2014-2015 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Music and Dance
Chair: Phipps. Assistant Chair: Tutt. Professors: Campbell, Martin, B., Norris, Phipps, Schuster-Craig; Associate Professors: Copenhaver, Feurzeig, Mahave-Veglia, Marlais, Pool, Ryan, Schriemer, Stieler, Stoelzel, Tutt; Assistant Professors: Bible, Catrett-Belrose, Martin, J., Nichol, Vavrikova, Williams, Xu.
In addition to the full-time faculty, 40+ distinguished musicians and educators teach applied music and courses in music on a part-time basis.
For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to your college's section in this catalog.
The Department of Music and Dance offers curricula leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Music Education degrees, as well as the B.A. with a major in dance. These degree programs present professional training in music in the context of a broad liberal education. They provide courses of study for gifted students who are interested in performance, composition, music technology, jazz studies, preparing for advanced study in graduate school, and vocal and instrumental music education, for those who seek careers in elementary and secondary school teaching. Additionally, in the tradition of liberal education, the department is committed to providing the experience of music for students in all departments and to serving the university community by providing appropriate musical support for all facets of academic life.
Grand Valley State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.
Web Site: www.gvsu.edu/music
Career Opportunities
Music provides many career opportunities-from playing in a symphony orchestra to becoming a recording studio musician, from teaching privately or in a college to being a band leader or an organist and church choir director. For the talented and versatile music educator, there are many opportunities to teach music in public and private schools.
In addition to careers in performance and teaching, there are numerous other challenging opportunities that demand thorough music training. These include being a music therapist, copyist, conductor, performance manager, composer, arranger, librarian, journalist, church musician, instrument repair person, studio musician, or fine arts broadcaster. Persons who combine training in music with one of the other arts, such as theatre, dance, or communications, are prepared for still other career possibilities.
Admission
In addition to the formal admission to Grand Valley, each applicant wanting to major or minor in music is required to arrange for a personal audition with the music department. When considerable geographical distance or extreme hardship prevents a personal audition, the applicant may, with the permission of the department, submit a tape recording of an appropriate performance. Arrangements for auditions may be completed only after the applicant has been admitted to Grand Valley. Audition appointments should be made at least 3 weeks in advance. Entering freshmen and transfer students will be required to take a theory placement exam and a keyboard placement exam. Recommended audition repertoire and an application can be found at www.gvsu.edu/music.
In addition to completion of a successful audition prior to admission, a second screening occurs before admission to upper-division courses. This evaluation includes performance, faculty recommendations, a brief essay, an interview, and, for music education majors, a profile of teaching competencies.
Scholarship Opportunities
In addition to a generous array of academic scholarships and awards based on financial need, the Department of Music annually awards nearly $200,000 in talent scholarships to students in music and dance who show exceptional talent as performers and composers. Department of Music scholarships are awarded on the basis of achievement and potential in music and dance performance (by audition) and composition (portfolio).
Available each year are twelve Music Honors Scholarships, each carrying a minimum of $2,000 and renewable for up to a total of four years. The honors scholarships are awarded to outstanding new music majors in performance and composition. Freshman music majors and transferring majors are eligible. Honors scholarships are awarded on the basis of achievement and potential in performance (by audition) and composition (portfolio). Students are expected to enter and maintain performance at the level of Bachelor of Music degree students, although they may elect the B.A., B.M., or B.M.E. degree curricula. Honors Scholarship awards may be combined with music ensemble awards, as well as with general university academic awards.
Ensemble Performance Awards - For Majors and Non-Majors
Gierst-Egler Awards up to $500 to band instrumentalists. These awards require an audition and participation in an ensemble. Students may also elect private study on an instrument.
Branstrom Awards up to $500 to outstanding musicians, with special consideration given to pianists and singers. These awards require an audition and participation in a major choral ensemble. Students may also elect private study.
Orchestra Awards from $500-$1,000 to string, woodwind, brass, percussion, and piano/harpsichord players. Audition and participation in orchestra are required. Students may also elect private study.
Jazz Orchestra Awards up to $1,500 to outstanding jazz musicians with excellent improvisational skills. Requires participation in Studio Jazz Orchestra and small ensembles, and private study.
Chamber Orchestra Awards up to $1,500 to outstanding string players. Requires participation in University-Community Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, and private study.
Vocal/Keyboard Awards up to $1,000 each to one soprano, alto, tenor, bass, and two pianists with excellent accompanying skills. Audition and participation in GVSU Singers and/or Festival Chorale are required. Students may also elect private study.
Individual Music Scholarships
Edith Blodgett Piano Scholarship: Awards of $1,000 minimum to outstanding freshman pianists in either the Bachelor of Arts or
Bachelor of Music degree program. Required are an audition, self-evaluative paper, and letter of recommendation.
Eitzen Voice Scholarship: Awards of $1,000 minimum to outstanding freshman voice majors. Required are an audition, self-evaluative paper, and letter of recommendation from voice instructor or high school choir director.
Arthur C. Hills Music Scholarship: Awards of $1,500 to music majors to be used during the junior or senior year by a music major. Requires audition, nomination by a GVSU music faculty member, self-evaluative paper, 3.0 GPA, and two letters of recommendation from GVSU faculty members, including one from the performance instructor. The deadline is February 1.
Friends of the Arts Fine Arts Scholarship: A division-wide fine and performing arts competitive scholarship to be used during the senior year at Grand Valley. The scholarship covers up to 15 hours of course work for each of the two semesters of the senior year. Requires audition, current transcript, curriculum vita, analytical essay on accomplishments and plans for future, two or more letters of recommendation. The deadline is March 1.
Upper Division Scholarships - For Music Majors
Ten $1,000 Upper Division Scholarships recognize achievement beyond the first year and encourage continuing high levels of performance. Students must be full-time music majors and have completed at least 30 credit hours. For application procedures and further eligibility provisions, students should consult the Music Major Handbook. The deadline is March 1.
Student Organization
Collegiate Chapter of the National Association for Music Education (CMENC) is the only national association that addresses every aspect of music education band, chorus, orchestra, general music, teacher education, and research. CMENCs more than 70,000 members represent all levels of teaching, from pre-kindergarten through postgraduate. Since 1907, the national association for music education has worked to ensure that every student has access to a comprehensive sequential and high-quality program of music education. The collegiate chapter at GVSU offers the future music educator BME candidate opportunities to serve music education needs of the surrounding area and experiences that facilitate professional growth and development. Further information is available from Professor Charles Norris, who serves as faculty advisor.
Honors Organization
Mu Phi Epsilon
Delta Gamma chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon is active on Grand Valley State University campus. Open to music majors, minors and non-majors who have achieved high grades in music theory, Mu Phi Epsilor is an international fraternity dedicated to the promotion of music, friendship and harmony. Mu Phi typically provides service to the university and to the music department, performance opportunities to its members, in addition to awards and scholarships that are available. Further information is available. Further information is available from Professor Barry Martin, who serves as faculty advisor.
Requirements for Major and Minor Programs
In addition to requirements outlined in the Programs, all music majors must fulfill the department recital and Music Major Seminar attendance requirements, fulfill the keyboard musicianship requirements, and perform one or two faculty-approved recitals, as appropriate to the degree program selected. Music majors and minors should consult the music department student handbook for additional information and helpful suggestions.
Transfer students are required to complete a minimum of 30 hours at Grand Valley, which includes at least eight hours in applied music, three hours in major ensembles, and nine additional hours in music to be determined by the advisor. Any exceptions to these requirements are left to the discretion of the music department.
Graduate Work
The Department of Music and Dance offers graduate courses that can be taken to complete the music education concentration of the Master of Education Middle and High School Emphasis, offered through the College of Education. Students must apply to the College of Education for admission to the M.Ed. program. Students selecting the music emphasis should have earned a B.M.E.
Program Requirements
The following programs are available: