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School of Music

String Performance & Pedagogy (BM) Sample Course Plan

Additional Sample Course Plans

This is an example course plan based on the 2019-2020 University Catalog; your actual schedule may deviate from this example. Your faculty advisor will work with you to select appropriate courses.

As an IWU student, it is your responsibility to track your progress each semester towards completing graduation requirements using the MyIWU degree evaluation tool.

 Look at the Degree Checklist!

 

Course Course Units

Music Theory

 7

Keyboard Basics

  • MUS 100A Keyboard Basics I
  • MUS 100B Keyboard Basics II
 NC

Music Theory

 4

Survey of Music History

 2

Functional Piano

  • MUS 205 Functional Piano I
  • MUS 206 Functional Piano II
 1

Pedagogy Coursework

  • MUS 219 Introduction to Private Teaching
    MUS 316 String Pedagogy I
  • MUS 317 String Pedagogy II
  • MUS 318 String Pedagogy III
  • MUS 319 String Pedagogy IV
  • MUS 320 String Pedagogy Lab
  • MUS 343 String Literature

          choose from:

 5.5

Applied Minor Study

 .5

Upper Division Theory

choose from:

 1

Upper Division Music History

choose 2 from:

 2

Conducting

 .5
Ensemble 2.5
Music Electives 1.5
MUS 14X: Colloquia in Music  (1 semester) NC
MUS 15X: Experiencing the Live Performance of Concert Repertoire  (6 semesters) NC

Performance Requirements:

Junior Recital

Senior Recital

NC

 

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

May Term

  • Optional

* Private lessons: register for the CRN with the student’s instrument/instructor.

** Students can take a keyboard proficiency exam which is given during New Student Orientation, and if they test out of MUS 100A/B, then they take: MUS 205 (non-keyboard majors) or MUS 207 (keyboard majors) in the Fall semester and MUS 206 (non-keyboard majors) or MUS 208 (keyboard majors) in the Spring semester.

Ensemble Information

Ensemble auditions are held during the first week of class. Depending on audition placement, students may need to
implement an alternate class schedule. If the student is a BM: String Performance & Pedagogy (s)he must keep the following schedule times open:

MUS 021 Illinois Wesleyan Symphony Orchestra

M 4:00 - 6:00 PM

W 4:00 - 5:00 PM and 6:00 - 8:30 PM

Note:

Students may participate in a second large ensemble listed above, as an elective or for X-credit.

Students may also audition for these ensembles listed below, as electives or X-credit, in addition to the major
ensemble:

Collegiate Choir MUS 023

MWF 4:00 - 5:15 PM

R 5:30 - 6:30 PM

Jazz Ensemble MUS 034-1

T R 2:35 - 3:50 PM

University Choir MUS 026

MWF 3:00 - 3:50 PM

Jazz Lab Band* MUS 034-2

M 7:00 – 8:15 PM

Chamber Singers MUS 031-6

T R 2:35 - 3:50 PM

Unlicensed Syncopation MUS 175

T R 2:35 - 3:50 PM

*The Jazz Lab Band is open to all students with NO audition.

Study Abroad

  • Due to the sequential nature of the music major, study abroad is not recommended during the first two years. Students interested in studying abroad should consult with the Director of the School of Music to decide on a case-by-case basis which semester(s) would be most appropriate.

Additional Information for All Majors

  • Music majors pursuing the BM degree or the BME degree are allowed to take as many as 5.5 units per term, and music majors pursuing the BA degree are allowed to take as many as 4.5 units per term; however, first-year students should try to avoid taking the maximum number of units, particularly during their first term.
  • It is suggested that first-year students not take more than two general education courses, including a Gateway course during a given semester.
  • Music majors fulfill the CHC general education requirement through a course in the major.
  • Music majors practice an average of 15 hours per week, regardless of units earned.
  •  All music majors and minors must complete one semester of Colloquia in Music (MUS
    014x) in their first semester.
  •  All music majors should be registered for Experiencing Live Performance (MUS 015x) for
    each semester, according to their individual degree requirements.
  •  Music majors are strongly encouraged to attend Convocation hour every Thursday from
    4:00–5:00p.m.
  • Upon permission of the applied instructor, B.A. degree candidates may take 60-minute lessons beginning in the second semester.  Fees are accessed for lessons that are beyond what is required of the degree (Refer to IWU Catalog, page 23, Financial Information).
  • First-year students who elect to minor in music are required to meet the same requirements as first-year students who are pursuing the BM degree with the exception of 100A and 100B (Keyboard Basics) and level of applied music (MUS 100 instead of MUS 181/183)
  • Music majors with sufficient piano skills may proficiency out of Keyboard Basics (MUS 100 A/B). Proficiency exams will be scheduled during Turning Titan: New Student Orientation.
  • First-year students should look carefully at the ensemble schedule (refer to Ensemble Information) before scheduling a General Education course.
  • Non-music majors who are the recipients of a Jennings Scholarship must enroll each term in a major ensemble and applied minor lessons (MUS 100); these are the conditions of this scholarship (refer to  Scholarships & Aid Section).
  • Any student at the University may enroll for private instruction in music;  there is an additional fee for this instruction for non-music majors who do not have a Jennings Scholarship. Also, ensembles are open to any student at the University by audition. Audition information is available in the Music Office in the School of Music (ext. 3061).