General Description of the Music Department and Its Programs

I. The Music Department Mission Statement

The Music Department mission statement has changed little since our last review in the spring of 1999. It continues to guide our on-going efforts to update our curriculum offerings and facilities.

   The Music Department prepares students as musicians in two degree programs. The Bachelor of Arts in Music (a performance degree)
    leads to careers in performance, church music, music business/industry, and other music-related areas. The Bachelor of Music Education
    degree leads to certification and employment in the field of music education. Both degree programs prepare students for further study at the 
    graduate level, should they choose to pursue it. The department also has a course of study for attaining an academic minor.

    The Music Department also seeks to serve all students of St. Ambrose University by offering several kinds of musical experiences: general 
    education courses, individual vocal or instrumental lessons, and membership in vocal or instrumental performing ensembles.

    Finally, the Music Department seeks to serve the St. Ambrose and Quad-City communities through the presentation of on- and off-campus 
    performances, including appearances at official University events. The faculty of the department perform publicly and also provide consultation 
    services for schools and other organizations requesting assistance.

II. Goals and Parameters of Program Review

In approaching the program review, the department wanted to explore the curricular offerings of institutions of similar size to be sure that we were competitive with what we offer our students in terms of the courses available and the number of credit hours required.

We also wanted our program to remain “friendly” to students transferring into St. Ambrose, into the music major from another major, and to those of varying backgrounds and career goals. We did not envision sweeping changes since graduates of our program have been placed in full-time musical employment or in graduate programs at nearly 100%, indicating a solid program.

Concerns developed during a number of discussions at our weekly departmental meetings, including instrumental majors student teaching in elementary general music without enough preparation, additional field experience for music education majors before student teaching, and continuing to increase the enrollment of music majors.

III. The Music Department Assessment Program

Below are the learning objectives coordinated with components of the department’s assessment program, including their effectiveness and any change demonstrated by the data collected in the most recent five-year period.

1. To have each student-musician develop their performing skills to the highest possible level, culminating in a senior-level formal public recital performance.

    Semester evaluations are written by music faculty other than the student’s own instructor and are shared with the student as well as the instructor. 
    This provides a longitudinal record for students who study for multiple semesters, and a cross check among instructors. The student’s academic 
    and musical progress is assessed during the 60-hour review process, and a written follow-up is sent to the student. Prior to the performance of 
    the Senior Recital, a student must pass a jury hearing of all their literature in front of the music faculty.

2. To nurture and guide future music educators in the B.M.E. program toward an understanding of their potential in the field.

Music Education majors receive evaluations from cooperating teachers in all the field components they complete. Those are used to advise the students as they progress toward their degree and certification. These are stored in the advisor files of students. The 60-hour review plays an important part of this assessment.
 

3. To give student-musicians the knowledge and skills to have successful and fulfilling careers in music.

     Again the 60-hour review plays an important role in assessing the student’s progress and potential in their chosen field.

4. To provide a musically rich performing and listening environment for our student-musicians.

    The department has been maintaining files of printed programs and CDs of performances by student ensembles, faculty members, individual 
    students, and outside artists. This is especially useful when ensemble change conductors. It also documents the range and frequency of musical 
    experiences available to the St. Ambrose community.

     Thanks to the efforts of the Fine Arts staff and the Theater Department, as well as the music faculty, the range and diversity of programs 
    available for student, whether participation or listening, is excellent for an institution and department of our size.  The Music Department 
    encourages encourages attendance at fine arts events by tracking student attendance. There is a weekly Performance Class on Friday 
    afternoons, and faculty and student recitals are also regularly held. Most fine arts performances on campus are free to St. Ambrose students, an 
    encouraging policy.

5. To develop student-musicians’ skills in speaking and writing about music.

    Students express themselves orally about music in class presentations in such courses as Counterpoint and Music History, but the primary arenas 
    for this activity are the Music Methods courses where music education students give a series of mock lessons that are video taped and criticized 
    by each other as well as faculty. In conducting classes students are also video taped to provide them with an opportunity to view their skills at 
    work and participate in class discussion of their skills.

    All music students take two WI course in music. Examples for each student are saved from these courses for evaluation and assessment by the 
    entire faculty.

IV. Areas of concern and long-range plans

The following list, not necessarily in order of importance, includes areas of concern that frequently come up in faculty discussions. Some areas have been addressed, but are of a nature that required continued attention.


    Increase the number of music majors in quantity and quality. This is a continued concern even though the 1999 goal of doubling the number of 
    majors has been met.

Plan for major purchases in the future, instruments for the department and across campus: concert grand, pipe organ in the Chapel.

Instrument inventory, cataloging and repairing department-owned instruments (in progress).

Curriculum assessment, an on-going project.

Midi keyboard/computer lab. A Clavinova lab has been added for piano classs in Davis 30.

Building issues: appropriate space for rehearsals, student recitals, offices, practice rooms, instrument storage, area for work study students, student lounge; adequate electrical wiring in offices.

Summer music camp for high school and middle school students.

Put the Student Handbook, created since 1999, online

Music Department General Education Courses
As Related to the Fine Arts Area Goals

 

The Music Department courses listed in each section below meet the General Education requirements of the goals and objectives related to that segment of the General Education program.

I. Humanities—Group I    

      MUS: 101, 110, 114, 115, 120, 310

II. Creative Arts—Group II

      MUS: 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 111, 117, 118, 119, 311, 313     

III. Skills and Attitudes/Values Matrix contains all courses offered by the Music Department   
Curriculum Related to General Education Goals and Objectives

                                                                           Courses (all MUS)

                                                                            Courses (all MUS)

                                                                            Courses (all MUS)

ADDENDUM

 Music Department Assessment Tools and Procedures

The Music Department assesses the progress of students majoring in music and music education at several points in their time at St. Ambrose.  The purposes of these assessment points are twofold: first, to help the student set and move toward achievement of appropriate goals; and second, to aid the faculty of the department in the ongoing evaluation of our curricula. The department has been conscientious about delivering feedback and documentation to students, but remiss in collecting the documentation in a central location where we can effectively analyze the data and use it more concretely in program evaluation and planning. However, since we are a relatively small department with a relatively small number of majors (and consequently small class sizes), and because faculty see our music and music education students in class semester after semester in our rather highly sequenced curriculum, we develop an unusually thorough picture of individual students' progress.

The main points of assessment for St. Ambrose music students are (1) the initial audition and examination given before enrollment, (2) the 60-hour review normally carried out in the second semester of a student's sophomore year (for transfer students, in the semester in which the student reaches their 60th hour or their first spring semester, whichever comes first), and (3) the capstone experiences of a student's public senior recital and, additionally for music education majors, the semester of student teaching. Historically, the department has conducted a post-graduation survey dealing with the employment and graduate school experiences of our graduates, and asked about how the various components of their curriculum (in both major and non-major classes) helped and/or failed them in their post-graduation pursuits. This is a component we may want to re-introduce in the future.  

Initial audition prior to enrollment, or upon declaration of music major

In February, the department holds auditions for incoming students for the following academic year. All members of the department attend the auditions. Prospective students fill out an application form regarding their musical background and experiences to date.  They are asked to prepare and perform one or more solo selections for their main instrument/voice. In addition, they know they will be asked to play scales, vocalize, and/or sight-read. There is discussion about musical and career goals during the audition period. All students also take a written examination over the rudiments of music theory.  At this point, no student is rejected or even discouraged from pursuing a music major at St. Ambrose, but the information the process provides helps both student and faculty to begin to form realistic expectations and plans.

Performance evaluations on each semester's jury examination or recital performance

Every music major performs on their major instrument/voice each semester as a part of their applied music studies.  The performances may be in the department's weekly performance class, where verbal comments are given, in recital, and/or at the end of semester jury examinations, where written feedback is given and retained by the instructor/department as a check-point on progress.

60 credit hour review.

The process of the 4th semester review includes student submission of information about their progress and activities and an essay on their perception of their progress and the development of their academic and career goals; an interview with music faculty including the academic advisor,            the major ensemble conductor, the music theory instructor, and the applied music instructor; and a response from faculty on students progress in areas of performance, ensemble participation, progress in music classes, progress in general coursework; and a narrative.

Senior recital

The Senior Recital is a capstone graduation requirement for all music and music education majors. The approximately one-hour long program is planned and prepared under the guidance of the major applied faculty member. One month prior to the performance, several faculty audition the recital to ensure a minimally acceptable performance. Recitals are attended and evaluated by several music department faculty members. The grade for the semester of the recital is determined by this feedback, as well as the major applied faculty member's judgment of the level of preparation.

Student teaching

Student teaching is the second capstone of the BME degree (along with the recital). Music student teachers are monitored by music education faculty members. Written progress reports and evaluations from the cooperating instructor and the SAU supervisor are indicators of student and curricular strengths and weaknesses.

  Return to Departmental Assessment Plans