Performing Arts

Dr. Stuart Benkert, Department Head, Performing Arts
(423) 425-4601 or email at Stuart-Benkert@utc.edu

Dr. Kenyon Wilson, Interim Division Chair, Music
(423) 425-4620 or email at Kenyon-Wilson@utc.edu

Dr. Kevin Ford, Coordinator of Graduate Program
(423) 425-5243 or email at Kevin-Ford@utc.edu

The Cadek Department of Music seeks to cultivate a passion for musical excellence by providing the highest quality education.

The Department of Music offers a Master of Music degree with concentration options in music education and performance. The concentrations within the Master of Music degree share the following goals in common: 1) To provide for the educational development of students beyond undergraduate education by offering experiences that deepen, expand, and relate musical and intellectual skills; 2) To contribute to the student’s ability to create, organize, interpret, evaluate, disseminate and value musical knowledge; 3) To prepare the student for a more active role as a leader in the musical and educational life of the community as a teacher and musician; 4) To encourage the development of individual talents and personal scholarship, and a commitment to musical performance and listening as a continuing and important part of professional life and education.

The following goal statements are related specifically to the individual concentrations: Music Education–To improve the effectiveness of the student’s teaching and to nurture a commitment to scholarship in music teaching and learning; Performance–To develop professional competence in performance technique and interpretation, including a commitment to mature judgement and artistic integrity.

Graduates of the program will be able to 1)organize and synthesize information from scholarly literature in the fields of music education, performance practice, music theory and history, as appropriate; 2) write and/or perform competently and creatively at an advanced level; 3)gain entrance to a doctoral program or be appointed to a teaching and/or performing post.

Both the performance and music education concentrations require a minimum of 33 semester hours distributed among (1) courses in the major area, (2) cognate courses in music, (3) electives from designated courses in professional studies and liberal arts, and (4) a significant major project: a recital for candidates pursuing the performance concentration , 5) a thesis, project, or performance for music education majors.

In addition to degree requirements herein listed, other regulations for music majors appear in the current Graduate Music Student Handbook.

Admission

In addition to meeting the requirements for admission to the Graduate School (see Admission Requirements [Inactive]), students pursing the music education concentration must have a bachelor’s degree in music education from a regionally accredited institution or a professional teacher’s certificate. In the case of students who do not meet this standard, it is possible to complete teacher licensure requirements and the M.M. in Music Education simultaneously. Students seeking the performance concentration should hold a bachelor’s degree in music or the equivalent.

Placement examinations are given to assist students in planning appropriate courses in their programs of study. The Writing Proficiency Examination and Graduate Theory Placement Examination are administered by the department. These examinations must be taken before full admission to the program. The graduate committee in Music may require remedial courses in music theory and/or writing skills as prerequisites to admission to degree programs.

Applicants to the performance concentration in music must pass an audition for the faculty Division Jury committee on their primary performing medium before they are admitted to the program. The voice faculty may recommend non-degree status, Division Jury repetition, or appropriate prerequisite courses for vocal performance majors if deficiencies in French, German, or Italian diction are noted. Applicants to the music education concentration are not required to audition for Division Jury committee unless they propose to enroll in 5000-level applied study, in which case the student must pass the Division Jury audition prior to 5000-level study, rather than for admission to the program.

Normally, the student undertakes both the audition and placement examinations before enrolling in graduate courses; however, students may enter as provisional or non-degree graduate students and study for one semester (see Admission Requirements [Inactive]). Dates for auditions and placement examinations are available on request from the Music Department.

Students admitted to the graduate program, in consultation with the program advisor, will choose a faculty advisory committee, with the approval of those chosen. This committee will assist in planning the student’s course of study to ensure an appropriate balance of coursework. In the event a student’s undergraduate record reflects areas of deficiency, the student will be assigned prerequisite coursework to remedy the deficient areas. Although credit for the courses will not apply toward the degree, satisfactory completion of these courses will enable the student to remain in the graduate program.

Program of Study

Students must submit a Program of Study during the first semester of graduate coursework. The Program of Study consist of all core courses and any electives and establishes the courses the student must take for partial fulfillment of the degree requirements. The Program of Study form must include all core courses and electives, if known at the time, the student will take. The Program of Study form is located at www.utc.edu/graduate-school/student-resources/forms.php.

Admission to Candidacy

The application for admission to candidacy is typically filed in the semester prior to a student’s anticipated graduation semester and should list all courses not listed on the Program of Study and any changes in coursework. Please refer to Application for Admission to Candidacy section. The appropriate form may be obtained from the Graduate School Web site at www.utc.edu/graduate-school/student-resources/forms.php.

Comprehensive Examinations

Normally, candidates for the Master of Music degree will take written and oral comprehensive examinations during the last semester before graduation. For information regarding comprehensive examinations see the “Comprehensive Examinations” section under “Academic Policies for Graduate Students.”

Thesis

For requirements for thesis see “Thesis” section under “Academic Policies for Graduate Students”.