Applied music study facilitates technical command, interpretive insight, and understanding of pedagogical procedures. The courses stress development of ability to perform with competence and musical understanding, while providing a comprehensive background of music of various periods, styles and composers.

[Violin Lesson ii] 

The Department of Music at Kalamazoo College takes great pleasure in awarding the Harold R. and Ruth Vivian Coe Miller Applied Music Scholarships, and the Burdick-Thorne Applied Music Scholarships. The generosity of the Miller and Thorne families enables the Department to provide financial assistance to eligible applied music students who exemplify dedication and commitment to applied music study, regardless of previous study or academic major.

Students interested in applying for an award should contact Les Tung, (tung@kzoo.edu) to arrange an appointment by 5:00 pm Friday of Week 1 of any quarter.

Miller and Burdick-Thorne scholarship winners will be eligible for an award covering 50% of applied lesson fees for an initial period of one academic quarter. Renewal for future quarters will be determined upon recommendation by applied music instructor and review of Hearings performance.

Professional musicians and teachers  from  across the state join with our resident faculty to offer individual instrumental, vocal, and composition lessons for all College students. A complete list of faculty appears on the Faculty page.

During Finals Week of each quarter all applied music students perform in an informal setting and receive feedback from faculty. Attendance in two performance area classes per quarter is required of all music majors as part of their applied music study, and expected of all students enrolled in applied music.

An extra fee is charged for applied music lessons. 

APPLIED MUSIC COURSES

Registering for Applied Music Lessons

A regular set of lessons consists of 10 weekly half-hour sessions per quarter. Students register for applied music in addition to their regular academic classes each quarter. Please observe the following registration guidelines:

• During Week 1 you may add/drop Applied Music Lessons via your WebAdvisor account.
• During Week 2 add/drop must be done in person at the Registrar's Office.
• Applied music lessons which remain on a student's schedule after Week 2 will be charged to the student's account, whether or not lessons are attended.
• Applied music courses may be withdrawn until the end of Week 8.

If you have trouble contacting your instructor before the drop/add deadline SECOND week, let one or all of the following people know: the Registrar's Office, the Department Chair, or Department Coordinator.

Students will be billed $256 for each set of ten half-hour lessons at the end of the quarter. A student may also register for "double lessons," which are ten hour-long lessons and will be billed $512. Each student in a group lesson is charged $168 per quarter.

Any student desiring to change applied teachers must inform the current teacher of that intent and obtain permission from the department chair. If s/he does not wish to continue applied lessons in the following quarter, the teacher should be notified before the end of the current quarter.

Academic Credit

Applied music is credited in the same manner as the ensembles: 1/5 unit is earned for each quarter of participation, and credit toward graduation is awarded after a student has completed five quarters of applied study in the same area. Study in different instruments other than keyboard cannot be combined to complete a full unit. Credits from applied study of piano, harpsichord, fortepiano and accompanying may be combined.

Ensemble and applied music credit may not be combined to complete a full unit.

On recommendation of the teacher, a very advanced student may complete a full unit in the third or fourth quarter of study by presenting a recital. This option is not available for students who have only studied in group lessons. A student may earn up to three units of credit toward graduation, and a full unit in applied music may be counted once in a 3-unit quarter load.

Grading and Attendance

It is the student's responsibility to notify his or her music instructor 24 hours in advance, preferably in person, if s/he must miss or reschedule a lesson. Failure to do so will result in an unexcused absence and will result in a lowering of the student's grade for the quarter. Lessons the student missed should be made up if s/he has given the teacher 24 hours in advance notice. Lessons a student misses without giving advance notice need not be made up, but will be paid for.

Students are expected to attend all lessons, two area classes, and play a hearing each quarter. Any student's grade will be lowered by half a letter for each lesson, area class, or hearing missed.

For example, although a student may be doing "A" level work, the final grade will be dropped to

Voice students may substitute one Area Class by participating in either the State or Regional NATS Student Auditions.

Area Classes

Faculty in each of 4 applied areas (Keyboard, Voice, Strings, and Winds-Brass-Percussion) will hold two Area Performance Classes each quarter. Attendance at these classes is mandatory.

Classes are designed to provide students opportunity

1. to perform works in progress, regardless of level, in an informal atmosphere and receive constructive comments from their peers and from faculty,
2. to present performances of finished pieces, regardless of level, to be considered for the Applied Music Recital.

Area Classes are also ideal opportunities for constructive exchanges between students and faculty who ordinarily would not see each other in lessons or Studio Classes.

Faculty in each area will select student performers for the Applied Music based upon performances in Area Classes.

Applied Music Recital

Students are selected by faculty for this end-of-quarter recital based on performances in Area Classes. The Recital is intended to reflect the best student performances for that quarter, regardless of repertoire level.

Student Recitals

Recital dates for students should be set by the applied teacher as early as possible, preferably in the preceding quarter, so they can appear in the College Calendar. This must be done by the teacher in consultation with the Music Coordinator and with the Fine Arts Facilities Coordinator.The entire recital program must be performed and approved at least three weeks prior to the concert date by a panel of at least three applied music faculty. In addition, student performers are strongly encouraged to present their program at local community venues prior to the concert date. These community performances are intended to provide valuable experience for students as well as outreach to wider audiences.

Hearings

During Finals Week of each quarter all applied music students perform in an informal setting and receive feedback from faculty. Students should consult with their teachers in deciding what to present at hearings. Finished works, pieces “in progress”, technical studies, scales, etc. are acceptable. By ninth week of the quarter sign-up sheets will be posted on the bulletin board outside the Department Office (FAB 129) for students to reserve Hearing times during Finals week. Students receive written comments from faculty at the conclusion of their hearings.

Hearings are convened in each of three applied areas (Keyboard/Composition, Voice, and Strings-Winds-Brass-Percussion).