Mar 28, 2024  
2019-20 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2019-20 Graduate Bulletin ARCHIVED

School of Music


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Gary Wurtz, director
Scott LaGraff, associate director for graduate studies
Wright Music Building, Room 150
Phone: (936) 468-4602
Fax: (936) 468-5810
gwurtz@sfasu.edu
music.sfasu.edu

Graduate programs in music lead to the Master of Music with tracks in performance, conducting, music education and theory-composition. They are intended to further the development of professional competency, critical thinking and intellectual maturity. Five concentrations are available in the performance track: collaborative piano, keyboard, orchestral instrument, pedagogy and voice. Three concentrations are available in the conducting track: band, choral and orchestral. Four concentrations are available in the music education track: choral, instrumental, elementary/general music and conducting. Three concentrations are available in the theory-composition track: theory, composition or theory-composition (dual track). As of fall 2019, all tracks are 36-hour programs. The music education track can be taken with or without a thesis. The theory-composition track requires a thesis.

To help students who cannot attend class on the SFA campus regularly, many of the required courses are available over the internet. This includes all of the courses needed to complete the general music core and all courses in the music education sequence. Both the elementary/general and the instrumental concentrations in the music education track can be completed entirely via the internet. All three concentrations within the theory-composition track also are available online.

Graduate Faculty

Professors

  • Mario Ajero, Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, Class Piano, Pedagogy
  • Christopher Ayer, D.M.A., University of Cincinnati Conservatory, Clarinet
  • Richard A. Berry, D.M.A., Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Voice, Pedagogy
  • David Campo, D.M.A., University of Oklahoma, Band, Conducting
  • Jennifer Dalmas, D.M., Florida State University, Violin, Viola
  • Charles Gavin, D.M.A., University of Iowa, Horn
  • Christina Guenther, D.M., Florida State University, Flute
  • Scott LaGraff, D.M.A., Louisiana State University, Voice
  • Stephen Lias, D.M.A., Louisiana State University, Theory, Composition
  • Nathan Nabb, D.M., Northwestern University, Saxophone
  • Andrew Parr, D.M.A., Yale University, Piano
  • Ronald Petti, D.M., Florida State University, Accompanying
  • Debra Scott, D.M.A., University of North Texas, Trombone
  • Gary T. Wurtz. D.M.A., University of North Texas, Trumpet

Associate Professors

  • Deborah A. Dalton, D.M.A., University of Texas, Voice, Opera
  • Lee Goodhew, D.M.A., Michigan State University, Bassoon
  • Michael Murphy, Ph.D., Florida State University, Choir, Conducting and Music Education
  • J.D. Salas, D.M.A., University of Kentucky, Tuba, Euphonium
  • Jamie Weaver, Ph.D., University of Oregon, Musicology

Assistant Professors

  • Alex Amato, Ph.D., University of North Texas, Theory
  • Tamey Anglley, D.M.A., Texas Tech University, Band
  • Tod Fish, D.M.A., University of Kansas, Choir
  • Gregory Grabowski, D.M.A., University of North Texas, Orchestra
  • Samantha Inman, Ph.D., Eastman School of Music, Music Theory
  • Brad Meyer, D.M.A., University of Kentucky, Percussion
  • Chris Turner, D.M.A., Louisiana State University, Voice
  • Jacob Walburn, D.M.A., University of Illinois, Trumpet

Instructor

  • Chris Kaatz, M.M., Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri at Kansas City, Band

Lecturers

  • Debbie Berry, M.A., Stephen F. Austin State University, Voice
  • Nita Hudson, M.M., Stephen F. Austin State University, Voice, Opera
  • Kirsten Nelson, D.M.A., University of Georgia, Theory

Adjunct

  • Danny Chapa, D.M.A., University of North Texas, Low Brass
  • Carlos Gaviria, M.M., University of North Texas, Music Theory, Bass
  • Lawrence Greer, M.M., Stephen F. Austin State University, Guitar
  • Christina Harmon, M.M., Southern Methodist University, Organ
  • Abby Yeakle Held, D.M.A. University of Cincinnati Conservatory
  • Evgeni Raychev, D.M., Florida State University, Cello

Staff Piano

  • Ping-Ting Lan, D.M.A., University of North Texas
  • James Pitts, D.M.A., University of North Texas

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate assistantships are awarded each year in the school to qualified students. All on-campus students with complete application materials for a fall semester will be considered for any available assistantships unless the applicant indicates otherwise. Applicants hoping to be considered for any available assistantships should meet the deadlines for priority consideration. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Online students are not eligible for assistantships. For information and applications, contact the associate director for graduate studies of the School of Music (graduatemusic@sfasu.edu) or consult the School of Music website.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the graduate degree program, students must satisfy general admission requirements shown elsewhere in this bulletin. The GRE is not required. All degree tracks require either an audition or an interview with the faculty member in the appropriate area. Students wishing to pursue the theory-composition track should be prepared to provide a portfolio of scores and recordings of their work.

All required documentation must be submitted electronically prior to any audition or interview. Full details are available at app.getacceptd.com/sfasumusic.

Requirements for each degree program are detailed below. Additional information and check sheets for each are available online.

Priority Consideration for Fall Admission

Jan. 5 - Priority Deadline for Documents

Applicants who submit all required documents, tests and recordings by this date will receive priority consideration for audition scheduling, scholarship awards, assistantships and admission placement.

March 15 - Priority Deadline for Auditions/Interviews

All auditions/interviews must be complete for priority consideration. Priority admission and assistantship decisions are usually made by early April.

Cutoff Date for Fall Admission

Although applications are accepted through July 15, there is no guarantee that positions will still be available. Applications that are not complete by July 15 will not be considered for fall admission.

Cutoff Date for Spring or Summer Admission

Students wishing to enter the Master of Music program at times other than the fall semester should apply as early as possible, but no later than Dec. 1 for spring or May 1 for all summer terms.

Comprehensive Examination

For non-thesis students in the Master of Music program, a comprehensive examination must be taken in the final semester. The comprehensive examination covers standard knowledge in music theory, history and the student’s concentration of study. Although this examination is written, deficiencies may be remediated by whatever action the examining professor deems necessary (project, oral examination, paper, etc.) For M.M. students writing theses, the thesis defense will serve as the comprehensive exam. The Performing Artist Certificate does not require a comprehensive exam or a thesis.

Individual Study Courses

A maximum of 6 semester hours of individual study courses (MUS 575  or MUS 576 ) may be applied toward the degree without special permission from the director and the dean of the College of Fine Arts.

Requirements

In addition to meeting general degree requirements shown elsewhere in this bulletin, a music major must complete the following school requirements:

Theory

All graduate students must take the graduate placement exam in music theory before registering for their first term of classes. Students who pass are eligible to register for graduate-level theory coursework. Students who do not pass the placement exam must enroll in MTC 401 - Theory Review and successfully complete the course with at least a B before registering in graduate-level theory courses.

Students are encouraged to enroll in MTC 561  - Introduction to Graduate Music Theory as early as possible in their course of study, preferably as their first theory course. MTC 561  is a prerequisite to MTC 565  - Schenkerian Theory.

Music History/Literature

All graduate students must take the graduate placement exam in music history before registering for their first term of classes. Students who pass are eligible to register for graduate-level history coursework. Students who do not pass the placement exam must complete prescribed remediation assignments before registering for graduate-level history courses, with the exception of MHL 531  - Music Bibliography.

Students are encouraged to enroll in MHL 531  as early as possible in their course of study. MHL 531  must be taken prior to or concurrently with a student’s enrollment in other music history courses.

Programs

    MajorCertification

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