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Frequently Asked Questions
I want to major in economics/legal studies/premed or whatever. Can I still be involved in music? Students can apply to become double majors, with concentrations in music and in another area. Others choose to minor in music. The minor requires just six courses: three semesters of theory (two courses plus their associated half-credit labs), two semesters of history (two of the five courses in the history sequence), and one additional elective. Electives include performance, an additional history course, courses in jazz history or jazz improvisation, conducting, or composition, among others. University-sponsored ensembles (chamber music, chamber choir, chorus, orchestra, jazz ensemble, early music ensembles, wind and brass ensembles) are open to all members of the Brandeis community by audition. How do I get into the choir or orchestra? Entrance into all the ensembles is by auditions held at the beginning of the fall semester (and by arrangement in the beginning of the spring semester). As soon as you get to school, reserve a time on the audition sign-up sheets that are posted on the main bulletin board in Slosberg Music Center. Instrumentalists should prepare a short piece that demonstrates their technical level, singers should prepare a song or aria. More information on auditioning > Can I take ensemble for credit? Brandeis students may take up to four elective credits towards their degree. Ensembles can be taken as a half-credit course until the elective credit limit is reached. Once you reach your elective credit limit, you will register in the NON-CREDIT SECTION of your ensemble so that your participation in ensemble will continue to be documented in your transcript. How much do music lessons cost? Who teaches them? Lessons are taught either by members of the Brandeis faculty (including the Lydian String Quartet) or by members of Boston's large and talented community of professional musicians. Lessons at Brandeis cost $650 per semester (for 10 one-hour lessons) for non-majors; music majors pay $150 per semester. Additionally, there are scholarships available to qualified students that may cover some of the cost of lessons. Students audition at the beginning of the fall semester. Contact Mary Ruth Ray for information. Can I take lessons for credit? Yes! Students are encouraged to register for lessons (MUS 111a/b for instrumental lessons; MUS 112a/b for voice lessons). The courses are half-credit courses (one year of study is worth one semester course credit), and they have as a corequisite participation in a university-sponsored ensemble. The ensembles are also half-credit courses. Can ensembles or lessons for credit satisfy the Creative Arts elective requirement? Yes! Two semesters of ensemble or one semester of private lessons plus the co-requisite ensemble satisfy the Creative Arts requirement for your degree. Since two half-credit courses are required in this instance, you should contact the Registrar directly in order to count lessons/ensemble for Creative Arts credit. What does the music major consist of? Brandeis is a liberal arts university and offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in music; it is not a conservatory, nor a school of music, and doesn't offer a Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.). The major in music is broad-based, combining the study of history, theory, composition, and performance. The core of the program consists of the study of the theory (with associated labs that provide further training in the necessary musicianship skills) and history of Western music, with additional focus in one of four areas: composition, cultural studies, history, or performance. How do I choose a music major "track?" When declaring the music major (normally by end of the sophomore year), students will select one of four “tracks” – composition, cultural studies, history, or performance – from which their music electives are drawn. Music majors who want to focus on composition, cultural studies, or history need only sign up for that particular track. Music majors who want to focus especially on performance must audition for the Performance Track (open by audition to highly qualified undergraduates) and give solo recitals in the junior and senior years in addition to the other music requirements. Most music majors (regardless of which track they choose) are very active in performance activities during their whole time at Brandeis. In addition to numerous student recitals and performances of the University ensembles, the Department sponsors a professional concert series, featuring a World Music Series, the Lydian String Quartet and other well-known performers. Are there any courses that will teach me basic theory? The department offers a course in the Fundamentals of Music (notation, elementary theory, sight-singing), MUS 5a. This is the best place to start if you have little experience. If you have some background and if you are considering either a minor or a major in music, you should take MUS 101a, Theory I. There is a brief diagnostic test at the beginning of the semester given in the first class to determine placement. Does the department have courses for students who like music but don't have any background? Yes! The department offers several introductory courses - MUS la (Introduction to Music), MUS 2a (The Western Tradition as Seen through Chamber Music, taught by the Lydian String Quartet, that uses live performance of masterpieces of chamber music to introduce students to music), MUS 3b (Introduction to World Music), and MUS 31b (Music and Globalization). There are also a number of courses devoted to particular composers (Mozart, Bach and Handel, Beethoven), topics (opera, globalism, American music, jazz) or periods (Romanticism). These courses do not have prerequisites. Who can use the practice rooms in the Slosberg Music Center? All students may use the practice rooms in Slosberg; however, priority is given to music students taking lessons and/or participating in a University ensemble. A Brandeis ID card is required during evenings and weekends. Does the department offer graduate degrees? The Department offers three graduate degrees (a one-year M.A., a two-year M.F.A., and a Ph.D.) in musicology and in composition. Graduate courses are open to qualified undergraduates. For more information on Graduate Studies > Does Brandeis have an electronic music studio? The music department has a state-of-the-art electronic music studio (BEAMS, Brandeis Electro-Acoustic Music Studio), headed by Professor Eric Chasalow. |
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