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Undergraduate Handbook Fall 2009
Department of Music
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Fall 2009
From the Chair:
Greetings! This Handbook seeks to provide information to new and current students about the UNC-Chapel Hill Music Department and its programs. It also gives you information about how we run ourselves, and how you can make the best of the facilities we have to offer. It is primarily addressed to undergraduates—a separate Graduate Handbook is available—although all members of the Department will gain some benefit from reading it. This version of the Handbook supersedes all previous versions and applies to all students regardless of their year of entry.
Here you will not find the detailed regulations for our degrees (contained in the University’s Undergraduate Bulletin and Graduate Record), or more general student requirements. Those official University documents provide the “letter of the law.” Our intention here, instead, is to offer a more informal guide. If you think that anything is missing, or if there are errors, do please let me know so that we can make this document serve you better. And if anything is unclear, just ask!
Do make the most of your time with us! We have exciting things to offer that should bring you benefit in untold years to come.
Terry Rhodes
Professor of Music and Chair
Sectional Topics (to allow for quick scrolling)
1 The Music Department
2 Where We Are, and Whom to Contact
3 Negotiating our Programs
4 Applied Lessons
5 Ensembles and Other Activities
6 Music Scholarships
7 Facilities
8 Our Commitment to You, and Yours to Us
1 The Music Department
Whether you are taking one of our degree programs in Music, are taking just one or two courses with us, or are participating in our performing activities, you are joining a lively community committed to the study and practice of Music at the highest level.
For administrative purposes, the Department is organized by way of two divisions, an Academic Division, and an Applied Division. “Applied” refers to performance-based work (hence our use of the term “applied lessons”).
Our faculty comprises professors, lecturers, and adjunct instructors all of whom are experts in their fields. Our individual and collective achievements are recognized in the state of North Carolina and both nationally and internationally. The academic faculty in Music at UNC-CH are leading scholars in their fields, regularly publishing books, articles, and musical editions. The applied faculty are distinguished practitioners (performers or composers) with extensive experience in the concert hall and recording studio. But whatever our professional activities, we are each committed to teaching, and to passing on to future generations the fruits of our knowledge and experience.
Our staff are dedicated administrators with long experience of the Department. You will come into regular contact with them, and will find them an invaluable source of information and assistance.
Our students fall into two broad groups. Those in our graduate program are taking their study of Music to higher levels, usually seeking to earn the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by taking advanced courses and pursuing original, innovative research. They are the university professors of the future, and you will be coming into contact with them as teaching assistants in many of your courses. Remember, too, that they are not so distant from you in terms of age; they remember what it was like to be an undergraduate and can often help you over hurdles.
Our undergraduates, i.e., you, form the largest body in the Department. Whether you are Music Majors, Music Minors, or just taking a course, you are essential to our work in the classroom and in the concert hall: without you, we would not be here; without us, you would not be here—that is the nature of our symbiosis.
We collectively believe in the crucial importance of Music in the university, both as a subject of study and as a contribution to the community. We also believe that music is best studied by uniting academic and practical study, i.e., by thinking and doing, and preferably both at the same time. Performers need to understand what they are performing; scholars need to realize the practical consequences of their intellectual endeavors. That, too, is the nature of our symbiosis, and from it, may you gain much profit.
2 Where We Are and Whom to Contact
The Department centers on Hill Hall, which contains offices, classrooms, teaching studios, practice rooms, and an auditorium. Rooms are numbered by floor. We also use Person Hall, which contains a recital hall and classroom, teaching studios, and a choral rehearsal room. In addition, some faculty have offices in Hill Annex. Another important location for us is the Music Library, currently located in basement of the Wilson Library. This is a remarkable collection of books, scores, and audio-visual material. For further details of all our spaces, see the section on Facilities, below.
Note that from mid October 2008, there will be significant moves around the Department as we start to occupy the new Kenan Music Building, with its faculty studios, rehearsal rooms, and classrooms. As of January 2009, faculty formerly with offices in Hill Annex will be located in Hill Hall. We shall try to keep you as well informed as possible of all these changes.
NOTE: Please click here for updated 2009-2010 Department Organization. The contact people listed below will be updated soon.
The Department is led by a Chair and two Associate Chairs:
Terry Rhodes (Chair; Hill Hall 105; rhodes@email.unc.edu)
John Nadas (Associate Chair for Academic Studies; Hill Annex 5; jancsi@email.unc.edu)
Richard Luby (Associate Chair for Applied Studies; Person 105; rluby@unc.edu)
We have a Director of Undergraduate Studies:
Allen Anderson (Hill Hall 203; anderso7@email.unc.edu)
and a Director of Graduate Studies:
Jon Finson (Hill Hall 211; jfinson@email.unc.edu)
while our Music Education programs are coordinated by Daniel Huff (Hill Hall 106B; dhuff@email.unc.edu)
Students participating in the Honors Program and/or wishing to graduate with honors should contact the Department Honors Advisor:
Felix Woerner (Hill Hall 108; woerner@email.unc.edu)
who can also advise on the requirements for honors theses and on the availability of resources for undergraduate research.
The Department’s Equal Employment Opportunity Officer is:
Susan Klebanow (Person 106; skleb@email.unc.edu)
Our applied activities are organized by way of Area Heads and ensemble directors. The Area Heads are:
Head of Voice – Jeanne Fischer (fischerj@email.unc.edu) and Valentin Lanzrein (vl@unc.edu)
Head of Woodwinds, Brass, & Percussion – Lynn Glassock (lynng@email.unc.edu);
Head of Strings – Brent Wissick (bswissic@email.unc.edu);
Head of Keyboard – Thomas Otten (totten@email.unc.edu)
Ensemble Directors include:
Athletic Bands – Jeffrey Fuchs (jfuchs@email.unc.edu)
Choir – Susan Klebanow (skleb@email.unc.edu)
Glee Clubs – Sue Klausmeyer, Daniel Huff (sklaus@email.unc.edu, dhuff@email.unc.edu)
Guitar – Billy Stewart (wstewart@email.unc.edu)
Jazz – James Ketch (jketch@email.unc.edu)
Opera – Terry Rhodes (rhodes@email.unc.edu)
Orchestra – Tonu Kalam (tkalam@nc.rr.com)
Percussion – Lynn Glassock (lynng@email.unc.edu)
Wind Bands – Evan Feldman (evanfeldman@unc.edu)
The Department's day-to-day operations are managed by Susan Williams (swms@email.unc.edu) who heads a team of staff including:
Angeline Warren (Department Registrar; awarren@email.unc.edu)
Paul Cole (Facilities Supervisor; pcole@email.unc.edu)
John Foy (Piano Technician); john@johnfoypiano.com
George Huntley (Accountant; ghuntley@email.unc.edu)
Glenn McDonald (Publications Director; gmcdonal@email.unc.edu).
For most purposes, you will most often come into contact with the Department Registrar (for matters dealing with registration), the Facilities Supervisor (for room bookings), and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
We also have an Undergraduate Forum, with faculty and student representatives, where issues of general concern can be raised for action: further details are given at
http://www.unc.edu/music/ug_forum.htm
The Department Office in Hill Hall 104 is the hub for general inquiries. For faculty, e-mail is usually the most convenient way to ask a question or to arrange an appointment, although we will also post "office hours" when we are available to meet with students on a first-come-first-served basis. We do endeavor to deal speedily with all questions, but please be sensible, and do not expect an e-mail sent at 2 a.m. to receive a response within the hour.
Modes of address vary among faculty and staff. With some you will use professional titles (Professor, Doctor), with others you will be on first-name terms. On first meeting, it is always better to be formal, and then ask how a person prefers to be addressed. When referring to someone in the third person, you should always use professional titles unless you are led to believe that it is appropriate to do otherwise.
By reading this document, you have already reached the main source of information about the Music Department, i.e., our web site. It is worth bookmarking our home page, which will grant you access to a whole range of details about our people, spaces, and activities. We also use the web site to provide updated information on concert schedules and similar events; you should consult it often.
3 Negotiating our Programs
3.1 Bachelor of Arts (Music Major) or Bachelor of Music?
The Department offers two curricula in Music for undergraduates. The B.A. degree with a Major in Music (43 required credit-hours in Music, comprising a core and electives) is similar to most other majors in the College of Arts and Sciences in that it offers students the opportunity to focus on music in the context of a strong liberal-arts education. The B.Mus. degree (66 required credit-hours in Music, comprising the core and electives) is more intensive, and requires students to take more performance and ensemble courses than the B.A. The requirements for each program are presented in more detail in the Undergraduate Bulletin at
http://www.unc.edu/ugradbulletin/depts/music.html
Both degree programs have the same mandatory General College and Arts and Sciences Perspective courses (for students entering prior to Fall 2006) and General Education requirements (for students entering in Fall 2006 or later), and both require four semesters each of music theory and history, and at least four semesters of performance in an appropriate ensemble. Each of these programs is flexible enough for students to be able to create “emphases” within them by way of choosing related courses, for example, in Performance, Music History, Composition, Jazz Studies, Popular Music Studies, or Music Education. Your advisor (see below) will be happy to discuss these options with you.
The Department’s requirements for the B.Mus. normally require a commitment to Music of eight semesters (i.e., the duration of normal undergraduate study), starting in the first year. The Department’s requirements for the B.A. (Music Major) can be completed in fewer semesters. In principle, it is important for you to devise a scheme of study that offers the most flexibility to adapt as your interests develop and change.
B.Mus. students are required to begin performance and ensemble courses in their first year. Most students (B.A, or B.Mus.) will also want to begin taking music-theory courses (starting with MUSC 131) and then music-history ones (MUSC 251, 252, 253) early in their program. Our programs work well if MUSC 131 is taken in the Fall of the first year, and MUSC 251 in the Spring of the first or second year.
In the case of the B.Mus. and B.A., students can also choose to double major with another subject. This is demanding in terms of time and effort, but it works particularly well for students interested in interdisciplinary issues, or for those who would like to keep options open.
For students entering in Fall 2006 or later, the new General Education requirements require some careful negotiation. A good number of music courses, even when taken as part of the Music Major, will meet a good number of General Education requirements and so can double count as appropriate. For example, MUSC 131 meets the Quantitative Intensive (QI) requirement, and MUSC 251 meets the World before 1750 (WB) requirement; thus all Music Majors will automatically meet these requirements as part of the B.A. or B.Mus. core. This is not to prevent students from taking courses in other departments or fields of study: indeed, we actively encourage this as a way of gaining a broader education that can also bring knowledge and skills back to the study of Music. However, students who are interested in meeting UNC requirements as efficiently as possible, and within an appropriate timeframe, should consider these options carefully.
3.2 Music Minor
The Music Department offers one Minor in Music (15 credit-hours). The gateway to the Minor is MUSC 121 (“Fundamentals of Music I”), which then leads to a range of courses drawn from academic and applied offerings in the Department. MUSC 121 may be substituted by MUSC 131 (“Theory–Musicianship I”) with the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies. These courses can be grouped to create informal emphases, as in the Major. Music Majors who decide to forego continuation in the Major degree program may speak with the Director of Undergraduate Studies regarding transferring of all credits earned to the Minor in Music.
3.3 Single Courses in Music
A significant number of courses in the Music Department meet General College and College of Arts and Sciences perspective and other requirements, and (for students entering in Fall 2006) General Education requirements. Thus they can be taken as part of your general university education, or even just out of interest. Non-Majors are welcome to take any and all courses for which they are qualified; they may be particularly interested in MUSC 121, 141–47, 188, 240, 248, and 280–289 (80–88). These courses do not require an ability to read musical notation (although students learn to do so in MUSC 121), depending instead on cultivating understanding through listening.
3.4 Advisors
It is the student’s responsibility to adhere to the requirements of a given program, taking the right courses in the right order at the right time. It is essential that you study the details of our undergraduate programs and courses in the Undergraduate Bulletin, and also consider broader university requirements needed to complete undergraduate study.
Advisors will offer assistance in constructing coherent and appropriate scheme of study leading to graduation. All first- and second-year students are in the University’s General College and should make a habit of meeting with their General College advisor each semester before they register. This enables you to select the best roster of courses. It is also important that you should make your intentions as regards your Major clear to your General College advisor—this is particularly true for students hoping to take the B.Mus.—even if it is understood that those intentions may change over time. Honors students also have access to a separate advising scheme administered by the Honors Program.
Juniors and Seniors are in the College of Arts and Sciences, and those pursuing the B.A. (Music Major) or B.Mus. are distributed across a team of Music Department advisors. You will be invited to meet with them at least once per semester. It is particularly important that you meet with your Music Department advisor before attempting to pre-enroll for classes online that have a limit set on registration. The advisor will be able to lift the flag blocking your ability to register.
Students interested in preparing to pursue a graduate degree in music education (the fifth-year MAT program leading to teacher certification) should also contact Daniel Huff to discuss course selection.
You may contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Music about any issues that concern you no matter what year of the program you are in. Problems can also always be addressed to other faculty members in their “office hours.” Please do not be afraid to speak up about your concerns; we can only begin to help when we know there is a problem.
3.5 Studying Music at University-Level
The academic and applied courses in Music available at UNC-Chapel Hill cover performance, music history and music theory, embracing Western classical repertories from the Middle Ages to the present day, and also popular and non-Western musics. The core courses within the B.A. and B.Mus. degrees offer a secure grounding in knowledge and techniques, while further courses provide more in-depth study of specific topics. Teaching is in various formats, ranging from lectures and workshops through smaller seminars to one-on-one instrumental lessons and supervisions.
We firmly believe that the study of music and performance of music are closely related. We also believe in viewing music in its political, social, and cultural contexts, alongside detailed study of the musical work itself. You may find the ways we look at music very different from what you have experienced before in terms of the extent to which we focus on methods, the depth in which we engage with individual music works, and the ways in which we view music in broader spheres. At some times, our approach may seem too analytical, at others it may seem too historical, and if you do not have both a passion for music and an intense intellectual curiosity about it, then our various courses are probably not for you. But by the end of your time with us, we will hope to have persuaded you just how worthwhile our enterprise can be.
3.6 How’s Your Music Theory?
Students who intend to pursue the B.Mus. or B.A. (Music Major) will usually start with MUSC 131 (“Theory and Musicianship I”) and MUSC 131L (“Theory and Musicianship Lab I”). These courses begin your study of music theory and analysis, develop the musicianship skills you will need to succeed in your other course-work, and lay the foundation for your program of study. All students who wish to take MUSC 131 should attend the first day of class, regardless of whether or not they were able to register for the course during CTOPS. A diagnostic exam for all students wishing to take MUSC 131 is given on the Monday before classes begin. MUSC 131 requires concurrent enrollment in a recitation section (MUSC 131 sections 601 and up).
For those students whose basic theory skills are not yet at an appropriate level for MUSC 131, the Department offers MUSC 121 (“Fundamentals of Music I”). MUSC 121 is not part of the program for the B.A. (Music Major) and B.Mus., although it does serve as the gateway to the Music Minor. It deals with the basics of musical notation, scales, counterpoint, and harmony, and it will equip students to enter MUSC 131 in a subsequent semester.
Some of our upper-level theory courses (MUSC 132, 232) may in a given semester have “honors” versions of the same courses (MUSC 132H, 232H) for more advanced students. Access to these courses will be determined by the relevant instructor.
3.7 Grading, etc.
At the beginning of every course you take in the Music Department, the instructor should provide you with a syllabus that describes the course content and schedule, lists required and suggested reading/listening where appropriate, and gives details of how the final grade will be calculated. The instructor will also explain policies on late submission of work, and on make-up quizzes/exams on grounds of illness. In general, you will usually find us quite strict on these matters out of fairness to the student body as a whole: we take deadlines seriously, and make exceptions rarely, and therefore you should plan your work accordingly, always allowing for last-minute crises. In general, we do not regard computer crashes, other commitments, or minor illness as legitimate excuses for failing to meet a course requirement, and other seemingly extenuating circumstances will be judged quite rigorously.
The instructor should also inform you about grading criteria, i.e., what is expected for an A, B, C, etc., whether for individual assessment elements or for the course as a whole. While all students would wish to get an A for everything, it is clear that this is an unreasonable expectation, and indeed to give everyone an A would simply be to disadvantage those students who really deserved it: grade inflation helps no one. The average grade for a course at UNC-Chapel Hill is likely to be in the range of a B or B+, with some students scoring higher and some lower according to effort and ability.
If you are experiencing problems with a course, approach the instructor in the first instance, who will be able to offer advice. However, it is you, not us, who is responsible for your own education, and while you can expect us to be supportive when appropriate, we cannot pass your courses for you.
3.8 Prerequisites and Progression
Some of our courses will have prerequisites or other requirements to be met prior to taking them. Some also have corequisites (i.e., to be met while taking the course). Full details are given in the Undergraduate Bulletin. Such courses are normally those that depend and build on skills developed in a prior or contemporaneous course. It is a violation of the UNC-Chapel Hill Honor Code to take a course for which you do not have any required prerequisite.
This means that careful planning is needed to ensure timely progression through the program. With the exception of applied lessons and ensembles, our courses tend to be offered on an annual (sometimes biennial) cycle and not each semester; therefore if you delay too long taking a course that is a prerequisite for a later, required course, this can have severe consequences in terms of your reaching graduation. The Department cannot be held responsible for such failure to progress to the degree: the simple rule of thumb is that the sooner you take required courses, the more freedom you will have in your final year(s) of study to work in areas of special interest.
3.9 Study Abroad
We have established formal study-abroad programs with King’s College, London (UK), and the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) in Vienna (Austria). Here you can take for credit courses in Music, and in other subjects, that will meet various UNC-CH requirements as well as furthering your education. Many students find the study-abroad experience enriching and indeed invaluable in terms of gaining the benefit of international experiences and perspectives: we strongly encourage it. While many academic music courses taken at these institutions satisfy B.A. and B.Mus. degree requirements, it is wise to go over your planned course of study in advance with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. For further information, contact the chair of the Music Department’s Study Abroad Committee, Brooks de Wetter-Smith (brooks@email.unc.edu).
Other study-abroad programs are available through UNC-CH’s Study Abroad Office (http://studyabroad.unc.edu/studyabroad.cfm) and also Summer School (http://summer.unc.edu/summerabroad). One Summer School Abroad program, in Tuscania, Italy, is organized by the Music Department and focuses on chamber music. In other study-abroad programs, however, you may or may not be able to find courses in Music to meet your needs or fulfill any requirements. This need not prevent you taking advantage of them, but it means that you need to plan your courses carefully at UNC-CH so as not to get behind in terms of your timetable for graduation.
The established study-abroad programs in Music will normally offer access to applied lessons—in some cases at extra cost—although here, and even more so in the case of other study-abroad programs, they can be difficult to arrange and we do not have any control over the instructors. Special arrangements can be made by the Director of Undergraduate Studies to alter the applied-lesson requirement for the B.Mus. and the ensemble requirement in cases of students studying abroad.
3.10 Is There Life After Graduation?
Our undergraduate programs offer a secure foundation in the academic and applied study of Music. This does not necessarily mean, however, that all our undergraduates will go on to become professional musicians or musicologists. A good number do indeed continue to further study at graduate level. However, many also use their degrees in Music as a more general educational qualification. Music is perhaps unique among the arts and humanities in terms of the wide range of transferable skills developed during the undergraduate degree. Musicians learn how to think, to write, to present themselves in public, and to work collaboratively in different kinds of teams. They have intellectual, technical, and social skills that tend to be widely admired by employers in many fields. They have also demonstrated over the long term a determination and commitment, and a desire to succeed, often beyond the norm. With a degree in Music you can go far in whatever direction your life may take you.
4 Applied Lessons
4.1 Applied Music Lessons
Instruction for academic credit in keyboard, wind, brass, percussion, and string instruments, and in voice, is available to University students qualified to take them, and when an instructor is available. Fees are charged for lessons (and instrument rental, where appropriate) according to an annual schedule published by the Department. Students taking applied lessons must first gain the permission of the appropriate instructor or Area Head to register for instruction, usually (in the case of students taking lessons with us for the first time) after having given a short audition (e.g., with pieces and technical exercises such as scales or studies) to determine placement in a studio. Details of our Area Heads are given above; details of individual instructors are available from the Department Office and are on the Music Department website.
Once permission for registration has been granted, the registration process for academic credit can be done only by the Music Department Registrar, who is also responsible for procedures leading to billing and the formal assignment to a teacher. Music Majors are given priority in registering for lessons, but Music Minors and other non-Majors are also welcome, subject to qualifications and to the limits of available faculty time. All fees for lessons must be paid during registration (or your student account charged) and before lessons can begin. All registrations must take place during the normal University registration periods.
We offer applied lessons in voice, piano, guitar, and all the normal orchestral and band instruments. Instruction is normally by way of individual, one-on-one lessons plus additional studio activities, although in some areas (guitar, piano, voice) we also offer group lessons. Individual lessons at the 1xx, 2xx and 3xx levels normally last 50 minutes; it is also possible to have 25-minute lessons at the 1xx level (for 0.5 credit-hours).
Our applied instructors range from full-time faculty through full- and part-time lecturers to adjunct instructors, depending on instrument and demand. For the purposes of course management and delivery, however, all have the same authority and should be treated in the same way.
4.2 Are You a Complete Beginner?
Most students taking applied lessons in the Department will have some experience of their instrument, with a grounding in technique and an ability to read musical notation. Some will already have been studying that instrument for many years. In other cases, however, less opportunity for technical study may have been available: this is often the case in voice, where individuals may have developed vocal and reading skills by, say, singing in a choir, but may not have had voice lessons as such. Something similar may often apply to, say, jazz or rock guitarists, who may have considerable fluency on their instrument but not a secure technique or ability to read notated music.
Very few of our applied courses will cater for complete beginners, and if you have never touched an instrument or have no grasp of musical fundamentals, it is unlikely that we can meet your needs. If in doubt, talk with the Area Head or the Director of Undergraduate Studies, who will be glad to advise on what we can offer, and what alternatives exist.
4.3 More Advanced Study
Actual or intending B.Mus. students, and B.A. (Music Major) students intending to pursue an emphasis in performance, will normally enroll for lessons with a 2xx number (MUSC 200–207; 2 credit-hours). Music Minors and non-Majors may enroll for lessons either with a 2xx number or (as is normally the case) a 1xx number (MUSC 100–107; normally 1 credit-hour, although 0.5 is also possible).
For example, a B.Mus. student studying trumpet as a principal instrument will normally enroll for each and every semester in MUSC 205 (2 credit-hours per semester) in the section of the appropriate instructor. A B.A. (Music Major) student studying trumpet may enroll for one or more semesters in MUSC 205 (2 credit-hours per semester) or in MUSC 105 (0.5 or 1 credit-hour per semester). A Music Minor studying trumpet may enroll for one or more semesters in either MUSC 205 (2 credit-hours per semester) or MUSC 105 (0.5 or 1 credit-hour per semester). All other students studying trumpet may normally only enroll for MUSC 105, save where it is agreed that MUSC 205 is more appropriate. All of these courses are repeatable for credit, i.e., can be taken for more than one semester, and they are subject to admission requirements being met. To continue taking applied lessons, you must have gained a C (not C-) or higher in the immediately previous taking of the course.
For the most advanced students—chiefly those intending to graduate with the B.Mus.—the Department also offers applied lessons leading to a public recital; these courses have a 3xx number (MUSC 300–306; 3 credit-hours). You may take one of these courses twice during your undergraduate career.
Students intending to graduate with the B.Mus. are required to take 14–18 hours of applied lessons (normally 16). This requirement will usually be met by eight semesters of MUSC 2xx lessons (2 credit-hours X 8 = 16), or by six semesters of MUSC 2xx lessons and two semesters of MUSC 3xx lessons ([2 X 6] + [3 X 2] = 18). The lower number (14) is intended to allow for students not taking applied lessons during a semester spent on study abroad (see 3.9, above), or in the (rare) cases of students transferring to the B.Mus. having started lessons only at the 1xx level.
Note that applied lessons are grouped by instrument family (so, 205 is “Advanced Individual Lessons in Brass”), with sections by instructor. Thus students enrolled in 205 may be studying French horn, trumpet, trombone, or euphonium depending on their section by instructor. Do not register for MUSC 205 section 1 (instructor X, our French horn teacher) if you are assigned to study with trumpet-instructor Y!
4.4 Purchasing Music for Applied Music Lessons
Although the Music Library has a large collection of performance materials, they cannot be marked up for personal use, and they should be returned “clean.” Thus most performance students will need to purchase their own copies of music in their repertory. A few instructors order music for their students, so check with your applied instructor. Please check with your instructor, too, about reliable editions to use: of the hundreds of published editions of, say, Beethoven piano sonatas, only two or three are trustworthy in terms of accurately representing what Beethoven actually wrote, and you need to know which they are. Having established that, you will find a large number of vendors on the web able to ship music on order.
4.5 Copyright
Copyright in musical editions and other texts can be held by the composer/author, by the editor, by the publisher, by some other party, or all of the above. Copyrights can lie in the original musical notes (and any verbal text associated therewith), in the editing of those musical notes, and in the image of those musical notes, and also in their sound. Contrary to popular belief, copyrights can still apply even to the music of long-dead composers if that music has been recently edited or published. Music recordings, and images (static or moving), also have their various copyrights. Respecting such copyrights is a necessity, an obligation, and also a legal requirement.
The Department firmly adheres to the requirements and principles of current copyright legislation, and therefore does not support the making of illegal photocopies of copyright material. The same applies to the downloading of music files or images to personal computers. Be warned that copyright is an extremely complex issue, and that you are responsible for your own actions (including those on behalf of third parties), and for being aware of what is permissible and what not. It is always safest to assume that any copying or downloading will contravene copyright legislation unless you have specifically ascertained otherwise.
In short, and save under “fair use” clauses or certain other special circumstances, if you photocopy any song, any piano piece, any score, or any orchestral part—even just for your private use in a lesson—you are probably breaking the law. The same applies to downloading text-, image-, or music-files from the web unless you have ascertained your right to do so. The penalties can be very severe indeed.
4.6 Juries
Juries are the performance examinations given at the end of each semester. You will be asked to perform works that you have been studying during the semester in your applied music lessons for the faculty in your applied area.
4.7 Student Recitals and Workshops
Students enrolled in MUSC 200–207 and MUSC 300–306 may be required to attend student recital hours and divisional workshops. In addition, other workshops, studio classes, and master-classes planned throughout the year will be announced as they are scheduled. Wednesdays at 4 p.m. is a common (but not the only) time for such events. You should take advantage of all these opportunities to meet and work with performers of national and international renown.
4.8 Studio Classes and Your Work with the Applied Faculty
Each of the four applied areas in the Department, including Voice, Strings, Keyboard, and Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion, establish curricular guidelines and activities designed to enhance your performance studies. The relevant Area Heads, along with their divisional colleagues, specify the requirements for students in their respective areas. Studio requirements and expectations will be discussed at your first lesson. In the case of MUSC 2xx and 3xx lessons, those requirements will normally include more than just a weekly lesson and the practice-time associated therewith.
Your initial allocation to a studio is expected to last at least for the semester during which you are taking a specific course, and will usually continue for longer. Students should not expect to be able of their own volition to change studios in mid-stream, and certainly not within a given semester save in the most extreme circumstances. Anyone wishing to query their studio assignment should do so to their instructor in the first instance, and then to the relevant Area Head. You should realize, however, that the one-on-one nature of applied lessons will always generate intense experiences. Boundaries must always be respected, and students must feel free to articulate any perceived discomfort with what is being required; however, you should also seek to understand the reasons for such requirements.
Although we prefer continuity from semester to semester in the pairing of students with instructors, the Department cannot guarantee it. Thus you should not assume that you will stay with the same applied instructor throughout your period of study at UNC-Chapel Hill, nor that you will necessarily and always be allocated your instructor of first choice.
Any instructor has the right to refuse admittance to a studio, regardless of the impact of such refusal on a student’s scheme of study and intended degree. This can happen if a student fails to make sufficient progress or is perceived as somehow negligent (e.g., by not practicing sufficiently or by adhering to a too narrow repertory). In cases of irretrievable breakdown between an instructor and a student, the Department may be able to make alternative arrangements but cannot guarantee to do so; students in this position are usually best advised to change degree programs, e.g., from the B.Mus. to the B.A. (Music Major; which does not have an applied-lesson requirement), or to another Major.
4.9 Insurance
Neither the University nor the Department provides insurance coverage against damage to, or loss of, personal property either within our buildings or elsewhere on campus. Nor do we have any liability for such damage or loss. This applies also to your own musical instruments (cases, etc.), whether inside the Department or out, and whether or not you are using them in a Department-sponsored activity on campus or off. You are strongly advised to make your own arrangements for such insurance coverage in the event of accident, theft, or fire, etc.
Similarly, if you are using a Department-owned instrument and damage or loss occurs as a result of direct or indirect action on your part, you may be liable for the cost of its repair or replacement.
5 Ensembles and Other Activities
5.1 Ensemble Requirements
All Music Majors must participate in ensembles; the B.A. requires four semesters of ensemble activity, while the B.Mus. requires eight. To meet this requirement, students are normally expected to take part in ensembles related to their principal performance study. Because of auditions, it is not always possible to register for ensembles at the time you register for your other classes. After audition results are posted, you can promptly register for the appropriate ensemble(s) by drop-add procedures. Auditions are held during orientation week and the first week of school, and schedules are posted in Hill Hall.
Our ensembles fall into five groups, the first of which contains ensembles that definitely fulfill the ensemble requirement, and the second of which contains those that may under certain circumstances fulfill that requirement. However, all our ensembles are important for our creative activities, and you will find in them experiences and friendships that will last way beyond your time at university.
Core Ensembles are guaranteed to fulfill the ensemble requirement for B.Mus. and B.A. students: these include Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, Carolina Choir, Chamber Singers, Men’s Glee Club, and Women’s Glee Club.
Core Ensemble Alternates may fulfill the ensemble requirement under certain circumstances: these include Jazz Band (for students pursuing an emphasis in jazz), Guitar Ensemble, Piano Ensemble I: Duet/Collaborative (designed for students taking MUSC 200 on piano for the first time), Piano Ensemble II: Vocal/Instrumental Accompaniment (designed for students taking MUSC 200 on piano for the second and third time), Collaborative Piano (designed for students taking MUSC 200 on piano for the fourth time, and for two additional semesters, unless substituted by other approved ensembles), Opera Workshop (which B.Mus. students may substitute once for a core vocal ensemble, and twice with permission).
In addition, we have:
Enrichment Ensembles I (Large Instrumental): Marching Pep Band; Percussion Ensemble; Gamelan; Chamber Orchestra; University Band.
Enrichment Ensembles II (Instrumental): University Chamber Players; String Chamber Music; Woodwind Chamber Music; Brass Chamber Music; Viol Consort; New Music Ensemble; Charanga Carolina
Enrichment Ensembles III (Vocal/Choral): Lighter Shade of Blue; Collegium Musicum; University Chorus
Enrichment Ensembles, and Core/Core Alternate Ensembles above the requirement, may be taken for elective credit, subject to limitations. All ensembles are repeatable for credit, i.e., may be taken more than once.
5.2 Flexibility in Fulfilling Ensemble Requirements
The ensembles designated to fulfill your ensemble requirements over the course of the program have been selected to provide you with a rewarding musical experience that involves work with our most experienced conductors, performances of the standard choral, symphonic, wind/band, and jazz literature, and interaction with the majority of your musical peers. If a semester arises when you wish to substitute an ensemble not designated as one that satisfies the ensemble requirement, contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies to petition for this consideration. The chair of the Scholarship Committee will also be consulted when appropriate. The Director of Undergraduate Studies will render a decision about the ensemble-change request in consultation with both the student’s studio teacher and the Associate Chair for Applied Studies.
5.3 Pursue Your Interests Within Reason
Students will determine how active to be in the ensemble programs offered by the Department. You may enroll in more than one ensemble at a time (although some Area Heads may reasonably apply restrictions), and you may enroll in more ensembles than are required by your degree program, whether or not you wish to count those extra hours as electives for your degree.
However, you are strongly advised to consider carefully your commitment to ensembles both within and outside the Department above and beyond the ensemble requirement. This is particularly an issue in the early years of study, when developing technique may be adversely affected by unregulated ensemble activity; for example, voice students must take great care to conserve and preserve their instruments. In all cases, however, you should always consult with your applied teachers about your ensemble activities to ensure that your commitments are reasonable, manageable, and useful.
5.4 Performance Attire
Concert attire for the various Departmental ensembles varies, and you should be sure to check with your ensemble director for details. Most instrumental ensembles require tuxedos and black bow-ties for men, and long black dresses or other black formal-wear for women. Most choral ensembles require tuxedos for men and a specially designed long dress for women. Group-rate purchases may be available.
5.5 Concerts and Guest Lectures in the Department and Elsewhere
In addition to student recitals, the Music Department has several regular series of concerts at which music faculty and Departmental ensembles as well as guest artists and ensembles perform. We also have a series of Carolina Symposia in Music and Culture given by distinguished visitors, and we run various study-days, conferences, and festivals. Most of these events are free, and we encourage you strongly to attend. It is particularly important for you to go to as many concerts as you can, not just because it demonstrates commitment to our subject but also because seeing professionals in action is an essential part of the learning experience. Even better: bring your family and friends as well. A schedule of events will be available to all students in the fall. Stop by Hill Hall Room 104B to pick up a calendar.
There are many other concerts offered on and off campus throughout the year. The Carolina Performing Arts Series (in Memorial Hall), Duke University, and the North Carolina Symphony provide outstanding opportunities for concert attendance. Information on these and other campus concerts is available on Music Department bulletin boards. Also, remember to check out the various campus and community newspapers for details of other events at Duke University and in the Triangle.
6 Music Scholarships
Each year we offer a number of music scholarships to talented incoming undergraduates, involving a financial award and/or recommendation for special admission consideration. These will have been gained by audition prior to entrance. In certain circumstances, scholarships may also be made available to students already in the program (rather than newly entering it). Scholarship holders have certain responsibilities, including taking leadership roles in the Department, and participating in specified Departmental ensembles. They are also normally expected to become Music Majors (B.Mus. or B.A.).
The terms of any scholarship will be specified in the award letter. Scholarships are normally awarded for the duration of the period of undergraduate study, although they are reviewed annually and may be withdrawn at any time if the Department considers that the terms of the scholarship are not being met in terms of progress through the program, achievement in performance, or any other reasons relevant to the scholarship. They may also be withdrawn if the source of funding for the scholarship is no longer available.
Scholarship recipients are asked to inform the Scholarship Committee in writing if they will be participating in a study-abroad program, or any other program that will not allow them to fulfill the terms of their award. This written notification should be received by the Scholarship Committee one semester in advance when possible.
We have newly (Fall 2007) instituted the Kenan Music Scholars Program, thanks to a generous donation from the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust. Kenan Music Scholars receive a full scholarship for four years covering tuition, student fees, room and board, and other expenses, plus additional support for summer research and similar activities. They also benefit from a coherent program of special activities uniting work on the concert platform and in the classroom with faculty in the Music Department and distinguished visiting artists. Scholars are selected on the basis of an established record of excellence in practice of music (performance, composition, etc.), significant academic strengths, and a strong commitment to majoring in Music at UNC-CH. There will usually be four Scholars per entering class, with sixteen in the department in any given year. For further details, contact the faculty coordinator for the Program, Brent Wissick (bswissic@email.unc.edu).
7 Facilities
7.1 Music Buildings
Hill Hall is the main building housing the Music Department, including the auditorium, administrative offices, classrooms, large rehearsal hall, computer room, recording studio/MIDI lab, practice rooms, faculty offices, office of the Director of Athletic Bands, and graduate teaching assistant offices.
Person Hall, east of Hill Hall, houses faculty studios, a small recital hall/classroom, the choral rehearsal room, and the office of the Director of Choral Activities.
Hill Hall Annex, west of Hill Hall, will continue to house some academic faculty offices until December 2008, whereupon its occupants will move into Hill Hall.
The Kenan Music Building will open in early November 2008, and will be fully in use by January 2009. This will contain applied-faculty studios, rehearsal and practice rooms, and classrooms. However, a large number of our performance and teaching activities will continue in Hill Hall.
Opening hours for Hill Hall are posted on the main doors. We try to maintain access to practice rooms, etc., for as long as possible during the day and evening, but financial constraints set limits. Later in the evening, access to the building is controlled by desk monitors at the main West entrance who may ask to check IDs: please cooperate—this is for your safety.
Please also be aware of emergency equipment and escape routes, and do not block doors or put paper over windows. If you are in practice rooms late at night, you are strongly advised to have a cell-phone in case of emergency. And if you see anything suspicious day or night, please inform the Department office (during opening hours), the desk monitors, or the campus police.
7.2 Music Library
A large and very fine music library is located in Wilson Library, next to House Undergraduate Library, and is a center of activity for both students and faculty. You will have to go to the Library for reserve reading and listening assignments. In addition, the Library is a quiet place to study, and the large selection of books, scores, and recordings offers boundless avenues to explore for class assignments or just for fun! The librarians, staff, and student assistants are always available to answer any questions you have and to help you use the Library efficiently. Tours of the library are arranged for new students at the start of each academic year, and are also available on request. For help with research papers and other assignments contact the Public Services Librarian, Diane Steinhaus (dstein@email.unc.edu)
There are a number of work-study and part-time student assistant positions available on the Library staff. If you have an interest in working in the Music Library, see the Circulation Manager, Bradshaw Lentz (blentz@email.unc.edu).
Library hours and much more about Library resources can be found on the Music Library web-page at:
7.3 Practice Rooms
The practice rooms are located in the basement of Hill Hall, including larger rehearsal rooms where students and faculty hold small ensemble rehearsals and sectionals (others will soon be available in the Kenan Music Building). There are some additional rooms on the second floor of the building that are equipped with grand pianos and which are reserved exclusively for students taking piano lessons under MUSC 200 or 300. Sign-up details for practice rooms (where necessary) will be posted separately.
7.4 Lockers
Lockers are assigned in the fall and as needed at other times during the year, depending on availability. To sign up:
1. Go to Kenan Music Building 1212 to state your need for a locker to Paul Cole (pcole@email.unc.edu). Locker assignments are based on availability and on the size of the instrument(s) to be accommodated.
2. You will be assigned a locker and a padlock. You may use the locker and padlock as long as you are a student in the Music Department, although notification is required to keep the locker over the summer. Please notify the Music Office when your locker is no longer needed so that it can be reassigned. Notification is also required to reserve the same locker for the following year.
3. We are not responsible for damage to, or loss of, anything stored in a locker.
7.5 Room Scheduling and Use
Paul Cole in Hill Hall 104A coordinates classroom, recital hall, and rehearsal hall schedules. These rooms are available for student use, subject to Departmental approval, provided the area is not scheduled for a class or rehearsal. However, do not assume that because a room is open and empty, you can just walk in and use it without prior arrangement being made.
Please treat our rooms sensibly, and always leave them tidy. Please refrain from taking drinks and food into practice rooms and classrooms, and be careful of potential damage to valuable instruments. If you need to rearrange chairs, please return them to their proper positions, and do not remove music stands and similar equipment.
7.6 Messages
You may leave written messages for faculty and staff in their mailboxes, located in Hill Hall 104. For student messages, there are message boards at various locations in the Department. Please keep an eye on the noticeboards relevant to your special interests, as they will often contain important information on the Department and on musical activities in general. Faculty email addresses are listed on the Music Department web site and are a standard means of contact, although you should not expect instant responses at, say, 2:00 a.m. Faculty phone numbers are also listed on the web site; save where listed, we do not give out phone numbers for faculty or staff, nor for students.
Please note the comments in section 4.9, above: they are important!
8 Our Commitment to You, and Yours to Us
The Department is a community of like-minded individuals committed to the study and performance of Music. Although we are each very different in our interests, approaches, and skills, we are united by our passion for our subject, by our holistic vision of our enterprise, and by our sense of the importance of Music both within and outside the University. You can expect to be treated with courtesy and respect; to have your individual needs recognized so far as possible; to be given high-quality instruction in lessons and classes; to have course content, grading requirements, and deadlines laid out in a clear and timely fashion; to be able to discuss matters individually with faculty members and instructors; to have grades awarded fairly and with explanation; and to be given regular opportunities to provide oral and written feedback on what we do. You can also expect the Department to adhere to published regulations and similar documents, to make exceptions only when prompted by exceptional circumstances, and to respect principles of confidentiality.
In turn, we expect you to take your studies seriously; to treat other Departmental members (faculty, instructors, other students) with courtesy and respect; to behave professionally in the classroom and in the concert hall; to adhere to course requirements (including class attendance); to submit on time well-presented work that is your own; to accept criticism and acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses; and to bring problems to our attention as soon as they arise.
The Department has various mechanisms for resolving matters of concern. In course-specific issues, you should approach the instructor in the first instance, who can reasonably be expected to act fairly and without prejudice. If that approach does not resolve the concern, or if the concern is not course-related, then other avenues of resolution are available through the Director of Undergraduate Studies, the Associate Chairs, and the Chair. We also have an Undergraduate Forum comprising faculty and students empowered to discuss issues arising from any area of the Department's activities: this Forum also offers fertile ground for generating new ideas on what we do and how we do it.
The Department is committed to providing an educational and employment environment free from harassment and discrimination. To that end, the Department firmly adheres to all University policies and procedures prohibiting harassment and/or discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran’s status. The Department also respects the privacy of students’ educational records. If you have a concern related to any of these matters, you should contact the Chair or the Department’s Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, either of whom will advise on options for resolution. You may also direct your concerns outside of the Department to the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, the Dean of Students’ Office, the Equal Opportunity/ADA Office, or the University Registrar, as appropriate.
Regardless of your intentions after graduation, we are committed to enabling each and every one of you to develop your musical skills and knowledge as far as you are able. Not everyone will be a straight-A student; and not everyone will become a great virtuoso or scholar. But by playing a full part in our Department and in our curriculum, you will be taking advantage of a unique opportunity to develop your creative and intellectual abilities, and to use music to make a difference in the world.
–TR 08/09