School of Music
Associate Director: Lauren Murray, D.M.A.Approximately 450 music majors annually have made UNC’s School of Music their choice for many reasons. The School of Music offers nationally recognized faculty with specialists on every instrument. There are more than 50 performing ensembles, a number of which are nationally recognized.
The UNC School of Music, with 37 full-time and 20 part-time faculty, is organized into seven program areas, each with an area head. The program areas are Winds and Percussion, Strings, Keyboard, Vocal, Academic Studies, Music Education, and Jazz Studies.
Students may choose from a full range of degrees, bachelor through doctoral programs, and from emphases in performance, conducting, music education, music theory, jazz studies, and music history. Considerable variety and depth of course offerings are available at UNC.
General objectives of the University of Northern Colorado School of Music are based on service and leadership in the arts at local, state, regional, national and international levels.
An integral unit within the University, the School of Music embraces the role and mission statements of the University of Northern Colorado and has designed its goals and objectives to support and enhance institutional purposes and directions.
The primary goal of the UNC School of Music is to develop skilled and sensitive musicians at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels, including performers, conductors, educators, composers, historians, theorists and music administrators. The UNC School of Music maintains a two-fold objective of providing the strongest preparation possible in music education, theory, and history, while encouraging the highest standards of performance.
School of Music graduates are well regarded in the professional world. UNC-prepared educators hold positions at universities, colleges, high schools, junior high and elementary schools throughout the United States and the world. School of Music performance graduates are found in professional symphony orchestras, opera and musical theatre repertory companies, the nation's premier military ensembles, prominent free-lance positions in metropolitan centers, and in professional chamber ensembles and jazz bands.
Students planning to major in music are required to submit an application to the School of Music. The music application and appropriate instructions are provided by the Admissions Office upon request, or upon receipt of an Application for Admission that specifically indicates a music major. Auditions are required of all applicants to the School of Music. Information concerning auditions may be requested from the School of Music, University of Northern Colorado, Frasier Hall, Greeley, Colorado 80639, phone 970.351.2993 or at our website http://arts.unco.edu/music/admissions.html
Students meeting the general admission requirements of the University may be accepted as undeclared majors. Students will be designated as music majors and accepted by the School of Music after a successful audition.
Minimum Proficiencies. Minimum proficiency in music fundamentals and ear training as assessed by the Music Theory Placement Exam to enter MUS 113/114.
Liberal Arts Emphasis
The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in music is a program designed for the study of music within a liberal arts curriculum. It emphasizes broad coverage of the field of music, including coursework in music theory and literature and the development of performance skills and competencies.
Music B.M.Composition Emphasis
Instrumental Performance Emphasis
Jazz Studies Instrumental Emphasis
Piano Emphasis
Vocal Performance Emphasis
The Bachelor of Music degree is the initial professional degree in music. Its primary emphasis is on development of the skills, concepts and sensitivity essential to the professional life of a musician. It also prepares students for advanced study in graduate school.
For degree and program requirements, see:
Music B.M. on page 94
Composition Emphasis
Instrumental Performance Emphasis
Jazz Studies Instrumental Emphasis
Piano Emphasis
Vocal Performance Emphasis*Admission. Students seeking admission to this program must have completed MUS 213, MUS 214, MUS 215 and MUS 216 with minimum grades of "B". They must submit copies of their written compositions for evaluation by their theory/ composition faculty. This process will normally take place at the end of the sophomore year.
*Students are admitted as undergraduate majors to the composition program only after an audition, interview and thorough assessment of a portfolio of their compositions by the faculty of the theory/composition program.
*Students seeking this major must demonstrate adequate keyboard skills as well as advanced skills in musical analysis and composition. Composition majors at the undergraduate level must have either keyboard, vocal or instrumental performance competence equivalent to that expected of a Bachelor of Arts student.
Music B.M.E.Instrumental Music K-12 Teaching Emphasis
Vocal, Piano and General Music K-12 Teaching Emphasis
The Bachelor of Music Education degree emphasizes competencies in basic musicanship and professional education and breadth of general studies, with attention to attitudes relating to human considerations and to social, economic and cultural components that give individual communities their identity.
The degree program assists students in becoming broadly based, knowledgeable and skilled school music educators with licensure to teach Music K-12.
Music Education PTEP Requirements
Students must enroll in, and satisfactorily complete, these courses each semester in residence (i.e., prior to student teaching): Individual Performance (lessons, on their major instrument or voice), a major musical ensemble, and MUS 100 - Recitals, Concerts, and Productions.
Students must pass a formal piano proficiency exam. Each entering student must schedule a conference/audition with the piano faculty to determine proficiency level and recommendations for further study, if any.
The required half Senior Recital must be performed during a semester other than the student teaching semester. Students must meet all music performance and recital attendance requirements listed in the respective studio and/ or area handbooks.
Student must demonstrate professional promise as a teacher to the satisfaction of the music education faculty via an interview with the faculty as part of MUS 210 (Introduction to Music Education), and must continue to demonstrate professional growth through satisfactory progress in subsequent coursework.
Students admitted to professional teacher education programs are expected to maintain accepted standards of professional behavior in all aspects of their work in their program. The music education faculty will periodically review the suitability of candidates for continuation in the program. Students who do not attain or uphold such standards are subject to academic sanctions at the discretion of the music education faculty, including denial, suspension, probation, or dismissal from the program.
Previously-admitted students whose progress in the program is deemed suspect or unacceptable may be required to appear before the music education faculty (individually or collectively) to discuss conditions for their continuance as a professional teacher candidate.