional rehearsal time. Students must submit piano accompaniment parts to the accompanist at least four weeks prior to any performance date. The student is responsible for scheduling rehearsals with their assigned accompanist during the first week of each semester. If a student does not schedule sufficient rehearsal time with their accompanist, the accompanist or applied instructor may cancel the performance. Rehearsals may begin at any point in the semester, at the discretion of the applied instructor.
Accompanists may not be able to accommodate all student requests. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the student, not the BSC Music Department, to provide and secure accompanists.
Students are required to participate in the primary ensemble appropriate to their chosen instrument for no less than six semesters (BA), or no less than seven semesters (B.Mus.).
With the exception of pianists and guitarists, music majors must participate in the appropriate primary ensemble during each semester they are enrolled in applied music instruction. Pianists and guitarists must participate in the appropriate primary ensemble for two semesters; the remainder of the degree requirement may be satisfied through enrollment in secondary ensembles, accompanying, or continued participation in the primary ensemble. Failure to participate in a primary ensemble will result in a conference with your applied teacher and the Music Department Chairperson, and may result in the suspension of applied study. Primary ensembles include the Wind Ensemble, Philharmonia, Chorale, and Chamber Choir. Specific primary ensemble requirements for each applied area are listed below.
*Pianists and guitarists may substitute Wind Ensemble or Philharmonia if they play a symphonic string. wind, brass, or percussion instrument at a commensurate level.
All students must participate in a small ensemble or chamber music making opportunity prior to graduation (for BA students), or prior to student teaching (for Music Education majors). The Music Department defines such experiences as two or more instruments/voices simultaneously performing without a conductor. A solo instrument/voice with accompaniment, keyboard or otherwise, shall not constitute a secondary ensemble. All secondary ensembles will be coached by a Music Department Faculty member.
Music majors should be apprised that there are potential health and safety risks generally associated with, and inherent in music student practice, performance, teaching, and listening. Though the Music Department exercises regular and good faith measures to minimize potential health and safety risks for students, these measures are by no means exhaustive.
Please consult your general health professional, the Weigel Wellness Center, academic adviser, University Police Department, campus speech and hearing clinic, or applied lesson professor if you have questions or concerns with respect to hearing, vocal, musculoskeletal health and injury prevention, and the use, proper handling, and operation of potentially dangerous materials, equipment, and technology, or other potential health and safety risks. These and other resources are at your disposal so that you may exercise healthy and safe personal decision-making as you pursue your degree.
