Music MM Performance
Program Purpose
The intent of this specialization is that students with outstanding performance potential will be, at the completion of this degree, accomplished and competitive performers, on par with national levels of technical proficiency, musicality and virtuosity. Also, that they will be active and able advocates for the arts and arts education in their communities, able to help meet the need for performers and skilled studio teachers for young players.
Curricular Structure
The 32 hours required of the MM in Performance include a research class and 6 hours from theory, history, and education electives. In addition, all students in this program must take courses in literature, pedagogy, and supervised teaching. They then prepare a full recital and paper as a culminating project. Electives fill out the rest of the 32 hour requirement.
School of Music Graduate Handbook
BYU Graduate School Application
Learning Outcomes
Skill Development and Instrument Mastery
As a performer, each student will make demonstrable and measurable progress towards professional levels of technical and artistic mastery of their instrument.
Students learn to connect performance to academic research that is directly related to their recital and other performance literature.
Masters students will gain a knowledge of several different teaching methods. They will be able to teach students at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. They will also be prepared for teaching at higher level institutions.
Evidence of Learning
Faculty members use exams, projects, papers, recital attendance, and juried performances to evaluate their students. The curriculum is designed to establish specific goals. Students' readiness to present public recitals is evaluated by faculty at a juried exam three weeks prior to the performance. The performance is also juried. Each semester of performance study is evaluated by the string faculty. All students are encouraged to complete faculty and course evaluations at the end of each course.
Direct Measures
School of Music faculty prize certain subjective, critical components of a music education such as musicality, creativity, and originality. They recognize the difficulty of assessing such elements objectively, and understand the very act of measuring them drains away their virtue and value. Faculty assess other more explicit evidence of learning using traditional tools throughout the course of classes and lessons, and at periodic advisement points as determined by the college advisement center. These tools include:
- Examinations
- Quizzes
- Term papers
- Evaluation of performance in private lessons and large ensemble
- Monitoring progress through the College Advisement Center
Indirect Measures
Indirect evaluations include reviewing the following information:
- Alumni Questionnaire
- Feedback from colleagues outside of BYU
- AIMS survey
- Student evaluations
- Periodic data collected on MM students' acceptance into doctoral studies or other post MM degree programs; student awards from music competitions, performance apprenticeship programs, or professional appointments
- Student focus groups
Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement
The School of Music Graduate Council consists of diverse faculty that represents each area of musical study headed by the Associate Director of the School of Music. This committee meets monthly to review and assess all areas of the program to include the admission process, curriculum, students and other issues. They make every effort to ensure that the graduate program meets the high standard of study at BYU and set by the National Association of Schools of Music.