The William D. Hall and Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Conservatory of Music

Amy Graziano, Ph.D., Chair

The mission of the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music at Chapman University is to provide a rigorous and progressive education of distinction for the professional and intellectual development of artists and scholars in a supportive, liberal arts environment.

The Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music offers the Bachelor of Arts in Music and pre-professional programs leading to the Bachelor of Music in Composition, Bachelor of Music (Pre-Music Education Certification) (vocal and instrumental emphases) and Bachelor of Music in Performance (emphases in: conducting; instrumental-strings, woodwinds/brass, percussion, piano, and guitar; keyboard collaborative arts; vocal).

The Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.

Admission to Degree Programs

Admittance to the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music is by audition for all major degrees and for the minor in General Music. The B.A. in Music degree and the B.M. in Composition, B.M. (Pre-Music Education Certification) (vocal and instrumental emphases) and B.M. Performance-Conducting (instrumental) require submission of material in addition to the audition. After admission, prior to the start of the first semester, students may take a music theory placement test to see if they can pass into a particular level of the music theory sequence. All Music majors with voice as instrument and General Music minors with voice as instrument are required to take a placement test in Sight-Singing. All majors are required to do a placement audition for piano and for ensembles. For transfer students, credit for music courses may be transferred from an accredited institution upon demonstration of competence on the placement exams. Current students who wish to add or change a music major or music minor or music degree emphasis will require conservatory chair approval.

Students are admitted to the following programs upon entrance to the University: B.A. in Music; B.M. (Pre-Music Education Certification) (vocal and instrumental emphases); B.M. in Performance with Instrumental emphasis (excepting Conducting emphasis), Vocal emphasis, Keyboard Collaborative Arts emphasis.

Students may declare an intention to pursue a B.M. in Composition at entrance. Formal admission to the Bachelor of Music in Composition degree program will normally be granted prior to the junior year, upon successful completion of the upper-division proficiency (UDP), which includes an evaluation of competency level in theoretical work, compositional skills and demonstrated potential to achieve degree objectives. Students accepted into the program must demonstrate an acceptable level of proficiency on a major instrument or in voice and appropriate keyboard skills. A senior recital must be completed with approval of, and while enrolled for study with, the student’s major professor of composition.

Students may declare an intention to pursue a B.M. in Performance, Instrumental Conducting emphasis at entrance. Formal admission to the Bachelor of Music in Performance, conducting emphasis, will normally be granted prior to the junior year, upon successful completion of the upper-division proficiency, which includes an evaluation of student preparation and demonstrated potential to achieve degree objectives. Students admitted into the program must demonstrate an acceptable level of proficiency on a major instrument or in voice and appropriate keyboard skills. A senior recital must be completed with approval of, and while enrolled for study with, the student’s major professor of conducting.

Minors in Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music

The Hall-Musco Conservatory offers four minors in music.

Admission Process for Music Minors

The admission process for all music minor programs starts with contacting the conservatory chair for an interview to discuss the possibility of completing the minor in time to graduate. If it is determined the minor can be completed, follow the admission procedure under each minor program.

The following policies are the same for music minors as required for music majors. See General Information for all music programs for details.

• Transfer requirement.
• Sight singing proficiency requirement (General Music Minor only).
• Minimum grade requirements.
• Course re-take policy.

General Information for All Music Programs

Transfer Requirements
Transfer students may choose to take the placement exam in music theory and are required to take placement in piano. A music history placement exam is required if a student wishes to place out of a music history course. For all majors (except B.M. in Composition) a grade of “C” or higher for transfer credit and a grade of “C” or higher on a placement exam is required to transfer credit for academic courses. A minimum transfer grade of “C” and approval of area director is required for all transfer credit for applied and ensemble courses. For the B.M. in Composition degree, a minimum transfer grade of “B” is required.

Music Theory Placement Exam
All music majors and minors in General Music and in Film Music may choose to take the music theory placement test to determine if they can be placed in a  higher level of theory than MUS 133 - Theory I . The test is given during the week prior to the first semester.

Sight Singing Proficiency Requirement
Students who have voice as their major instrument (B.A. in Music majors, B.M. in Music majors and the Minor in General Music) will be tested on their basic sight singing ability. Those students not passing the diagnostic sight singing exam will be required to take remedial studies (MUS 097 - Rudiments of Sight Singing ). Students will be able to take MUS 133  and MUS 135  at the same time as MUS 097 .

Piano Proficiency Requirement
All music majors must pass a piano proficiency exam prior to the end of the junior year. Music majors will not be allowed to present a senior recital until this requirement is met. All or part of the four-credit piano requirement may be waived depending on demonstrated piano proficiency.

Minimum Grade Requirements
A minimum grade of “C” must be achieved in all required courses in music theory, music history, music cultures, and music technology, for all major and minor programs in music with the exception of the B.M. in Composition degree and the B.M. (Pre-Music Education Certification) degree. For the B.M. in Composition degree, a minimum grade of “B” must be achieved for all required courses in the major. For the B.M. (Pre-Music Education Certification) degree, a minimum grade of “C” must be achieved for all required courses in the major. All courses in the major or minor must be taken for a letter grade except studio class, recitals and information literacy classes.

Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music Course Re-take Policy
Regarding minimum grades for required courses in music theory, history, cultures, and technology: If a student achieves less than a “C,” the class must be re-taken. A student may re-take a class twice. Approval of the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music chair is required for a student to take a core class for a third time. If a student still does not achieve at least a “C” after taking a class three times, the student must reapply and re-audition to the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music to continue as a music major or minor. For the B.M. in Composition degree, if a student achieves less than a “B,” the same re-take policy applies.

Applied Music Courses

Applied courses include:

• All private (individual) instruction music lessons in voice, an instrument, coaching sessions and Alexander Technique.
• Class instruction in voice, guitar, piano, accompanying, collaborative piano, and Alexander Technique.
• All studio class courses.
• All recital courses.

All applied classes may be repeated for credit as course content changes every semester.

Private instruction music lessons in voice or an instrument are available to any student regardless of major (non-majors are placed subject to available space).

Placement of a student with a teacher for applied music lessons (any instrument, voice or private coaching lessons) is determined by the appropriate area director and is based on many factors. Students may request a specific teacher, but are not guaranteed placement with that teacher. All individual lessons must be taken with applied music faculty of the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music. Students enrolled in applied private instruction may not be studying the same performance area concurrently with another teacher, either on or off campus.

Students taking applied music lessons in an instrument or voice are required to take jury examinations at the end of each semester, regardless of their major. The upper-division proficiency will be administered to all professional degree candidates in the Bachelor of Music degree in Performance, Bachelor of Music (Pre-Music Education Certification), and Bachelor of Music in Composition at the end of the sophomore year. The results of the upper-division proficiency determine whether or not candidates will be admitted to the upper-division (300/400) level of private applied study and approved to continue in their major field. For the B.M. Performance-Conducting (Instrumental) emphasis and the B.M. Composition degree, admittance into the degree program is contingent upon passing the UDP. A list of requirements for the upper-division proficiency for each degree emphasis and area can be found in the  Music Student Handbook.

All students enrolled in applied music lessons (primary instrument) are encouraged to enroll concurrently in the appropriate section of MUS 116 /MUS 316 - Studio Class , ½ credit. Students pursuing degrees in performance (all emphases except conducting) are required to do so every semester. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Music (Pre-Music Education Certification) are required to do so for two semesters.

Student recitals are presented under the auspices of the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music with the permission of the appropriate applied music faculty member, program director, and the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music chair. Student recitals are presented only by those currently enrolled for both the recital class and for private applied music instruction with appropriate Chapman applied music faculty. Music majors will not be allowed to present a senior recital until they have passed the piano proficiency examination.

Music majors and minors must take all required courses for a letter grade, except studio class, recitals and information literacy classes. Upon approval from program director, director of student affairs for music, and conservatory chair, music majors and minors may audit studio class or an ensemble. Non-music majors/non-music minors may audit ensemble and lecture classes. All private instruction and applied class instruction must be taken for a letter grade.

All private instruction courses carry a variable credit load for which one credit allows for a half-hour weekly lesson per semester. All undergraduate private instruction courses on an instrument, in voice and in vocal or instrumental coaching carry a variable credit load of one to four credits (fees per credit: $240. for music majors, music minors; $520. for all others). Private instruction in composition and conducting (MUS 297 , MUS 497 ; MUS 297A , MUS 497A ), carry a variable credit load of one to three credits (fee per credit: $100). Private instruction in Alexander Technique (MUS 342 ) carries a variable credit load of one to two credits (fees per credit: $240.). All applied class instruction in guitar, piano, voice (art music), singing (for theatre and dance majors), Alexander Technique and vocal coaching are one credit per semester (fee: $100.). Accompanying and Collaborative Piano classes are ½ credit per semester (fee: $100.). All private instruction and applied classes must be taken for credit (no audit allowed).

Music Talent Award recipients must take lessons and studio class in primary instrument every semester in residence.

Ensemble Music Courses

Ensemble courses include both large and small activity classes focusing on participation as part of a group.

All ensemble courses may be repeated for credit as course content changes every semester. Music majors and minors must take all required courses for a letter grade, except studio class, recitals, and information literacy classes. Upon approval from program director, director of student affairs for music, and conservatory chair, music majors may audit an ensemble class. Non-music majors/non-music minors may audit ensemble and lecture classes.

Ensemble courses are open to all students with consent of the instructor; an audition may be required. All music majors, regardless of degree, must fulfill their large ensemble requirement in an ensemble appropriate to their degree and as assigned by the appropriate area director. All returning and new students will complete a placement audition every fall before the appropriate area director/s (i.e. Choral Activities, Orchestral Activities, Woodwinds and Brass) and will be assigned to a particular ensemble. It is the student’s responsibility to check with the area director before scheduling classes. The following degree candidates are required to participate in at least one large choral or instrumental ensemble each semester while in full-time residence, as assigned by the appropriate area director/s (i.e. Choral Activities, Orchestral Activities, Woodwinds and Brass): Bachelor of Music in Performance with conducting emphasis, with instrumental emphasis-strings, woodwinds/brass, percussion areas (does not apply to other instrumental emphases or to the keyboard collaborative arts emphasis) and with vocal emphasis. The large ensemble requirement may not be met by interterm tour courses. 

Degrees

• Music, B.A.

• (Pre-Music Education Certification), Instrumental Emphasis, B.M.
• (Pre-Music Education Certification), Vocal Emphasis, B.M.
• Composition, Concert Music Emphasis, B.M.
• Composition, Electroacoustic Music Emphasis, B.M.
• Performance, Conducting Emphasis - Instrumental, B.M.
• Performance, Instrumental Emphasis - Guitar Area, B.M.
• Performance, Instrumental Emphasis - Percussion Area, B.M.
• Performance, Instrumental Emphasis - Piano Area, B.M.
• Performance, Instrumental Emphasis - Strings Area, B.M.
• Performance, Instrumental Emphasis - Woodwinds and Brass Area, B.M.
• Performance, Keyboard Collaborative Arts Emphasis, B.M.
• Performance, Vocal Emphasis, B.M.

• Film Music, Minor
• General Music, Minor
• Music Business, Minor (Addendum December 2020)
• Music Technology, Minor

Courses

• MUS 498C - Senior Recital Instrumental Performance-Orchestral Instruments-Full Solo Program, Accompanied
• MUS 498D - Senior Recital in Instrumental Performance, Guitar Area - Full Solo Program
• MUS 498E - Senior Recital in Instrumental Performance, Piano Area - Full Solo Program
• MUS 498F - Senior Recital in Keyboard Collaborative Arts - Full Collaborative Program
• MUS 498G - Senior Recital in Vocal Performance - Full Solo Program, Accompanied
• MUS 498H - Senior Recital Instrumental Performance-Orchestral Instrument-Full Solo Program, Unaccompanied

• MUSB 100 - Introduction to the Business of Music
• MUSB 300 - Music Publishing, Marketing, Promotion, and Distribution
• MUSB 301 - Music Supervision
• MUSB 400A - Topics in Music Business: Business and Legal Aspects of the Music Industry
• MUSB 400B - Topics in Music Business: Leadership and Ethics in the Music Industry