Admission to the program is by application and audition

Application

• To apply, a student will need a recommendation from the primary instrumental or vocal instructor, or an ensemble director

• Auditions are held in March (specific date TBA). Students should be prepared to play at least 10 minutes of music, which does not need to be from their proposed DMP program. Auditions will be primarily in-person but students needing to audition by video submission will be accommodated.

In addition to the 31 credits required for the BA in Music, the Performance Concentration consists of an additional 21 performance credits

• Take two years’ of advanced private lessons
• Participate in a Performance Seminar with your peers several times per semester (including a ca. 30-minute performance in a master-class setting)
• Participate in departmental performance ensembles
• Give a 4th-year recital in Old Cabell Hall Auditorium (may also be a DMP recital)

Program Eligibility and Application

Application

The Concentration provides formal recognition for a few outstanding students who earn musical performance credits at an advanced level and with a coherent plan supervised by an assigned Concentration Advisor.

Admission to the Concentration is based on application and audition. By the time of application, all applicants must have:

• completed at least one semester of private lessons (MUPF 2xxx, Performance)
• passed a successful jury to allow them to enroll in advanced lessons (MUPF 3xxx, Advanced Performance)
• declared the Music Major

Applications should be submitted to David Sariti, Interim Director of Music Performance, musicdop@virginia.edu

The Concentration requires students to complete the 31 credits of the Music Major, and 21 additional credits in advanced musical performance. To earn the Performance Concentration credential, students must have a cumulative GPA at graduation of 3.0 or above, and a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in all credits applied to the Performance Concentration.

Performance Concentration Checklist

Additional requirements for the Performance Concentration

• MUPF 3950 | Performance Concentration I | 2 credits | Fall / 3rd Year
• MUPF 3960 | Performance Concentration II | 2 credits | Spring / 3rd Year
• MUPF 4950 | Performance Concentration III | 2 credits | Fall / 4th Year
• MUPF 4960 | Performance Concentration IV | 2 credits | Spring / 4th Year
• MUSI 4950 | Performance Concentration Seminar | 4 credits | Each Semester of 3rd and 4th Year
• MUSI 4993 | Independent Study (academic research for concluding recital). If you are performing a DMP recital in your 4th year, the requirement for MUSI 4993 is 2 credits; 1 per semester in both fall and spring of your 4th year | 1 credit | Spring / 4th Year
• MUEN 3xxx | Performance Credits - in addition to BA performance requirement | 8 credits | over four years
• Total minimum credits | 21 credits

MUPF 3950 and MUPF 3960 Performance Concentration I-II

Taken in the fall and spring semesters of the third year. One-hour weekly advanced lessons (13 per semester). Graded, 2 credits

Students at this level should make a time commitment to practicing appropriate to the demands of the Concentration Program, to be determined by the individual performance instructors. Students play a jury, i. e. a brief performance for a group of faculty, at the end of each semester, in addition to a 15-30-minute solo performance once per year as part of the Performance Seminar.

MUPF 4950 and 4960 Performance Concentration III-IV

Taken in the fall and spring semesters of the fourth year. One-hour weekly advanced lessons (13 per semester). Graded, 2 credits

Students at this level should make a time commitment to practicing appropriate to the demands of the Concentration Program, to be determined by the individual performance instructors. Students play a jury, i.e. a brief performance for a group of faculty, at the end of each semester, in addition to a 15-30-minute solo performance once per year as part of the Performance Seminar, and a spring semester full recital.

MUSI 4950 Performance Concentration Seminar

Taken each semester of the third and fourth year. Graded, 1 credit

Provides intensive instruction in voice or on an instrument, broadens and deepens repertory knowledge, and provides experience in public performance as well as the evaluation of performance. Students perform at least one solo recital per semester. Students write self-evaluations of their performance and receive feedback from instructor.

MUEN credits

Each student would ordinarily gain experience in at least two different performance ensembles.

MUSI 4993 credit and recital

* Note: If you are performing a DMP recital in your 4th year, the requirement for MUSI 4993 is 2 credits; 1 per semester in both fall and spring of your 4th year

In the spring semester of fourth year, each student is required to perform a full-length recital (or equivalent for non-classical traditions). The repertoire workshopped in the fourth-year Performance Seminar may form a subset of the recital program. The student will also complete a one-credit independent study with an appropriate faculty member, comprising academic research on the recital repertoire.

The Concentration and the Distinguished Major Project

If they wish, students in the Performance Concentration may also apply for a Distinguished Major recital. Applications are due in the spring semester of the third year, and students should note that the DMP requires a cumulative GPA at graduation of 3.4. Note: students in the Performance Concentration must also audition for the DMP recital in the spring semester of the third year. Auditions will be primarily in-person but students needing to audition by video submission will be accommodated.

For students who are accepted into BOTH the Performance Concentration and the DMP programs

• MUPF 4950-4960 (Performance Concentration III-IV) will substitute for MUPF 4920-4930 (Honors Performance, currently required for DMP recitals)
• The one-credit independent study (MUSI 4993) undertaken for the Concentration Recital in the spring semester will substitute for the one-credit independent study required for the DMP Recital. However, the student is required to take an additional one-credit independent study (MUSI 4993) in the fall semester.
• The Concentration Recital will double as the DMP Recital (assuming a cumulative GPA of 3.4 at graduation).

Contact

• Daniel Sender, Director of the Performance Concentration Seminar, dls8kb@virginia.edu
• David Sariti, Director of Music Performance, musicdop@virginia.edu
• Fred Maus, Director of the Undergraduate Program, musicdup@virginia.edu