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The purpose of this Handbook is to provide general clarification of policies and procedures that have been used by the Department in the past but have never been comprehensively stated for the benefit of new and returning students. The Handbook is designed primarily for the guidance of undergraduate students majoring in Music. It may not (does not) directly address issues relating to graduate students or non-music majors.

Although most of the policies contained here are familiar to current students, some policies have been clarified with respect to participation in large ensembles, preparation for junior and senior recitals, and attendance requirements for Departmental recitals and convocations.

Modifications of policies contained in this Handbook may be made at any time. Announcements of such changes will be announced by email, announced at Town Meeting convocations, or brought to students’ attention by their academic advisor or private lesson teacher.

Suggestions for improving the usefulness of this Handbook are actively sought. The Department appreciates being informed of any typographical errors, and also appreciates comments on how this document can be improved.  Send your suggestions to semcconnell@alaska.edu.

The Department of Music resides within the ����Vlog Fine Arts Complex and boasts modern technology, performance, recording, and broadcast facilities some of which are:

• Teaching studios
• Classrooms
• 65-seat Eva McGown Room
• 900-seat Charles W. Davis Concert Hall
• Practice rooms
• Student computer labs
• Instrument and music rental

Other facilities include:

• 456-seat Lee Salisbury Theater
• KUAC public radio and television studios
• Elmer E. Rasmuson Library

The Rasmuson Library contains a sizable collection of books, periodicals, music scores, vinyl discs, CDs and DVD recordings available for checking out using your Polar Express card. Student computer labs are available for composition and other media projects. Audio and video recording and playback packages are available to check-out from the Music Department by ����Vlog Music students.

Enrolled Music Students may reserve the Davis Concert Hall for rehearsals, recording auditions, and performances on a space-available basis by emailing the Concert Hall Manager, Scott S. Hansen at sshansen2@alaska.edu.

Many rooms in the music wing of the Fine Arts Complex are locked at all times and can be accessed by each music student's Polar Express card. Do not ever admit non-music students to any of the locked rooms. If you believe your Polar Express card is not working please contact the Music Department Admin in Room 201 or by calling (474-7555); if you see a non-music student accessing secured music rooms call the ����Vlog Police Department (474-7721) immediately.

No smoking is permitted on the ����Vlog campus, which includes the Fine Arts Complex. For security reasons, the music wing of the Fine Arts Complex is open to the public Monday through Friday between 7am and 10pm, Saturday 8am to 11pm and Sunday 8am to 5pm. The FAC is closed on all observed Holidays in addition to University hard closure, December 24th through January 2nd. Students may access the building after hours between 6am and 2am via swipe-card terminals on the first and second floor FAC entrances.

On-campus services such as high-speed wireless connectivity and computer technology support are available through Nanook Technology Services. 

Practice rooms are available only for ����Vlog students enrolled in:

• Private lessons
• Music classes
• Department sponsored ensembles

Practice room reservation policy is as follows:

• Practice room reservations will prioritize Music majors and minors enrolled in private lessons.
• Students enrolled in private/class lessons should consult their private instructor to determine the appropriate amount of daily practice time.
• Music Department majors should go to the Music Office (Room 201) during the first two weeks of classes to sign up for the recommended amount of time for regular practice room use.
• Certain practice rooms may be reserved for exclusive use by piano, voice, or percussion majors.
• Reservations are forfeited for an individual practice session if the student does not arrive within 15 minutes of their reservation.
• It is prohibited for anyone to use practice rooms to give private music lesson instruction for personal financial gain. State law forbids such a practice.

The Piano Laboratory (Room 225) is available without a reservation for ����Vlog music majors for keyboard practice, provided a piano class is not in session.

No food or drinks are to be placed on the pianos at any time.

The University is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Personal belongings such as instruments, metronomes, music, or clothing should not be left in the practice rooms for even the shortest amount of time.

Music Department chairs and stands should never leave the music building. Please report any music stands or equipment found outside the Music Department to ����Vlog faculty or staff.

A limited number of storage lockers are available in the Locker Room (Room 139) for music student use based upon the following priorities:

• Storage of music-major-owned instruments, sheet music and equipment
• Storage of music materials by students participating in music classes and ensembles on a space-available basis

The Locker Room is locked at all times and may be accessed by students and staff with their Polar Express cards.

Do not admit non-music students to the locker room. Do not prop open the door.

Locker Room policy:

• A rental fee of $20 is charged for use of a storage locker per semester
• Students should contact the Music Office in Room 201 to obtain a locker.
• Only Music Department-issued padlocks may be used on lockers. Private locks will be removed by the ����Vlog Facilities Services without prior warning to the student and the contents of the locker will be removed.
• Students may request that their padlocks be changed during the year to ensure the security of the lockers.
• Students should not share their padlock combinations with others.
• ����Vlog reserves the right to authorize the inspection of lockers at any time.
• Lockers are reassigned at the end of each academic year unless the student terminates study before that time.

The security of the Locker Room is the responsibility of the users of the room. Students store personal belongings in the Locker Room at their own risk. Please report suspicious persons or activity to the Music Office (474-7555) or the ����Vlog Police Department(474-7721) immediately.

A limited number of University-owned instruments are available for rental via by enrolled music students under the following policy:

• Instruments are available to students enrolled in Music courses for a rental fee of $250 per semester.
• If an enrolled student owns or rents their primary instrument and is asked by an instructor to play a different instrument, the Music Department will provide it to the student at no additional cost. 
• Students who borrow or rent instruments assume responsibility for the instruments in their care and are required to pay for loss or damage beyond normal wear.
• Rental or borrowed instruments must be returned at the end of the school year for inventory and repair. 
• Students who terminate study must return rental instruments immediately.
• Students who fail to return instruments will have their grades withheld until the instruments are returned or until the Department is compensated for the loss.
• An extended delay in the return of rental instruments will result in the Department filing a stolen property report with the ����Vlog Police Department.
• Individuals checking out instruments do so with the understanding that they may be required to share the instrument.
• Notify the person in charge of locker assignments when moving an instrument from one locker to another.
• University instruments may not be removed from the Fairbanks municipal area, except for Music Department authorized trips or by express permission. Some instruments may require additional paperwork and elevated approval for off-campus use.

Students are asked to exercise extreme care when transporting instruments outdoors during periods of extreme low temperatures. Please discuss with your applied instructor the best ways to transport and store University instruments as well as any actions to avoid when doing so.  

Never leave your instrument in your vehicle, even if it is locked.

Students enrolled in music courses have access to the Piano Laboratory and may practice at any time the room is not in use for a scheduled class.

• Please use headsets while practicing to minimize disturbance to others.
• Food and beverages are prohibited in the Piano Laboratory.
• Do not admit non-enrolled students into the Piano Laboratory.
• To minimize the spread of germs, please use the hand sanitizer and clean the keyboard before and after use. 
• Turn off keyboards when done practicing.
• Turn off the lights and shut the door when leaving. 
• Notify the Music Office (474-7555) or your instructor if any keyboards are malfunctioning.

The Music Department offers a computer lab in room 223 for students to complete course work for music classes. It contains a number of Windows PCs and a printer, students must supply their own paper.

The computer lab is accessible via Polar Express swipe card access to students who require it.

• Please use headsets while working to minimize disturbance to others.
• Food and beverages are prohibited in the Computer Lab.
• Do not admit non-enrolled students into the Computer Lab.
• Turn off the lights and shut the door when leaving. 
• Notify the Music Office (474-7555) or your instructor if any computers are malfunctioning.

The Elmer E. Rasmuson Library is a multi-million volume interdisciplinary library that contains much of the non-scientific liberal arts holdings at ����Vlog. Other specialized libraries on campus serve specific scientific or research disciplines.

This library houses many books on music, as well as music scores, iperiodicals and recordings, including some complete editions of composers' works. It also houses DVDs and supports a number of online resources for music research and study.

The library is located adjacent to the music wing of the Fine Arts Complex.

For more information about the .

 

The following information has been compiled for informational purposes only. Not all details about undergraduate degree programs are discussed here.

For more detailed information consult your advisor and the . 

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this Handbook, ����Vlog and the Music Department reserve the right to make changes to policy at any time. 

The Department offers the following undergraduate programs of study:

• Bachelor of Arts in Music
• Bachelor of Music in Music Education (K-12)
• Bachelor of Music in Music Performance

The Bachelor of Arts in Music is a liberal arts degree with an academic focus in either general music, music theory, or music history. The degree allows the student to complete an academic minor in a subject area other than music and has a Senior Capstone Project. Students graduating with this degree are able to pursue many different paths, i.e. continuing on to graduate degree programs in music history, composition or music theory, or, if minoring in business, pursuing a career in arts management. A traditional liberal arts degree, the Bachelor of Arts in Music can also serve as an entry point to other fields and careers.

The Bachelor of Music in Music Education is a professional degree designed to prepare students for careers in music education. It leads students not only to completion of a degree, but also to professional certification as teachers for the State of Alaska public schools. Students graduating with the BM Degree in Music Education often find employment in the Alaska Public School System.

The Bachelor of Music in Performance concentrates on the intense preparation required for professional music performance. Two solo recitals, a Junior and a Senior, must be presented by the student for completion of this degree program. Many students who graduate with this degree continue on to graduate-level study in music performance and obtain career positions with professional orchestras, ensembles, and arts organizations.

New students desiring to become music majors are encouraged to contact the Music Department Office (474-7555 or uaf-music@alaska.edu) where they will be referred to a faculty member for more information.

New students must file an Application for Admission through the ����Vlog Office of Admissions and apply for a February audition at .

Auditions for entrance into a degree program in music occur the last weekend of February.

Students can either audition in person or send a DVD by mail or digital video files through the internet. While these formats are accepted, it is strongly suggested that students audition in person whenever possible.

The audition must include two contrasting pieces; they do not need to be performed from memory. Check the audition details by applied instrument here: Undergraduate Audition Process | Department of Music

To be placed appropriately within the Department, students must demonstrate by performance audition that they have reached an acceptable level of performance ability on their principal instrument.

After the February audition, students will be notified whether they have been accepted into a music degree program.

If a student has been admitted, but has not been accepted into a degree program, he/she may register in the Fall as a provisional music student with the understanding that he/she will audition again for a degree program in February of that academic year.

Students entering as prospective music students are given music diagnostic examinations in Music Theory and Ear Training. Based on the results of these examinations, students will be placed in MUS 131 Basic Music Theory and MUS 133 Basic Ear Training or, if needing more review and background, placed in MUS 103 Fundamentals of Music.

Prior to taking the exam, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with basic written theory, i.e. scales, keys and triads. The following textbook is recommended: The Musician’s Guide to Theory and Analysis 4th ed by Jane Piper Clendinning and Elizabeth West Marvin (chapters 1 – 10). Students are also encouraged to take piano lessons to increase their general level of piano proficiency.

Students who are new to college life sometimes have difficulty adjusting to the structured nature of college-level study.

If you are having difficulty keeping up with the pace of a class or individual lessons:

• Make an appointment to see your instructor outside of class.
• Find a tutor or specialist on campus to help you with your studies.
• Demonstrate initiative in trying to resolve your specific situation.
• Use your fellow students as study buddies.
• Use upper-classmates as mentors.
• Ask questions in class
• Take advantage of your instructor’s office hours
• Turn in homework on time
• Ask for help early in the semester

Take the freshman workshops offered on campus to help you develop study skills and time management. View available student resources here: Student resources | Student Affairs | Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

Communicate early and often with your instructors so that they can help you before a crisis occurs.

Generally speaking, 100, 200, 300 and 400 level courses are best taken in the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years, respectively.

However, transfer students, music education majors, and students enrolled in MUS 103 Fundamentals of Music their first year may require an extra semester or year of study.

Students desiring to complete a degree program in four years should plan to carry a full course load each semester.

Students will be required to repeat courses in their major if they receive a grade lower than a C, i.e. a C- or lower.

If performing poorly in a class, make an appointment as soon as possible with your instructor to resolve the issue.

For each semester of study, students should meet with their advisors to review their progress. Consult the checklist in Degree Works often.

Students may be exempted from a specific course if the instructor is willing to state in a petition that the student has achieved the minimum competency required. However, the student will not receive credit for the course.

Transfer students may also petition to request exemption from a course based upon the justification that they have completed the course at another university. Students must supply documentation to support their request.

Keyboard skills are a necessary component of any serious music study. They assist the student in reading musical scores, benefit studies in music theory and ear training, and are an invaluable tool for students preparing to be future teachers.

There are two possible pathways for completion of the Piano Proficiency Requirement:

• Functional Piano: Four consecutive semesters of MUS 152, 153, 154 and 155.** The series must be taken in sequence. In order to advance to the next level, the student must receive a passing grade (C).

**Students enrolled prior to the 2021-2022 academic year only have three semesters of Functional Piano.

The student MUST be enrolled in MUS 131 to enroll in MUS 152. 

• Exam: The Exam is designed only for students who have taken over five years of private piano lessons and play at an upper intermediate level. An appointment to test out can be made at any time during the semester, but is strongly encouraged during the first year of study.

Both pathways require instructor permission. The instructor will interview each prospective new or transfer student either at the entrance audition in February OR at the beginning of the Fall semester. The instructor will decide the best pathway for each student at that time.  

Functional Piano is designed to be taken during the first year of study in conjunction with MUS 131 Basic Music Theory I. If the student is enrolled in Music Fundamentals (MUS 103X) it is highly suggested that they also enroll in Class Piano (MUS 151).

After completing the Functional Piano series or the Exam, the student enrolls in MUS 253 Piano Proficiency. This is a zero-credit, pass/fail class that makes it clear on your transcript that you have passed the Piano Proficiency requirement. It must be completed before the student's Senior Recital.

Student teaching cannot be scheduled until the Piano Proficiency Requirement is completed.

 

Students may drop a course up to the deadline date set by the institution. Attempts to drop a course after the posted date may be denied. Consult your course instructor and advisor early if a course needs to be dropped.

Instructors are permitted to give an Incomplete grade only if the student:

• has substantially participated in more than half of the course,
• has earned a C grade in the course up to that point, or
• when a sudden emergency has prevented the student from completing the course on schedule.

Incomplete grades must be completed within a year or else they are automatically converted to an F grade.

A student whose overall grade point average drops below 2.00 is placed on academic probation for one semester and may be disqualified from the University if the grade point average is not raised to a 2.00 during the following semester.

This information is not a substitute for regulations and policy contained in the ����Vlog Catalog which can be found here: . Students are advised to consult the catalog and speak to their advisor for further questions and clarifications.

There are two types of music performance ensembles at the ����Vlog Department of Music:

• Large Ensembles:
  MUS 117 - Northern Lights String Orchestra
  MUS 203 - Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra
  MUS 205 - Wind Ensemble/Wind Symphony
  MUS 211 - Choir of the North
• Small Ensembles:
  MUS 307 - Chamber Music

All students enrolled in private lessons must be enrolled in a large or small ensemble for credit.

All undergraduate music majors are required to complete a minimum number of large ensemble credits to meet their curriculum requirements at ����Vlog.

The minimum required number of ensemble credits varies depending upon the degree program. Please consult your advisor.

Large and small ensembles may not be audited.

MUS 307 Chamber Music is not a substitute for the Large Ensemble credit, except for piano majors who may substitute up to two credits of MUS 307 Chamber Music - Accompanying for two credits of the Large Ensemble requirement.

In addition to weekly rehearsals, students registered in music ensembles are required to participate in all concert and recital performances presented by that ensemble. Failure to participate will likely result in an F grade for the course.

Non-music majors are encouraged to participate in Large Ensembles and must be enrolled for credit.

An essential part of all undergraduate music programs is private lesson study (sometimes referred to as Applied Music).

There are additional fees for private lessons. See the ����Vlog Catalog:  for information on fees.

Admission to private lesson study is by audition only. Permission from the instructor is required.

Admission to a Music degree requires an audition. Some degree programs may have additional requirements.

As stated previously, students enrolled in private lessons must enroll in a large ensemble class.

Every student enrolled in Private Lessons at the 261 level, or higher, must appear on at least one Music at One recital as a soloist performing solo (accompanied or unaccompanied) repertoire studied in applied lessons during each semester of enrollment.

Space on Music at One is limited, so priority is given to full-time music majors requiring lessons in their principal instrumental area.

Students who do not meet these requirements, or who are not music majors, are encouraged to enroll in MUS 151 Class Lessons.

With the exception of harp, piano, and percussion all music students are expected to own their own instruments.

Students are required to enroll in and pass MUS 190 Recital Attendance the designated number of semesters specified in their degree program. See Recital Attendance Requirement section in the handbook.

Different music degree programs require different levels of private lesson completion and a different number of credits. Please consult the ����Vlog catalog and your advisor.

The difference between a two or four-credit lesson is on the quantity and difficulty of the music learned, not on the length of the lesson. Four-credit lessons are required for upper-class level (junior and senior standing) for BM Education and BM Performance Majors to fulfill credit requirements.

It is important that students attend each scheduled lesson. If illness forces cancellation of a scheduled lesson, the student should contact the instructor as soon as possible.

Missed lessons are made-up at the discretion of the instructor.

Music at One is a weekly student recital that normally takes place at 1:00 p.m. every other Thursday. Each student enrolled in Private Lessons at the 261 level, or higher, must appear on at least one Music at One recital as a soloist during each semester of study.

Students will sign up for their Music at One through their applied teacher. They must do so at least one week prior to the date they wish to perform, though they are encouraged to plan their Music at One performance further in advance.

Approval of the accompanist (if applicable) and private instructor are required prior to performance. Works should be no longer than 8 minutes, unless approved by the music department faculty. It is strongly suggested that students do not wait until the end of the semester to perform given the high number of performance engagements.

Students may not play any music at a Music at One recital that they plan to play at their end-of-semester jury. However, the practice of playing previous jury music at Music at One in a following semester is highly encouraged. This can be a great way for students to gain performing experience and fulfill their Music at One requirement early in the semester when there tends to be more availability. The faculty encourages students to run recital repertoire at Music at One to aid in the preparation process. Please note that at the 261 level and above, students who do not perform a recital cannot receive a passing jury grade without a successful Music at One performance.

For dress and recital etiquette, students are advised to consult their private instructors, but in general dress that is professional for the performance context is desired.

Student recitals are recorded by the Music Department and stored digitally or in some cases hard-copy by the Rasmuson Library. If you would like access to these files, you may contact Scott Hansen: sshansen2@alaska.edu.

All Music Majors & Minors are required to enroll in and pass MUS 190 Recital Attendance for the designated number of semesters specified by each degree program. MUS 190 Recital Attendance exposes students to a variety of musical experiences from an audience perspective and encourages support amongst members of the department with the intent of cultivating critical listening skills and heightened community through music.

To pass MUS 190, students must sit as an audience member in a minimum number of Music-Department-sponsored concerts or recitals over the course of a semester (for the exact number, consult the MUS 190 Recital Attendance syllabus in the semester in which you are enrolled). The Music Office has a list of concerts that qualify for meeting the recital attendance requirement. Off-campus performances and non-musical on-campus performances cannot be substituted for attending qualified Music Department-related events. Students may not include in the recital count those programs in which they perform on stage, except for Music at One programs so long as they remain in the audience for the remaining part of the program.

In addition to concert attendance, students must also attend two (2) practicums each semester. Information on how to sign up for these practicums will be made available at the beginning of each semester by the instructor of MUS 190 Recital Attendance.

Students indicate their presence at an event by swiping in and out of an event with their UA ID; this includes those performing on Music at One. Students must swipe in at the box office before the performance begins and after the performance ends. Students can check their attendance credits on the MUS 190 course Canvas page throughout the semester, although they should also keep track of their attendance themselves.

The Department will not "excuse" students from attending the minimum number of required events. Work schedules, class conflicts, illness, unexpected concert cancellations, to name but a few, do NOT count as acceptable excuses. Unusual problems, which could prevent a student from meeting the course requirements, should be brought to the attention of the course instructor at the beginning of the semester.

If a student does not meet the MUS 190 Recital Attendance requirements, they will receive an “F” in the course and will have their Applied Lesson grade lowered by one letter. It is strongly encouraged that students plan to attend as many concerts as possible early in the semester so that if they are prevented from attending a concert later in the semester, they will still pass the class. It is the student's responsibility to foresee any scheduling problems and compensate accordingly by attending other events.

From time to time, the Music Department may convene Town Meetings (convocations) for music students to discuss important changes of policy or other matters. They are commonly held at the beginning of each semester and attendance is required. Recital Attendance credit is given for Town Meeting convocations.

It is the student’s responsibility to read the Music 190 Recital Attendance Course Syllabus located on the course Canvas page as well as outside the Music Office and make sure they understand all the details of this course. Contact the course instructor, Sean Dowgray: sdowgray@alaska.edu with any questions.

All students enrolled in private lessons are required to perform an end-of-semester jury in a concert setting before a jury of faculty members.

Juries take place during the final examination week.

Students should sign up for an examination time on the sign-up sheet posted near the Music Office, Room 201, approximately ten days prior to the examination week.

The jury serves as a final examination for applied music study. Failure to take the jury examination is justification for failure of the course.

Criteria for letter grading of the jury examinations can be found on the Jury Examination Form for each individual discipline: brass, woodwind, strings, piano, percussion and voice.

The private instructor is allowed to raise or lower the jury grade by one letter grade. Adjustments of more than one letter grade must be approved by the Department Chair.

Students who fail to meet the MUS 190 Recital Attendance requirements will have their grade lowered by one letter.

A missed jury due to serious illness or a family crisis may be rescheduled for the following semester. See Incomplete Grade section.

If a student has performed a faculty-graded solo recital during the semester, a jury performance may be waived at the discretion of the instructor.

Normally, music majors are expected to advance to the next level of study if the previous level is successfully completed. However, the jury panel may decide to hold a student at level.

Prior to the jury, students will fill out a Repertoire Sheet and make at least 5 copies to distribute to the jury panel prior to the performance.

Requirements for jury performance differ for each discipline and degree program. Please see your private lesson instructor for jury requirements.

Jury performances are closed to the public.

All degree recitals must be prepared under the supervision of a ����Vlog private lesson teacher. Recital dates must be scheduled with your private lesson teacher in accordance with the ����Vlog Music/Davis Concert Hall Event Standard Operating Procedures.

Students must register for Junior and Senior recitals, MUS 390 Junior Recital and MUS 490 Senior Recital.

• Juniors must have completed all of their lower division degree requirements in f irst- and second-year music theory, ear training and music history courses.
• Juniors and Seniors must have completed the minimal Piano Proficiency requirements, as stated previously.
• Transfer students must have completed a residency of at least two semesters of private lesson study at ����Vlog to be eligible for a degree recital.

Preparation of the printed program:

• The Music Department has created a printed program design template that all students must use for their programs.
• The template is obtained from the Forms page on this website.
• The content of the printed program must be approved by the private teacher.
• Student biographies are discouraged.
• Supplementary program notes may be submitted along with the program template.
• Printing of the program must be done by the student (performer)
• The template includes all of the required acknowledgements that must be included on the program.

Publicity:

• Printed posters may be posted on the Department and campus bulletin boards.
• Any information about the performance should include the following: who, what, where, when, time of performance, and the fact that the recital is sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Department of Music in the College of Liberal Arts and the fact that there is no admission charge.
• Posters and flyers must have the required sponsorship and nondiscrimination statements included in the template for the printed programs: https://www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination/
• Students are responsible for the costs of printing their recital posters.

Recording the recital:

• The Music Department records all student recitals.
• Recitals are stored digitally. If you would like access to these files, you may contact Scott Hansen: sshansen2@alaska.edu.

Grading the recital:

• For degree-required recitals, each member of the faculty in attendance will submit a Pass/Fail grade to the Music Office.