MUSIC-BA - Music (BA)
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Program Overview
The Department of Music at Stanford combines music-making with scholarly research in composition, conducting, performance, music history, ethnomusicology, music theory, cognitive science, intermedia, and computer-based technologies.
Departmental activities serve a broad and diverse constituency on campus and in local communities, with abundant courses, concerts, performance opportunities, research projects, workshops, and lectures throughout the year. Ensembles from various world cultures are open to all students: orchestras, jazz and chamber ensembles, taiko, guzheng, steelpan, and several choral groups. Many of the faculty have affiliations with other departments, programs, and interdisciplinary centers, such as Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Art and Art History, German Studies, Neuroscience, Symbolic Systems, Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, and Islamic Studies. Alumni include faculty in universities and conservatories around the world, researchers in the technologies of music and acoustics, members of major orchestras, soloists, chamber musicians, sound artists, composers, and arrangers in contemporary, film, and game music.
The Department of Music offers a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Students can pursue one of eleven possible subplans associated with the major. Eligible students may also be awarded a Bachelor of Arts with Honors. The department also offers a minor in music.
Subplans (concentrations) are offered in eleven areas:
Composition
Conducting
Music, Science, and Technology
Musicology and Ethnomusicology
Musicology/Ethnomusicology and Performance
Performance in Keyboard Studies
Performance in String Studies
Performance in Vocal Studies
Performance in Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Studies
Theory
Self-designed concentration
Subplans are declared in Axess and appear on the student’s transcript and diploma. Students should allow more than two years for completion of the major. Students pursuing multiple concentrations must fulfill all the requirements of each and may need more than two years to do so. The undergraduate student services officer in Music must approve requests to declare a concentration.
Preparing for the Major
Suggested Preparation for the Major
Recommended prerequisites for students without prior experience reading music in standard Western notation. A placement evaluation on the first day of instruction determines the appropriate entry level into music theory coursework.
course - Introduction to Music Theory
course - Intermediate Music Theory
Requirements for the minimum proficiency levels in each instrument for private instruction at Lessons on the department’s website.
The department website explains Guidelines and application information at Declare a Major.
Students should allow more than two years for completion of the major, in part because of sequential courses with prerequisite requirements. Early planning is essential for students who plan to double-major, study abroad or pursue any of the concentrations described below. Music majors should attempt to complete sequential courses in the order below.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
Take 6 courses for at least 12 units
Take 3 courses, one of each Analysis and History, plus one by choice
Upper Division History Courses (MUSIC 141 - 148) taken for at least four units satisfy the Writing In the Major (WIM) requirement), as described in the "Course Requirements" section above.
The major culminates in a capstone experience as described in each of the eleven concentration options below.
The faculty awards honors in music to majors who have produced an independent project of exceptional quality through a concentration. Students who wish to pursue honors must declare their concentration(s) by May 31 of their junior year (see the undergraduate student services officer for concentration-specific requirements). To receive honors, students must also have earned an overall GPA of 3.6 or higher and a GPA of 3.7 or higher in courses required for the Music major. Honors are conferred through faculty adjudication. For students concentrating in multiple areas, a single jury is convened.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted toward fulfilling concentration requirements.
Complete at least ten units from among the previous courses in these two groups.
Complete any of these courses that were not taken to fulfill the Core Requirement.
Complete this course for at least one unit.
course is offered for one or two units. Conducting concentrators must take it for one unit to fulfill the Conducting Concentration requirement but are strongly urged to take it for two units, if possible.
Complete at least five units from among the previous courses in these two groups:
Or another ensemble (with advisor’s permission)
Complete three quarters in any combination of these ensembles, one unit per quarter; these Performance units are in addition to the three units that satisfy the Core Breadth Performance requirement.
Enroll for a minimum of two units.
Complete one of the previous for a minimum of four units.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted towards the fulfillment of concentration requirements.
Enroll for a minimum of three units.
The nature of the capstone project could be research, creativity, or a hybrid of the two. The final format could be the text, presentation, technical demonstration, performance, or a combination.
Instead of 198, the student could count units from course, course, and course.
Recommend taking the 220 series by junior year, having the course project form the basis of the capstone project, and using senior year to refine, polish, document, and present the work.
Beginning ideally in the junior year, the student should choose one or two advisors and plan regular meetings to develop a topic. It may be appropriate for the project to be co-advised by two faculty members, including one from outside the Department of Music, depending on expertise.
The capstone units can be spread over two or three quarters.
For students graduating in June, the completed project should be presented at least seven days before the grade submission deadline for graduating seniors.
Minimum of 10 units of any upper-level, writing-intensive course, plus relevant courses outside the department, is possible, in consultation with the advisor.
These courses must cover at least two historical periods. At least one of these courses must be taken in the Department of Music.
In consultation with the advisor, language courses, too, can count toward concentration electives. Students are strongly encouraged to attain proficiency in at least one language relevant to their research interests.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted toward fulfilling concentration requirements.
A minimum of ten units of any upper-level, writing-intensive course, plus relevant courses outside the department, is possible in consultation with the advisor.
These courses must cover at least two historical periods. At least one of these courses must be taken in the Department of Music.
In consultation with the advisor, the student can choose any performance course. Students are strongly encouraged to attain proficiency in at least one language relevant to their research interests. From September 2024 going forward, all private music lessons are cataloged with a 100-level number.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted toward fulfilling concentration requirements.
Complete six quarters for at least one unit per quarter. Performance concentrators must earn required private lesson credits through enrollment in private lesson sections taught by Stanford Department of Music faculty members. From September 2024 going forward, all private music lessons are cataloged with a 100-level number.
Enroll a minimum of three times,
Enroll a minimum of three times.
Enroll for a minimum of two units.
The capstone project consists of an adjudicated solo recital supported by program preparation, program notes supervised by a musicology faculty member, and dress rehearsal. Preparation for the Capstone Project must include enrollment in three consecutive quarters of private lessons, the third of which will be concurrent with the completion of the project.
Additional enrollments of MUSIC 198 may be taken in the quarters preceding the presentation of the capstone to support its preparation. Specifically, students are strongly encouraged to enroll in MUSIC 198 one full quarter prior to the quarter in which they will present their project.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted toward fulfilling concentration requirements.
Complete six quarters for at least one unit per quarter. Performance concentrators must earn required private lesson credits through enrollment in private lesson sections taught by Stanford Department of Music faculty members. From September 2024 going forward, all private music lessons are cataloged with a 100-level number.
Enroll for a minimum of two units.
The capstone project consists of an adjudicated solo recital supported by program preparation, program notes supervised by a musicology faculty member, and dress rehearsal. Preparation for the Capstone Project must include enrollment in three consecutive quarters of private lessons, the third of which will be concurrent with the completion of the project.
Additional enrollments of MUSIC 198 may be taken in the quarters preceding the presentation of the capstone to support its preparation. Specifically, students are strongly encouraged to enroll in MUSIC 198 one full quarter prior to the quarter in which they will present their project.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted toward fulfilling concentration requirements.
Complete six quarters for at two units per quarter. Performance concentrators must earn required private lesson credits through enrollment in private lesson sections taught by Stanford Department of Music faculty members. From September 2024 going forward, all private music lessons are cataloged with a 100-level number.
Complete two courses for one unit among the previous.
Complete one course for two units among the previous.
Enroll for a minimum of two units.
Preparation for the Capstone Project must include enrollment in three consecutive quarters of private lessons, the third of which will be concurrent with the completion of the project.
Additional enrollments of MUSIC 198 may be taken in the quarters preceding the presentation of the capstone to support its preparation. Specifically, students are strongly encouraged to enroll in MUSIC 198 one full quarter prior to the quarter in which they will present their project.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted toward fulfilling concentration requirements.
Complete six quarters for one unit per quarter. Performance concentrators must earn required private lesson credits through enrollment in private lesson sections taught by Stanford Department of Music faculty members. From September 2024 going forward, all private music lessons are cataloged with a 100-level number.
Enroll for a minimum of two units.
Preparation for the Capstone Project must include enrollment in three consecutive quarters of private lessons, the third of which will be concurrent with the completion of the project.
Additional enrollments of MUSIC 198 may be taken in the quarters preceding the presentation of the capstone to support its preparation. Specifically, students are strongly encouraged to enroll in MUSIC 198 one full quarter prior to the quarter in which they will present their project.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted toward fulfilling concentration requirements.
Complete one course for at least three units from among the previous.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted toward fulfilling concentration requirements.
Courses taken to fulfill Core Breadth requirements may not be double-counted towards the fulfillment of concentration requirements.
Capstone project guidelines
Beginning ideally in the junior year, students should choose one or two capstone advisors and plan regular meetings to develop a capstone project. If a student has two capstone advisors, one may be a faculty member outside the Music Department.
The capstone can be understood as a culmination of the 16 units of coursework in the focus area.
Where possible, the student should allocate one or two units per quarter to independent studies for four units by graduation, beginning in spring quarter of the junior year. Otherwise, the units can spread over as few as two quarters.
Advising meetings should occur at least twice per quarter and three times per quarter during the two quarters leading up to graduation.
Capstone projects may take a variety of forms. In consultation with the capstone advisor(s), the student determines whether the project culminates in creative work, an academic paper or other research output, a recital or lecture-recital, or a mix.