Music, B.A.

Universal Curriculum Requirements

To be awarded a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, students are required to complete universal curriculum requirements in addition to the program requirements provided below. The school universal curriculum requirements can be found on the school Degree Programs page .

Requirements for Major

This program approaches the study of music as one of the liberal arts. This means that students develop their understanding of music through critical studies in music and sound (which includes cultural studies, aesthetics, musicology, and ethnomusicology), theory and analysis, composition and creative technology, and development of skills in musicianship and performance in a range of possible genres and styles.

To fulfill the requirements for a major in music, a student must complete at least 32 credits of course work. Note that a student may not use the same course to satisfy more than one requirement. For example, a student may use MUSI 4710 Instrumental Conducting to satisfy either an elective requirement or the performance requirement, but not both. No course receiving a grade lower than C- will count toward major requirements.

Though students can complete the music major in their final two years of college, it is good to begin taking major-level courses earlier. Most 3000-level MUSI courses have minimal prerequisites and thus are suitable as introductory major-level courses.

Students planning careers in music should try to complete at least 12 credits of advanced departmental course work beyond the minimum major requirements, choosing these courses in careful consultation with the major advisor. In addition, advanced performing students should perform a full recital or comparable performance in their genre in their fourth year.

Eligible students may apply for a Performance Concentration for their third and fourth years. Successful applicants must already be taking, or be eligible to take, lessons at the 3000 level, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0. In addition to the requirements for the BA in Music, students in the Performance Concentration must take 21 additional credits in advanced musical performance.

The Distinguished Major Project in Music allows outstanding music majors to work on large-scale projects during their last two semesters at the University, such as a recital, a thesis, a composition or some combination of these. Students take three credits of independent study each semester (these do not count towards the 32-credit Major). Students completing projects may receive the B.A. with Distinction, High Distinction, or Highest Distinction in Music, provided the cumulative university GPA at graduation is 3.4 or above.

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences, whether music majors or not, may apply up to 16 performance credits in music, of which 8 credits must be drawn from 3000-level courses and above, toward the 120 credits required for graduation from the College. In addition, students completing Distinguished Major Projects in Music may earn an additional 4 performance credits, potentially counting 20 credits toward graduation.

Performance Concentration

The Concentration in Music Performance is a credential, recorded on the transcript, recognizing significant accomplishment in musical performance by majors in the McIntire Department of Music. Admission to the Performance Concentration is by audition. The program serves students who are interested in developing their instrumental or vocal performance skills beyond the level required for the B.A. in Music. DMP students and College Arts Scholars may also earn the Performance

Music majors who study with our performance faculty will be eligible to audition for this Concentration. Areas include jazz, classical music, and select genres of non-Western, popular, and folk music.

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  The Following Courses are for Performance Concentration I-II

• MUPF 3950 - Performance Concentration I Credits: 2
• MUPF 3960 - Performance Concentration II Credits: 2
• For music majors enrolled in the Music Performance Concentration Program.
• Prerequisite: at least one semester of 2000-level study and a successful audition, normally to take place in the spring semester of the second year.
• One-hour weekly advanced lessons (13 per semester), and mandatory participation in the Performance Seminar; graded, 3 credits.
• Students at this level should make a time commitment to practicing appropriate to the demands of the Concentration Program, to be determined by the individual performance instructors.
• Students play a jury, i.e. a brief performance for a group of faculty, at the end of each semester, in addition to a 15-30-minute solo performance once per year as part of the Performance Seminar.

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  The Following Courses are for Performance Concentration III-IV:

• MUPF 4950 - Performance Concentration III Credits: 2
• MUPF 4960 - Performance Concentration IV Credits: 2
• For music majors enrolled in the Music Performance Concentration Program. Prerequisite: MUPF 3930 and MUPF 3940.
• One-hour weekly advanced lessons (13 per semester); mandatory participation in the Performance Seminar.
• For MUPF 4960, fourth-year recital. Graded, 3 credits.
• Students at this level should make a time commitment to practicing appropriate to the demands of the Concentration Program, to be determined by the individual performance instructors.
• Students play a jury, i.e. a brief performance for a group of faculty, at the end of each semester, in addition to a 15-30-minute solo performance once per year as part of the Performance Seminar, and a spring semester full recital.

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Program Eligibility and Application
The Concentration provides formal recognition for a few outstanding students who earn musical performance credits at an advanced level and with a coherent plan supervised by an assigned Concentration Advisor.

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Admission to the Concentration is based on application and audition. By the time of application (deadline announced in the spring semester), all applicants must have:

1. Completed at least one semester of private lessons (MUPF 2xxx, Performance)
2. Passed a successful jury to allow them to enroll in advanced lessons (MUPF 3xxx, Advanced Performance)
3. Declared the Music Major

Normally the application and audition process will take place during the spring semester of the second year, so that the students will be in the program in their third and fourth years. Certain talented students may be allowed to audition at the end of their first year in order to enter the program at the beginning of their second year.

Candidates must submit an application form [link], accompanied by a written recommendation and approval to audition from their primary private lesson instructor, ensemble director, or other faculty member (an e-mail from them is sufficient).

Auditions will be held in March. While audition requirements will vary according to instrument and style, the general requirement will be two or three contrasting pieces or movements from the standard solo repertoire. Consult the relevant private teacher for further details. The jury will consist of the members of the Performance Committee.

Upon review of the application and successful completion of the audition, the student will be admitted to the Concentration and assigned a Concentration Advisor.
Currently, admission is limited to five students per year.

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Program Requirements
The Concentration requires students to complete the 31 credits of the existing music major, and 21 additional credits in advanced musical performance. To earn the Performance Concentration credential, students must have a cumulative GPA at graduation of 3.0 or above, and a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in all credits applied to the Performance Concentration.

Distinguished Majors Program In Music

The Distinguished Majors Program allows outstanding music majors to work on large-scale projects during their last two semesters at the University. The project may consist of a thesis, a composition, or the performance of a full recital; a project that combines these components is also possible. 

Majors normally apply to the program during their sixth semester. After a preliminary discussion with the DUP, a student arranges supervision by a main advisor and another other committee member, and submits a proposal to the DUP. Each spring, the DUP announces detailed application procedures and a deadline.

Work on the Distinguished Majors project normally takes place through three credits of independent work in the last two semesters at the University. These credits do not count toward music major requirements. A student working on a thesis or composition normally takes the following course at 3 credits each:

• MUSI 4993 - Independent Study Credits: 1 to 3

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  A student preparing a recital normally takes honors-level private performance lessons at 2 credits each, such as the following courses:

• MUPF 4930 - Honors Performance Credits: 2

• Students preparing a recital typically take an academic independent study, at one or more credits each, pertinent to the recital program:

• MUPF 4940 - Honors Performance Credits: 2

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  Projects are due, at the latest, by the last day of classes in the second semester of work; a student’s committee may set an earlier date of completion. The committee evaluates the completed project and submits a report to the full-time faculty. Students completing projects may receive the B.A. with Distinction, High Distinction, or Highest Distinction in Music, provided the cumulative GPA at graduation is 3.4 or above (a CLAS rule).

  Any level of distinction is an unusual honor, showing strong Department admiration for a student’s work. The Department awards Highest Distinction only rarely.

Additional Information

For more information, contact Tina Knight, McIntire Department of Music, 112 Old Cabell Hall, P.O. Box 400176, Charlottesville, VA  22904-4176; (434) 924-3052; www.virginia.edu/music.