-1- Students, On behalf of the music faculty and staff, I welcome you to Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU). We are looking forward to a meaningful and rewarding association with you during your time as a music major. As you well know, music is a diverse field and the SAGU Music Department provides our students with a variety of opportunities. At the beginning of your academic career (and even as an upper-class student), these resources and opportunities can seem overwhelming. So, there are a few things I encourage you to do, no matter where you are in the process of being a music major: First, get involved with extracurricular activities of the department including Choir, Band or Chapel Worship. Review the Music Department Handbook and SAGU Undergraduate Catalog. These resources will ensure you graduate on time. In addition, become familiar with our social media platforms. You can find us on Facebook (SAGU Music), Instagram (@sagumusic), and Twitter (@musicsagu). Most of all, it is important that you are connected with your peers and professors. We all want to see you succeed in the path God has set for you. Knowing that He who has begun a great work in you is faithful to complete it. After reviewing the Music Department Handbook, if you have questions, please see myself or one of the other music professors. We are always praying for you. Blessings, Dr. Tyrone J. Block, Music Department Chair -2- Students and Parents, We are so excited to have you back on campus this fall semester. We have missed you and we have missed having the opportunity to make music together. Right now, it is no secret that we are living in an unprecedented time. And while we don’t know what to expect, we know that God is bigger than these circumstances and that He does not give us a spirit of fear, but one of power and of love and of a sound mind. So, while we do not live in fear, we do want to be wise about how we approach learning and campus life this semester. We want everyone to be as safe and healthy as possible until this virus is gone. Until then, we have some new procedures in place that will make our goals of safety and cleanliness even easier as we navigate through this semester. Please read through these and send any questions or concerns that you may have to [email protected] where Dr. Block will be happy to discuss anything that you may need. We love you and are praying that you have a great semester. All the best, SAGU Music Department Faculty and Staff “When I am in class/rehearsal/practicing, what will the Hagee Communications Center look like?” ● All students must use the marked entrances and exits from large rooms, where applicable. ● All students must follow the one-way path marked around each large space, including Burke Hall and Waltrip Hall. ● All doors to rehearsal spaces will remain wedged open, in order to provide an increase in ventilation to each of those spaces. ● Seats in rehearsal spaces and other classrooms will be strategically placed/marked off at a 6 ft distance away from others in all directions. Changes to seating structures are not permitted, unless specifically permitted by a supervising faculty member. ● All personnel must abide by marked capacity signage. Maximum capacity will be at 20 for rehearsal spaces and at 1 for practice rooms. ● High-transit areas will be frequently cleaned at regular intervals throughout the day, in order to maximize sanitation and safety for all faculty and students. “When I am in the Hagee Communications Center for any reason, what will be expected of me to do?” ● All personnel, including students and faculty, are to maintain proper and frequent handwashing throughout each day. Additionally, all personnel are to use hand sanitizer before and after use of frequently-used areas, such as practice rooms and the piano/theory labs. -3- ● All personnel are to continuously maintain a 6 ft social distance away from others, with the exception of one’s immediate family and roommate(s). ● All personnel must have a proper face covering over both the nose and mouth at all times, especially when social distancing is not possible. The only time students may remove their face coverings is when actively participating in a rehearsal. ● Choir and Chorale students will wear face shields when in rehearsals and performing. Face shields are required in order to attend or participate in class. ● All personnel should avoid loitering around the building. This includes avoiding gathering in spaces such as the practice room hallways or any of the couches around the building. ● In rehearsal, only one performer is permitted per stand, ensuring a proper distance between performers. ● All students who wish to meet with any faculty members should contact that professor directly and request an appointment beforehand. No impromptu/walk-in meetings are permitted. ● Upon arrival to the office corridor (whether for a private lesson or for an appointment with a professor), students should wait in the chairs by the corridor’s entrance doors. The faculty member will come retrieve them when they are ready. ● To use a practice room, students should sign up for time slots using the forms outside of that specific practice room. Then, students should email Dr. Block ([email protected]) requesting the codes to the rooms desired. As always, these codes are not to be shared with anyone per the SAGU Music handbook guidelines. Additionally, students will not be allowed to use a room back-to-back after each other. All students must observe the 20 minute blackout time slot between each other (as listed on the sign-up sheet outside of the room). This will ensure proper ventilation and turn over between students in each of the practice rooms. ● Students should not sign up for practice time that they don’t actually intend to use. They should also limit sign-ups to a maximum of 2 hours per session. Finally, they should only use the room that they signed up for and no others. This will minimize the number of students utilizing rooms. ● All students who use the practice rooms or practice in the rehearsal spaces will also be responsible for cleaning the area after each use. This includes wiping down of any common items, such as pianos, light switches, keypads, chairs, and door handles. If there are no sanitation materials available in the practice spaces, please email [email protected] or [email protected] to receive some more for that room. ● Eating or drinking will not be permitted in any rehearsal spaces or practice rooms. ● During private lessons, students and faculty must follow the following procedures: ○ Any students feeling and/or showing any COVID-19 symptoms whatsoever at the time of their scheduled lesson must contact their instructor directly prior to the lesson. Said students will not receive an in-person lesson, but will receive one via -4- video chat, instead. This applies to any students who are informed of contact with a COVID-positive person, as well. In either case, students will only be able to resume in-person lessons after a prescribed quarantine period and/or a negative test result. ○ Face coverings must be worn over both the nose and the mouth when entering/exiting the lesson studio, as well as at any point that the student does not require the face covering’s removal. ○ Sharing of printed music, instruments, or other materials must be limited wherever possible. ○ Instrument cases must be stored in a way that avoids contact with other cases and people. ○ Each student will be required to ensure safety for others when emptying condensation that occurs during playing their instrument(s). It is suggested that an easily transported, towel-lined container with a lid (Tupperware-like), or something similar, be used in all locations where condensation needs to be released. The container must be cleaned daily. ○ A 20 minute window between lessons will be strictly observed to leave time for cleaning and ventilation between students. “Are there any other procedures/changes in place that I should know about before coming to class/rehearsal or before entering the Hagee Communications Center for any reason?” ● Any student recitals should not have intermissions and post-concert gatherings or other receptions may not occur on campus. ● Any student recitals and other performances will be live-streamed via the SAGU Music Facebook page and will not be open to the public. ● During recitals and other performances, all personnel, including performers, faculty, or other stagehands must wear face coverings over both the nose and mouth and maintain proper social distancing. ● Visitors are not permitted into any rehearsal space without the prior consent of the supervising faculty member. ● No personnel other than College of Music and Communication Arts faculty and their respective work studies will be permitted to use the copier and printer upstairs in the office corridor. Any other students may use the copiers in various other locations around campus. -5- TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction 3 II. Entrance Requirements 3 A. General Admission B. Departmental Placement Exams C. Vocal Placement Assessment D. Piano Placement Assessment E. Instrumental Placement Assessment Commented [1]: We only include the Theory Placement Exam III. Curriculum Requirements 3 IV. Program Requirements 4 A. Requirements for Incoming/Transfer Students B. Requirements for Entrance into Upper Division Studies C. Proficiency Exam Requirements D. Requirements for Exit from the Program E. Applied Music Policy F. Jury Exams V. Recitals 10 A. Objectives and Purposes B. Recital Attendance C. Recital Performances D. Recital Hearings E.