Music, HTCC Option, B.A.

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The BA in Music offers students the opportunity to study music performance, history, theory, criticism, ethnomusicology, composition, and conducting. Students declaring a major in music must select one of two options: Music Performance or Musicology/HTCC (History, Theory, Criticism and Composition (HTCC) or. All majors must complete a series of basic requirements as well as additional requirements based on their chosen option. An audition is required for admission to the Music Performance Option (see details below).

Audition Requirements: The BA in Music with the Option in Music Performance is intended for students who wish to pursue instrumental or vocal performance studies within the context of a liberal arts degree. Students may major in Piano, Voice, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone, Bassoon, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double bass, or Percussion Entrance to the Music Performance Option is by audition as follows:

Performance Option-Voice: three contrasting, memorized art songs, including one in a foreign language, that demonstrate classical singing technique at NYSSMA Level VI; applicants also may be requested to sight read; résumé. (Geneseo will provide an accompanist.)

Performance Option-Piano: three contrasting, memorized selections from different time periods, equivalent in difficulty to NYSSMA Level V or VI or Federation Level Very Difficult I; applicants also may be requested to play scales and arpeggios, and sight read; résumé.

Performance Option-Brass, Strings, or Winds: three contrasting selections equivalent in difficulty to NYSSMA Level VI; applicants also may be requested to play scales and arpeggios, and sight read; résumé.

Performance Option-Percussion: three selections equivalent in difficulty to NYSSMA Level VI, one on snare, one on timpani, one on a melodic instrument; applicants also may be requested to tune timpani, play scales and arpeggios on a melodic instrument, and sight read; résumé.

Total Credits in Major Required for Graduation: 46

Basic Requirements (25 Credit Hours)

MUSC 139 - Piano A Credit(s): 1
MUSC 140 - Piano B Credit(s): 1
MUSC 189 - Music A Credit(s): 3
MUSC 190 - Music B Credit(s): 3
MUSC 213 - Musicianship Practicum Credit(s): 2
MUSC 226 - F/Music in Western Civilization to 1750 Credit(s): 3
MUSC 227 - F/Music in Western Civilization Since 1750 Credit(s): 3
MUSC 236 - Music Analysis I: Analytical Models of Musical Form Credit(s): 3
MUSC 237 - Music Analysis II: Analytical Models of Harmony and Chromaticism Credit(s): 3
MUSC 311 - Twentieth-Century Music Credit(s): 3

Option Requirements (21 Credit Hours)

Music History, Theory, Criticism and Composition (HTCC) Option

MUSC 232 - F/Folk Music in America Credit(s): 3
or
MUSC 233 - Introduction to Ethnomusicology Credit(s): 3
MUSC 439 - Portfolio Review Credit(s): 2

One 300-level non-western/non-canonic elective chosen from:

MUSC 334 - Music and Film Credit(s): 3
MUSC 337 - Music, Race, and Ethnicity Credit(s): 3
MUSC 338 - Folk Music in New York State Credit(s): 3
MUSC 339 - Folk and Popular Music Studies Credit(s): 3

Electives chosen from (13 Credit Hours)

3-credit Courses in History, Theory, and Criticism

MUSC 315 - Theory, Criticism, and Modes of Analysis) Credit(s): 3
MUSC 331 - Studies in Keyboard Literature: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3
MUSC 333 - Studies in Vocal Literature: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3
MUSC 334 - Music and Film Credit(s): 3
MUSC 335 - Studies in Instrumental Literature: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3
MUSC 336 - Music, Gender, and Sexuality Credit(s): 3
MUSC 337 - Music, Race, and Ethnicity Credit(s): 3
MUSC 338 - Folk Music in New York State Credit(s): 3
MUSC 339 - Folk and Popular Music Studies Credit(s): 3

2-credit Practicum Tutorials in Harmony, Composition, and Conducting

MUSC 256 - Harmony I Credit(s): 2
MUSC 257 - Harmony II Credit(s): 2
MUSC 306 - Counterpoint I Credit(s): 2
MUSC 307 - Counterpoint II Credit(s): 2
MUSC 317 - Orchestration Credit(s): 2
MUSC 346 - Jazz Harmony and Improvisation I Credit(s): 2
MUSC 347 - Jazz Harmony and Improvisation II Credit(s): 2
MUSC 356 - Composition I Credit(s): 2
MUSC 357 - Composition II Credit(s): 2
MUSC 365 - Conducting I Credit(s): 2
MUSC 366 - Conducting II Credit(s): 2

Additional Requirements

Elective Requirement: In addition to the courses above, the following may also fulfill the elective requirement

A maximum of 3 credits of MUSC 160 or MUSC 165 Performance Organization;
A maximum of 3 credits of MUSC 240 or MUSC 340 Piano or Applied Study;
One, 3-credit course in a humanities or social science discipline outside of music at the 300-level or higher with an emphasis on theory, subject to department approval.

Juries and Recital Requirement

Jury examination each semester in the Music Performance Option;
Performance in a Friday afternoon recital each semester in the Music Performance Option or in some other public, faculty-sponsored event approved by the principal instructor;
Solo performance of approximately one-half hour in a shared Junior Recital.

Minimum Competency Requirement

A grade of C- or better is required for all major requirements, including all required coursework and electives. For the Music Performance Option, a grade of C- or better is required for all major requirements, including all general and performance option coursework; all performance organization requirements; all juries and the junior recital.

Department Writing Requirement

Each of the following courses includes a writing assignment in formal prose of about ten pages in length, following one of three approaches - analytical, historical, or a combination of these: MUSC 311 , MUSC 315 , MUSC 331 , MUSC 333 , MUSC 334 , MUSC 335 , MUSC 336 , MUSC 337 , MUSC 338 , and MUSC 339 . The organization of each paper should be clear, the writing appropriately literary, and grammatically and syntactically correct. The ideas should present a logical argument, as suggested by an earlier outline. The paper should be typed and doubled-spaced, with page numbers and one-inch margins. All sources consulted should be cited in a consistent manner in footnotes and a complete bibliography, following the standard format described in The Chicago Manual of Style or Kate Turabian’s Manual for Writers. It is the music historian’s responsibility to oversee the implementation of the writing requirement and to enforce a fair and equal standard for all papers submitted.

Students who plan to attend graduate school are strongly advised to complete two years of foreign language study

Outline/Advising Guide

First Year

Fall (16 Credit Hours)

MUSC 139 - Piano A Credit(s): 1 *
MUSC 189 - Music A Credit(s): 3
INTD 105 - Writing Seminar: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3
or
F/ Credit(s): 3
S/ Credit(s): 3
Foreign Language Credit(s): 3
R/ Credit(s): 3

Spring (16 Credit Hours)

MUSC 140 - Piano B Credit(s): 1 *
MUSC 190 - Music B Credit(s): 3
F/ Credit(s): 3
or
INTD 105 - Writing Seminar: (subtitle) Credit(s): 3
S/ Credit(s): 3
Foreign Language Credit(s): 3
U/ Credit(s): 3

Second Year

Fall (16 Credit Hours)

MUSC 226 - F/Music in Western Civilization to 1750 Credit(s): 3
MUSC 236 - Music Analysis I: Analytical Models of Musical Form Credit(s): 3
MUSC 232 - F/Folk Music in America Credit(s): 3
or
MUSC 233 - Introduction to Ethnomusicology Credit(s): 3
MUSC 213 - Musicianship Practicum Credit(s): 2
Foreign Language Credit(s): 3
HUMN 220 - W/H/Western Humanities I Credit(s): 4
or
HUMN 221 - W/H/Western Humanities II Credit(s): 4

Spring (13 Credit Hours)

MUSC 227 - F/Music in Western Civilization Since 1750 Credit(s): 3
MUSC 237 - Music Analysis II: Analytical Models of Harmony and Chromaticism Credit(s): 3
M/ Credit(s): 3
N/ Credit(s): 4

Third Year

Fall (14 Credit Hours)

MUSC 311 - Twentieth-Century Music Credit(s): 3
Elective in MUSC Credit(s): 3
N/ Credit(s): 4
Electives Credit(s): 4

Spring (15 Credit Hours)

Elective in MUSC Credit(s): 5
Electives Credit(s): 6
Electives Credit(s): 4

Fourth Year

Fall (15 Credit Hours)

Electives or M/ Credit(s): 5
Electives Credit(s): 10

Spring (15 Credit Hours)

MUSC 429 Credit(s): 2
Electives in MUSC Credit(s): 3
Electives Credit(s): 10

Total Credit Hours: 120

*Prospective majors are strongly encouraged to take MUSC 139 and MUSC 140 in their first year of study and in conjunction with MUSC 189 and MUSC 190 .