Comprehensive Examination Requirements

for Music Master’s Degrees

 

Choral Conducting | Instrumental | Keyboard

Voice and Opera | Music Education | Music Studies

Graduate Listening Exam

 

Choral Conducting

 

The Choral department requires a final comprehensive spoken examination. Each student spends one hour with the entire choral faculty answering questions that are mostly from the major field but also often include other areas of music, art, history, theory, etc. Often, but not always, examples will be played at the piano for historic placement and identification. The students prepare for the exam mostly through a thorough review of eight notebooks, four each from Choral Literature and Choral Conducting Seminar.

 

Scheduled by the department, graded by all of the department’s graduate faculty.

 

 

 

 

 

Instrumental Performance

 

Students must maintain a list of all literature, including solos, etudes, and excerpts, performed each semester in lessons, using a printed form provided by the department.

 

During the final semester of study, students are required to submit a three-part written project containing:

 

1.  lists of music studied/performed in all 4 semesters of lessons, signed by their studio teacher;

 

2.  program notes or background information for any two of those pieces.           

 

The notes should be approximately 500 words each and must contain at least 3 recognized references such as Baker’s, New Groves, or other recognized resource materials. Any online resource must be documented and recognized as appropriate and authoritative; and EITHER:

                           

3a.  a discussion of a third piece from the submitted lists (or one movement of a multi-movement piece from the lists).  In either case, the length of the movement or piece being discussed should be no less than 8-10 minutes. This discussion must form a paper of no less than 2000 words. Topics may include (but are not limited to) historical perspectives, performance and performance practices issues, instrumental technical issues, the importance or role of this piece in the literature for the student’s instrument, etc. This discussion must be presented as a formal paper with any    supporting information (resources, charts, etc.);

 

OR

 

3b.  a theoretical analysis of one of the listed pieces, or one movement of a multi-movement piece from the lists.  In either case, the length of the movement or piece being analyzed should be no less than 8-10 minutes. This analysis should address form, basic harmonic events, large-scale phrasing, performance practice issues, etc., as outlined in a rubric provided by the department.

 

 

The document must be submitted to the Instrumental Department no later than November 1 for an anticipated December graduation or April 1 for an anticipated May graduation. 

 

Documents will be distributed among the instrumental faculty for review and a grade of either “pass” or “fail.” A passing grade from a majority (and no fewer than two) of the department’s graduate faculty members  is required.           

 

Students who do not pass will be told what needs to be fixed (content, grammar, etc.) and, using whatever resources they have (for example, the university's Writing Center), will have to prepare and submit a revision that receives a passing grade. In order for a student to graduate on schedule, any revision that is required must receive a passing grade before the deadline by which names must be submitted for graduation.

 

 

 

KEYBOARD

 

Students must submit a list of all repertoire studied with their studio teacher(s) while enrolled in the MM program.

 

Students will choose two stylistically contrasting pieces from their final recital program.* They can choose to give either an oral presentation or submit a written document that will address at least several of the following topics:

 

              Form and harmonic language of the piece

              Historical background of the work

              Aspects of the composer’s style

              Relationship to other keyboard works by the     composer

              Performance practice considerations       

              Specific technical problems and their solutions    

              Other relevant information about the piece

 

The goal of the paper or presentation is to demonstrate cumulative knowledge and skills gained during the course of study on the Master’s level. Courses taken in research, theory, history, pedagogy, and performance practice can inform the discussion of the particular works chosen by the student.

 

If the student selects the oral option, the presentation will be scheduled during end-of-semester juries. At least two representatives from the graduate keyboard faculty will adjudicate the oral presentation. The session should last approximately 20 minutes with some extra time for questions from the faculty members following the presentation. Students can perform small sections of the work if germane to their discussion. Lecture notes with cited sources for information should be submitted to the keyboard office no later than ten days before juries.

 

The written document, if chosen, should be a research-quality paper of approximately 10 pages, double-spaced, and include appropriate references. This should be submitted to the keyboard department office no later than April 1 for a May graduation, or November 15 for a January graduation. At least two graduate faculty members from the keyboard department will read the paper and confer about the final decision. Students must follow the guidelines for academic honesty found in the Graduate Bulletin.

 

Each reader will grade the project as either “pass” or “fail.” If the student fails, he or she will not be allowed to graduate at the end of that semester.  Another document may be submitted after suggestions for improvement by the keyboard department faculty, or another oral presentation will be arranged and graded as before. If the student fails a second time, he or she will be dismissed from the degree program.

 

* Students enrolled in programs without a recital requirement, such as Opera Coaching and Accompanying can choose two contrasting works studied with their assigned studio teacher.

 

 

VOICE AND OPERA

 

The Voice and Opera program requires a one-hour comprehensive examination in music literature and theory. A list of 100 musical works of the standard literature from the Middle Ages through the 20th century is made available to the student when admitted to the College. This examination should be taken in the penultimate term of study. The list is intended as an aid to preparation for the examination.

The examination is in three parts: identification of specific selections from a list of 100 works, identification of a "mystery" selection, and score analysis. Two graduate faculty members grade the examination.

Students must pass all three sections. A score of 70% or better must be achieved in the identification section, and a "pass" or "weak pass" must be achieved in the "mystery" selection and the score analysis section.

The examination is administered approximately ten times each year. Students notify Michelle Pugliese at 215.204.7609 no later than one week prior to the requested examination administration date. For examination dates, see the Graduate Music Examination Schedule page on Boyer's website.

 

 

 

MUSIC EDUCATION

 

All Master of Music and Master of Education students must take a Comprehensive Oral Review and complete one of the following additional requirements: Final Written Project and Oral Defense, Thesis and Oral Defense, or 9 semester hours of additional coursework. The choice of the additional requirement must be discussed with the academic advisor and declared no later than the second semester of study.

 

All Master of Music and Master of Education students must complete the Comprehensive Oral Review. If a thesis or written project is chosen, then the review is part of the Oral Defense. The student will be asked to make application of coursework materials to concepts covered in the final project. The defense examining committee presides and evaluates.

 

Students choosing additional coursework must schedule the Comprehensive Oral Review with the Music Education faculty in the last semester of study. In this case, at least two faculty members administer and evaluate. Students are expected to answer questions concerning issues and ideas covered in coursework.

 

 

Music Studies Programs

 

MUSIC COMPOSITION

 

The Music Composition Division requires a five-hour written examination that includes the composition of a fugal exposition on a subject provided, the composition of a figured bass, the reduction, analysis and identification of a passage from an orchestral work (provided) and two essays about the history and practice of composition. In addition, the division administers a one-hour oral examination consisting of discussion and identification of various orchestral scores.

 

Scheduled by Michelle Pugliese, graded by two members of the department’s graduate faculty.

 

MUSIC HISTORY

 

The Music History Divison requires a four-hour written examination that tests the student’s knowledge of music history, styles, and literature. Score identification forms part of the examination.

 

Scheduled by Michelle Pugliese, graded by two members of the department’s graduate faculty.

 

 

MUSIC THEORY

 

The Music Theory Division requires a four-hour written examination that includes a list of terms to identify, a list of music theorists to describe and explain to demonstrate the student’s knowledge of the history of theory. The examination also includes an extended essay, and an analysis of a work provided.

 

Scheduled by Michelle Pugliese, graded by two members of the department’s graduate faculty.

 

 

GRADUATE EXAM IN MUSIC LITERATURE

 

This exit exam is given only to Master of Music students majoring in Voice and Opera Performance.

All other Master of Music degree students as well as Master of Music Therapy, Master of Fine Arts in Dance, and Master of Education in Dance majors do not take this exam.

The exam is in three parts. The first is the listening portion which consists of 20 selections from the 100 Listening List. Each example is played for approximately 1 minute, and is played twice. You are required to name the composer and the piece (the list is provided).

The second portion is a mystery example which is not on the 100 listening list. It is played for approximately 2 minutes and is played twice. You are required to name the composer and the piece. If you do not know one or both, you are required to give an educated guess.

The third portion is the score analysis portion. You are given a single page from each of 3 scores, and asked to identify the composer and the piece of 2 of the 3 scores, based on your reading of the scores. If you do not know one or both, you are asked to give an educated guess based on your reading of the score; i.e. its melodies, harmonies, orchestration/ instrumentation, etc.

 

The total time for the exam is approximately 1.5 hours.

Included here is the Listening List of 100 works. This exam is an exit exam which is typically taken in the penultimate or final semester of a master's degree.