Performance Study in Music

A student playing the saxophone in a concert

Performance Study in Music

Learn and use the tools that differentiate musical periods, styles, and national characteristics.

Auditions and the Music Proficiency Exams are required for official registration in all performance courses; a minimum intermediate level is required for registration in most instruments, regardless of whether your home institution is Mount Holyoke or one of the other colleges in our consortium. The exam schedule, topics and skills are posted in advance.

Lessons and individual performance studies

All students are eligible for lessons. We have many students enrolled in performance study who are not music majors or minors. Private instruction is offered at three levels.

All performance study is for credit and the grade you receive will be included in your GPA. Students enrolled in a 50 or 60-minute lesson receive 2 credits per semester Students enrolled in a 30-minute lesson receive 1 credit per semester. Students taking performance study at the 300 level receive 4 credits per semester.

Shared student recitals

If you enroll in 200-level performance studies you will be required to participate in a public performance during the same semester. Unless you have a significant solo performance in another concert, you should plan to perform at one of the multiple shared student recitals that are scheduled at the end of each semester.

If you enroll in 100-level performance studies you may also choose to perform at the discretion of the instructor and as space allows.

Performance study details

Steps toward Initial enrollment in Performance Study

All Mount Holyoke and Five College students must do the following in order to qualify for MUSIC-151 (Individual Performance Study):

Take the MUSIC-100 Exemption Exam. Please look over the exam schedule, skills tested, and review materials ahead of time.
Sign up for an audition/interview with department faculty during the first week of classes.
During your audition, be prepared to:

Piano: play a prepared piece which represents your level of musicianship and ability and sight-read some brief passages.
Voice and all other instruments: perform a short prepared piece which represents your level of musicianship and ability.

Based on the results of the audition/interviews, register for MUSIC-151 (Individual Performance Study) and, if required, MUSIC-100 (Rudiments of Music) or MUSIC-131 (Basic Musicianship).

Beginning Students

If you are accepted for lessons and are evaluated in your audition as a beginner on your instrument or voice, you must satisfy the music rudiments requirement in one of the following three ways:

Pass the MUSIC-100 Exemption Exam prior to enrollment in performance study; or
Enroll concurrently with your first semester of performance study in the 2-credit MUSIC-100 (Rudiments of Music) for the first half of the semester) or the 4-credit MUSIC-131 (Basic Musicianship); or
Enroll concurrently with your first semester of performance study in a Five College course equivalent to MUSIC-100 or MUSIC-131.

Experienced Students

If you are accepted for lessons and are evaluated in your audition as an experienced player or singer (i.e., having had previous instrumental or vocal training) you may, after taking the MUSIC-100 Exemption Exam and obtaining the permission of the instructor, enroll in MUSIC-151 (Individual Performance Study) for one semester without satisfying the rudiments of music requirement. Continued performance study beyond this single semester grace period requires satisfying the rudiments requirement either through exemption or concurrent enrollment in MUSIC-100 or MUSIC-131.

Performance teacher's schedules

Openings on performance teachers' schedules will be filled according to the following order of priority:

Declared Music Majors and Minors.
First, Second, and Third-year students who demonstrate proficiency on their instrument at or above an upper elementary level, with order of placement determined by extent of experience and quality of performance.
First, Second, and Third-year students who wish to begin their study of an instrument or voice, provided they enroll concurrently in MUSIC-100.
Fourth-year students, with order of placement determined by extent of experience and quality of performance. Senior beginners must enroll concurrently in MUSIC-100.

Placement is contingent on teacher availability and cannot be guaranteed to any level of student qualification.

Music Majors and Minors

No fees are charged for declared music majors and minors who have declared by the 10th day of the semester. You may declare the music major or minor after successful completion of either MUSIC-100 or MUSIC-131 (Basic Musicianship).

Non-majors

$680 for twelve 50 or ten 60 minute lessons; $408 for twelve 30-minute lessons. Please note: Should you choose to withdraw from a private performance study class you must do so 10 class days after the first day of classes to avoid the additional lesson fee.

Grant-in-Aid is available through the Music department for students who receive financial aid to the College. We ask you to remember that the available funds cannot fully fund every request.

An application must be filled out for every semester that you need aid; there are no automatic renewals.
Deadlines to apply are generally the first Friday of the first week of classes in each semester.
Only students who receive financial aid from the College are eligible to apply.
Only one instrument or voice will be funded.
Late applications cannot be accepted.

Please and contact the department if you have any questions or concerns.

If you are registered for individual performance studies you will receive 10 or 12 lessons a semester, depending on the length of each lesson and credit.

A lesson canceled by your teacher will be rescheduled.
A lesson canceled by you with advance notice and due to illness may be rescheduled.
A lesson canceled for any reason other than illness will not be rescheduled.
In accordance with College policy, there are no lessons on Mountain Day.
Makeup lessons will be scheduled as soon as possible after the missed lesson; it is hoped that by the ninth week of each semester, no student will be more than one lesson behind.

There are a limited number of instrument storage lockers in Pratt Hall. If you are taking music lessons and/or playing in an ensemble, you may store an instrument in a locker. You must stop by the Music Office, room 208 in Pratt Hall, to register a locker. You must supply your own padlock.

There are 12 practice rooms in Pratt which are open from 6 am-11 pm. Use of the practice rooms is open to all Mount Holyoke students, but priority is given to students enrolled in performance studies. Sign up sheets are posted outside each room if you’d like to schedule your practice time.