About the music performance program
Solo performers who are highly proficient on their instrument are encouraged to become applied music concentrates. In addition to private lessons each semester, concentrates follow a course of music study designed to qualify students for graduate school. Concentrates take a one-hour lesson per week, practice at least two hours per day, receive two or three semester hours of credit for their applied music study each semester, and play two recitals during their years at Calvin. The first recital, about thirty minutes in length, is shared with another performer and takes place during the sophomore or junior year. The second, a full recital, is played during the senior year. Pianists, organists, and singers perform from memory. Instrumentalists tend to play from a score.
It is possible to combine an applied music concentration with a major in another discipline. With careful planning, some students accomplish this in four years. Others use summer school attendance or even an extra semester or two to complete the requirements. For more information about combining a music performance degree with one in music education, contact Professor Phillip Hash, Music Education advisor.
The jury exam at the end of each semester is the time to apply for concentrate status. If you are interested in becoming an applied music concentrate, be sure to ask your teacher about it early in the semester. The Calvin Catalog contains more details about procedures and requirements for music majors.
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Courses that all music majors must take |
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Courses specific to program |
Example course sequence
First year students
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Fall term
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Spring term
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| MUS 105 |
Introduction to Music |
MUS 108 |
Music Theory I |
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lessons* |
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lessons* |
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ensemble** |
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ensemble** |
Sophomores
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Fall term
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Spring term
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| MUS 207 |
Music Theory II |
MUS 208 |
Music Theory III |
| MUS 213 |
Aural Perception |
MUS 206 |
Music History II |
| MUS 205 |
Music History I |
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lessons* |
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lessons* |
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ensemble* |
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ensemble* |
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Juniors
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Fall term
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Spring term
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| MUS 305 |
Music Theory III |
MUS 308 |
Order, Meaning & Function |
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lessons* |
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lessons* |
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ensemble** |
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ensemble** |
Seniors
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Fall term
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Spring term
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lessons* |
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lessons* |
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ensemble** |
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ensemble** |
Note
Eight semesters of MUSC 180 are required of all music majors.
* Performance majors need at least 8 semesters of applied music lessons at the 1XX or higher level, including at least 4 semesters at the 3XX level.
** Performance majors require 8 semester hours of ensemble, though not necessarily in 8 different semesters. The qualifying ensembles vary according to the instrument of concentration:
- Voice: two semesters of 181 within an academic year, eight semesters in 101, 111, 131, 141, or 191, including every semester after declaring a music major
- Strings: eight semesters in 171, including every semester after declaring a music major
- Winds: eight semesters in 151, 161, 171, including every semester after declaring a music major
- Organ: two semesters of 131 or 181 within an academic year, six additional semesters in any faculty directed ensemble
- Piano:
- Six semesters in a faculty-directed ensemble, four of which must be in 101, 111, 131, 141, 151, 161, 171, or 191
- One semester in 221
- One semester in 222
Music performance program requirements
Permission to concentrate on an instrument or voice is given after successful private study of at least one semester, a subsequent jury exam, and the recommendation of the student's private instructor. This may be done concurrently with music major approval. Application is done at the time of the jury exam.
If permission is denied, the student may reapply after working on the noted deficiencies. On occasion, a student is given conditional or provisional concentrate status, which means that he or she is marginally acceptable and needs to correct a few deficiencies.
For a listing of general music major requirements, please see the requirements tab on the academics main page.
