Department of Music, Theatre and Dance

207 VARNER HALL (248) 370-2030
Fax: (248) 370-2041

Chairperson: Jacqueline Wiggins

Program directors: Michael Mitchell, Music; Kerro Knox 3, Theatre; Gregory Patterson, Dance

Professors emeriti: David Daniels, John Dovaras, Robert Facko, Carol Halsted, Adeline G. Hirschfeld-Medalia,Marvin D. Holladay, Flavio Varani

Professors: Laurie Eisenhower, Karen Sheridan, John-Paul White, Jacqueline Wiggins

Associate professors: Lettie Alston, Gregory Cunningham, Michael Gillespie, David Kidger, Kerro Knox 3, Kenneth Kroesche, Michael Mitchell, Gregory Patterson, Joseph Shively

Assistant professors: Deborah Blair, Drake Dantzler, Melissa Hoag, Thayer Jonutz, Fred Love, Jessica Payette, George Stoffan, Yin Zheng

Visiting assistant professors: Miles Brown, Sarah Tanner, Alison Woerner

Special instructors: Mark Stone, Thomas Suda

Full-time adjunct instructor: Debra Bernstein-Siegel

Adjunct assistant professor: Edith Diggory

Artist-in-residence: Regina Carter

DSO affiliate applied faculty: Douglas Cornelsen (clarinet), Maxim Janowsky (double bass), Marcus Schoon (bassoon), Corbin Wagner (French horn), Jeffrey Zook (flute)

Special lecturers: Sean Dobbins, Mila Govich, Bret Hoag, Lois Kaarre, Jennifer Kincer-Catallo, Marie Kujenga, Leslie Littell, Roberta Lucas, Thomas Mahard, Victoria Shively, Michele Soroka, Kristin Tait, Phyllis White

Lecturers: Sandra Birch, Mary Bischoff, Steven Bizub, Barbara Bland, Bradley Bloom, Jacquelene Boucard, Donna Buckley (costume shop), Terry Carpenter, Ricky Carver, Rebecca Crimmins, Alexis DeCapua, Ronald DeRoo, Kitty Dubin, Michael Duncan, Nina Flanigan, Shannon Ford, Mindy McCabe Grissom, Rebecca Happel, Terry Herald (sound technician/technical coordinator), Alissa Hetzner, Brandy Hudelson, Andrea Hughes, Kristen Larson, Lynnae Lehfeldt, Alan MacNair, Marcia Mai, John Manfredi, Daniel Maslanka, Zeljko Milicevic, Judy Milner, Dennis North, Stephanie Pizzo, Elizabeth Rowin, Marcus Schoon, Mary Siciliano, Titos Sompa, Ivonne Tapia, Christina Tasco, Corbin Wagner, Brent Wrobel (scene shop), Carol Yamasaki

Applied music instructors:
Brass: Kenneth Kroesche, Gordon Simmons, Corbin Wagner
Woodwind: Douglas Cornelsen, Shannon Ford, Rebecca Hammond, Brandy Hudelson, Marcus Schoon, George Stoffan, Jeffrey Zook
Strings: Kerstin Allvin, Nadine DeLeury, Maxim Janowsky, Elizabeth Rowin
Percussion: Sean Dobbins, Miguel Gutierrez, Sam Jeyasingam, Daniel Maslanka, Mark Stone
Guitar: John Hall, Bret Hoag
Keyboard: Rebecca Happel, Mary Siciliano, Frederic DeHaven, Tad Weed, Yin Zheng
Voice: Barbara Bland, Alta Dantzler, Drake Dantzler, Edith Diggory, Kelly Holst, Nadine Washington, John-Paul White
Jazz: Miles Brown (bass), Vincent Chandler (trombone), Sean Dobbins (percussion), Richard Fanning (trumpet), Mark Kieme (saxophone), Tad Weed (piano)
Musical Theatre Coach: Alissa Hetzner

Accompanists: Minjung Kim, Angelina Pashmakova, Amanda Sabelhaus, Eun Young Yoo, Tatyana Zut, Stanley Zydek, Vladimir Kalmsky (dance), Martin Mandelbaum (dance), Michael Shimmin (dance)

Center for Applied Research in Musical Understanding: Joseph Shively, director; Deborah Blair, Jacqueline Wiggins

Music Preparatory Division: Bibianne Yu, director

Programs Offered

The Department of Music, Theatre and Dance offers liberal arts programs in the performing arts, programs designed to prepare students for professional careers in the performing arts, and advanced programs designed to enhance and extend the professional knowledge of performing arts professionals. In the liberal arts programs, a student can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in:

music
theatre
dance

Professional preparation programs include:

a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance;
a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with a major in acting, musical theatre, or theater design and technology; and
a Bachelor of Music with a major in music education; voice, piano, or instrumental performance; or a combined degree in music education and performance.

The music program also offers Performer’s Certificates in Undergraduate and Graduate Piano.

Graduate programs for music professionals include a Master of Music with a major in performance, pedagogy, conducting or music education; and a Doctor of Philosophy in music education.

Liberal arts minors are offered in music, theatre or dance. Elementary and secondary teaching minors are offered in dance. A minor in jazz studies is offered for music majors and non-majors.

The department offers student performance opportunities in dramatic and musical theatre productions, dance performances, music ensembles and recitals. Most performance opportunities are open to all qualified students.

The degree programs offered by the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance are fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, the National Association of Schools of Theatre and the National Association of Schools of Dance.

Additional Services

Center for Applied Research in Musical Understanding

The mission of the Center for Applied Research in Musical Understanding (CARMU) is to:

transform practice in music education;
build and advance a research-based pedagogy of teaching for musical understanding;
support preK-12 music educators in Michigan, the United States, and internationally;
demonstrate how research informs professional practice in music education;
seek national and international eminence in applied research in musical understanding at Oakland University;
support faculty, graduate and undergraduate research in musical understanding.

The Center hosts biannual international conferences on music learning and teaching and publishes materials that support the work of music educators. Visit www.oakland.edu/carmu.

Music Preparatory Division

The department offers music programs to the community through the Music Preparatory Division (331 Varner Hall, 248-370-2034). The Prep Division offers private studio lessons in voice, piano, guitar, and all orchestral instruments for elementary and secondary school students and adults as well as classes in music theory, early childhood music, creative music for children, and piano readiness. The Music Prep Division also provides lessons for undergraduate students who wish to study an instrument or voice but do not have enough prior experience to study for college credit. Lessons are available on Oakland’s main campus, on the Oakland Macomb campus, and at various locations in the surrounding community.

Affiliated Professional Organizations

Eisenhower Dance Ensemble
Patterson Rhythm Pace
Meadow Brook Theatre Ensemble
Pontiac Oakland Symphony

Partners in the Performing Arts

Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO)
Oakland University Cooperative Orchestral Library (OUCOL)
Teaching for Music Understanding (TMU), inservice organization for music teachers
Oakland Youth Orchestras (OYO)
Classical Theatre Study in Greece

Departmental honors and awards

The department offers honors and awards for students, alumni, and community supporters. Departmental honors are awarded for a combination of academic achievement (minimum 3.30 GPA), artistry in the major area of study and contribution to the operations of the department. Alumni Arts Achievement Awards are presented in dance, music and theatre. The department also awards a Distinguished Community Service Award and an Outstanding Student Service Award.

The music program confers a Distinguished Musicianship Award as the department’s highest honor in music and Outstanding Student Awards to students who distinguish themselves in performance, music education, chamber music and jazz. The Joyce Weintraub Adelson Memorial Award for Piano Ensemble honors the memory of an Oakland University piano instructor and the Jennifer Scott Memorial Award honors the memory of an Oakland University piano student.

The theatre and dance programs confer a variety of awards, including Outstanding Student Awards in choreography, dance performance, musical theatre, theatre design and technology. The Gittlin Theatre and Gittlin Achievement Awards are scholarships offered to theatre students of promise and outstanding ability.

Admission to the Music, Theatre and Dance degree programs

Admission to the music, theatre and dance degree programs at Oakland University (OU) is a two-tiered process (except for the B.A. in Music). The first step in the process for all students is the entrance audition. These auditions are held several times a year and determine whether or not a student will be admitted to OU in any of these degree programs. For all programs except the B.A. in Music, the second step is the major standing audition, which determines whether students may continue in the program, and if they can be admitted into a professional program in the department.

Entrance auditions

Entrance audition days are held several times each year. The audition schedule and downloadable application are available on the department website at www.oakland.edu/mtd. Please submit application to the department office. Students should be prepared to demonstrate proficiency in their proposed area of specialization.

Students seeking admission to Oakland University as music majors or auditioned music minors must audition for the music faculty.
Students seeking admission to Oakland University as acting and musical theatre majors must audition for the theatre faculty.
Students seeking admission to Oakland University as theatre design and technology majors must participate in a portfolio interview with the theatre faculty.
Students seeking admission to Oakland University as dance majors or minors must audition for the dance faculty. Auditions for dance minors are scheduled during fall semester.

Students who audition and do not enroll within two semesters must re-audition. Students who enroll and leave school for at least two semesters must re-audition. Music students who enroll and leave school must re-audition and also retake the theory placement exam.

Major Standing

Once admitted to Oakland University in one of the music, theatre or dance degree programs, students wishing to pursue any Bachelor of Music (B.M.) degree, the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree with majors in dance or theatre or Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre (B.F.A.) degree or Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance (B.F.A.) degree must perform a major standing audition or interview to gain entrance into these programs.

Major standing is a comprehensive assessment of a student’s work as an actor, as a dancer, as a theatre designer/technologist, or as a musician and will include:

major standing audition or interview;
successful completion of all freshman (for music, freshman and sophomore) level classes;
successful completion of a portfolio where applicable.

To apply for major standing, students must:

complete a plan of study form in consultation with an adviser;
meet with a departmental adviser (for music and musical theatre, the applied teacher as well) to discuss the audition/interview;
submit an application for major standing (available in the department office, 207 Varner, or online at www.oakland.edu/mtd) to the department office;
perform a major standing audition and/or present a major standing portfolio in the area of proposed specialization.

Results of major standing

The three possible results of the major-standing audition or interview will be: acceptance, deferral or denial.

Acceptance means the student is officially accepted into the degree program. (A student may be accepted into the desired program or the faculty may recommend a more appropriate program.) This “acceptance to major standing” is considered a first step in achieving the degree and can be considered to be a vote of confidence by the faculty that the student is capable of meeting the requirements of the particular program. Judgment is based on many factors such as artistic merit and scholarship, using such evidence as grades in major courses, performance history, academic goals, progress toward proficiencies, and other departmental requirements.

Deferral means the student is encouraged to continue efforts toward the degree of choice, but questions still remain about the student’s capacity to succeed in the program. Deferral often occurs when faculty members believe that more time will enable a fairer decision and that providing stronger direction will focus the student to meet his or her goals. When deferred, a student will be given directives explaining issues to address and will be given a suggested date for reapplying. No deferrals are granted once a student has completed 70 credits of study towards an intended degree (except for transfer students who enter Oakland with 60 or more credits). A student may be deferred only once; at the second major-standing audition or interview, acceptance and denial are the only options.

Denial means the student is not permitted to continue in the program. Often another program of study is recommended.

Notification: The music, theatre or dance program director will write a letter to the students notifying them of the audition/interview results. A student should discuss results with his or her adviser or applied instructor as soon as possible thereafter.

Major standing in music

Music students who have passed the entrance audition may pursue a major in music, Bachelor of Arts degree program, (B.A.), without any further audition.

Students who aspire to pursue any of the majors in the Bachelor of Music (B.M.) degree program (music education and/or performance) are required to perform a major-standing audition by the end of their sophomore year (for music education majors, when enrolled in MUS 241 ).

Major standing is a comprehensive assessment of a student’s work as a musician and pre-professional in music performance and/or music education, including:

musicianship as evidenced through performance on the primary instrument or voice during the major standing audition;
successful completion of all freshman and sophomore level classes;
successful completion of a music education portfolio (for that major).

Transfer students who enter Oakland with 60 or more accepted transfer credits must apply for major standing during their first semester at OU. Acceptance to major standing may be granted after that first semester or the faculty may defer final action until the end of the student’s second semester of study. Transfer students who are music education majors should apply during the semester in which they are enrolled for MUS 241 .

Major standing assessment occurs at different times according to major.

Instrumental and piano majors (including music education majors whose major instrument is an orchestral instrument or piano) complete the performance part of their major standing audition during their sophomore recital. Students may perform these recitals at any time during their sophomore year, fall or winter.
Voice majors (including music education majors whose major instrument is voice) complete the performance part of their major standing audition in an extended jury during finals week of their fourth semester of study (end of the sophomore year).

To apply for major standing, students must:

complete a plan of study form in consultation with an adviser;
meet with a departmental adviser and your applied teacher to discuss the audition;
submit an application for major standing (available in the department office, 207 Varner, or online at www.oakland.edu/mtd) to the department office;
perform a major standing audition and/or present a major standing portfolio in the proposed area of specialization.

The three possible outcomes or results of the major standing audition are listed above in the general section about major standing. The music program director will write a letter to the students notifying them of the audition/interview results. A student should discuss results with his or her adviser and applied instructor (if applicable) as soon as possible.

Major standing in theatre

Students who aspire to pursue a major in theatre, Bachelor of Arts degree program (B.A.), or a major in acting, musical theatre, or theatre design and technology, Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program (B.F.A.), are required to perform a major standing audition or interview.

Major standing is a comprehensive assessment of a student’s work as an actor, as a major in musical theatre, or as a theatre designer/technologist, and will include:

Major standing audition or interview;
Successful completion of all freshman level classes;
Successful completion of a portfolio where applicable.

Students must apply for the audition/interview before the end of their freshman year. Transfer students must apply before the end of their first semester of study at OU. Theatre major standing auditions/interviews are held toward the end of the fall and winter semesters.

To apply for major standing, students must:

complete a plan of study form in consultation with an adviser;
meet with a departmental adviser (for musical theatre, the applied teacher as well) to discuss the audition/interview;
submit an application for major standing (available in the department office, 207 Varner, or online at www.oakland.edu/mtd) to the department office;
perform a major standing audition or present a major standing portfolio.

The three possible outcomes or results of the major standing audition are listed above in the general section about major standing. The theatre program director will write a letter to the students notifying them of the audition/interview results. A student should discuss results with his or her adviser and applied instructor as soon as possible thereafter.

Major standing in dance

Students who aspire to pursue a major in dance, the Bachelor of Arts degree program (B.A.), or a major in dance, Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degree program, are required to perform a major-standing audition. Dance major-standing auditions are held once each year, usually mid-semester.

Major standing is a comprehensive assessment of a student’s work as a dancer, and will include:

major standing audition;
successful completion of all freshman level classes;

Students should apply during their second year in the major. Transfer students should apply to audition at the first scheduled audition after their arrival at OU. To apply for major standing, students must:

complete a plan of study form in consultation with an adviser;
meet with a departmental adviser to discuss the audition;
submit an application for major standing (available in the department office, 207 Varner, or online at www.oakland.edu/mtd) to the department office;
perform a major standing audition.

The three possible outcomes or results of the major standing audition are listed above in the general section about major standing. The dance program director will write a letter to the students notifying them of the audition/interview results. A student should discuss results with his or her adviser and applied instructor as soon as possible.

Ensemble auditions

Auditions for music ensembles, dance ensembles and theatre productions are held at the beginning of each semester. In addition, various performing groups announce auditions for particular projects throughout the year.

Auditions for music ensembles are held during the first few days of each semester.
Auditions for theatrical productions are held during the first week of classes each semester and at other times as announced throughout the year.
Auditions for the student dance companies are held during the first week of classes each semester. Auditions for other dance performances are announced throughout the year. Ensembles are open to all students.

Applied music juries

Music majors must perform for a jury in their major performing medium at the end of each fall and each winter semester of applied study; in some cases, a jury in a performance minor may also be required. Failure to complete this requirement will result in an ‘‘I’’ (Incomplete) grade. For specific jury requirements, students should consult the program director of their area of study.

Requirements for the liberal arts minors in music

The department offers two tracks for students who wish to earn a minor in music: the Liberal Arts Minor and an Auditioned Minor.

Music Course Offerings

The department offers selected courses from this catalog as warranted by student needs and availability of faculty. Specific offerings for each term may be found in the Schedule of Classes. Many courses in the rubrics MUA, MUS and MUT are restricted to students who have declared an auditioned minor in music or who are officially majoring in one of the department’s music curricula: the liberal arts major in music and the performing arts major, theatre arts in the Bachelor of Arts degree
program or any of the majors in the Bachelor of Music degree program. To take a course that is restricted, students must perform a successful entrance audition. See “Auditions.” Only the following MUA, MUS and MUT courses are open to non-majors: MUA 100 , MUA 101 , MUA 102 , MUA 103 , MUA 104 , MUA 105 , MUA 106 , MUA 107 , MUA 108 , MUA 109 , MUA 110 , MUA 111 , MUA 112 MUA 113, MUA 114 MUA 115 , MUA 116 , MUA 117 , MUA 118 , MUA 119 , MUA 120 , MUA 122 , MUA 123 , MUA 124 , MUA 125 , MUA 130 , MUA 131 , MUA 132 , MUA 133 , MUA 134 , MUA 135 , MUA 136 (all with permission of program director); MUA 150 , MUA 151 , MUA 152 , MUA 153 ; MUS 100 , MUS 200 , MUS 220 , MUA 225 , MUS 318 , MUS 334 , MUS 336 , MUS 338 , MUS 339 , MUS 353 , MUS 354 ; MUT 111 , MUT 260 , MUT 261 , MUT 314 , MUT 315 , MUT 416 , MUT 417 .

All MUE courses are open to non-majors.

APPLIED MUSIC

“Applied music” refers to study of a given instrument or voice. There are two types of applied study—individual lessons and class group lessons. Non-majors may study applied music providing they meet minimum criteria established by the department and pass a placement audition.

INDIVIDUAL LESSONS

The individual lesson courses have four course-level designations. All students begin their enrollment in an applied specialty at the 100 level. Student advancement to the higher levels is determined by the results of applied music juries. Two semesters at the 400 level are required in the major performing medium before graduation. The courses have credit options of 1 or 2; or 1, 2 or 4. Four credits is the correct enrollment for applied study for students who are junior or senior status and otherwise have been accepted into the Bachelor of Music in performance programs. This 4-credit enrollment requires an hour lesson per week with an extensive demand for practice and literature study. For all other curricula, including minors and non-majors, the correct enrollment is 1 credit for a half-hour lesson per week and 2 credits for an hour lesson per week.

All courses of applied individual lessons may be repeated for credit. All students enrolled in individual lessons must also attend a weekly studio or master class.

All courses of applied individual lessons carry a prerequisite of permission of the program coordinator.