School of Music

Gary Wurtz, director
Wright Music Building, Room 150
Phone: (936) 468-4602
Fax: (936) 468-5810
P.O. Box 13043, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, TX 75962
Web: music.sfasu.edu

Associate Directors

Scott LaGraff, Graduate Studies and Assessment
Nathan Nabb, Undergraduate Studies

Faculty

Professors
Mario Ajero, Christopher Ayer, Richard Berry, David Campo, Jennifer Dalmas, Charles Gavin, Christina Guenther, A.C. Himes, Scott LaGraff, Stephen Lias, Nathan Nabb, Andrew Parr, Ronald Petti, Deb Scott, Gary Wurtz

Associate Professors
Deborah Dalton, Lee Goodhew, Michael Murphy, Jorge Salas, Jamie Weaver

Assistant Professors
James Adams, Alex Amato, Tamey Anglley, Tod Fish, Samantha Inman, Kristin Lyman, Brad Meyer, Chris Turner, Jacob Walburn

Senior Lecturer
Kirsten Nelson

Lecturers
Debbie Berry, Nita Hudson, Nick Lambson, Herbert Midgley

Instructor
Christopher Kaatz

Adjuncts
Nicholas Bissen, Susanna Campbell, Danny Chapa, Joshua Coe, Vanessa Davis, James Faucett, Carlos Gaviria, Larry Greer, Christina Harmon, Abby Held, Ping Ting Lan, Alba Madrid, Katie McBain, Emily Milius, Melissa Nabb, Evgeni Raychev, Kayla Roth, Ben Tomlinson, Justin Wood

Staff Accompanists
Thomas Nixon, Hyun-Ji Oh, James Pitts

Piano Technician
Paco Morales

Visiting Director of Orchestral Studies
Pierre-Alain Chevalier

Areas of Study and Degrees

The School of Music offers degree programs for students interested in performance, composition, music education, pedagogy and sound recording technology. These programs can help students prepare for continuing graduate study or for careers in music business, music technology, church music, private studio teaching and many other allied fields.

Specifically, the school offers a Bachelor of Music in performance (with keyboard, keyboard pedagogy, orchestral instrument and voice concentrations), a Bachelor of Music in composition, a Bachelor of Music in sound recording technology, a Bachelor of Music with all-level teacher certification options, and a Bachelor of Music with all-level pre-certification options (with elementary, instrumental and choral/keyboard concentrations). The school also offers a 23-hour music minor program of study.

Objectives

The School of Music at SFA is committed to providing undergraduate and graduate curricula with a wide variety of musical experiences designed to prepare students to confidently begin or continue careers in music education, performance, sound recording technology and composition. Its goal is to graduate highly competent musicians, accomplished performers, sensitive artists and articulate musical leaders who clearly understand the value and role of music as part of our cultural heritage, our welfare and the very essence of human existence.

To this end, the School of Music is committed to attracting and retaining students and faculty of the highest quality and dedicated to the creation of an academic climate in which both may work and interact with broad creative freedom.

Furthermore, the School of Music is committed to broadening the musical experience and knowledge of the general student at the university and is dedicated to serving the university, community and region by enriching the quality of life through presentation of numerous concerts, recitals and other musical programs.

Transfer Students

All transfer students will enter in lower-division applied instruction (MUP 119 or MUP 129 ) unless approved for upper-division instruction through audition. Students should be prepared to supply a list of repertoire previously studied at the time of the placement audition.

In accordance with the “Field of Study Curriculum for Music” approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the School of Music will accept four semesters of ensemble, four semesters of applied study, four semesters of theory/aural skills and one semester of music literature from community colleges. The transfer of courses in vocal diction, instrumental methods or courses designed to promote keyboard competency will be evaluated on an individual basis as described in the “Field of Study” document. Students wishing to transfer additional courses in the three areas mentioned above should provide course syllabi and catalog descriptions of the courses in question. Finally, students wishing to transfer credits toward the recital attendance requirements at SFA must show:

satisfactory completion of the requirements on the student’s transcript
clear indications in course syllabi and/or catalog materials that the requirement has been fulfilled as part of another course
or a clear statement from the chair/director of the sending school as to the attendance requirement of the school and specifically how the requirements were satisfied by the student in question. A maximum of four semesters of recital attendance will be accepted from the sending school.

Students who transfer from an institution that had no recital attendance requirements will be required to enroll in MUP 100 - Recital Attendance, every semester they are enrolled at SFA until they pass seven times or they enroll in student teaching.

Ensembles

Each degree program has its own major ensemble requirements, which can be viewed on the degree check sheets that are available on the School of Music website. Vocal majors are required to participate in choir during each semester they are enrolled in applied instruction as a major. Keyboard majors in degree programs not designed for teacher certification must enroll in accompanying (MUP 138 ) instead of one of the major ensembles listed above. Chamber music ensembles (MUP 139 ) are available to qualified students through invitation or audition.

Recital Attendance

Frequently throughout the year, students, faculty and guest artists are presented in recitals by the School of Music and College of Fine Arts . These recitals are open to the public. Because performance and listening experiences constitute an area of major importance in the study of music, all music majors are required to enroll in MUP 100 for seven semesters with a minimum of 10 recitals and all convocations attended each semester. Music minors are required to enroll for two semesters in MUP 100 with a minimum of 10 recitals and all convocations attended each semester.

Degree/Time Requirements

All music degree programs require a minimum of 120 to 133 semester hours for graduation. For students in music education, it is possible to complete the degree program in eight semesters; however, nine semesters is more realistic unless students attend summer sessions or arrive with significant AP or dual credit hours. A minimum grade of C is required for the following courses in all degree programs: MTC 151 , MTC 152 , MTC 161 , MTC 162 , MTC 251 , MTC 252 , MTC 261 , MTC 262 ; MUP 101 , MUP 102 , MUP 201 , MUP 202 and MHL 245 . This requirement applies to comparable transfer hours and music minors as well.

Policy on Repeated Music Courses

Students who fail on their second attempt to pass or meet the minimum grade requirements (see above) for any music course required on the student’s degree program/plan (whether formally completed or implied):

will no longer be allowed to continue in courses restricted to music majors or minors (except applied study, which may be taken at the minor level if approved by the applied teacher)
but may continue in music courses open to non-majors under the same terms open to all students on campus.

Definition of Majors, Minors and Certificates

Majors
Students who wish to major in music must present evidence of talent and previous experience in music and must complete a satisfactory audition to enter the program. All entering music majors must register for recital attendance, music theory, aural skills, applied instruction and a major ensemble as required by their degree. Entering music majors (except keyboard majors) must also register for class piano, following a placement audition, until the successful completion of the keyboard proficiency exam.

Minors
The School of Music offers a minor in music that is complementary to many undergraduate majors. Students who wish to pursue a minor in music may pursue the program of study detailed below. Applied music auditions are required of all music minors.

Certificate
The School of Music offers a 30-hour certificate in piano pedagogy, designed for private teachers in the field who want to supplement or update their teaching skills or for students who wish to add this credential to their undergraduate degree program.

Programs

Concentration/Emphasis

Minor

Certification

Piano Pedagogy Certificate