SF State: School of Music and Dance updates

Thanksgiving Break: Building & Practice Room Hours

lwielunski — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:54:29 -0800

The Creative Arts building will be CLOSED from Monday, November 23rd until Friday, November 27th.

Practice Room Monitors will be on duty from 12:00 - 5:00pm on Saturday and Sunday the 21st and 22nd, and on Sunday the 29th. The practice rooms will be closed at all other times.

Do music educators enroll in the single subject credential even if they plan to teach in K-8?

lwielunski — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:34:48 -0800

Yes - the Single Subject Credential in Music is for K-12 prospective teachers even though it is housed through the secondary education department.

Can I begin the Music Education Credential program while finishing up my Bachelor's, or do I need to have the degree in hand?

lwielunski — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:33:15 -0800

The Bachelor's degree must be fully completed before entering the Credential program. The BME does not automatically qualify you to enter the single subject credential in Music - that is only one of their requirements.

SFSU Orchestra Schedule for Fall 2009

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:33:24 -0700

Auditions

Sign up for an audition time on the board outside of Room 153 in the Creative Arts Building after August 1st.

Auditions will be take place in the Orchestra rehearsal room (Creative Arts Building, Room 153)

Instructions:

Please arrive 5 minutes BEFORE your scheduled time, warmed-up, with your instrument and music unpacked.
Complete a data form and bring it with you to your audition.
Please prepare:
1. Movement from a work for your instrument (Sonata, Concerto, Etude, etc.) I will hear about 3 minutes of your selection. You may also bring orchestral excerpts which you have prepared.
2. Major and Minor Scales
3. Sight reading

Audition Dates - See Google Calendar below. This information is subject to change. Updates will be posted here

Rehearsal Schedule

See Google Calendar below. This information is subject to change. Updates will be posted here

Concerts

Concert Schedule - See Google Calendar below for all rehearsals and concerts! This information is subject to change. Updates will be posted here

Your browser does not support inline frames
For more information, please contact:

Cyrus Ginwala
Office: Creative Arts Building, Room 163
Phone: (415) 405-0486
Email: cginwala@sfsu.edu

How do I know what to study for the placement exams?

lwielunski — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:11:42 -0800

A breakdown of what you will need to know to pass out of the Undergraduate Core Classes: Theory, Ear Training, and Piano.

It is advised that you use the material available at musictheory.net to prepare for the Theory exam.

For information on the Graduate Placement Exams

An explanation of, and online registration for, the Dance Placement Exam

How do I schedule an audition for the music major?

lwielunski — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 10:22:15 -0700

To register for the auditions and placement exams, you must fill out the Online Registration Form. You will receive an Audition Confirmation e-mail within 7 business days with your individual times.

How do I become a Music Major?

lwielunski — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:47:08 -0700

In order to be considered a music major, all undergraduates need to pass a performance audition, and take placement exams for the core classes of the music program (Theory, Ear Training, and Piano Skills).

Graduate students must take music placement exams in Theory, Ear Training and History. Additionally, the university requires all incoming graduate students to take the Graduate Essay Test

The Day of your Audition

The Music Audition is an all-day affair, with placement exams for theory and ear training in the morning; your major audition (10-15 minutes) and piano placement exam (~3-5 minutes-not required for Piano majors) are individually scheduled for times throughout the afternoon.

Signing Up for Auditions

To register for the auditions and placement exams, you must fill out the Online Audition Registration Form. You will receive an Audition Confirmation e-mail within 7 business days with your individual times.

All applications must be received no later than two weeks before the desired audition date.

Note: If you cannot attend a live audition, you may send in a recorded audition. All material must be recorded in one take, with no edits. You may submit your recorded audition via CD, DVD, mp3 file, or YouTube link.

Please send recorded auditions to:

School of Music & Dance
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA 94132
ATTN: Lisa Wielunski

or email your attachment/link to ljw@sfsu.edu.

Make sure to include your name, instrument, and the pieces you are playing with your recording!

Piano Studies at San Francisco State University

lwielunski — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:18:01 -0700

The Piano program at San Francisco State University consists of the following tracks or degree objectives:

Bachelor of Music - Performance Emphasis
Bachelor of Music - Education Emphasis
Bachelor of Music - Composition Emphasis
Bachelor of Arts - Classical Music
Master of Music - Piano Performance or Chamber Music Emphasis

The study plan is established by the instructor to equip the student with as much technique and repertoire as possible each semester and, especially in the case of performance majors, to prepare students for public performance.

In addition to performing in piano recitals every semester, piano majors develop their craft in classes such as Piano Accompaniment, Sight-Reading, Keyboard Literature, and a weekly Performance Practicum with peers, faculty, and notable guests. Piano majors play in Chamber Music Ensembles, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, with our many choirs, and as accompanists to our vocal and intsrumental students.

The private piano instructors are Victoria Neve, Roger Woodward, and William Corbett-Jones.

Audio

Listen to Corey Knight playing “Desperate Measures” by Robert Muczynski.

Download - MP3

Slideshow

Next Music Major auditions Saturday, December 5th

lwielunski — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:37:20 -0700

Any student who wishes to major in Music, either as a Bachelor of Music OR as a Bachelor of Arts in Music, must pass a performance audition in order to be accepted into the program.

Upcoming Audition Dates

December 5th, 2009 (current SFSU students only)
February 27th, 2010 (also Scholarship Audition date)
March 13th, 2010 (also Scholarship Audition date)
LATE AUDITION DATE: April 17th, 2010 (No Scholarship eligibility)

The Day of your Audition

In addition to your performance audition, all students must take Placement Exams in Music Theory, Ear Training, and Piano Skills. These exams are all administered on the same day as the auditions: the placement tests for Theory and Ear Training are held in the morning; Piano Skills exams, like your major audition, are individually scheduled throughout the afternoon.

Audition Requirements for the BA-Music degree, Composition, Education, and History/Literature applicants

Audition Requirements for the Bachelor of Music - Performance degree

Sign Up for a Music Major Audition

The Deadline to register for the December Auditions is Monday, November 30th!!!

NOTE: If you cannot attend a live audition for Fall admission, you may submit a recorded audition instead. All recorded auditions must be received by March 1st, 2010

Placement Exams for Music Undergraduates

lwielunski — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:06:51 -0700

All entering music majors must take placement examinations in the core classes: Music Theory, Ear Training, and Class Piano.

Undergraduate Placement Exams are administered on every audition day according to the following schedule:

Theory Exam 9:00 am

Ear Training Exam 11:00 am

Piano Exams are scheduled individually upon receipt of your supplemental music application.

Minors who wish to schedule a piano exam may do so by calling the office, (415) 338-1431.

Theory Placement Exam

There are several levels of music theory classes offered by the Music Department. The theory placement exam is used to determine which classes are the most appropriate for each student.

To Pass Out of MUS 130 (Rudiments of Music Theory)

MUS 130 is a pre-requisite for the entire music major. Students may not take lessons, nor begin their other core courses until they have passed or placed out of MUS 130. We strongly encourage you to study the material available on musictheory.net to prepare for the undergraduate theory exam.

Ear training
• Interval identification (within one octave)
• Rhythmic dictation in X-4 and X-8 meters
• Simple tonal dictation in one part
Theory
• Reading in treble and bass clefs
• Major and all forms of minor scales
• Modal scales (Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian)
• Major and minor key signatures
• Intervals including chromatic variations (dim 3, aug 2, etc.) and compound
• Triads of all qualities and inversions
• Transposing a chromatic melody into another key

To Pass Out of MUS 231 (Counterpoint)

Student's choice from one of the following three techniques:
• Complete an exposition of a Baroque three-part invention; or
• Write two lines of mixed-species counterpoint against a modal cantus firmus
(16th Century style, no text); or
• Write a single line of fifth species counterpoint against a tonal cantus firmus
(18th Century Style, using species rules)

To Pass Out Of MUS 232 (Tonal Harmony)

• Harmonize a non-chromatic melody in Baroque-style choral writing, creating a stylistically correct chord progression and writing the lower three voices, including a variety of
non-harmonic tones; and
• Harmonize a Classical melody with a keyboard accompaniment
(style of Mozart, Haydn, Clementi, etc.), which modulates to a closely related key.

To Pass Out of MUS 233 (Chromatic Harmony)

• Realize and analyze a chromatic figured bass in Baroque-style choral writing. The figures may imply the following: diminished seventh chords, all forms of augmented sixth chords, the Neapolitan, chromatic and/or enharmonic modulation; and
• Harmonize a Romantic melody with a keyboard accompaniment (style of Brahms, Schumann, Liszt, etc.) which modulates to a distantly related key and implies chromatic harmony.

Ear Training Placement Exam

Note: The placement exam varies from term to term and may not be exactly as described below. You must pass out of, or have completed Music 130 in order to begin the Ear Training sequence.

To pass out of Musicianship I (MUS 221)

• Rhythm dictation, common time and compound time
• Interval recognition and dictation
• Simple melodic dictation in a major key

To pass out of Musicianship II (MUS 222)

• Melodic dictation in a minor key
• Two-part melodic dictation
• Harmonic dictation (Bach chorale) using triads

To pass out of Musicianship III (MUS 223)

• Melodic dictation with chromatic tones
• Harmonic dictation (Bach chorale) using seventh chords

Piano Placement Exam

The piano placement exam (approx. 5-10 minutes) is a demonstration of your keyboard skills designed to place you into the appropriate level of our class piano series. All music students, except those who are piano majors or music education students with piano as their primary instrument, must take an examination for placement in class piano.

In this placement exam, which will determine your first piano class, you'll be asked to demonstrate your abilities in the following areas:

• Scales: major and harmonic minor, ascending and descending, two octaves hands together with the correct fingering;
• Sight-reading
• Knowledge of the Roman numeral chord symbols: A melody will be provided with the chord symbols and students will be asked to play the melody with the right hand and chords with the left hand. Based on how well students do this, they may be asked to break the chords into accompaniment patterns and transpose the melody and chords into other keys.

Lockers now available!

lwielunski — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:50:47 -0700

You can now both order and pay for a locker in the Creative Arts or Fine Arts building online!

Locker Rental

If you need a jumbo locker, please contact Paul Wilson to check availability.

Admissions Closed for Spring 2010 Semester

lwielunski — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:55:51 -0700

Due to budget problems in the State of California, the California State University system - including San Francisco State University - will not be accepting applications for spring 2010. The Fall 2010 application period begins October 1, 2009.

December auditions will still be available to currently enrolled SFSU students who would like to declare a music major. We will begin registering for those auditions in mid-September.

Graduate students wishing to apply for fall 2010 admssion must file their applications in the period from October 1, 2009 - April 1, 2010. Undergraduates applying for the Fall 2010 semester are advised to do so by December 1st, 2009.

I am a music student. What do I need to know about practice rooms?

lwielunski — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:19:09 -0700

Practice rooms are equipped with a piano, music stand and mirror. They are available to all SF State students, though priority is given to music majors first, then students enrolled in music classes.

Hours

Monday through Friday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday & Sunday 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Sunday noon - 5:00pm

Note: If you arrive after 5:00pm during the week or anytime on a weekend, you must locate a practice room monitor to unlock a room. The practice room monitor may ask to see your Student ID. Practice room monitors will post their whereabouts on the door of CA 141.

Rules

No food is permitted in the practice rooms
Water bottles are allowed, but must not be set on the pianos.
No covering of the windows is permitted...if the practice room monitor can't see inside the room, you may be asked to leave.

Special Practice Rooms

Grand pianos are available only to piano majors.
Large/Double practice rooms are reserved for piano duets and large instruments (cello, tuba,...). If you do not fall into this category, you may be asked to move to a regular room.
The Bass room is available only to bass majors.
You MUST be a percussion or Jazz Drums major to use any percussion instruments or drum kits. Majors who wish to schedule a weekly practice block should contact Paul Wilson for more information about the Access List.

Hausmann Quartet wins SF State fellowship

lwielunski — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:34:41 -0700

http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/2009/spring/14.html

Blogs from our Music Library

lwielunski — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:28:28 -0700

Laura Moody, our Music Librarian, maintains a blog to keep you updated on music news and resources that support and enhance our curriculum.

http://jpllmusicnews.wordpress.com/

Library Resources for Music Students

lwielunski — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:30:44 -0700

Laura Moody, the Music Librarian at the JP Leonard Library, collects and catalogs web resources of relevance to our music students. Visit http://libguides.sfsu.edu/content.php?pid=1335&sid=5896 to access numerous online databases sheet music, music journals, recordings and more!

MUS 150 Concert Calendar

lwielunski — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:07:36 -0700

View the MUS 150 Concert Calendar online:

Your browser does not support inline frames.

(you can also download it to iCal, and view it EVERYWHERE!)

Extended Practice Room Hours are Back!

lwielunski — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:45:16 -0700

Beginning June 13th, extended practice room hours will once again be available:

Tuesdays through Thursdays until 9:30 pm
Saturdays 2:00-5:00
Sundays 12:00-5:00

If you'd like a practice room, the Practice Room Monitor's location will be posted on the door of CA 141 - find him, and he'll let you in!

General Practice Room Info & Policies

How can I get a locker in the Creative Arts or Fine Arts building?

lwielunski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:50:30 -0700

http://musicdance.sfsu.edu/blog/2009/08/24/377-lockers-now-available

Can I get a recording of a recent concert?

lwielunski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:48:18 -0700

Yes. Paul Wilson in the Music Materials Office (CA 160) has an archive of all Knuth Hall concerts from the last few years. If you would like a copy of any particular concert, bring him a blank CD and let him know the date of the concert you want a copy of.

Where can I find sheet music? Scholarly journals?

lwielunski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:44:32 -0700

Laura Moody, the Music Librarian at the JP Leonard Library, collects and catalogs web resources of relevance to our music students. Visit http://libguides.sfsu.edu/content.php?pid=1335&sid=5896 to access numerous databases of downloadable sheet music, music journals, recordings and more!

Where can I find a computer lab on campus?

lwielunski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:16:34 -0700

Guide to Campus Computer Labs

I am a professional musician, but my undergraduate degree is not in music - can I still apply for the Master's program?

lwielunski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:12:47 -0700

Applicants to MM and MA programs, who do not have an undergraduate degree in music, are normally required to enroll in the BA music degree. After successful completion of the BA, they are eligible to apply to graduate programs.

How do I petition for a Grade Change?

lwielunski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:53:53 -0700

You must make an appointment with the instructor of the course for which you would like to petition to discuss the grade change option.

Bring the form for Change of Grade to your meeting with the instructor. If you both agree that a grade change is in order, the instructor will sign the form and fill in your new grade. Bring the completed form in to the SMD Office (CA 140) and leave it with the receptionist - we will then have the form signed by the Department Chair and forward it on to the Registrar.

It usually takes 3-4 weeks for a grade change to show up on your transcript.

How do I make up an Incomplete?

lwielunski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:37:04 -0700

Once your work is completed for the course, bring the form for Make-up of Incomplete to the instructor. Once the instructor has signed the form and filled in your new grade, bring it in to the SMD Office (CA 140) and leave it with the receptionist. We will then have the form signed by the Department Chair and forward it on to the Registrar.

It usually takes 3-4 weeks for a grade change to show up on your transcript.