Department of Music

Faculty and Fields of Interest

Douglas T Owens (Chairperson) music education

royal hartigan ethnomusicology, world music

Andrew J McWain jazz studies, theory, jazz piano

Marie Nelson music education, class piano

Jing Wang electronic music, theory, composition

Tianxu Zhou music history, university chorus, classical voice

Adjunct Faculty

Kwabena Boateng visiting artist, African music and dance

Richard Britto saxophone, jazz studies, ensembles

Wes Brown bass

Paul Cienniwa music history

Claude Cobert flute

Jamie Eckert percussion, percussion methods, percussion ensemble

Marcelle Gauvin jazz voice, vocal methods

I M Harjito visiting artist, gamelan

John Harrison III jazz piano, ensembles

James Hay staff accompanist

William F Kingsland Jr. low brass

Charlene Monte string methods

Michael Monte woodwind methods

Tobias Monte wind ensemble, conducting, brass methods

Christopher Poudrier drum set, ensembles

Will Riley classical guitar, music skills

Ilana Ringwald violin

James Robitaille jazz guitar

Rieko Tanaka piano, staff accompanist

The department offers a Bachelor of Arts in Music. The department is grounded in a vision of music making that fosters an understanding of its theoretical, historical and cultural contexts.

The Music program offers a comprehensive major that includes a core of music theory, technology, history, musicianship, performance and global studies. Students can gain additional focus through upper division courses offered in world music, jazz, music technology and music education; The program provides broad experience through performance and work with faculty, guest artists and composers as well as a focus on culturally-diverse music.

The Music Education licensure program is available for those students wishing to earn the license to teach music at the elementary and/or secondary levels. The program emphasizes the broad range of skills and competencies required for effective music educators, including supervised field experiences and student teaching. The Music Education program is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The Department of Music offers a minor in music that can be coupled with many majors offered at the university. Additional information is available about the music minor in the catalog or by calling the department office at 508-999-8568.

Musical expression is a key to understanding culture in both the contemporary world and past civilizations. As university music educators in a culturally-diverse world and nation, we have a mission to help our students achieve cultural, social and personal fluency among all peoples, in order that they may effectively understand and function within the forces of our global village.

Other Requirements and Information

Minimum Acceptable Course Grades

The Department of Music requires a minimum acceptable grade of C (2.000) in each music course that will be included in the fulfillment of the music major and minor requirements. Music Education Licensure students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75. (A GPA of 2.5 will qualify for probationary status.)

Performance Juries

Performance Juries are individual performance evaluations that demonstrate the outcomes of student work in applied studio instruction. Students seeking the Bachelor of Arts in Music and the Minor in Music are required to complete yearly performance juries. With the exception of students in the vocal studios and only in special cases as approved by the Department of Music Chair, one unaccompanied solo piece must be performed at the jury evaluation. This piece must be selected with the consultation and approval of the applied studio instructor. The studio instructor will sign a jury form indicating approval of the selection to be performed. The performance of a jury without the approval of the studio instructor will not be allowed.

As the performance juries are an assessment of individual student musicianship and are vital components toward determining the musical progress through the Bachelor of Arts/Music Degree program, students will not be allowed to perform juries in an ensemble setting.

A faculty jury panel will assess each student performance near the conclusion of each academic year. The panel is expected to perform the following duties:

· Determine the level of performance as presented by the student;
· Grade the performance pass/fail;
· Submit a written evaluation to be included in the official file of the student.

The performance jury is not required for those students that have successfully completed the senior recital. Those students electing to complete a recital during their junior year must complete a performance jury.

Students who fail the juried exam will be subject to internal Departmental probation and review by the faculty of the Department of Music. Such probation may be resolved by a successful follow-up juried performance during the following semester. Students who fail two consecutive juries will be dismissed from the program. Students are required to perform at the appropriate level of competence as established by the music faculty, and may perform required recitals only after attaining appropriate jury levels.

Senior Capstone Project

Each student is required to complete a senior project (0 credits) prior to graduation within a course taken in the senior year. This should take a form relevant to the course of study (performance, recital, composition, research document/thesis) and be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Study Abroad

Students are encouraged to pursue fieldwork study and research abroad in a culture relevant to the area of concentration. This work may fulfill specific course requirements with prior approval. All study abroad should be planned in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor and the music department chairperson.

Entrance to the Major

All candidates must pass an entrance audition and take a theory placement exam to determine their potential and background in music. Candidates are expected to have facility on their instrument and to have preparation in the fundamental concepts of music theory.