Advisement: Dr. Schaft serves as the primary academic advisor for percussion majors.
A. Please schedule an advisement meeting with Dr. Schaft to discuss your degree program and the courses you should register for. Incoming freshmen should complete this step before attending a YSU SOAR session or any other advisement meetings.
B. Secure a degree program “Curriculum Guide” (from the FPA Dean's office or online at http://web.ysu.edu/gen/fpa/Academic_Advisement_m16.html) and bring this form to all advisement meetings with Dr. Schaft.
C. Use the Student Schedule Template to plan your registration. This form will be submitted to Dr. Schaft at the beginning of the semester and used to schedule your private and group percussion lessons.
D. If you have any questions please contact Dr. Schaft before registering. Dr. Schaft posts communications via our website <www.ysu.edu/percussion>, e-mail, and his office bulletin board located in Bliss Hall room 2234. Make sure he has your current email & mobile phone number. You are responsible for reading postings and attending all indicated events.
Degree components:
Core classses - As a percussion major (instrumental music degree programs) your core courses include Applied Percussion, Music Theory, Music History and Literature, Keyboard Musicianship, Conducting, Large and Chamber Ensembles, music Electives, and degree specific classes (music ed, jazz, recording, etc.) for your degree program. Depending on the degree program, these core classes total anywhere from 74 credits in the music education degree to 96 credit hours in the BM Performance degree; in other words they comprise a majority of your total degree requirements, which typically range from 125-134 credits.
General Education Requirements (GER) couses - typically referred to as liberal arts requirements at many schools, GER's, as they are known at YSU, total 33 credits for virtually any music degree program. First semester students should typically only enroll in one 3 credit GER class their first semester. Most GER courses are 3 credits each.
Registration: Mary Lou Weingart and Justin Edwards serve as academic advisors for the College of Fine and Performing Arts (located in the FPA Dean's Office, Bliss Hall 2nd floor) and they will assist you in selecting classes and computer registration after you have done an advisement meeting with Dr. Schaft.
Undergraduate registration : A full-time undergraduate load is considered 12-16 credits and I recommend staying on the lower side, (12-14) is ideal, your first semester. I typically recommend a conservative load until you get a feel for the schedule and workload of practice, rehearsal, and music course homework that are the core of your daily schedule and I get an idea of what you can handle. Thus, a typical first semester full-time 12 credit hour registration would include:
• Applied Percussion (2cr.)
• one chamber ensemble - Percussion Ensemble (1cr)
• one large ensemble (1cr)
• theory (musicianship 2cr. & musicianship lab 2 cr) total 4 cr
•keyboard musicianship (1cr)
•one GER course - 3
Once we determine this load is feasible for excellent achievement, then we may add other ensembles or GER courses.
Register for courses in the following order to avoid conflicts with crucial percussion offerings:
1. Percussion Ensemble - - course code 6220, catalog number 0009. Meets Tuesdays 3-7p.m.. A small ensemble (percussion chamber music) experience is recommended for all percussion majors concurrent with each semester of applied percussion, unless otherwise advised by Dr. Schaft.
2. Applied Percussion - course code - 89xx. See "Applied Lesson Course Numbers for further info. Freshmen should register for catalog number 1501. Although there are three separate components to the Applied Percussion Course, the only part listed on your YSU Weekly View Course Schedule is the Percussion Seminar Class. Please understand that you must attend all three components beginning week one. Dr. Schaft will post a schedule of private and group lesson times on his bulletin board during week one.
A. Private lessons- one hour weekly lesson, time TBA pending receipt of your schedule on the first class day.
B. Group lessons – 1 or 2 hours weekly, times TBA. Private and group lessons are scheduled by Dr. Schaft after you submit your weekly view class schedule on the first class day.
C. Percussion Seminar Class – Required for all majors. Meets Friday 12-12:50p.m.
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Graduate Studies Registration Advisement:
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Steven Ausmann (Coordinator of Graduate Music Studies) to discuss your registration. A full time graduate level load must include 9 or more semester hours.
1. Register for 6900 level applied percussion 6901 or 6903 your first semester.
2. Register for Percussion Ensemble (MUSEN 0009)
3. Register for MUHL 6942, Introduction To Bibliography, your first semester.
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3. Dana Convocation- weekly School of Music meeting for all music majors; host guest artists, student recitals, faculty presentations, etc. All music majors are required to earn 36 Convocation attendance credits; these should be completed during freshmen and sophomore years. Meets Friday 11-11:50 a.m. in Bliss Recital Hall. Reserve this hour in your schedule until you complete the attendance requirement.
4. Music Theory see http://ysumusictheory.weebly.com/ for all theory department information. Freshmen - depending on your theory placement test score and subsequent faculty recommendations, you should enroll in either MUSTC 1520 or 1531 your first semester. If you have not taken the placement test, it will be given the week before fall classes begin. The theory sequence should be completed during your first five or six semesters. If you were placed in the remedial theory course "Materials of Music", be aware that may be taken online. Since this course does not count toward your degree credits, finishing it as soon as possible is advantageous.
5. Keyboard Musicianship – piano class. If you are admitted to Dana as a music (percussion) major, piano is considered your minor instrument. If you possess piano experience and wish to proficiency-out of any of the four required courses, you should take the placement exam. If not, enroll in the first course, MUSAC 1581, during your first semester. Schedule your exam through the Dana Office. Exams are usually held several days before classes begin each fall. The keyboard sequence should be completed during your first four semesters.
6. Large Ensemble requirements:
•The Dana School of Music has a rule that states you are required to enroll in at least one large ensemble concurrent with each semester of applied major level lessons.
•Large ensemble offerings include marching band, wind ensemble, concert band, orchestra, jazz big bands, etc.
•Music Scholarship recipients must enroll in one large ensemble each semester in order to fulfill your scholarship requirements.
•All ensemble assignments are ultimately determined via auditions the first week of Fall Semester. Initially, enroll in courses you hope to audition into and wish to participate in and after the ensemble auditions are complete the first day of classes, the ensemble assignments will be posted and you may adjust your schedule accordingly.
•Obviously the above requirements are degree minimums, but my recommendations for each student vary based on their degree, educational needs, and career goals. Generally, I recommend performance majors register for 3-5 ensembles each semester; likely a balance - two large ensembles and several chamber ensembles. If you do not participate in this much music making every semester, there is little chance that we will be able to help prepare you for a successful performance career. Music education majors however, because they have many other degree requirements in music education and the college of education, must typically take fewer performing ensembles, if they wish to keep the credit load reasonable and graduate in a timely manner. Nevertheless, I recommend that music education majors be in at least one large ensemble and percussion ensemble (chamber ensemble) each semester of applied instruction.
•Many students choose to take GER classes during the summer terms in order to buy themselves the time to gain more ensemble performance skills during the fall and spring semesters. This is how and why many of the finest performers to come out of our studio over the years were education majors, yet were able to play in numerous ensembles each semester, attain high grades, and still graduate on time.
•Since rudimental drumming is the core of Western percussion, be it military drumming, rudimental snare drum, marching band, drum corps, indoor drumline, orchestral percussion, drumset, etc. I believe that several semesters of marching band experience are beneficial to most all education and performance majors, unless I personally advise you to the contrary. Since many education majors will likely coach drumlines, compose for drumlines, and direct marching bands in high school teaching, I believe you should register for two years of marching band, preferably your freshmen and sophomore years, as a minimum. It is best to gain such playing experience before teaching drumlines yourself and thus the freshmen and sophomore year recommendation. Entering freshmen jazz majors should enroll in Jazz 3 to fulfill their degree requirement and in marching band as I advised above. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about such enrollments or would like to schedule an advisement meeting. Fortunately, at YSU the marching band does not occupy an excessive amount of time commitment and its marching tradition is based on a synthesis of corps and big-ten style high-step styles, thus providing our students valuable and marketable experiences.
7. General Education Requirements (GER). You are required to earn liberal arts credits as indicated on your degree curriculum guide. I recommend freshmen enroll in only one GER course their first semester - perhaps from the Basic Skills section. A full load is 12-16 credits; 12-14 is ideal your first semester.
Additional Advisement Info
Fall Semester Percussion Auditions: Two auditions occur during the first week of fall semester.
1. Symphonic Percussion Auditions– includes consideration for Percussion Ensemble, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Dana Chamber Orchestra, Concert Band, University Band, Brass Ensemble, Opera, Musical, etc. Auditions are held the first or second class day in Bliss 2234. A sign-up list and instructions are posted on my bulletin board one week before classes begin. Auditions consist of sight-reading and/or prepared excerpts and are heard by the percussion/band/orchestra faculty. The faculty determine ensemble assignments, placement, and part assignments. All percussion majors must take the Symphonic Percussion Audition unless otherwise advised by Dr. Schaft. Any YSU student wishing to be considered for the above ensembles must take this audition for consideration. Percussion Ensemble is only open to percussion majors, unless otherwise advised by Dr. Schaft.
2. Drumset Auditions – for jazz big bands and combos occur the end of the first week of classes in room 2222. The audition sign-up list will be posted on Dr. Engelhardt’s studio, Bliss Hall room 2212. Drumset audition repertoire includes: 1. Sight-read a chart with a big band. 2. Play with a combo by ear. Call-backs may occur, so please wait until you are excused. Instruments are provided; bring only sticks and brushes. Audition results will be posted immediately following the auditions. Vibraphonists should sign-up for a separate audiiton time as indicated by Dr. Engelhardt.
PASIC. Percussive Arts Society International Convention occurs in November and I encourage you to attend. See <www.pas.org> No YSU percussion classes or events are scheduled during PASIC to help facilitate your attendance. Notify your professors, via memo, the first week of fall semester of your proposed absences from their courses.
Percussion Keys. Each percussion major should sign-out two keys, one for the third floor practice rooms and one for the second floor percussion rooms, from the music office after you have registered for applied percussion. Returning majors may keep keys during the summer. Percussion minors may be issued a 3rd floor practice room key pending Dr. Schaft's approval.
Lockers. Rent a Bliss Hall second floor locker at the Kilcawley Center Bytes and Pieces; we cannot provide percussion facilities for personal items.
Drumline Camp see www.ysubands.org for schedule and audition music.
Recital Advisement - see Applied Percussion Syllabus
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