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Dear incoming Skidmore
student, Although you will not have to declare a major until late in your sophomore year, if you are considering the possibility of majoring in music you should begin planning now. It is particularly important that you begin your core courses immediately in order to keep all your music options open. If at all possible, you should register this fall for one of the theory courses, MU 241 (Materials and Structures of Western Music I) or MU 101 (Rudiments of Music). If you did not pre-register for either of these classes, you may still be able to add them; you should talk with your advisor or come to the Music Department. We give a diagnostic exam during the first class period of both MU 241 and MU 101 to determine which course is appropriate for you. Please click on the link for the diagnostic exam so you have an idea of what sort of material you will be tested on. Placing into MU 241 would be to your advantage, so if you have already had some theory, I would encourage you to brush up on these basic concepts before taking the test. Fluency with both bass & treble clefs is particularly essential. Your success as a musician will be enhanced if you develop a range of fundamental musical abilities in listening, in singing, and on the keyboard, . The Music Department offers courses designed to develop these skills: MU 107, MP 181, and MP 197. We encourage you to take advantage of these courses as early in your time at Skidmore as you can. There will be ensemble auditions scheduled during orientation period and during the first week of classes. Please check your orientation materials when you arrive for a schedule of these auditions. If you are interested in private lessons, you will need to contact the teacher in your performance area (see the list of contact people) as soon as possible during the first week of classes. If you cannot directly talk to the teacher, leave a note in their mailbox (Filene 215) with your name, telephone number, your schedule and some information about previous study. In many performance areas, there is an audition involved. Also, please note: there are additional fees for private instruction (check the section on private musical instruction in the catalog). Please be sure to discuss this with your parents because the fee for lessons will be billed separately from tuition and other fees. The Music Department has course offerings designed not only for music majors and minors, but also for non-majors. I would be happy to discuss these possibilities with you, and I look forward to meeting you during Orientation Week in September. Sincerely, Thomas A. Denny, Chair, Music |
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Summer 2007 |