School of Music

For more information about degree offerings by the faculty of the School of Music, visit the School of Music webpage.

Mission

The mission of the School of Music is to provide its students with a professional musical education that is consistent with the aims of a comprehensive university and relevant to a continually changing global and technological environment, to enrich the University’s curriculum with course offerings and ensemble experiences available to all students, and to enhance campus and community life with quality concerts, recitals, and other programs and performances.

Accreditation

The School of Music of The University of Tulsa is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The following degrees are listed by NASM: Bachelor of Arts in Music, Bachelor of Music Education, Bachelor of Music in Performance, and Bachelor of Music in Composition.

Undergraduate Academic Programs

The faculty of music offer courses leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in music and the Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) in instrumental or vocal music.

In cooperation with the School of Art, Design and Art History , the Department of Theatre and the Department of Film Studies , the Bachelor of Arts degree is also offered with a major in arts, culture and entertainment management .

A student may elect course offerings in jazz literature and techniques in any of the degree programs offered by the School of Music.

Music, B.A. majors may elect a film scoring emphasis.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who complete the undergraduate program in music will:

Develop technical skills requisite for artistic self-expression in at least one major performance area. Students must acquire an understanding of repertory in their major performance area, the ability to read at sight, rehearsal and conducting skills necessary to work as a leader, keyboard competency and collaborative competence and knowledge of repertory through regular and varied ensemble experiences. (Performance)
Develop an understanding of compositional processes, an ability to work conceptually with musical structures, and the ability to defend musical judgements. Demonstrate the ability to hear, identify and work conceptually with rhythm, melody, and harmony. (Musicianship Skills, Theory, Ear Training and Analysis)
Create and present original or derivative music, including jazz-specific course offerings and ensembles that focus on harmonization. (Composition/Improvisation)
Acquire knowledge of music literature and style periods from Greek Classicism to the contemporary era, and include components of World Music. (History and Repertory)
Demonstrate synthesis of musical and other skills acquired over the course of undergraduate study including junior and senior recitals and student teaching. (Synthesis)

Admission to the Music Major

Students who wish to major in music in pursuit of the B.A. or the B.M.E. degrees must first audition. The audition serves two purposes. It determines both 1) eligibility for admission to the music major, and 2) qualification for music grants-in-aid for both prospective music majors and non-majors who wish to participate in music performance groups. At the time of audition, a committee of faculty members determines whether a candidate qualifies for acceptance into the music major. Students who qualify to major in music through successful audition are notified in writing of both their admission to the major and their financial award. Students who do not intend to major in music, but who qualify for grant-in-aid, are notified in writing of both their financial award and the performance expectations associated with that award.

Both prospective music majors and currently enrolled students seeking to add the music major must perform an audition. If a student is taking lessons in the School of Music, the end-of-semester jury may constitute the required audition.

In the event that a student does not qualify for acceptance, a member of faculty of the School of Music will discuss other degree plans to be considered, or any steps that could be made towards admission to the music major at a later date.

Entrance Auditions

Auditions for students entering as freshman are held in late January and early February of each academic year. Specific audition dates may be obtained by contacting the School of Music office. Students audition for faculty members in their specific performance areas. For instance, pianists audition for the piano faculty; and clarinetists audition for the woodwind faculty. Each audition concludes with an informal interview that gives the faculty members an opportunity to learn about the student’s interests and goals.

Students are strongly encouraged to audition in person on the posted audition dates. Alternative audition dates and times are arranged only if conflicts with posted dates are unavoidable. Audition appointments may be requested by sending an email to musicauditions@utulsa.edu or to a faculty member in the student’s performance area. Audition appointments may also be made by calling the School of Music at 918-631-2262.

The faculty in each instrumental and vocal area has specified music that is appropriate for auditions. To view this repertoire, please refer to the audition information on the School of Music website.

School of Music Policies

All students enrolled in applied music study, both music majors and non-majors, are assessed a fee of $200.00 per credit hour. See the Tuition and Fees section of this Bulletin.
Except for first-semester students, music majors are required to take final examinations in their principal instrument or voice before a jury of applied faculty members. Any student presenting a recital must be enrolled in applied music with the appropriate studio teacher during the semester in which the recital is to be presented.
Lessons missed through student carelessness will only be made up at the discretion of the instructor.
Students pursuing the B.M.E. degree are required to pass functional piano and guitar proficiency examinations before enrolling in student teaching.
The School of Music offers delayed proficiency credit for those students who wish to demonstrate proficiency in music theory and/or ear training apart from approved transfer coursework or AP credit. Students seeking such credit for music theory and/or ear training courses must 1) be on record with the College of Arts and Sciences as having declared a music major or minor; 2) submit a petition for proficiency credit in writing to the Director of the School of Music; and 3) successfully pass, with a grade of C or better, the course subsequent to the course for which proficiency credit is sought. For example, a student must first pass MUS 1023 in order to earn proficiency credit for MUS 1013 ; a student must first pass MUS 2013 in order to earn credit for MUS 1013 and MUS 1023 . Such credit is restricted to six hours of music theory (MUS 1013 and MUS 1023 ) and two hours of ear training (MUS 1011 and MUS 1021 ).
Students who earn a 4 or 5 on the AP Music Theory Exam earn credit for the first year of music theory and ear training (MUS 1013 , MUS 1011 , MUS 1023 , and MUS 1021 .) The School of Music does not accept IB credit for music theory or ear training requirements.
All B.A. students must enroll in MUS 4973 Senior Seminar , during the first semester of their senior year and complete a senior project under the supervision of a full-time music faculty advisor. Students are required to submit a formal written proposal for their senior project by April 15th of the semester before they are enrolled in Senior Seminar.
All music majors are required to complete eight semesters of recital attendance (MUS 1000 , MUS 2000 , MUS 3000 , MUS 4000 ).

Applied Music Lessons

All students should check carefully with their advisors each semester to make sure they are enrolled in the proper section of applied music. Normally students pursuing the B.A. or the B.M.E. degree enroll for one credit hour each semester in their major applied instrument/voice.

Non-majors may enroll in applied music lessons if space is available in the applied studio, if they are participants in School of Music ensembles, and by audition or permission of the applied instructor. Non-majors and students taking a secondary instrument may enroll for only one credit hour.

Ensembles, Accompanying, and Masterclasses

To encourage music ensemble participation by both music majors and non-majors, ensure accurate student transcript records, and avoid exceeding the 18-credit-hour-per semester restriction, all music ensemble classes are offered in double sections: a 0-credit section and a 1-credit section. Enrollment in an ensemble for 0-credit is subject to the following conditions:

All enrollees will be graded, with the grade appearing on the student’s transcript.
Only full-time students are eligible for 0-credit sections.
Music majors and minors must complete the required number of ensemble credit hours as specified in their degree programs. Music majors and non-majors must also enroll for credit (0-credit or 1-credit) for all additional ensembles they choose to participate in or are assigned to perform in to fulfill the obligations of their scholarship or grant-in-aid awards.

Teacher Education Program

The Music Education, Instrumental, B.M.E., and the Music Education, Vocal, B.M.E., lead to teacher certification in Oklahoma (and preparation for certification in other states). In order to qualify, students must complete all the tasks listed on the Department of Education page of this Bulletin, including acceptance into the Teacher Education Program and to the Student Teaching Semester.

Music education majors are assigned two faculty advisors, one in the School of Music and one in the Department of Education .

Faculty

Director
Richard A. Wagner

Professors
Kim Childs
Joseph L. Rivers, Jr.

Associate Professors
Brady McElligott
Judith Raiford
Richard A. Wagner

Applied Associate Professors
Diane Bucchianeri
Maureen O’Boyle

Assistant Professor
Daniel Arthurs

Applied Assistant Professor
Stuart Deaver

Director of Choral Studies
Kim Childs

Director of Instrumental Ensembles
Richard A. Wagner

Coordinator of Music Theory Studies
Daniel Arthurs

Coordinator of Music Education
Richard A. Wagner

Director of Opera Studies
Brady McElligott

Coordinator of Composition and Film Scoring
Joseph L. Rivers, Jr.

Programs

Major

Minor

Music Minor

Courses

Music

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