Innovative Music Pedagogy
The Middlebury College Orchestra
2008 Alan and Joyce Beucher Concerto Competition
The Competition took place on Tuesday, February 12, with seven Middlebury College students competing. Judges were Troy Peters, director of the Middlebury College Orchestra and Joseph Pepper, a fine pianist who teaches at the University of Vermont and plays with the Burlington Chamber Orchestra. Both judges were impressed with the level of the auditions.
We are pleased to announce that violinist Emily Kim Goldsmith is the winner of the 2008 Alan and Joyce Beucher Concerto Competition. She will receive a $200 cash award, have her name engraved on a plaque in the Mahaney Center for the Arts, and appear as a featured soloist with the Middlebury College Orchestra on its spring concert on Friday, April 25, 2008, playing the first movement of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.
In addition, clarinetist Kevin Ng was awarded Honorable Mention. He will receive a $100 cash award and will be invited to be a featured performer on a spring chamber music recital (details TBA).
The Music Department is pleased to announce that the
winners of the 2008 Middlebury College Chamber Music Competition are:
- Megan Guiliano, violin
- Caeli Nistler-Schnabel, clarinet
- DaWeon Ryu, piano
This trio presented a program at the President's House on the afternoon of April 12, 2008.
The outside judge, Walter Parker from Vermont Public Radio, mentioned that he was impressed with the generally high level of musicianship evidenced by the audition performances.
Course Work
We offer a wide selection of courses in music history, theory, and composition, electronic music, and performance. From the very beginning compositions course involve composing and performing. Courses in diatonic and chromatic theory, and musicianship; performance courses in chamber music, early music, or vocal music; history courses in the music of the Weimar Republic, Bob Dylan, or jazz topics provide the groundwork as well as intense, advanced work in a wide area of musical topics.
Department Offices: Center for the Arts
Phone: 802-443-5221
Fax: 802-443-2057
Department Chair: Greg Vitercik,
vitercik@Middlebury.eduAcademic Coordinator: Deborah Young,
young@Middlebury.edu
Information for current students:
Requirements for the Major:
Music Majors are required to take
- MUSC 0209
- MUSC 0220-0221
- MUSC 0260-0261 (formerly 0301 and 0302)
- a performance elective such as MUSC 0240, or MUSC 0500
- three 0200-level or above elective music courses
- MUSC 0400, senior seminar.
In addition to the curricular requirements, majors are required to participate for three semesters in at least one departmentally approved ensemble.
Those approved ensembles are:
- Middlebury College Orchestra
- Middlebury College Chamber Singers
- Middlebury College/Community Choir
- Middlebury College Sound Investment Jazz Ensemble.
For the ensemble participation a student is going to use to satisfy this requirement, the director of the ensemble must be notified at the beginning of the semester.
The purpose of this requirement is that every music professional - performer, historian, composer - should have experience with performing in an ensemble with a professional director.
Required for the Joint Major: A minimum of eight courses at the 0200-level or above. In addition to the curricular requirements, joint majors must participate for three semesters in at least one departmentally approved ensemble. Please see above for approved ensembles.
Required for the Minor: Students who do the voluntary minor in music are required to complete five courses, two of which may be general introductory courses (0100-level). The three other courses would all be at an upper level (0200-0400- level); all three may be in a specific area of specialization, or two may be in a specific area with the third in another area. Students may also do an independent project (MUSC 0500), which counts as one course toward the voluntary minor.
Departmental Honors: Departmental honors in music reflect a student's overall achievement in and contribution to the department as well as excellence in a senior work project (MUSC 0704). To be eligible for senior work, a grade average of at least B+ in all music courses is required. Eligible students may propose a senior work project (MUSC 0704) of one or two semesters in length; proposals must be submitted by April 1 of the junior year. A grade of B+ in senior work and B+ in departmental courses will be eligible for honors; A- in senior work and A- in departmental courses will be eligible for high honors; A in senior work and A in departmental courses will be eligible for highest honors.
The student-run Middlebury Musicians Guild. Learn more.