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College of Arts, Education, & Sciences
VAPA | Music

Music Program Handbook

(revised 8-18-2024)

Contents

Introduction

Admission Requirements

Recital Procedures

Program Coordinators

Advising

Degree Program Descriptions

Degree Program Catalog Pages

Piano Proficiency Information

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Juries

Additional Requirements by Concentration and/or Area

Collaborative Pianist Policy

Health and Safety Information


 

INTRODUCTION

The Music Program at the University of Louisiana Monroe is housed within the School of Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA), a component of the College of Arts, Education, and Sciences. The University of Louisiana Monroe is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music, and offers the Master of Music Education degree, the Bachelor of Musicdegree in Performance (vocal or instrumental), Theory and Composition, Piano Pedagogy, Music Education (vocal or instrumental), and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music.  


 

GRADUATE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A valid teaching credential, a writing sample, three letters of recommendation, and successful completion of all admission requirements of the ULM Graduate Schoolare required for admission into the Master of Music Educationprogram. Additionally, at least one year of teaching experience is highly recommended. If a potential applicant does not have at least one year of teaching experience, they may contact theM.M.E. Program Coordinator. 

UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All students seeking admission to an undergraduate program in music must first meet general admission requirements to the University of Louisiana Monroe. A student applying for admission as a music major must successfully complete an entrance audition and a theory placement exam. The theory placement exam is administered during the PREP orientation program held during the summer or during the week immediately preceding the first week of classes. At the time of the admission audition, the prospective student may also audition for a Talent Grant scholarship for the purpose of participating in a ULM music ensemble. Transfer students must also successfully complete an entrance audition and a music theory placement exam. 

Contacts for audition information and appointments 

For contact information, please see the Personnel Directory. 

Choral 

Deborah Chandler, Ph.D. 

Vocal 

Nancy Carey, D.M.A. 

Winds/Percussion 

Kathryn Irwin, D.M.A. 

Allen Parrish, D.M.A. 

Piano 

Richard Seiler, D.M.A. 

Theory/Composition   

Mel Mobley, D.M.A. 

Music Education 

Carlton Kilpatrick III, Ph.D. 

Prospective students may also contact the School of Visual and Performing Arts Office at 318-342-3811 or the appropriate studio faculty member for information. A complete list of music faculty is available at http://ulm.edu/music/facultystaff.html. 

Undergraduate Admission Audition Procedures

All auditions for admission as a music major or minor will be heard by a minimum panel of the appropriate studio professor and the director of the student’s major performance area, i.e. band or choral. In cases where the student is interested in theory/composition, the appropriate professor in that area should be included on the audition panel if possible. 

The Music Program audition form must be used and that form kept on file in the School of Visual and Performing Arts office for three years following the audition. If the audition is for talent grant assistance, the director of that performance area should complete a Talent Grant Acceptance Form, obtain all required signatures, and mail the form to the student at the earliest possible opportunity. A date should be specified as a deadline for the student to return the signed form, according to NASM Standards. Failure to return the form by the deadline is not necessarily a rejection of the offer and the area director should contact the student to determine if the offer has been accepted or rejected. The original signed Talent Grant Acceptance Form must be kept in the School of Visual and Performing Arts Office for a minimum of three years. 

Audition Requirements by Area 

Brass and Woodwind

All woodwind and brass players wishing to pursue a music degree at ULM are required to audition for admission and should begin by contacting the School of Visual and Performing Arts Office, 318-342-3811, or the appropriate applied teacher.  The student should be prepared to schedule a time to visit the campus, meet with the band director and/or applied teacher, and play an audition. (It is not necessary to do all of these in one visit.)  

Generally, prospective students should be prepared to play: 

Piano

Major/harmonic minor scales and arpeggios, parallel motion, 4 octaves. Two memorized pieces in contrasting style from standard keyboard literature. The following examples may be used as a guideline: 

Percussion

(Live or recorded audition acceptable) 

Potential students must complete an audition, representing themselves in the areas listed below. Though the list contains suggested repertoire, the student is not limited to the repertoire listed. Solos or etudes that show a similar level of technical and musical achievement may be used in conjunction or in substitution. LMEA All-State materials are acceptable audition repertoire, however, it is highly suggested that the student perform the complete etude/selection and not just the All-State bracketed sections. 

A selection from the following concert etude books would be appropriate: 

A selection from the following rudimental etude books would be appropriate: 

Selections from the 40 PAS Rudiments and sight-reading will be requested. 

A selection from the following list would be appropriate: 

Two-mallet sight-reading will be requested. 

A selection from the following books would be appropriate: 

 

Guitar 

Prospective guitar majors should be prepared to play: 

And, be prepared to: 

The tempo/speed at which the above four criteria are satisfied does not matter/there is no specified time limit. The student may choose their tempo. 

The student should also submit at least two minutes of repertoire performance. This can be an excerpt from existing audio, this could be a prepared etude, and this could also be an original composition. The student is also free to play one minute of two pieces each. 

All of the above (scales, fretboard note names, repertoire) may be submitted as a video, send the audition video to jfarmer@ulm.edu 

Sight Reading 
It is strongly recommended that you meet with your instructor well in advance of the audition date to review supplementary materials tailored to the student's needs, to prepare for the audition. A student can expect to see a few examples comparable in difficulty to the rhythmic patterns and etudes found on pages 2-14 of Melodic Rhythms for Guitar by William Leavitt, and all examples on pages 11-15 of Carcassi Classical Method, New Revised Edition by Matteo Carcassi. Students may choose the tempo. It is not necessary to have a background in reading sheet music, for a motivated guitar student to learn how to comfortably read to this level in a short amount of time provided that the first four criteria (3-note-per-string scales, pentatonic scale, chromatic scale, fretboard note names) are met!  If you are an out-of-state or an international student seeking to audition, or you would rather audition at home then you may arrange a Skype call in which I will email you a few examples during the call.   
Please direct all questions and requests for more information to jfarmer@ulm.edu 

Voice Major Audition Requirements 

Before being accepted as a music major or minor, a student must successfully complete an entrance audition and a theory placement examination. The applicant will audition for the voice faculty and a representative of other areas of study as appropriate. 
 

Theory and Composition 

An instrumental or vocal audition is required of prospective students interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree with a concentration in theory and composition. In addition to the audition, an interview with members of the theory and composition faculty is required in which the student’s initial knowledge and understanding of music theory will be explored. The student is encouraged to bring representative samples of compositions to this interview. 

 


RECITAL PROCEDURES

Requirements 

Scheduling 

Collaborative Pianists 

Collaborative pianists will be provided for ULM Music Program recitals as specifically outlined in the ULM Music Program Collaborative Pianists Policy.   

Committees 

Undergraduate degree recital committees consist of three faculty members, not including the studio professor. In forming the committee, the studio professor and student will select and secure tentative availability from three appropriate faculty members who would be willing to serve on the student’s recital committee.  

Hearings 

Recital hearings must be performed at least two weeks before the recital date. Exceptions to this requirement must be approved by the Director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts. At the hearing, the student will provide a typed draft copy of the program to each committee member, and the major professor will provide a Recital Hearing Form (obtained from the VAPA office). Upon completion of the hearing, the committee may approve, disapprove, or approve conditionally the presentation of the recital. The studio professor will then inform the student of the committee’s decision and the hearing forms will be filed in the student’s academic folder in the School of VAPA office. 

Recital hearings must be arranged and performed at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled recital date. All requests for Junior recital dates must begin with the Recital Hour Coordinator, who will schedule the recital date when it occurs during the 11:00am recital hour schedule. All requests for evening recital dates and times (outside of the 11:00am recital hour schedule) must be made with the VAPA Events Coordinator, along with all other scheduling that includes hearing and rehearsal dates and times. For more information, refer to the “Detailed Procedures for Student Recitals. Recital hearings may differ according to area specific requirements.  

Reserving the Recital Hall 

All requests for use of VAPA facilities must be directed to VAPA Events and Publicity Coordinator. The student is entitled to adequate, but not excessive, rehearsal time in the recital venue prior to the performance. 

Programs 

The student should take extreme care in preparing a draft of the printed recital program. Accuracy of dates should be verified, and the program proof-read for correct grammar and spelling. Following the successful recital hearing, the draft should be emailed to the VAPA Administrative Assistant by the studio professor.  The student and studio professor are responsible for proofreading the program before it is duplicated. 

Evaluation 

For degree recitals, the studio professor will provide a Recital Grading Form to each Recital Committee member before the recital. This form is completed by the committee member and returned to the studio professor following the performance. The studio professor then places the forms and a copy of the recital program in the student’s academic folder in the VAPA Office.  Senior Projects and Capstone recitals will be evaluated at the discretion of the studio professor.  

Detailed Procedures for Student Recitals 

 

  1. The Studio instructor and the student select several possible dates for the STUDENT HEARING and RECITAL.
  2. Studio instructor and student identify and secure tentative availability from three appropriate faculty members who would be willing to serve on the student’s recital committee. The committee must be formed at least four weeks prior to the date of the recital.
  3. Studio instructor communicates with the VAPA Events and Publicity Coordinator* to determine both the HEARING date and the pending RECITAL date *Any requests for Recitals scheduled during the RECITAL HOUR course time must obtain the approval of the faculty member in charge of the Recital Hour prior to communicating with the VAPA Events and Publicity Coordinator. The Recital Hour faculty member must approve the Student Recital Request before it can be scheduled. 
  1. Any requests for events outside the standard times/days must be approved by the Director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts prior to being scheduled. In the case of degree recitals which require a faculty committee, the committee members must also give approval for the non-standard scheduling. 
  2. 5. The Events and Publicity Coordinator will notify the studio instructor of the approval for both the hearing and the recital dates.  Any recital committee member who cannot attend either the hearing or the recital performance is responsible for securing an appropriate substitute and notifying the studio instructor. 
  3. The Studio Professor is responsible for securing the appropriate Grading Forms for both the Hearing and the Recital from the VAPA office prior to each event.
  4. The Studio Professor is responsible for collecting the signed grading forms from the Recital Committee and returning the forms to the VAPA Office for filing.
  5. If the recital hearing is not passed, the studio instructor will notify the Events and Publicity Coordinator and the scheduled recital date will be released from the calendar.  
  6. 9. If the recital hearing is passed, the studio instructor will submit the program to the VAPA Administrative Assistant withing 24 hours of the recital hearing. The program is part of the permanent file and should be complete with the following: order of the performance, composer identifications and biographies, translations and/or interpretations, and proper recognition of assisting musicians and recital personnel.
  7. The studio instructor may reserve the Recital Hall for student rehearsals (depending on availability) with the Events and Publicity Coordinator with the expectation that the studio instructor will personally attend all rehearsals.
  8. All original paperwork related to a student recital becomes part of the student’s permanent record. It is ultimately the responsibility of the studio instructor to check in the VAPA office to ensure that all paperwork has been placed in the student’s file.

MUSIC PROGRAM COORDINATORS

Piano Area Coordinator,Richard Seiler, D.M.A. 

Voice Area Coordinator, Nancy Carey, D.M.A 

Music Education Coordinato, Carlton Kilpatrick III, Ph.D. 

Instrumental Area Coordinator, Sandra Lunte, D.A. 

Graduate Program Coordinator, Carlton Kilpatrick III, Ph.D. 


MUSIC MAJOR ADVISING

Upon admission to pursue a degree in music, the student will be assigned to an academic advisor (talon advisor) within the the Student Success Center for their first two semesters at ULM. After the first two semesters with a talon advisor at ULM, music majors will advise with Music Program faculty according to their degree plan and concentration as outlined below.  Academic advising takes place at designated times during the semester. The student must make an appointment with his/her academic advisor to determine courses for the next semester and to discuss overall progress toward degree completion. Following advisement, the student should register for those classes promptly since any delay could result in the classes being unavailable. Once the semester has begun, any consideration of dropping courses must be discussed with the academic advisor.  For more information, visit: https://www.ulm.edu/studentsuccess/advising.html 

Advisors

Master of Music Education

Carlton Kilpatrick III, Ph.D

ckilpatrick@ulm.edu

318.342.1360  

 

Instrumental Music Education 

Carlton Kilpatrick III, Ph.D. 

ckilpatrick@ulm.edu

318.342.1360  

 

Vocal Music Education 

Carlton Kilpatrick III, Ph.D

 

ckilpatrick@ulm.edu

318.342.1360  

 

 

Instrumental Performance 

  

Scot Humes, D.M.A. 

humes@ulm.edu 

318.342.1576 

 

  

Vocal Performance 

  

Nancy Carey, D.M.A. 

 

carey@ulm.edu 

318.342.1588 

 

  

Piano Pedagogy 

  

Richard Seiler, D.M.A. 

 

seiler@ulm.edu 

318.342.1571 

 

  

Theory and Composition 

  

Mel Mobley, D.M.A. 

 

mobley@ulm.edu 

318.342.1575 

 

Bachelor of Arts in Music (Multiple Concentrations) 

Scot Humes, D.M.A. 

  

 

humes@ulm.edu 

318.342.1576 

  

 

Music Minor 

Nicholas Bratcher, D.M.E. 

 

bratcher@ulm.edu 

318.342.3811 

 


DEGREE PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

The Music Program offers the Master of Music Education degree, Bachelor of Music degree with the following concentrations: Instrumental Music Education, Vocal Music Education, Instrumental Performance, Vocal Performance, Piano Pedagogy, Theory and Composition, and the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music. Undergraduate degree plans include required core courses in general education, core music courses in theory and ear training, piano, ensemble performance, and applied study. Students are encouraged to carefully consider which program best suits their needs based on interest, abilities, and career goals. For more information, please refer to the current Undergraduate Catalog:http://catalog.ulm.edu/ 

Master of Music Education

Master of Music Education, M.M.E. 

Bachelor of Music 

Music, Instrumental Education (Grades K-12), B.M. 

Music, Instrumental Music Performance, B.M. 

Music, Music Theory and Composition, B.M.

Music, Piano Pedagogy, B.M. 

Music, Vocal Education (Grades K-12), B.M. 

Music, Voice Performance, B.M. 

Bachelor of Arts in Music 

Music, B.A.


DEGREE PROGRAM INDIVIDUAL CATALOG PAGES

Bachelor of Music

Bachelor of Arts


PIANO PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

The following information outlines the course of study for students who are pursuing piano as a minor instrument to fulfill degree requirements. This program is designed to assist students in acquiring functional keyboard skills necessary for completing the Piano Proficiency Examinations required of all music students. It is the student’s responsibility, as well as the instructor’s, to see that the requirements in each level are properly fulfilled. 

All students registered for credit must take a piano proficiency level jury at the end of each semester. It is expected that a minimum of one proficiency level will be completed each term. If a student fails to meet the minimum requirements for a particular level and/or does not pass the jury, that level (and course number) will need to be repeated the following semester. 

A student who has prepared two or more proficiency levels for examination in one semester must fulfill all the requirements in each level. The student will be examined on all requirements. Once a level has been satisfactorily completed, the examination material of that level will not be covered again. 

SYLLABUS OF PIANO PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS 

This document contains an outline of the required course of study that is designed to assist students in acquiring functional keyboard skills necessary for completing the four levels of Piano Proficiency Examinations required of all non-piano music major students. It is the student’s responsibility (as well as the instructor’s) to see that the requirements in each level are properly fulfilled. 

All students registered for group piano lab credit (or private applied lessons and who have not completed all four proficiency levels) must take a piano proficiency level jury at the end of each semester. It is expected that a minimum of one proficiency level will be completed each term. If a student fails to meet the minimum requirements for a particular level (i.e., does not pass a jury), that level will need to be repeated. 

A student who has prepared two or more proficiency levels for examination must fulfill all the requirements in each level. The student will be examined on all requirements. Once a level has been satisfactorily completed, the examination material of that level will not be covered again. 

DEGREE PROGRAMS FOR WHICH FOUR LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY ARE REQUIRED 

Bachelor of Music – Instrumental Performance (non-piano) 

Bachelor of Music –Vocal Performance 

Bachelor of Music – Instrumental Music Education 

Bachelor of Music – Vocal Music Education 

Bachelor of Music – Theory/Composition 

DEGREE PROGRAMS FOR WHICH TWO LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY ARE REQUIRED 

Bachelor of Arts in Music (all concentrations) 


FINANCIAL AID

Talent Grants 

Prospective students may audition for a Talent Grant Award at the same time they audition for acceptance as a music major. 

When students accept a Talent Grant, they acknowledge a mutual commitment with the university and agree to not consider any other offer from an institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) after May 1 of the calendar year of matriculation at the undergraduate level, or before April 15 of the calendar year of matriculation at the graduate level. For further information on NASM policies, see https://nasm.arts-accredit.org/students-parents/, Nos. 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. 

The student must maintain satisfactory academic progress as measured by the following criteria: 

  1. Enrolls in nine hours of university core requirements each semester until those courses are completed.
  2. Maintains a minimum cumulative GPA no lower than 2.0 in core requirements.
  3. Maintains a minimum overall cumulative GPA no lower than 2.0
  4. Maintains status as a full-time student (12 hours) throughout the semester.
  5. Complies with all ensemble requirements of the Major Area Director.
  6. Music majors must take major applied lessons on their primary instrument or voice and must complete each semester of applied study with a minimum grade of “C” each semester in which they receive a Talent Grant.  This requirement doesn’t apply to Music Education majors during their last semester in Residency II.
  7. Music majors are required to enroll in Recital Hour (MUSC 1000/2000/3000/4000) each semester in which they receive a Talent Grant. This requirement doesn’t apply to Music Education majors during their last semester in Residency II
  8. Talent Grants are renewable on a semester-by-semester basis for four years.
  9. All Talent Grant awards are contingent on the availability of state and university funds.

Academic Scholarships 

These awards are for incoming undergraduate students and are based on academic achievement. For more information, refer to the ULM Scholarship Office: https://www.ulm.edu/scholarships/index.html 

Out-of-State Tuition Waivers 

These fee waivers are available to undergraduate students whose permanent residence is outside of Louisiana and are contingent on large ensemble participation.  For more information, refer to the ULM Scholarship Office: https://www.ulm.edu/scholarships/outofstate.html 

Housing Scholarship Policies and Procedures   

University housing payment scholarships are available as an additional financial aid incentive to deserving incoming freshmen. The housing scholarships vary in amount and are dependent on the following criteria:  

  1. Ability- The student demonstrates exceptional ability at their ULM audition. 
  2. Financial Need- The student states demonstrated financial need corroborated by the Financial Aid department. 
  3. Declared Music major with admission to area 
  4. Admission to ULM 

Housing Scholarship recipients are expected to meet all requirements of an undergraduate music major in their specific degree program. They are expected to maintain a 3.0 GPA in their Music Area courses. Students who do not meet expectations will be placed on probation. If that student fails to meet the expected requirements at the end of the Spring semester, they will have their Housing Scholarship rescinded for the following academic year.  

If a student chooses to leave a Music Area degree program, they will forfeit their Housing Scholarship.  

Housing Scholarships are always contingent on available funding.   

ULM Foundation Scholarships 

Foundation scholarships are funded by the generosity of alumni and friends of ULM. These scholarships are awarded based upon a variety of criteria, including program of study, classification, college affiliation, and more. For a list of Foundation Scholarships available to Music Majors, visit https://ulm.academicworks.com/ 

 


INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL JURIES

Music majors and minors are required to complete a graded jury at the end of every semester of studio instruction. The results of the jury will be used to determine the student’s final studio grade for the semester. The jury will cover the material studied during that semester. It is the student’s responsibility to sign up for a jury time, complete a jury repertoire sheet, and present it to the faculty at the appointed jury time. More information on the content of juries for instrumental and vocal majors is contained in the sections of this handbook specific to those areas. 

Jury Forms 

Course Syllabi 

Information on how students are graded in a particular course is available in the course syllabus. Course syllabi are available on Canvas, and it is the student’s responsibility to know what is required by the course even if a hard copy of the syllabus is not handed out in class. 

Additional Brass Area Requirements 

Music majors who play brass instruments are required to perform a jury for the brass faculty during exam week each semester. The instructor and student will decide on repertoire prior to the jury examination, which may include scales, etudes, orchestral excerpts, solos, and sight-reading. The jury will count as 20% of the student's overall grade for the semester. Minors are not required to perform a jury, but can schedule one upon recommendation of the studio teacher.     

By the fourth semester of applied lessons, majors will perform a scale jury and a full faculty jury instead of a brass faculty jury. The scale jury should be scheduled for no later than the middle of the fourth semester, and will consist of all major and minor scales with arpeggios, as well as a full range chromatic scale. The scale jury is graded on a pass/fail basis and must be passed before giving the full faculty jury. For the full faculty jury, students will perform a fifteen-minute recital with piano accompaniment. The entire instrumental faculty will evaluate this jury, and the jury must be passed before a student can enroll in 3000 level lessons.      

Undergraduate Music Performance majors are required to perform a half recital during their junior year and a full recital during their senior year. Undergraduate Music Education students are required to present a Senior Recital/Project, the requirements of which are to be determined by the studio instructor. In their final semester, Bachelor of Arts in Music students are required to complete a capstone project constructive of their intended career path.  The capstone could be a recital, research project, or other scholarly activity as approved by the adviser.   

Additional Voice Area Requirements 


 

An Introduction to Music Education at ULM: A Culture of Excellence

Student selection and preparation in music education at ULM are based upon a very simple premise--every person involved as a learner should have the best instruction possible. 

This premise implies that every teacher should be committed to music and its use with people.  This commitment should be apparent in the academic and social behaviors of each prospective music teacher, both in and out of the university environment, and is characterized by diligent pursuit of musical and academic excellence and an active dedication to the improvement of the quality of life. 

For those who value knowledge, the learning process is perpetual throughout life.  To be an EFFECTIVE music educator, one must develop: 

Successful music educators evidence personal qualities of leadership, intellectual curiosity, and social commitment.  They approach life, music, and the teaching profession in a positive, creative, and enthusiastic way. 

A successful music teacher, as defined in the effective teaching research literature, possesses the following skills and behaviors: 

The Road to Residency-the final two semesters 

Catalog Pages for Music Education Program 


COLLABORATIVE PIANIST POLICY

Faculty/staff collaborative pianists will be provided for the following required student and faculty performances, up to a point until the faculty/staff pianists have reached their “full teaching load.”  Any collaborative pianist requests beyond the “full teaching load” will be approved by both the collaborative pianist in question, and the Director of Visual and Performing Arts.  
 

  • MUSC 4090  Senior Degree Recital (vocal/inst) * 
  • MUSC 3090  Junior Degree Recital (vocal/inst) * 
  • MSED 4053  Senior Project Recital (vocal/inst) * 
  • MSED 4001  BA Senior Capstone Recital (vocal/inst) * 
  • Full Studio Recitals (all horn, all flute, all brass, etc.) 
  • Instrumental full faculty juries 
  • Playing for voice lessons (semester lessons and juries, including full-faculty juries)  
  • Applied voice lessons will be supplied a collaborative pianist half the lesson time every other week, except during the semester of a degree recital when a collaborative pianist will be present for half the lesson every week.

* Degree plan requirement within the major and concentration.  

The following examples are situations for which faculty/staff pianists may be for personal hire, which means that the student hires and pays the pianist out-of-pocket at said pianist’s hourly rate or flat fee. Student pianists may also be for personal hire at their hourly rate or flat fee, if the request is outside their specific keyboard talent grant assignments and responsibilities.  These assignments and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:  

  • A student recital hour performance, which is not part of a degree recital, or assigned semester jury repertoire. 
  • Honors Recital auditions and rehearsals, but not the recital itself.    
  • Rehearsals and recording practice materials for students outside of their assigned accompanied lesson time. 
  • Any non-degree recital. 
  • Audio and/or video recording for purposes of entering local/state/regional/national/international competitions.  
  • Audio and/or video recording for purposes of applying for graduate school.  

HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION

 

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