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Current Students - Student Recitals

Required Recitals

Music Concentrates

  1. A student who concentrates in applied music is required to perform one-third or one half of a program in either the sophomore or junior year, and a full program in the senior year.
  2. Program and publicity will read: “The Calvin College Music Department presents (name) in a (Sophomore/Junior/ Senior) Recital.”
  3. The printed programs will include the notice that “this program is given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the B.A. degree with a major in music.”

Secondary Music Education Students

  1. Students seeking entrance into the BME programs are required to give a half-recital. They should perform a jury at the end of the second semester of study to determine if they qualify for such a recital.

Approval Process for All Recitals

All students must complete the following steps in order:

  1. The student must fill out a Student Recital Approval Form, have it signed by their applied music teacher and bring it to Melissa Reiffer, Events Manager, to reserve a recital date. This form is due by the 6th week of the semester before the recital date. (Please note: Students giving non-required recitals, however, must first submit a short letter to Dr. Keith Brautigam, chair of the Student Life Committee, requesting permission to perform a Recital Hearing. This letter is due by the 2nd week of the semester before the recital date.)
  2. The student must arrange for three Calvin College music professors to attend a "Recital Hearing," the date for the hearing is left to discretion of the applied instructor, but must occur sometime between 3-5 weeks prior to the recital date, subject to the availability of all involved. Individual instructors may establish their own policy regarding the timeline for the Recital Hearing within the stated guidelines. Students should check with their applied teacher to make sure they comply with all expectations.
  3. The adjudicating professors may be either part time or full time. One of the three, however, must be a full-time faculty member, and one must be the student's applied music instructor.
  4. Once the Recital Hearing date and time is agreed upon by the student, the three faculty members, and all of the performers, the student is to arrange for a room or hall in which the hearing is to take place by contacting the Campus Events office. Once a room/hall has been assigned, it is then the student's responsibility to communicate that information to the faculty members scheduled to adjudicate the Recital Hearing.
  5. The student must then fill out a Recital Hearing form and bring three copies along to their recital approval hearing.
  6. The student will receive a letter granting permission for the recital, or explaining a denial within two school days following the hearing.

Recital Hearing Procedure

  1. All literature to be performed on the recital must be available to be performed at the Recital Hearing. In addition, any pieces that will be performed by memory must also be memorized at the hearing.
  2. All performers on the recital program must be available for the hearing.
  3. Length of the hearing:

    For full recitals - 20 minutes
    For partial recitals - 15 minutes

  4. Each student may begin with a piece and/or movement of choice. After that, any piece listed on the program may be requested to be performed, either in its entirety or in part (please note: a performer could be asked, for example, "please start at the b section of movement two."
  5. Students should be prepared to be stopped in the middle of pieces to enable as great a cross-section of the recital as possible to be heard at the hearing.

Eligibility

  1. The student must be in good standing.
  2. The student who majors in music must have studied applied music in the medium intended for the recital sufficiently long and for college credit so as to be regarded as a product of the Department. Sufficient length is to be interpreted by the applied music instructor, by a member of the music faculty, or by the appropriate full-time faculty mentor.
  3. The literature for the recital must be programmed under the guidance of the student's applied instructor, who will ensure that the educational and artistic integrity of the program is maintained.
  4. The student must give evidence of being adequately prepared to perform in public (assessed by the faculty in the Recital Hearing and finally by the applied teacher) and should perform in Recital Hour at least twice during the semester prior to the semester in which the recital is given.
  5. The student must be a senior in order to play a full program, and a sophomore, junior, or senior to play a partial program in which his or her part makes up at least one-third of the total program.

Publicity and Facilities

Publicity: The student is responsible for submitting a written program of the recital, translations of any vocal texts not in English, program notes for all of the pieces that he or she will be performing on the recital, and a bio.  For all of these, attaching a MS Word document to an email is the preferred way to submit them.  Please email this to both Melissa Reiffer and Kathy Sikkema. We should receive this information at least four weeks in advance of the recital date. Once the program is drafted, recitalists and the applied music teacher will have multiple opportunities for editing and proofing the program before it goes to print.

The Events Manager, Melissa Reiffer, will publicize the recital with press releases to area newspapers, Calvin-news and Student-news (e-mail newsletters), and churches in the area. Students who wish to advertise at a specific church or newspaper should provide contact information to the Events Manager at least 4 weeks before the recital date.

Recitalists are responsible for creating posters and should include the time, date, place, name of performer, and performance medium. The following heading must be used: The Calvin College Music Department presents (name) (etc.). Posters may be copied on the Music Department copy machine. All posters to be hung on the Calvin College campus must be stamped and approved by the Student Development Office (located in the Commons Annex).

Facility: Michael Wildschut in the Campus Events office is responsible for scheduling the facility for student recitals. Students should contact him directly to provide detailed information about the equipment and setup needs for the recital as well as scheduling dress rehearsal time in the recital venue. Becuase of the high demand for performance space, it is important that the student contacts Michael about these scheduling issues as early as possible. Students who wish to have a reception in conjunction with their recital should also communicate that to Michael Wildschut as soon as possible.  For student recitals, students and their families may bring in food and drink, but the reception must be scheduled in advance with Campus Events.

Use of either of the department harpsichords or the positiv organ must first be cleared with Prof. Calvin Stapert. It is the recitalist's responsibility to arrange for the opening prayer.

Recording

Student recital programs will be recorded for the Music Department by the Technical Services crew. The department reserves the right to make such use of the recording as the quality of the recording and performance warrants. The student will be provided with a copy of the CD without charge. Additional copies may be purchased.

To request your free CD:
Pick up a "Recording Service Dub Form" from the Music Office. Fill this out and return it to Carl Hordyk in the Campus Events Office. You will be notified to pick up your CD from the Music Office when it is ready.

Department Responsibilities

The Music Department will be responsible for the printing of the programs and for the preparation of the auditorium or recital hall (and for the tuning of keyboard instruments, as applicable). The Department will also provide ushers.

Assisting Musicians

Assisting musicians (such as accompanists, ensemble players, or others) who supplement a performance with either solo or ensemble works shall be members of the music faculty or students studying applied music under the supervision of the Music Department. Under extenuating circumstances a student may request permission from the Department to use an assisting musician who is not associated with the Music Department. Every item on the program must include a student named as a principal recitalist.

Attire

Dress for student recitals shall be suits (preferably dark) or tuxedos for men, and either formal (floor length) or professional and appropriate dresses for women.

Reception

After-recital receptions are the responsibility of the student and are entirely optional. Space reservations must be cleared with the Office of Conferences and Campus Events. If food from the college food service is desired, contact the catering manager.