University Catalog > College of Visual and Performing Arts > Music

Music

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• Faculty
• Applied Music Faculty
• Course Work
• Undergraduate Programs
  • Writing-Intensive Requirement
  • Music, BA
    • Degree Requirements
  • Music, BM
    • Concentration in Performance
    • Concentration in Music Education
    • Virginia Licensure (Certification) to Teach
    • Concentration in Music Education
      • Degree Requirements
      • Teacher Licensure (Certification)
  • Minor in Music
  • Minor in Jazz Studies
  • Interdisciplinary Minors
    • World Music
  • Professional Development Certificate in Piano Pedagogy
• Graduate Program
  • Music, MM
    • Admission Requirements
    • Diagnostic Entrance Examination
    • Foreign Language Examinations
    • Comprehensive Exit Examination
    • Degree Requirements
  • Artist Certificates
    • Artist Certificate in Piano Performance or Instrumental Performance
    • Artist Certificate in Vocal Performance
    • Semester Evaluations/Juries
    • Performance Expectations

Web: gmu.edu/departments/music
James Gardner, Chair
Performing Arts Building, A417
703-993-1380

Faculty

Professors: Burton (Heritage Chair in Music), Engebretson, J. Gardner (Chair), Maiello, Miller, Smith

Term Professor: Sternbach

Associate Professors: Billingham, Monson (Associate Chair)

Term Associate Professors: Casagrande, Rendler

Assistant Professors: Bergman, Bullard, Carroll, T. Owens

Adjuncts: Andronikova, Antosca, Balakerskaia, Beckwith, Behrend, Berkshire-Brown, Berger, Crabill, Dewey, Haroutounian, Hughes, Jononnott, Ker-Hackleman, Lapple, Maley, McCarthy, M. Owens, Souvorova, Simbulan, Taylor, Toth

Applied Music Faculty

Bassoon. Douglas Kehlenbrink, Adjunct Associate Professor. BS, Ball State University; MM, James Madison University. Former faculty member, James Madison University.

Cello. Robert Park, Adjunct Assistant Professor. BS, University of Maryland, College Park; MM, DMA, The Catholic University of America; principal cellist, U.S. Army Band of Washington, D.C. (Army Orchestra and Strolling Strings).

Loran Stephenson, Adjunct Associate Professor. BM, Curtis Institute of Music; MM, The Catholic University of America; National Symphony Orchestra; former member, U.S. Army Band of Washington, D.C.

Clarinet. Sharon Bonneau, Adjunct Assistant Professor. BM, BME, Eastman School of Music; MA, George Mason University; former clarinetist, U.S. Air Force Band of Washington, D.C.

Lora Ferguson, Adjunct Associate Professor. BM, Oberlin Conservatory; MM, The Catholic University of America; clarinetist, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra; Capitol Woodwind Quintet.

Brian Jones, Adjunct Assistant Professor. BME, Florida State University; MM, Baylor University; DMA, The Catholic University of America; former member, U.S. Air Force Band of Washington, D.C.; instructor of clarinet, The Levine School of Music.

Composition. Steve Antosca, Adjunct Asistant Professor. BA, Tulane University; MM Peabody Conservatory of Music of The Johns Hopkins University; Artist-in-Residence, Duke Ellington School of the Arts; Co-Chair, Composition Department at Levine School of Music.

Stephen Burton, Professor. MM, Peabody Conservatory.

Glenn Smith, Professor. BA, MA, California State University, Hayward; DMus, Indiana University.

Conducting. Stanley Engebretson, Professor. BA, MA, University of North Dakota; DMA, Stanford University; Director of Choral Studies, George Mason University; artistic director, Masterworks Chorus and Orchestra; music director, New York Avenue Presbyterian Church; former associate conductor, Minnesota Chorale.

Anthony Maiello, Professor. BS, M.S, Ithaca College; Director of Instrumental Music Studies, George Mason University; former chairman of performance, Potsdam College of The State University of New York; former associate conductor, McLean (Va.) Orchestra.

Euphonium. Roger Behrend, Adjunct Professor. BME, Michigan State University; MA, George Mason University; solo/principal euphoniumist, U.S. Navy Band of Washington, D.C.

Flute. Judith Lapple, Adjunct Professor. BM, Eastman School of Music; MM, Northeast Louisiana University; former principal flutist, U.S. Air Force Band of Washington, D.C.

Thomas Perazzoli, Adjunct Associate Professor. Philadelphia Musical Academy; flutist, National Symphony Orchestra.

Guitar (Classical). Larry Snitzler, Adjunct Professor. Former student of Andres Segovia (guitar) and Nadia Boulanger (theory); international concert tours; former freelance music producer, National Public Radio.

Guitar (Jazz). James Roberts, Adjunct Assistant Professor.

Harp. Jeanne Chalifoux, Adjunct Assistant Professor. Artist Diploma, Curtis Institute of Music; former harpist, National Gallery Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra.

Horn. Edwin Thayer, Adjunct Associate Professor. BM, MM, University of Illinois; hornist, National Symphony Orchestra.

David Whaley, Adjunct Associate Professor. BME, Drake University; MM, DMA, University of Illinois; hornist, National Symphony Orchestra.

Koto. Kyoko Okamoto, Adjunct Assistant Professor. Bachelor in Languages, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies; Toho Kinshu Kai (Koto School).

Oboe. Lorrie Berkshire-Brown, Adjunct Assistant Professor. BM, Arizona State University; MM, Manhattan School of Music; oboist, U.S. Army Band of Washington, D.C.; substitute oboist, New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

Organ. William Neil, Adjunct Professor. BA, Pennsylvania State University; MM, Syracuse University; University of Michigan; The Juilliard School; organist and keyboardist, National Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Soloists of Washington, Handel Festival Orchestra, New York Trumpet Ensemble.

Percussion. Kenneth Harbison, Adjunct Associate Professor. BM, Eastman School; MM, The Catholic University of America; assistant principal percussionist, National Symphony Orchestra.

Stephen Fidyk, jazz percussion. Adjunct Assistant Professor. BMEd, Wilkes University; MM, University of Maryland.

Guy Gauthreaux, Adjunct Associate Professor. BMEd., Northeast Louisiana University; MM, Northwestern University; D.MA, Louisiana State University; timpanist, U.S. Navy Band.

Piano. Anna Balakerskaia, Adjunct Artist Professor. MM, DMA, St. Petersburg State Conservatory, Russia; piano soloist and chamber musician throughout the U.S., Europe, South America, and Russia. Former faculty member, Moscow and St. Petersburg State Conservatories.

Joanne Haroutounian, Adjunct Associate Professor. BA, Trenton State College; MA, TheAmerican University; PhD, University of Virginia; pedagogy author, lecturer, and clinician.

Linda Apple Monson, Associate Professor. BMEd, MM, DMA, Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University; diploma (piano performance), Santiago de Compostela, Spain; soloist, accompanist, and chamber musician in the U.S. and Europe; music director, Springfield United Methodist Church. Former faculty member of Peabody Institute, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, and Northern Virginia Community College.

Anthony Nalker, jazz piano. Adjunct Assistant Professor. BA James Madison University; MA, University of Iowa; Jazz pianist, U.S. Army Band.

Saxophone. Richard Parrell, Adjunct Assistant Professor. BA, BM, George Mason University; MME, North Texas State University; solo principal saxophonist, U.S. Army Band of Washington, D.C.

Dale Underwood, Adjunct Professor. Texas Tech University; former saxophone soloist, U.S. Navy Band of Washington, D.C.

String Bass. Glenn A. Dewey, Adjunct Associate Professor. BM, University of Illinois; MM, Northwestern University; bassist, U.S. Marine Band of Washington, D.C.; former double/electric bass instructor, Millikin University.

Trombone. Matthew Neff, Adjunct Assistant Professor. B.S.M.Ed., Penn State University; MM, Catholic University; bass trombonist, U.S. Navy Band.

Trumpet. Stanley Curtis, Adjunct Associate Professor. BM, University of Alabama; MM, Cleveland Institute of Music; trumpeter, U.S. Navy Band.

Dennis Edelbrock, Adjunct Professor. BME, University of Iowa; MA, DMA, The Catholic University of America; trumpeter, U.S. Army Band of Washington, D.C., and National Gallery Orchestra.

Tuba. Roger Behrend (see listing under Euphonium).

Viola. Edwin Johonnott, Adjunct Professor. Former violinist, National Symphony Orchestra. Studied at Indiana University and Illinois University.

Ramon Scavelli, Adjunct Associate Professor. Philadelphia Musical Academy; violist, National Symphony Orchestra.

Violin. James E. Gardner, Professor. Chair, Department of Music. BM, Oklahoma City University; MM, D.MA, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Peter Haase, Adjunct Professor. MM, State Conservatory of Music, Katowice, Poland; postgraduate studies, Moscow Conservative and The Juilliard School; violinist, National Symphony Orchestra.

Edwin Johonnott, Adjunct Professor. Former violinist, National Symphony Orchestra. Studied at Indiana University and Illinois University.

Voice. Kathryn Hearden-Botelho, Adjunct Professor. BM, St. Norbert College; MM, Performers Certificate, DMA, Eastman School of Music; nationally known soloist and concert artist with opera companies and orchestras.

Carla Rae Cook, Adjunct Associate Professor. BM, University of Utah; MM, Boston University; Postgraduate Studies, Manhattan School of Music; winner of national and international singing competitions; performing dramatic mezzo-soprano.

Stanley Engebretson (see listing under Conducting).

Laura Mann, Adjunct Professor. BM, MM, Eastman School of Music; DMA, University of Maryland; international opera, concert, and recording artist with European and North American opera companies and orchestras.

Patricia Miller, Professor. BM, Boston University; MM, New England Conservatory; Artist Diploma, Accademia di Santa Cecilia (Rome); Advanced Vocal Studies, Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria; international opera, concert, and recording artist with North American, South American, and European opera companies and orchestras.

Anastasios Vrenios, Adjunct Associate Professor. BM, University of the Pacific; MM, Indiana University; soloist and recording artist, U.S. and European orchestras and opera companies.

Debby Wenner, Adjunct Assistant Professor. BS, Frostburg State College; MM, George Washington University; Graduate Work, West Virginia University, The Catholic University of America; former member, Metropolitan Opera Apprentice Program; performing mezzo-soprano.

Kerry Wilkerson, Adjunct Assistant Professor. BM, University of North Carolina, Greensboro; MM, George Mason University; member, U.S. Army Chorus.

Course Work

The Music Department offers all course work designated MUSI in the "Course Descriptions" chapter of this catalog.

Undergraduate Programs

The two undergraduate degree programs offered through the Department of Music, the Bachelor of Arts in Music and the Bachelor of Music, prepare students for graduate work in music and music literature, for research and professional work in musical activities, and for state licensure (certification) to teach vocal/choral or instrumental music at the elementary and secondary school levels.

Through its strategic plan, Music Outreach and the Teaching Professions, the Department of Music enables students to pursue worthwhile vocational goals as teachers, performers, conductors, and composers. The department also seeks to educate its students to reflect a concern for cultural and humanistic values as future ambassadors and advocates of music and the other arts. Through innovative learning experiences, the department provides all students in the BA and BM programs with opportunities to become effective musicians, teachers, and advocates of music. Teaching music is the principal area in which students can find employment in the private studios, public and private schools, academies, and higher education within the ever-changing workplace. Because of this, all music majors at George Mason receive some training in the teaching of music.

The Department of Music also recognizes the critical outreach role it provides in serving students from all majors as well as members of the community who significantly benefit from the values and experiences of an education in music. The department seeks to provide unique educational opportunities through its various course offerings, workshops, presentations, and performances for those seeking music enrichment.

Entrance to all music degree programs is by audition. Arrangements for an audition must be made in advance by contacting the Department of Music before the scheduled audition date. Auditions are held in November, January, and March through August (normally on the first Monday of each month except for January and August, when dates are scheduled during the university registration period).

A fundamentals of music test is given during the first week of classes to all students enrolled in MUSI 115 (Theory I). This test consists of the following: standard musical notation in treble and bass clefs; key signatures; all intervals up to a perfect octave; and all major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales (ascending and descending).

Competency placement tests are required of all transfer students who desire to present transfer credit in any of the following areas: sight singing, ear training, and keyboard skills, including keyboard harmony.

Students must earn a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in their major or higher, if required by their program (e.g., teacher licensure).

Writing-Intensive Requirement

The university requires all students to complete at least one course designated "writing intensive" in their majors at the 300 level or above. Students majoring in music may fulfill this requirement by successfully completing one of the following: MUSI 331, 332, 431, or 432. Students who transfer all of these courses into George Mason may be required to repeat one of them or to enroll in some other suitable course in order to fulfill the writing intensive requirement.

Music, BA

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree must complete a general education program as outlined below. This distribution enables students to develop a breadth of knowledge as well as the necessary skills to make the in-depth study of a major truly meaningful. In addition to general education requirements, students must also either demonstrate intermediate-level proficiency in one foreign language or complete a minor program. A minimum of 57 credits in music course work is required for the music major. A total of 120 credits are required for the BA in Music.

Degree Requirements

Music, BM

A total of 120 credits are required for the Bachelor of Music degree. Admission to a concentration normally occurs at the end of the sophomore year.

Concentration in Performance

Degree Requirements

Concentration in Music Education

Virginia Licensure (Certification) to Teach

The music education concentration is approved by the Virginia State Department of Education and administered through the Graduate School of Education, which is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Minimum scores on the Praxis I and II tests must be achieved before state licensure can be granted.

To complete the concentration in music education, a student must satisfy the following requirements:

• Be formally accepted into the music education concentration by the departmental Music Teacher Education Committee when

  a. 45 to 60 credits have been earned

  b. Sight Singing and Ear Training II, Keyboard Skills III, and Theory III have been completed with a grade of C or better and

  c. scores have been submitted for the Praxis I (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) tests to the Music Teacher Education Committee. It is strongly recommended that students take the Praxis I tests as soon as ENGL 302 and a course in literature and mathematics have been completed

• Maintain an overall GPA of 2.800 in all course work done at George Mason University and in course work done at all institutions of higher learning combined
• Earn no grade lower than a C in music and in professional education courses needed for graduation
• Successfully pass sight singing, ear training, keyboard, and conducting proficiency examinations during the first music methods course (MUSI 461, 463, 464, or 466). Students in the voice emphasis must also pass a voice proficiency examination, and students in the instrumental emphasis must pass a musical instrument fingering proficiency examination during the first music methods course
• Complete all course work in the program sequence
• Upon completion of the above, do 15 weeks of a full-time internship (student teaching). Applications for placement, subject to approval of the Music Teacher Education Committee, are submitted to the Office of Teacher Education at the beginning of the previous semester
• Pass the Praxis II (Music: Content Knowledge) test during the internship semester (student teaching)

Concentration in Music Education

Degree Requirements

Teacher Licensure (Certification)

Undergraduate students seeking licensure (certification) to teach vocal/choral or instrumental music at the elementary and secondary levels must earn the Bachelor of Music degree as specified under Concentration in Music Education. Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree and who are seeking state licensure (certification) to teach music must also complete this sequence of courses, which constitute a state-approved program for teacher education in music.

Minor in Music

All music minors must pass a music audition. Music minors in the keyboard area use the Keyboard Skills I credit as a music elective.

Minor in Jazz Studies

This minor is open to music and non-music majors who wish to explore America's unique art form. It is open to all instrumentalists and vocalists, including students who perform on instruments not normally associated with jazz. No prior experience in jazz is needed, but candidates must pass a music audition. Jazz studies minors in the keyboard area use the Keyboard Skills I credit as a music elective.

¹ All students who enroll as music minors and jazz studies minors must take MUSI 300 for 2 semesters. A grade of "S" (Satisfactory) must be earned each semester.

Interdisciplinary Minors

World Music

Faculty and Staff

Bullard (coordinator), Lepore, Owens, Carroll

Course Work

The interdisciplinary minor in World Music is designed for those who wish to widen their scope of knowledge about music while deepening their understanding of the world's peoples. For the minor in World Music, students will learnin the classroom as well as experientially in the form of applied studies and exercises in fieldworkhow music making functions within cultural contexts, conveying varied meanings worldwide, in bodily action and musical sound. Students gain skills that will serve them in many fields of endeavor: from developing specific musical expertise to acquiring proficiency with technological and anthropological aspects of ethnographic enquiry.

Requirements

Students in this minor complete 16 to 18 credits, with a 10-credit core and opportunities to take electives in several departments of the University.

Prerequisite: To minor in World Music, students must first demonstrate to the coordinator a basic level of knowledge and training in some area of Western or non-Western music or earn a grade of B or higher in MUSI 103 or 431. (Prerequisites for specific courses are indicated below.)

Additional electives may include summer travel courses, as appropriate. Must be approved by the minor coordinator.

Professional Development Certificate in Piano Pedagogy

The Professional Development Certificate in Piano Pedagogy provides specialized training in piano teaching designed to meet the needs of those seeking to expand their teaching skills. This is a non-degree program of Continuing Education sponsored by the Department of Music. The professional development certificate can be earned through the completion of 16 hours of pedagogy-related coursework.

The piano pedagogy certificate curriculum includes concentrated coursework in keyboard pedagogy which includes business aspects of teaching, techniques of teaching repertoire and technical skills at different levels of student development, and a comprehensive study of teaching strategies appropriate for private and group settings. Students will have the opportunity to research current topics in the field of pedagogy. Coursework includes observation of teaching, a teaching internship, and a final pedagogy project.

Certification requires a certain level of performance proficiency and basic knowledge of music theory, sight-singing/ear training, and keyboard skills. Entry to the certificate program will include testing in theory, sight-singing/ ear-training, and keyboard skills and a performance audition to determine proficiency or placement in appropriate levels of private music instruction or coursework to achieve required proficiency for certification.

Entrance Proficiency Requirements

Students must demonstrate musical proficiency comparable to these minimum levels of coursework:

• Private Music Instruction: 4 semesters
• Theory II (MUSI 116)
• Sightsinging/Ear-Training I (MUSI 113)
• Keyboard Skills III (MUSI 273) (functional keyboard skills, including transposition, harmonization, and score-reading)

If entrance exams indicate that a student is deficient in any of these areas, the student may enroll in the appropriate level class at George Mason University, but these remediation classes will not count toward the 16 hours for the piano pedagogy certificate.

Graduate Program

Music, MM

The expansion of professional education in the arts is paramount for the growth and development of a rich and vital cultural community and a supporting network of individual artists. The dynamics of contemporary society suggest that the impact of the arts on public life will continue to expand well into the 21st century. Each year, opportunities increase for creative work by performers, composers, sculptors, painters, dancers, actors, historians, theoreticians, and musicologists.

The Master of Music is offered as an educational channel to meet the intellectual and career needs of qualified students. It is a comprehensive and advanced program of study with a choice of concentrations in performance (single or multiple instruments), music education, composition, conducting, and pedagogy and performance. The MM with a concentration in music education does not provide licensure to teach music in public or private schools.

Admission Requirements

In addition to fulfilling the admission requirements for graduate study, the applicant is expected to hold a baccalaureate degree in music or in another discipline with courses equaling the music requirements (minus the seven- to eight-credit teaching sequence) for the Bachelor of Arts in Music offered at George Mason.

The following admission requirements must also be met:

1. Performance: Audition (single or multiple instruments)

2. Conducting: Audition

3. Composition: Submission of a portfolio of compositions

4.Music Education: Submission of a two- to three-page paper on the applicant's philosophy of music education

5. Pedagogy and Performance: Audition in the primary applied teaching area is required. Applicants are expected to have large and small ensemble experience on the major instrument and to have presented a full solo recital or equivalent. Summary of all music teaching experience.

Diagnostic Entrance Examination

All new graduate students are required to take an entrance examination to demonstrate competence in music history, music theory, and general musicianship. The examination is offered during a three-hour period normally on the Saturday before the first day of classes of the fall and spring semesters. All sections of the examination must be passed prior to graduation.

Foreign Language Examinations

(Vocal Performance Emphasis)

Students in the MM degree program (emphasis in vocal performance) must take proficiency exams in French, German, Italian, and English to prove diction competency. Students who do not pass the Italian or English diction test are required to take MUSI 525 Performance Seminar for Singers and Accompanists I. Students who do not pass the French or German diction test are required to take MUSI 526 Performance Seminar for Singers and Accompanists II.

Comprehensive Exit Examination

All students completing the MM in Music are required to pass a comprehensive exit examination administered during the graduation semester or, in the case of students selecting the thesis option in the music education concentration, upon completion of 24 credits of course work and immediately before beginning work on the thesis. August graduates must take this examination during the preceding spring term. This exam normally consists of a one-hour oral examination, and the questions are based primarily on the courses the student has taken at George Mason University.

Degree Requirements

A student must successfully complete 30 credits in graduate music courses. With the approval of the department, 3 nonmusic graduate credits may be taken.

The student must satisfy the following requirements:

The number of students accepted in the graduate conducting concentration is limited by the extent to which it is possible to provide students with practical experience in conducting. In most cases, each student accepted is offered an opportunity to gain conducting experience by serving as assistant conductor of a George Mason University ensemble.

Artist Certificates

The Artist Certificate is a specialized, graduate-level program for advanced musicians who desire to further develop and refine their performance art. This program is designed for aspiring and professional artists who seek continued artistic growth and career advancement through extensive educational training and performance experience. The program is intended for a very limited number of the most gifted performers who demonstrate strong potential for successful careers in musical performance.

The Artist Certificate program is a two-year course of study requiring at least two consecutive semesters of residence. A total of 32 semester hours is required. Advisor's approval is required for each semester's enrollment.

Admission Requirements

• An Artist Certificate application and current resume
• A Bachelor's degree in music or equivalent (as evaluated by the Music Department admissions committee)
• Transcripts from previous educational institutions
• A one-page written statement of the student's goals and interest in the program
• Two letters of recommendation
• A CD (preferred), audio cassette, or video tape of a live performance of solo works from the standard repertory

Those applicants recommended for a full audition must perform an audition recital and be interviewed on the George Mason University campus. Applicants will be notified of the date and time of the audition and interview. This final step in the admission process is a thirty-minute audition and a fifteen-minute interview with the panel.

Artist Certificate in Piano Performance or Instrumental Performance

Artist Certificate in Vocal Performance

* Internships, Apprenticeships and Performance Projects

** With written permission of the Faculty Advisor and approval of the Director of the Program, a student may receive up to three performance ensemble credits or one chamber recital credit for an off campus professional performance project once during the two year course of study, (not to exceed three weeks during a given semester). With written permission of the Faculty Advisor, a student may receive one elective or up to three performance credits for participation in an Intensive Language Immersion or Summer Opera, Internship or Opera Apprenticeship Program, (not to exceed six weeks during the school year).

Semester Evaluations/Juries

At the end of every semesterexcept the final semester when students in the program are expected give an hour-long, adjudicated, Graduate/ Certificate Recitalall students enrolled in the Artist Certificate in Vocal Performance Program must give a twenty minute (upper level, three credit) jury of repertoire learned during the semester with the voice teacher and vocal coach in preparation of the chamber/lecture recital or the final Certificate recital. The Chamber and/or Lecture Recital may be given at any time during the course of the program. Certificate students are expected to excel in the area of performance and to maintain a 3.50 average in all core courses. Students falling below this requirement in any given semester will be given one semester probation before expulsion from the program.

Performance Expectations

Artist Certificate students are expected to take advantage of the many excellent performance opportunities available in the Department of Music. Candidates for the Artist Certificate in Vocal Performance are expected to perform at least twice a year in a staged opera and/or musical theater or scene productions on campus with GMU Opera Theater; to sing in at least one vocal concert each year, and to give two recitals during the course of the program. Students in the program are also encouraged to apply and to audition for summer programs, apprenticeships and vocal competitions.