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Gateway Courses

Music majors (and minors, upon approval of instructor) with piano as their primary instrument are expected to take the following three “gateway” ensemble courses in their first two years:

  • MUSC 211.9 —  Piano Ensemble I:  Piano Duet. 1 credit.  Should be taken Fall semester, first year. (Monday 2:30-4:20)
  • MUSC 211.10 — Piano Ensemble II:  Vocal/Instrumental Accompanying. 2 semesters; 1 credit each semester.  Should be taken Spring semester of first or sophomore years. Vocal Accompanying is offered in Spring of odd-numbered years, Instrumental Accompanying in Spring of even-numbered years.

Music majors with piano as their primary instrument are expected to take at least one semester of large ensemble, such as Carolina Choir/ Glee Club/Chamber Singers; other options are listed below under “large ensemble credit.” The above-listed gateway ensemble courses, combined with one semester of large ensemble, fulfill the ensemble requirements for a BA in music.

Post-Gateway Courses (for BM students/scholarship holders):

  • MUSC 211.11 — Collaborative Piano (1 credit/semester; repeatable). Upon completing the three-semester gateway ensemble sequence, pianists may also receive ensemble credit for vocal/instrumental studio accompanying. 40 hours of work/semester is expected with one student singer or instrumentalist; this includes rehearsal time, accompanying all lessons, and a select number of performances at divisional recitals and end-of-semester juries.

Large ensemble credit (one credit/semester; repeatable) is available for performing piano parts in large ensembles such as UNC Symphony and Wind Ensemble, as needed. Singing in a choral group (e.g., Carolina Choir) will also give large ensemble credit and is repeatable.

Other ensemble credit opportunities (chamber music):

  • MUSC 214 — Chamber Music Ensembles (1 credit/semester; repeatable) A large chamber work, complete, is learned/performed in the course of one and/or two semesters.