Private Instruction

Students in all Bachelor of Music degree programs are required to take Applied Music/Private Instruction courses each semester in residence on their declared instrument or voice (typically 8 semesters for first-time students and 4 semesters for transfer students). 

Students in the Composition degree program take 6 semesters in applied instrumental/voice private instruction and 6 semesters in composition private instruction. For Freshmen: private lessons on your instrument/voice are taken, starting the first semester of study and continuing through the end of the junior year. 6 units of composition lessons begin during the sophomore year, and continue through the final semester of study. For Transfer Students: private lessons and Composition lessons are taken every semester in residence.

Applied Music/Private Instruction courses are optional in the Bachelor of Arts degree programs, and are offered at the discretion of the Department of Music.

The department funds:

• 60-minute sessions for BM majors (MUS 147/447)
• 45-minute sessions for BA Music majors (MUS 133/433 – MUS 143/443).

Practice Expectations for Private Instruction Courses

• 3+ hours daily for students in the BM Performance and Jazz Studies concentrations
• 1 to 2 hours daily for students in the BM Music Teacher Preparation concentrations
• 1 hour daily for students in the BA programs

Grading Criteria

Faculty provide clear evaluation and grading criteria in their course syllabus, and shall assign a weekly grade. Faculty are responsible for providing students with a progress report. While the criteria for evaluating private instruction sessions is at the discretion of the instructor, the typical breakdown is as follows:

• 75% (attendance, preparation, progress, practice, as prescribed in the instructor’s syllabus)
• 25% End-of-Semester Jury Evaluation (students taking applied lessons are required to pass an adjudicated jury performance each semester)

Four-Year Curriculum of Lesson Repertoire, suggested repertoire includes year by year.

A list of Applied Music/Private Instruction courses can be found on the Fall Private Instruction and Spring Private Instruction pages.

Contact Brooke Tester in the music department office for a permission code to add private instruction courses. 

Contact Brooke Tester in the Department of Music's office for a permission code to add private instruction courses.