Audition and Placement Preparation Master of Arts in Church Music School of Church Music Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary During orientation, each student entering the School of Church Music will participate in auditions and placement examinations as well as advising. The following information is designed to help students prepare for those auditions and examinations. Master of Arts in Church Music students are required to audition in piano and voice as well as for ensembles and their chosen applied area (composition, instrument, organ, piano, or voice). Students with prior college-level music study should take any related auditions or placement examinations to validate prior study for purposes of transferring credit. Students desiring Advanced Standing with Credit in music theory should take the music theory placement examination, which includes ear training, and the sight singing audition. The information is organized as follows: Auditions Required of All M.A.C.M. Students Piano Voice Ensembles Auditions for Applied Area (select one) Composition Instrumental Studies Organ Piano Voice Optional Auditions to Verify Transfer Credit or for Advanced Standing with Credit Conducting Music History Music Theory Optional Examinations for Advanced Standing Church Music
2 Auditions Required of All M.A.C.M. Students PIANO All students are required to attend the piano audition. A student may either attempt the Piano Proficiency or demonstrate their general level of proficiency in selected areas in order to determine placement. A student with no previous keyboard study is not required to play at the audition, but must still meet with the keyboard faculty to be assigned to the appropriate course number. Each student must demonstrate an acceptable level of piano proficiency before being allowed to graduate. To satisfy the Piano Proficiency (PIACL 4870), the student must: 1. Sightread an SATB open score in chorale style (one may practice by reading four-part anthems). 2. Play all major scales, their arpeggios, and all white-tonic minors (harmonic and melodic) and their arpeggios, in two octaves, with the correct fingering. 3. Play a I IV I 6 4 V I cadence in all positions in all major keys and white-tonic minors. 4. Transpose at sight a single part of any hymn up or down a step. 5. Supply at sight a simple chordal accompaniment to a melody using I, IV, and V chords. 6. Play from memory two hymns from the Baptist Hymnal (any edition) and one Bach chorale from an edition of the collected chorales. 7. Play from memory a polyphonic piece about the level of pieces in the Little Preludes of J. S. Bach and a homophonic piece, such as a simple sonata or sonatina movement from the standard literature. 8. Demonstrate the ability to play from a lead sheet by playing one of the two praise songs included at the end of this document. The student who has prepared thoroughly may take the proficiency examination at the audition. Students are not to attempt this option unless all items on the exam are prepared. Those students not prepared for the proficiency will either be granted permission to prepare for it independently or assigned the appropriate level of review study in piano lessons based on the audition. If a student is allowed to prepare independently, the proficiency examination must be taken during the first semester of study. Students requiring Piano Review must register for the appropriate section until the Piano Proficiency is passed. The Piano Proficiency must be passed before a student is eligible to register for Comprehensive Examinations.
3 VOICE All students are required to sing for the voice audition. Students with previous vocal training should sing art songs or arias. Students with no vocal training may sing a solo song or hymn. An accompanist will be provided. Each student must demonstrate an acceptable level of voice proficiency before being allowed to graduate. In addition, four credit hours of voice instruction must appear on the student s transcript. To satisfy the Voice Proficiency (VOICL 4970), the student will perform two memorized songs representative of the student s highest level of study, demonstrating vocal and musical ability and achievement. This performance will be evaluated in terms of the following criteria: 1. Accuracy of pitch and rhythm 2. Acceptable singing quality 3. Clear diction 4. Variety of tone color and dynamic range 5. Musical sensitivity If fully prepared to do so, the student may pass the Voice Proficiency at the time of the audition. Students who have voice on their transcript but are not prepared for the Voice Proficiency may make arrangements to take the Voice Proficiency during juries at the conclusion of their first semester. Students with no vocal study on their transcript will be required to take VOICL 1912 Class Voice I and VOICL 1922 Class Voice II. The successful completion of the class voice requirement will satisfy the Voice Proficiency. The Voice Proficiency must be passed before a student is eligible to register for Comprehensive Examinations. ENSEMBLES Students must audition for the ensembles in which they would like to participate, whether enrolling for degree credit or not. Ensembles include: Chapel Orchestra Combo Lab Guitar Ensemble NewSound Orchestra Southwestern Chamber Chorale Southwestern Master Chorale Southwestern Singers String Ensemble Wind Ensemble
4 Auditions for Applied Area (select one) Each M.A.C.M. student must select an applied area in composition, instrumental studies, organ, piano, or voice and receive the approval of the department of the proposed applied area based on an audition. A student with undergraduate credit in their applied area may qualify for transfer credit based on their audition. COMPOSITION The student must meet with the chair of the Composition and Theory Department during orientation for an interview and should be prepared to demonstrate evidence of compositional activity or aptitude. Students begin applied composition lessons their third semester pending department approval. The first two semesters the student will take applied lessons in instrument, organ, piano, or voice. INSTRUMENTAL STUDIES The student should perform at least two contrasting pieces, etudes, or collection of orchestral passages demonstrating their ability to perform at a college undergraduate level. Accompanists are optional and are the responsibility of the student. Sightreading may also be required. ORGAN The student must exhibit enough skill for the organ faculty to foresee that they will be able to complete an organ senior recital by the end of the sixth semester of organ study. To that end, the student should prepare two organ pieces of the most advanced literature they have studied. If the student has had no study on the organ, they should prepare two piano pieces of the most advanced literature they have studied. The student should also be prepared to share their vision of how they intend to use their organ skills after graduation. PIANO The student must exhibit enough skill for the piano faculty to foresee that they will be able to complete a fifty-minute piano recital by the end of the sixth semester of piano study. To that end, the student should prepare two pieces of the most advanced literature they have studied. It would be helpful if at least one of the pieces has been memorized. The student should also be prepared to share their vision of how they intend to use their piano skills after graduation. VOICE The student with previous vocal training should sing two art songs or arias at their highest level of performance. A student with no previous voice study may choose to sing a hymn to establish the ability to undertake voice study.
5 Optional Auditions and Examinations to Verify Transfer Credit or for Advanced Standing with Credit Those students who wish to verify transfer credit for undergraduate work may take any of the auditions and exams below during orientation of their initial semester. If the audition or exam is not passed, the student will take the relevant course(s) on the M.A.C.M. degree plan. These auditions and exams may not be retaken. The music theory exams may also be taken for Advanced Standing with Credit without an equivalent undergraduate course on the transcript. CONDUCTING (Verify Transfer Credit Only) To complete the conducting audition successfully, the student must exhibit an overall coordination of the physical conducting gestures necessary to express all meter signatures (both symmetrical and asymmetrical) and all mechanics inherent in expression of the elements of music. A student must be able to: 1. Demonstrate a skillful coordination of the right hand and arm to conduct the traditional rhythmic meter designs of: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, and twelve beats per measure; 2. Demonstrate a skillful gesture to conduct all subdivisions of basic meter designs as well as the ability to meld smoothly from one beat design to another and from non-divided beats to subdivision and the reverse; 3. Demonstrate the ability to achieve through the conducting gesture a precise initial attack on any pulse or anacrusis of all meter designs; 4. Demonstrate the ability to achieve through the conducting gesture a precise release on any pulse or anacrusis of all meter designs; 5. Demonstrate a coordinated gesture to achieve with the right hand and arm any expressive element; 6. Demonstrate the effective cueing of any part on any pulse in any meter design; and, 7. Demonstrate a coordinated flow of the left hand and arm, either intermittent or continuous, to achieve all of the above mechanics in sympathy with the right hand and arm.
6 MUSIC HISTORY (Verify Transfer Credit Only) In the area of music history, students must demonstrate knowledge of the following: 1. characteristics of each period in music history 2. representative composers and their works from each period 3. appropriate musical terminology of forms, genres, and techniques MUSIC THEORY (Verify Transfer Credit or Advanced Standing with Credit) In music theory, students will be examined in the following areas: 1. Harmony 2. Ear Training 3. Sight Singing Optional Examinations for Advanced Standing CHURCH MUSIC Students have the opportunity to qualify for advanced standing in each of the following areas of church music if they have completed an equivalent course on the undergraduate level and pass an examination verifying mastery of that subject: 1. Congregational Song 2. Philosophy in Ministry 3. Worship Advanced standing examinations are offered during orientation and may be taken during the initial orientation period or during a later one. Students should not delay, however, in either qualifying for advanced standing or taking the appropriate class. Advanced standing allows the student to substitute a course in the area of church music but does not decrease the number of hours required for the degree.
7 Appendix Piano Proficiency Praise Songs Play one of the two praise songs below, playing only the chords (not the melody), one chord per beat.