Master of Arts in Music: Piano Pedagogy Audition Requirements and Other Essentials

Audition

Requirements

1. A thirty-minute DVD video and a written lesson plan of one or more of the following, as determined by your area of interest and specialization, and your experience:

(a) Individual piano lesson (b) Partner piano lesson (c) Small group piano lesson (d) Electronic laboratory piano class (e) Other (please specify)

The written lesson plan must include a listing of all materials (including page numbers) being used in the video teaching demonstration as well as some brief but descriptive teaching reminders, goals. Copies of the materials being taught are recommended.

For CSUF graduates who have completed MUS 477, the course

instructor may verify that the satisfactory practice teaching requirement

has been met.

2. A fifteen-minute solo piano audition. The audition repertoire should be equivalent in terms of difficulty to that of a junior recital for the Bachelor of Music degree, or a senior recital for a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree. A diversity of styles is expected and should include a work from the Baroque era, one from the Classical era, and one from either the 19th or 20th -21st centuries.

3. Live auditions are preferred, although a high quality DVD recording for the audition is acceptable. (CSUF graduates may request their Senior Recital to serve as the entrance audition.) Examples of repertoire for level include:

J S Bach, Prelude and Fugue in E Major, WTC I J S Bach, Partita No. 1 in B flat Major Mozart, Sonata in A Major, K. 331 Schubert, Sonata in A Minor, D. 784

Schubert, Impromputs Schumann, Papillons, Op. 2

Brahms, Rhapsody in G Minor, Op. 79, No. 2 Bartok, Suite, Op. 14

Prokofieff, Visions fugitives, Op. 22

4. Sight Playing: The student may be asked to sight play music of moderate

difficulty.

Required Essay

and Other Written

Materials

Please provide the teaching audition tape and the following written material

at least two weeks before the solo piano audition: 1. In an essay of ca. 500 750 words, choose one of the following topics to

write on.

a. Discuss the main advantages and disadvantages of one of the following approaches to teaching music reading at the beginning level and list the primary proponents of the approach you choose to discuss. An intervallic reading approach A multi-key reading approach

A combination of intervallic and multi-key reading b. Discuss the main differences between an intervallic versus a multi-key

approach to teaching music reading at the beginning level. Give three examples of methodology used in each approach.

c. Choose one piece from the following intermediate repertoire

collections and discuss the piece in terms of what you, the teacher must know about this piece in order to successfully teach it. Some examples of items you should know are form, style and technical demands. Also discuss how much of this piece you will assign to an average student at the first lesson and how you will tell this student to practice this piece the first week. Attach a copy of the music to the

essay. Marks in the music are encouraged.

J.S. Bach: Little Preludes and Fughettas, BWV 939, 927, 924;

choose a Prelude or a Fughetta

Friedrich Kuhlau: One First Movement from Sonatinas, Op. 55,

nos. 1, 2, 3; Op. 88, no. 3 Robert Schumann: One piece from Kinderszenen (Scenes from

Childhood), Op. 15 Bela Bartok: No. 1, 2, 3 or 4 from Rumanian Folk Dances

Dmitri Kabalevsky, One Rondo from Four Rondos, Op. 60

Robert Starer: One piece from Sketches in Color, Vol. I

d. Name three contemporary educational piano composers who often

write in the romantic style; discuss their compositional styles by including titles and descriptions of at least three of their works; describe how their writing has helped to fill the void of accessible music in the romantic style for late elementary and early intermediate piano students. You only need to attach one work by each composer.

2. Provide a list of all piano repertoire studied to date. 3. Write a statement of purpose that includes your background in teaching,

describes your reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in piano pedagogy and your professional goals in teaching and performing.

Letters of

Recommendation

Arrange to have letters of recommendation from three music professionals familiar with your preparation for graduate study sent to the School of Music graduate program adviser.

Entrance

Exams

After being admitted, all entering graduate students take entrance exams in music history and music theory. The exams cover undergraduate level material and are given Thursday before the first week of classes.

More Information Information on University entrance requirements can be found at www.fullerton.edu/catalog. Audition dates and School of Music information can be found at www.fullerton.edu/arts/music and by contacting:

School of Music Graduate Program Adviser Dr. John Koegel, 657/278-7685, jkoegel@fullerton.edu

Keyboard Area Coordinator: Dr. Rob Watson, 657/278-2575, rwatson@fullerton.edu