Ensemble Policies

Some ensembles may require an audition or permission of instructor to enroll. Students should contact individual ensemble directors for details.

Students with scholarship awards may be assigned participation in ensembles beyond the minimum required by their degree. The primary ensemble directors, in consultation with the deans, determine appropriate ensemble workloads for those receiving music scholarships.

All music majors are limited to participating in three ensembles per semester. In exceptional circumstances, a student wishing to participate in one additional (fourth) ensemble could petition the dean's office for permission to do so. In order for the petition to be considered, the student must have a grade point average at 3.0 or higher.

Chamber Music (MUSE 331)

A chamber music ensemble is a small, non-conducted student ensemble with two or more participants. Part of the experience of MUSE 331 is that of the students thinking in an entrepreneurial way as they form their own ensembles. The Chamber Music Coordinator and other faculty are available for consultation and help. All chamber music ensembles must be approved by the Chamber Music Coordinator. Students should form these ensembles many weeks before the actual semester starts so they can secure the needed peers, and so the faculty can plan time for weekly coaching sessions (see details below). Students bear the primary responsibility for obtaining a faculty member to coach them; however, the final assignment of the faculty coach is made by the Chamber Music Coordinator with the approval of the School of Music Assistant Deans. At the start of the semester of chamber music class, a weekly schedule must be established and overseen by the faculty coach. All university course policies apply to MUSE 331, including add/drop deadlines, hourly workload requirements, and grading. Each group enrolled in MUSE 331 is required to perform in a chamber music concert at the end of the semester.

The Process for Creating and Registering for Chamber Music (MUSE 331)

Each semester, prior to the registration period for the following semester, the Chamber Music Coordinator sends out a call for Chamber Ensemble Applications. Individual student-applicants, partial ensembles, and full ensembles are all encouraged to apply. The application deadline is set for the day after the last registration date. During the registration period, chamber music courses are closed to registration so that the students cannot add the course themselves. Following the application deadline, the Chamber Music Coordinator establishes a spreadsheet of all ensembles, filling in missing players as needed, and finalizes faculty coach assignments. The Coordinator then discusses the credit loads of students and work loads of faculty with Assistant Deans. Upon final approval, the Dean’s Office registers students for their respective sections of MUSE 331.

Extra-Curricular Ensembles

Students are free to form extra-curricular ensembles if rehearsals and performances do not conflict with curricular activities. Limited and responsible use of Music School facilities is available to such groups where such a conflict does not exist. In no case are the rehearsal halls (Tinsley Hall - Presser or Feasel Hall - McMahan) to be used for rehearsals of extra-curricular ensembles without permission from the Music Office.