Academic Standards
You may be required to repeat any music courses in which you receive a D+, D, D-, or F. Courses may be repeated once after the first failed attempt. Passing grades must be earned at each level of a sequence of courses before you will be allowed to progress to the next level. We believe that understanding of course material at every level adds an essential dimension to music skills and development. Your advisor is there to help you if you are having trouble at any point in your studies.
Applied Music Requirements
All students must study with members of the Cali School faculty.
An applied music fee, in addition to tuition, must be paid for private instruction.
Recital requirements: 1) Students concentrating in performance present two recitals, one before the end of junior year and the second in the senior year; 2) Students concentrating in music education present a recital in the senior year; and 3) Students concentrating in theory/composition present a recital of original compositions in the senior year.
Piano students are expected to accompany at a level of ability designated by their teachers.
All students should perform during performance practicum at least once during each year of primary study.
Ensemble Requirements
The ensemble policy is based on the principle that all students must perform in ensemble(s) each semester of attendance at Montclair State University in order to assure the broadest possible experience in important ensemble repertoire and to assure that these ensembles have the needed instrumentation for successful performance. Although minimum requirements vary with each concentration, this principle is the overriding one. Students are expected to perform in their primary ensemble during each semester of attendance. Students may be assigned by the school director to an ensemble in accordance with the needs of the school, regardless of the completion of the student of the minimum requirements. Where admission to a chamber ensemble is by audition and a student fails to gain admission, additional performance in a large ensemble may, with the Director’s consent, be substituted. Chamber ensembles must perform once a semester, either in recital or for a jury.
If a student’s GPA falls below 3.0, involvement in all ensembles may be denied so that the student can focus on academic improvement.
Any changes in the ensemble policy will be posted in the Cali School.
Registration Requirements
No student may remain in a class if he or she is not officially registered. Faculty are responsible for ensuring that there are no students in classes who are not on the Registrar’s official class lists. It is not allowable for students to ‘post’ register for a course.
All students must be registered in order to receive private lessons. Students may not receive double lessons in any one semester without registering for both sets of lessons (i.e. percussion/drum set or piano/harpsichord or clarinet/bass clarinet). All double sets of lessons must be approved by the Director, and are never automatic. Double sets of lessons require a cumulative 3.0 GPA in the previous semester, and a B or better in private study.