School of Music and Performing Arts

Paul R. Isensee, D.M.A., Dean

Professor

David M. Shockey, D.M.A., Chair, Voice Studies
Debbie Lynn Wolf, Ph.D., Chair, Music Education Studies; Director, Community School of Music

Associate Professor

Kenneth R. Borrmann, M.Mus., Chair, Keyboard Studies
Joseph D. Caminiti, M.Mus., Chair, Instrumental Studies
Benjamin J. Harding, M.Mus., Piano
Timothy Shaw, M.Mus., Chair, Theory and Composition Studies

Adjunct Faculty

Dorothy M. Black, M.S.L.S., M.S., Music Research
Margaret A. Claudin, M.Mus., Flute, Chamber Music
Roger Cocking, Ph.D., Woodwinds
Stephen Condy, M.Mus., Opera Workshop
Ruth Naomi Floyd, A.A., Jazz Voice
Peter Hilliard, M.F.A., Orchestration
David C. Kramer, M.Mus., Brass
A. Jay Kratz, B.Mus., Guitar
Devin Mariman, M.Mus., Voice, Community Chorus
Robin L. Massie, M.Mus., Voice, Opera Workshop
Erik Petersons, B.A., Strings
William Priebe, M.Mus., Percussion
Donna Lee Ramsey, B.Mus., Voice
Jacqueline Smith, M.Mus., Early Music
Kile Smith, M.Mus., Orchestration, Composition
Ronald Thomas, M.A., Composition
Scott Watson, D.M.A., Music Technology

Affiliate Artists

Nancy Beale, B.Mus., Piano
Terry Belzer, B.Mus., Oboe
Brian Brown, M.Mus., Tuba
James Correnti, B.Mus., M.Div., Piano
Bryan Edgett, D.M.A., Trumpet
Thomas Elliot, M.Mus., Trombone
John Frazier, M.Mus., Clarinet
Andrew Hui, Ph.D., Voice
Lori Marino, M.Mus., Bassoon
Bliss Michelson, B.Mus., Double Bass
Hilary Orlando, M.M., Organ
Natalie Rudoi, M.Mus., Violin
Jeffrey Spicer, M.Mus., Guitar
Marshall Taylor, M.Mus., Saxophone
Xiao-Fu Zhou, Performance Diploma, Violin/Viola

The School

The School of Music and Performing Arts exists to produce, through a classically based program, musicians and performers of excellence and integrity who glorify God by serving and enriching the church, society, and the world.

Goals

Implicit in the mission of the School of Music and Performing Arts are specific goals relevant to music and performing arts majors, other University students, faculty, the Christian church, constituency, and the community. The four primary goals are:

To educate and enliven music students to integrate artstic excellence, professional skills, and biblical truth.
To awaken students to the performing arts as an expressive gift of God’s creation, and engage them in participation, understanding, and enjoyment.
To support the faculty’s ongoing artistic growth and scholarly research.
To serve the University and surrounding community as a resource for worship, education, and enrichment.

Accreditation

The School of Music and Performing Arts achieved accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) in 1979. The program had achieved associate membership in NASM in 1972. The curriculum requirements on the following pages are designed to meet the NASM standards required for the Bachelor of Music degree.

The Programs

Four music programs are designed to provide a professional education for qualified students who are interested in careers as church musicians, school teachers, performers, and/or composers. These programs are Church Music, Music Education, Performance, and Composition and each leads to the Bachelor of Music degree. Students may also choose a double-degree program in these areas which lead to both the Bachelor of Music degree and the Bachelor of Science in Bible degree.

A fifth music program requiring 36 credits of music is also offered in combination with a major in Bible. This program leads to the B.S. in Bible degree.

Every student in a music program specializes in an area of applied music. Those in the Church Music Programs have major and minor applied specializations, one of which must be voice.

A minor in music is also available. A minimum of 19 credits of focused study in music are required and may be added to any of the existing undergraduate degree programs in the University.

Related Program Information

Music Facilities

A two-storied music building houses faculty studios, offices, classrooms, and rehearsal and practice rooms. A music technology lab includes synthesizers and computers with music education and composition software. The 150-seat Lewis Holmes Recital Hall located in the Ellwood A. Cook Biblical Learning Center is home to a Steinway Model B grand piano and serves as the primary recital hall. The William Chatlos Auditorium, with its three-manual, custom-built, digital organ, Steinway Model D grand piano, and Baldwin concert grand piano, serves as a larger recital/concert hall. Manor Hall serves as an additional recital and rehearsal hall and houses a three-manual Rodgers organ and Steinway Model D grand piano. Two pipe organs, one electronic organ, and a piano lab are housed in the music building.

In 2004, the University became one of the first evangelical colleges or universities in the United States to be designated an “All-Steinway School.” The designation “All Steinway” indicates that approximately 90 percent of all pianos are made by the world-renowned company, Steinway and Sons.

Audition Requirements

Each program and applied area has requirements both for entrance and for satisfactory progress. General audition requirements are listed below.

An entrance audition is required of all applicants for the School of Music and Performing Arts. When entering, first-semester music students must enroll in one of the music programs. A student may enter the Performance Program only after passing a second audition after at least two semesters of study.

Scholarships ranging from $600 to $3,000 per year may be awarded to music students who pass their audition, exhibit outstanding performance ability and potential, and enroll in one of the B.Mus. programs. The scholarship award will be applied annually toward Cairn tuition for full-time study up to five years. To qualify, applicants must meet Cairn’s standard entrance requirements and audition before May 1. If scholarship funds remain after May 1, additional scholarships may be awarded.

All Applicants

Auditions should be scheduled through the Music Office at least three weeks in advance of the proposed audition date. Applications for audition may be submitted electronically from the University website, by mail, or by phone.
Auditions should be completed before registration day of the incoming semester.
Applicants should bring one reference copy of all music to the audition.
Applicants will normally be notified of audition results and music scholarship within two weeks of the audition.
If the applicant in unable to attend one of the scheduled audition days, individual arrangements may be made through the Music Office. For those who cannot audition in person, a video recording may be submitted.
All applicants will be given a music theory/musicianship placement test. A piano proficiency test is not part of the audition for non-piano applicants.

Church Music, Performance, and Music Education Applicants

Voice, Keyboard, and Instrumental applicants must:

Perform two classical solo pieces of contrasting styles and one hymn/Christian song arrangement (memorization required for voice and keyboard applicants; optional for instrumental).
Demonstrate sight-reading ability and aural skills.
Play all major and minor scales (keyboard and instrumental only) at a moderate tempo. Keyboard applicants play four octaves, two hands together.

Note: Pianists without organ experience may audition for the organ major by meeting the piano entrance requirements.

Those wishing to enter the Church Music program as guitar majors may substitute two jazz or pop solos and one contemporary Christian song solo for the two classical solos and one sacred song arrangement. (The School of Music and Performing Arts will recommend selected pieces at the applicant’s request.) Sight reading for guitarists and pianists will include playing from a lead sheet.

Music Education Applicants
Applicants must meet the requirements for entry into the University’s Teacher Education Program.

Percussion Applicants

Play a snare drum concert roll: pp<ff>pp.
Play two prepared snare drum solos.
1) From the N.A.R.D. Rudiment Solo Book or equivalent.
2) From Cirone’s Portraits in Rhythm or equivalent.
Play all major and minor scales (harmonic form) on the xylophone (two octaves).
Play a prepared mallet solo from the book Percussion-Keyboard Techniques by MacMillan or the collection, Masterpieces for Marimba, or equivalent.
Play a timpani solo.

Composition Applicants

In addition to passing a keyboard or orchestral instrumental audition, composition applicants enter the program in one of two ways:

Submit a portfolio of original compositions prior to the audition.
OR
For students beginning their compositional study, demonstrate, during the first four semesters of study, a working knowledge of theory and a strong interest in the creative process.

General Music Program Requirements

Applied Music Requirements

An important part of each music program is regular, private study in a primary applied area. With the exception of students enrolled in the composition program, all students in the B.Mus. programs begin applied studies in the first semester, taking weekly one-hour lessons. Applied study in these programs continues for eight semesters (seven semesters for Music Education majors). Students in the Music (B.S. in Bible) program enroll in weekly half-hour lessons for eight semesters. For specific requirements, see the respective program descriptions. For a detailed description of Applied Music studies, see course descriptions.

Ensemble Requirements

All students in the music program are required to participate in an ensemble every semester they are enrolled full-time (exception, student teaching semester for students in Music Education). Specific ensemble requirements for each program and applied area are delineated in the curriculum plan for each program. A listing and description of ensembles is found in the section of music course descriptions.

Recital Requirements

Music majors taking primary applied lessons for credit are required to participate in a general recital each semester. Additional recital requirements for upperclassmen are listed below.

Church Music: senior year, 25-30 minutes of music in the student’s applied area.

Performance: junior year, 40-45 minutes of music in the student’s applied area; senior year, 55-60 minutes of music in the student’s applied area.

Composition: senior year, 35-40 minutes of original compositions and arrangements.

Music Education: senior year, 25-30 minutes of music in the student’s applied area.

School of Music and Performing Arts Seminars, Studio Classes, and Recitals

Full-time music students are required to attend a weekly Music Major Seminar, comprising studio classes, guest artists and lecturers, master classes, program meetings, and recitals. Seminars provide discussions of pertinent professional subjects, while studio classes and recitals give opportunity for students to gain proficiency in performance.

Piano Proficiency Exam for Non-Keyboard Majors

All non-keyboard majors enrolled in a music program (except the music minor) must pass a piano proficiency exam in order to graduate. This exam must be taken by the end of the fifth semester of piano study and must be repeated each semester until the requirement is passed. Private or class piano study must continue uninterrupted until all elements of the exam have been passed. The exam consists of three parts.

Part I: Technique:
1. Scales: All major and harmonic minor scales played hands together, with correct fingering, two octaves in eighth notes, minimum tempo: quarter note =72.
2. Chords: All major and minor triads played hands together, three positions ascending and descending two octaves, in eighth notes, minimum tempo: quarter note =72.
Part II: Prepared Pieces:
1. Any prepared piece, performed from memory, from the following:
  1)    Any 2- or 3-part Invention by J.S. Bach
  2)    Any first movement of a sonatina or sonata
  3)    Any other piece approved by the Chair of Piano Studies
2. A four-part hymn with no fewer than two sharps or two flats played at a singing tempo with no more than five errors.
Part III: Sightreading:
1. A hymn selected by the chair of the jury and played at sight. It should be executed metronomically at a tempo indicated by the chair of the jury, playing only the four parts written and with no more than five errors.
2. Accompanying: Sightread a solo accompaniment selected by the chair of the jury.

Internships

Students in the Church Music program are required to serve as an intern in a local church after their sixth semester of study.

Student Teaching

Music Education students must meet student teaching requirements as outlined in the School of Education Undergraduate Handbook.

Additional Information

Schools & Departments

Academic Opportunities