Majoring in Music

The Music Department at Indiana University Southeast offers one of the most musically-intensive Bachelor of Arts degrees in the region.

 Apply for Admission

In order to major in Music at IU Southeast, you must:

• Apply for admission to IU Southeast
• Complete a Music Department Audition Application
• Perform an audition
• Complete the Music Theory Placement Exam

 Advising

To discuss one or more of our concentrations with an academic advisor:

Music Composition
Music Industry: Sound Engineering
Dr. Erich Stem
estem@ius.edu
812.941.2255

Music Industry: Music Business
Performance
Dr. Joanna Goldstein
jgoldste@ius.edu
812.941.2345

 Auditions

Admission to the Music Department is by audition only. An audition/interview is required of all students wishing to pursue the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree.

Auditions for admission for the 2008-2009 academic year will be held on
November 3, 2007
February 9, 2008
March 15, 2008
May 10, 2008*

*The May 10 audition date is for admission only. Those interested in scholarship consideration should audition by March 15.

 

 Recruiting Events

Louisville Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS)
College/Career Day
October 26, 2007

IU Southeast
College Music Preview Fair
January 19, 2008

Visit our booth at
KMEA
February 6-9, 2008

Arrange a visit to the Music Department by calling
812.941.2655

 

 

THE BACHELOR OF ARTS IN MUSIC DEGREE

The B.A. in Music combines four kinds of study: solo performance, ensemble performance, academic music courses, and courses in other subjects. These shared artistic and academic goals are basic to the philosophy that governs the study of music within a university context. Indiana University Southeast offers the B.A. degree in Music with concentrations in the following areas:

Music Industry
Music Business • Sound Engineering

Music Composition
Film & Media Composition • Composition for the Concert Stage

Performance
Instrumental Performance • Vocal Performance

What is a Concentration?
A "concentration" is simply a specific area of study. Since music is such a diverse area, students at IU Southeast have the opportunity to pursue a concentration that best develops his/her interests and skills. Each degree concentration has its own set of requirements in addition to those required by the university for the B. A. degree. Students must declare an intended concentration and track prior to auditioning to become a music major. Students also have the opportunity to pursue two concentrations within the music degree.

What is a Track?
A "track" is a specific area of study within a concentration. For instance, a student whose concentration is Music Composition will choose either the Film & Media Composition track, or the Composing for the Concert Stage track. Similarly, a student concentrating in Performance will be in either the Instrumental Performance track or the Vocal Performance track.

 MUSIC INDUSTRY

There are two tracks within the Music Industry concentration: Music Business and Sound Engineering. Students must declare which track they intend to pursue at the time of their audition.

Music Business
Music and Business are natural partners in the world beyond academia. Performing arts organizations often function as small businesses requiring those involved to have fundamental skills in marketing, accounting, business law, and grant writing. Likewise, the arts and entertainment industry provides opportunities to the business minded person with an interest in retail, artist management, or the recording industry fields. The Music Business track coordinates the requirements for the B.A. degree in music with basic studies in the music industry, music law, marketing, and business law. Students at IU Southeast have the opportunity to gain real-world experience and connections through numerous internship opportunities.

Auditioning/Interviewing for the Music Business Track
Acceptance into the Music Business track consists of both an interview and an audition on the candidate’s primary instrument. Because the Music Business track is not a performance oriented degree, the level of performance does not need to reflect the same stringent standards. However, since it is a music degree, we require that candidates have previous training on a musical instrument or voice and can demonstrate basic literacy in conventional music notation. Candidates should be prepared to discuss reasons why they wish to pursue the Music Business track.

Music Industry Concentration Requirements
These requirements are in addition to university distribution requirements

Music Business Track

____________

Sound Engineering
The art of recording is a necessary and integral part of the field of music. The Sound Engineering track within the Music Industry concentration at Indiana University Southeast is designed to give students a well-rounded education in liberal arts courses, while exposing them to practical, theoretical, and creative applications of sound engineering in the field of music. This degree, unlike vocational approaches to music technology, provides a siginificant background in the academic areas of a traditional music degree. Students participate in ensembles, study two years of music theory, refine their aural skills, and show competency in the performance of music, as well as elements of audio production and fluency in current technologies. Since real world experience and networking are invaluable to the aspiring sound engineer, our students are given opportunities to engage in numerous projects through internships and courses that are taught on location with our studio partner, TNT Productions.

Auditioning for the Sound Engineering Track
Acceptance into the Music Industry/Sound Engineering program is based both on an interview and a demonstration of the candidate’s fluency on a particular instrument or voice. Because the Music Industry concentration is not a performance oriented degree, the level of performance does not need to reflect the same stringent standards; however, since it is a music degree, we require that candidates have some facility on a musical instrument or voice and can demonstrate basic literacy in conventional music notation. Candidates should be prepared to discuss reasons why they wish to pursue the Sound Engineering track. Support materials (CD recordings, creative work, past editing projects, etc.) are helpful, but not necessary for admittance into the program. Some basic pitch matching exercises may be asked of the candidate.

Facilities
The Music Department boasts a state-of-the-art Electronic Music Studio as well as a Mac-based MIDI Lab/Listening Lab, both of which double as high-tech teaching facilities. In addition to our on-campus facilities, several of the audio engineering courses are taught at TNT Productions studios in Louisville, Kentucky.

Current Equipment

Mac G5 computers with large screen, dual-monitor, flat panel workstations

Yamaha Motif Workstation

Kurzweil K2600 Workstation

Roland Fantom XR

Digidesign Digi 001and Digi 002 Audio Interfaces

Sure KSM, AKG414, and Audio Technica CZ1000s microphones

Sony DCR VX2100 Camera

Software in use (latest versions, partial list):

Pro Tools

Finale

Sibelius

Digital Performer

Final Cut Pro Studio

Music Industry Concentration Requirements
These requirements are in addition to university distribution requirements

Sound Engineering Track

 MUSIC COMPOSITION

There are two tracks within the Music Composition concentration: Film and Media Composition, and Composition for the Concert Stage.

The Music Composition concentration at IU Southeast is designed to give the creative student the skills necessary to analyze, arrange, and compose works for the concert stage or for film and media. The degree stresses not only the creative aspect of music composition, but also incorporates technology and performing areas of music as well. Students get a chance to work with internationally performed composers in developing their craft and technique so that they are prepared to tackle the myriad of opportunities available to the composer today. Graduates of the composition program at IU Southeast have gone on to graduate study, scored for feature-length films, and written music for video games.

Auditioning for the Composition Concentration (Concert Stage and/or Film & Media)
Acceptance into the Music Composition program is based on both an interview/portfolio review and an audition. Candidates should perform one representative work on their primary instrument/voice and also present a portfolio of a least two scores (with recordings, if possible) of their original compositions. It is important that candidates have some prior experience in written composition. Scores should demonstrate candidate’s creativity and ability to realize his or her ideas with accuracy and in accordance to conventional notational practices. Candidates should be able to discuss their influences and musical interests as they relate to the field of composition. Some basic pitch matching exercises may be asked of the candidate.

Film and Media Composition
The Film and Media track is specifically geared towards students interested in writing music for film and other media environments such as video games and television. Students receive training in studio techniques and production through various projects that deal with music and other visual media. Unlike many technology programs, the Film and Media Composition program also involves training in the craft and technique of composition by our internationally-recognized composition faculty.

Music Composition Concentration Requirements
These requirements are in addition to university distribution requirements

Film & Media Composition Track

Composition for the Concert Stage
Composition for the concert stage involves writing music for the more traditional categories of orchestral, chamber, solo, ballet, and opera. Students are encouraged to explore the art of music, which involves expanding upon conventional languages in music, pushing boundries in the production of sound, and discovering new means of artistic expression through music. Students have the opportunity to hear their works read by the university orchestra and receive unique insight into the important networking channels in the field of composition.

Music Composition Concentration Requirements
These requirements are in addition to university distribution requirements

Composition for the Concert Stage Track

 PERFORMANCE

There are two tracks within the Performance concentration: Instrumental Performance and Vocal Performance.

Instrumental Performance
The Instrumental track of the Performance concentration at IU Southeast is intended for those students who wish to focus their studies on a particular instrument. The curriculum stresses the development of the student’s technique and musicianship, ensemble dynamics, building a fundamental knowledge of his/her repertoire, and acquisition of practical pedagogical techniques.

Auditioning for the Instrumental Performance Track
Instrumental Performance - Non-keyboard
Instrumentalists should prepare two shorter selections in contrasting styles from the standard literature (or one longer work) that best display musical accomplishments. Major scales and a chromatic scale may also be requested. Instrumentalists are not required to perform with accompaniment. If an accompanist is needed, the music must be submitted to the Music Department Office at least two weeks in advance. Percussionists should prepare a snare drum solo and basic rudiments, and either a timpani or mallet instrument solo. Some basic pitch matching exercises will be asked of the candidate.

Instrumental Performance - Keyboard
Candidates for the piano or organ performance concentration should be prepared to play (either from score or memory) no less than two pieces. These should be varied, both as to period and style. The candidate should also be prepared to play major and minor scales and arpeggios in the following major keys: C, G, A, D, and F. Some basic pitch matching exercises and sight-reading will be asked of the candidate.

___________________

Vocal Performance
The Vocal track of the Performance concentration at IU Southeast is intended for those students who wish to focus their studies in voice. The curriculum stresses the development of the student’s technique and musicianship, ensemble dynamics, building a fundamental knowledge of his/her repertoire, and acquisition of practical pedagogical techniques.

Auditioning for the Vocal Performance Track
Students should prepare two songs of contrasting style, one preferably in a foreign language. At least one of the songs should be memorized. One of the two selections may come from musical theater. Voice auditions must be accompanied. IU Southeast can provide an accompanist as long as the music is submitted two weeks in advance of the audition date. Following the presentation of solo material, the candidate will be asked to demonstrate basic pitch and rhythmic sight reading ability.

 

Performance Concentration Requirements
These requirements are in addition to university distribution requirements

Instrumental or Vocal Performance Track

 

MUSIC MINOR

A minimum of 20 credit hours in music is required to earn a minor in music. The required courses for a minor are as follows:

Music Minor Course Requirements

Note: Some students may need to enroll in Music Fundamentals (MUS-E 241) or Rudiments of Music (MUS-T 109) to prepare for the work in MUS-T 113 Music Theory. Please contact the Music Department for advising.

An audition is not required to obtain a minor in music.

ASSOCIATE OF ARTS IN MUSIC

See the General Requirements for the Associate of Arts Degree.

A minimum of 16 credit hours in music is required for the A.A. in music. The required courses for the A.A. in music are as follows:

Associate of Arts in Music Course Requirements

Note: Some students may need to enroll in Music Fundamentals (MUS-E 241) or Rudiments of Music (MUS-T 109) to prepare for the work in MUS-T 113 Music Theory. Please contact the Music Department for advising.

An audition is not required to obtain an Associate of Arts in Music degree.