All piano majors are required to perform 2 juries each academic year, in the fall and in the spring terms. Juries are offered on Monday of Finals Week.
A jury will not be required in a term when a degree recital is presented.
Choice of repertoire is to be decided between student and instructor. Repertoire should not be repeated. Individual sonata or suite movements are allowed. Music should be memorized.
Length of jury is specified under degree-specific requirements.
Juries will be graded by the faculty, and the jury grade will represent 20% of the final studio grade.
BM – Piano Performance
Juries
2 juries per year, minimum of 10 minutes in the Fall and 15 minutes in the Spring.
Repertoire guidelines for B.M. Piano Performance
Proficiency Exam
In addition to the jury requirements, B.M. Piano Performance students are required to pass a piano proficiency exam before graduating. It is strongly recommended to take the exam in the second or third year. For scheduling, contact your piano instructor.
Minimum skills required
- Major and minor scales in 16th notes (harmonic and melodic) in parallel motion. 4 octaves. Quarter note = 100 or above.
- Scales in octaves in 16th notes, all major and minor keys (harmonic and melodic). 2 octaves. Quarter note = 60 or above.
- Major and minor arpeggios in triplets, all inversions, 4 octaves. Quarter note = 100 or above.
- Dominant 7th and diminished 7th arpeggios in 16th notes, all inversions, 4 octaves. Quarter note = 100 or above.
- Chromatic scales in 16th notes, 2 octaves. Starting on any key. Quarter note = 100 or above.
- Sight-reading at the level of a Schubert or Schumann lied.
BA/BS piano concentration (effective Fall 2023)
Juries
2 juries per year, minimum of 10 minutes in the Fall and 15 minutes in the Spring.
Proficiency Exam
In addition to the jury requirements, BA/BS piano concentration students need to pass a piano proficiency exam before graduating. It is strongly recommended to take the exam in the second or third year. For scheduling, contact your piano instructor.
Minimum skills required
- Major and minor scales in 16th notes (harmonic and melodic) in parallel motion. 4 octaves. Quarter note = 100 or above.
- Major and minor arpeggios in triplets, all inversions, 4 octaves. Quarter note = 100 or above.
- Sight-reading at the level of a Schubert or Schumann lied.
M.M. Piano Performance
First year
2 juries (15 minutes each), in the Fall and Spring. Repertoire should not be repeated. Individual movements allowed.
Second year
One 15-minute jury in the Fall. Repertoire from first year should not be repeated.
Degree recital in Winter or Spring. The program should include 65 minutes of music. Recital hearing at least 3 weeks prior to recital.
DMA – Piano Performance
2 juries per year (fall and spring), minimum of 15 minutes of repertoire each jury.
MM – Piano Pedagogy
2 juries per year (fall and spring), minimum of 10 minutes of repertoire each jury.
Secondary Piano (non-performance music majors whose primary instrument is piano)
1 jury per year (fall or spring), minimum of 10 minutes of repertoire from at least three contrasting stylistic periods.
BM – Performance
A junior recital (45 minutes of music) and a senior recital (60 minutes of music)
MM – Piano Performance
One recital in the 2nd year (65 minutes of music)
MM – Collaborative Piano
Two recitals
MM – Piano Pedagogy
One recital in the 2nd year. A lecture-demonstration OR lecture-recital may be given in lieu of a solo recital if pursuing a concurrent graduate degree in Piano Performance.
DMA – Piano Performance
Three recitals (70 minutes of music for each recital)
One lecture (60 minutes total, with no more than 15 minutes of music)
DMA Comprehensive Exam
Part 1: Written portion (8h)
– Score ID
- 5 score excerpts from standard piano repertoire. A correct answer should provide a detailed stylistic description of the work in question, not only the identification. Excerpts will be taken from the list of composers provided in Addendum 1.
– Essay Questions
- 4 essay questions (see Addendum 2). Essays should be between 1000 and 1500 words long
Part 2: Take-home portion
The committee will provide a topic 72 hours prior to the oral exam. The candidate will prepare a 40-min lecture presentation on that topic. The topic can be anything related to piano literature, piano performance and/or pedagogy, and the presentation should be prepared in the same way as one would for an academic job interview.
Part 3: Oral defense (2h)
The oral defense will cover the written and take-home portions. It will also include listening ID. 5 audio excerpts from standard piano repertoire. A correct answer should provide a detailed stylistic description of the work in question, not only the identification. Excerpts will be taken from the list of composers provided in Addendum 1.
M.M. Piano Performance Oral Exam
Section 1: Recital Repertoire (30 minutes)
Presentation on the repertoire performed during the MM solo recital
Section 2: Listening and score ID (30 minutes)
Identify composer and work of selected audio clips and scores excerpts. If exact composer and work are not known, identify style, approximate composition period and possible composers.
Repertoire list for score and listening ID section
Bach: Italian Concerto, Partita no. 1, English Suite no. 2
Mozart: Piano Sonatas K. 284, K.310, K. 457, K. 576
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Op. 2/2, Op. 7, Op. 10/3, Op. 31/1, Op. 54, Op. 78, Op. 106, Op. 111
Chopin: 4 Ballades, Sonatas 2 and 3, Etudes Op. 10, 4 Impromptus, Barcarolle
Liszt: Sonata in B Minor, Dante Sonata, Transcendental Etudes
Schumann: Carnaval, Symphonic Etudes
Brahms: F Minor Sonata, Op. 117, Op. 118, Op. 119
Prokofiev: Sonatas No. 3, 6, 7, 8
Section 3: Lecture (45 minutes)
In consultation with your main advisor, choose a major solo piano work that was not performed during the MM recital. Present a 45-min lecture on its history, form, influence from and on other composers. Listen to at least 3 performances by established pianists and include an informed criticism on those performances in your lecture.
M.M. Piano Pedagogy Oral Exam
Section 1: Presentation of Master’s Project (30 minutes)
Lecture-demonstration of Master’s research project.
Section 2: Defense of Master’s Project (30 minutes)
Questions from the committee and discussion about revisions for the document.
Section 3: Statement of Teaching Philosophy (30 minutes)
Student will give a brief oral presentation of their teaching philosophy. This will be followed by questions from the committee and discussion about the student’s approach to piano pedagogy.
Section 4: Topics in Piano Pedagogy (30 minutes)
Topics many include (but are not limited to) learning styles, child development psychology, elementary methods, intermediate teaching repertoire, and adaptive teaching.