School of Music

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 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, PhD, University of Oklahoma, Class Piano, Pedagogy
Christopher Ayer, DMA, University of Cincinnati Conservatory, Clarinet
Richard A. Berry, DMA, Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Voice, Pedagogy
Jennifer Dalmas, DM, Florida State University, Violin, Viola
Christina Guenther, DM, Florida State University, Flute
Scott LaGraff, DMA, Louisiana State University, Voice
Stephen Lias, DMA, Louisiana State University, Theory, Composition
Nathan Nabb, DM, Northwestern University, Saxophone
Ronald Petti, DM, Florida State University, Accompanying
Debra Scott, DMA, University of North Texas, Trombone
Gary T. Wurtz, DMA, University of North Texas, Trumpet

Associate Professors

Tamey Anglley, DMA, Texas Tech University, Band
Deborah A. Dalton, DMA, University of Texas, Voice, Opera
Tod Fish, DMA, University of Kansas, Choir
Michael Murphy, PhD, Florida State University, Choir, Conducting and Music Education
Brad Meyer, DMA, University of Kentucky, Percussion
J.D. Salas, DMA, University of Kentucky, Tuba, Euphonium
Jamie Weaver, PhD, University of Oregon, Musicology

Assistant Professors

Alex Amato, PhD, University of North Texas, Theory
Gregory Grabowski, DMA, University of North Texas, Orchestra
Samantha Inman, PhD, Eastman School of Music, Music Theory
Claire Murphy, MMEd, East Carolina University, Music Education
Chris Turner, DMA, Louisiana State University, Voice
Jacob Walburn, DMA, University of Illinois, Trumpet

Instructor

Chris Kaatz, MM, Conservatory of Music, University of Missouri at Kansas City, Band

Lecturers

Debbie Berry, MA, Stephen F. Austin State University, Voice
Carlos Gaviria, MM, University of North Texas, Music Theory, Bass
Nita Hudson, MM, Stephen F. Austin State University, Voice, Opera
Kirsten Nelson, DMA, University of Georgia, Theory
James Taylor, MFA, Stephen F. Austin State University

Adjunct

Lawrence Greer, MM, Stephen F. Austin State University, Guitar
Abby Yeakle Held, DMA, University of Cincinnati Conservatory, Oboe
Evgeni Raychev, DM, Florida State University, Cello
Ping-Ting Lan, DMA, University of North Texas

Staff Piano

Thomas Nixon, DMA, Arizona State University
James Pitts, DMA, 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(s) 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. 15 - 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 (MUSI 5175 or MUSI 5176 ) 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 MUTC 4101 and successfully complete the course with at least a B before registering in graduate-level theory courses.

Students are encouraged to enroll in MUTC 5361 - Introduction to Graduate Music Theory as early as possible in their course of study, preferably as their first theory course. MUTC 5361 is a prerequisite to MUTC 5365 - 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 enroll in MUMH 4101 - Graduate Music History Review and successfully complete the course with at least a B before registering for graduate-level history courses, with the exception of MUMH 5331 - Music Bibliography.

Students are encouraged to enroll in MUMH 5331 as early as possible in their course of study. MUMH 5331 must be taken prior to or concurrently with a student’s enrollment in other music history courses.

Programs

Program Overview

Music, MM

Major

Concentration/Emphasis

Certification

Performing Artist Certificate