Vocal Studies

(Taken at the end of each semester of private study, 25% of final grade.)

Students may sing one selection of their choice; the voice faculty will select a second selection. Extended songs or lengthy arias may count as two songs (private teacher’s decision only.) All songs are to be memorized for the jury, with the exception of oratorio arias, or extended songs with instrumental obbligato. In addition, major operatic or musical theater roles may count toward the repertoire requirement, in consultation with the private teacher. Any jury grade resulting in an average of “C” or lower may result in a recommendation to drop or change the major.

Exit examination
(Taken at the end of four semesters of lower division voice study. Must be passed in order to move to upper division vocal study or to complete requirements for BA.)During the fourth semester of private vocal instruction, students are required to sing a proficiency examination. Failure to pass the proficiency will prevent a student from moving to upper division vocal study or from completing requirements for completion of the BA degree. The repertoire will consist of songs assigned for the current semester of study. Songs will be chosen in advance by the individual voice teacher and should include repertoire in English, Italian, German and French. Selections must also represent at least three periods of music history (renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, twentieth–century or contemporary.)

The voice faculty will listen to and observe students in several areas: posture, breathing, correct diction, stage deportment, and musicality (including intonation, memorization and rhythmic accuracy). Inadequacy in ANY ONE of these areas may result in failure of the proficiency examination. A majority of the voice faculty must pass a student in order for that student to fulfill the proficiency requirement. A student may take the proficiency examination no more than two times. The voice faculty may advise a student to withdraw from the major if satisfactory progress is not evident. Failure on the second attempt will prevent the student from continuing lessons as a music major.

A student transferring from another music program must show evidence of studio work comparable to what is required of NAU music students during the freshman and sophomore years. A repertoire sheet of vocal selections memorized must be given to the private teacher and the vocal area coordinator before lessons at NAU begin. All transfer students in choral music education will be placed in MUP 129 until the voice faculty has determined comparable work has been completed at another institution. Transfer students in vocal performance will be placed into MUP 111 or MUP 211 until a proficiency hearing is passed or at jury time at the end of the semester.

Memorization is a major consideration for jury preparation. If a student is unsure of certain words in a song, he or she should still try to sing the entire song if a jury member asks to hear it. If a student stops during a song and cannot complete it, or other songs requested, the faculty may decide to consider the jury examination an automatic failure. The percentage of the final semester grade determined by the jury examination is 25%. Oratorio literature, chamber music works or literature that includes an obbligato instrument need not be memorized.

Studio assignments will be made at the beginning of the fall semester, unless made by prior arrangement through the vocal area coordinator and the private instructor. All new undergraduate students will sing before the voice faculty prior to the first day of classes. At this time, each student will have the opportunity to meet with the entire voice faculty individually and will make choices based on those interviews. At the same time, the voice faculty will forward requests to the area coordinator as to which students they would prefer to have in their studios. If a student is not assigned to his or her first choice, every attempt will be made to place that student with his or her second or third choice. Once an assignment is made, it is understood that the student is expected to remain with that teacher for the duration of his or her vocal study at NAU.

Although it is understood that a student is expected to remain with the voice teacher to whom they have been assigned for the duration of vocal study at NAU, in the event a problem should arise there is a course of action for the student to follow:

• Make an appointment to talk with the Vocal Area Coordinator (Dr. Cloud)
• Make an appointment to talk with your teacher, if advised to do so by the coordinator
• Wait for the Vocal Area Coordinator (Dr. Cloud) to assign you to a new studio

Students should discuss any problems with their studio teacher after speaking with the coordinator. If the problem cannot be resolved, the vocal area coordinator will consult with the teacher and discuss the possibility of moving the student to another studio. It is not appropriate for any student to approach another vocal teacher with a request to take him or her as a student. If a student is dissatisfied with his or her present teacher, the integrity and wisdom of the vocal faculty must be relied upon to help decide what is best for that student’s growth. If meeting with the teacher personally is uncomfortable, it is suggested that the student write a letter to the teacher and to the coordinator expressing his or her dissatisfaction. Studio changes may not take place during the semester, except in unusual circumstances.

The Vocal Division Faculty recommends that every vocal performance, choral education and BA music student attend twenty (20) performances per academic year. Any recital given by one of the voice faculty is a required attendance of students studying voice. This requirement may be reflected in a teacher’s private lesson syllabus with failure to comply resulting in a lowering of the final grade for the semester. Students are also required to attend any recital given by a member of the student’s private vocal studio. Attendance at all vocal recitals is encouraged.

Recital Preparation

Voice division recitals are required of all Bachelor of Arts, Choral Music Education and Vocal Performance majors and Music Minors. The individual studio teacher will take attendance. Announcements concerning recital dates and master classes will be posted on voice studio bulletin boards.