WOODWIND GUIDELINES

Follow this link for a PDF version of the guidelines below: Woodwind Guidelines 12.11.25

A-State Woodwind Degree Program Guidelines 
Undergraduate and Graduate Woodwind Students

The following is an explanation of the expectations and procedures for woodwind majors at Arkansas State University. The motivation behind these guidelines is the desire of the A-State Department of Music to ensure that graduates are qualified and prepared at the highest possible level for professional endeavors appropriate to the degree program sought. These criteria pertain to students whose applied area of concentration is woodwinds.

DEGREES

Bachelor of Music (BM)

• Performance (P): This degree prepares students to pursue performance careers as soloists and collaborative performers in ensembles. Most students seek graduate work before embarking on their careers.
• Performance - Music Industry (MI): This degree prepares students to embark upon a professional career through a body of knowledge and skills in music industry and business.  Many students will seek employment after graduating with this degree or continue with graduate work. 
• Performance - Jazz Studies (JS): This degree prepares students to pursue jazz performance or composition careers.  Most students seek graduate work before embarking on their careers.

Bachelor of Music Education (BME) - Instrumental Music

• This degree prepares students to teach music in grades K-12 in the state of Arkansas.  Students often complete graduate study to pursue careers in higher education.

Master of Music in Performance (MM)

• This degree provides advanced study in instrumental performance culminating in a graduate recital.  It prepares students to pursue performance careers as soloists, collaborative performers in ensembles, and prepares them to teach privately or in higher education.  Some students will continue their education with a doctoral degree.

LEVELS OF STUDY

Lower Level 

MUSP 1111

• • Appropriate for students who are non-music majors, music minors, or those seeking the Bachelor of Arts in Music who have not passed their Upper Level Proficiency.

MUSP 1112

• • Appropriate for freshman music majors, as well as those who have not passed the Upper Level Proficiency for upper level study.

Upper Level 

MUSP 3111 

• • Appropriate for non-majors who are classified as juniors or seniors, or for music majors seeking study of a secondary instrument.

MUSP 3112

• • Appropriate for music majors (MI or BME) who have passed their Upper Level Proficiency.

MUSP 3113

• • Appropriate for music majors (P or JS) who have passed their Upper Level Proficiency.

Graduate 

MUSP 6111, 6112, 6113, 6114

• • Appropriate for graduate music majors (MM or MME) students.

REPERTOIRE REQUIREMENTS

Repertoire will be assigned based on the musical and technical skills and needs of the individual student. The level of preparation and performance will be reflected in the final grade each semester.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

There are various performance opportunities for students each semester.  Many are required based on the degree program and will be outlined below.

Tuesday Morning Recitals 

All students majoring in BME, BM (Performance, Music Industry or Jazz Studies), or MM - Performance  (Concentration in Woodwind) who are enrolled in MUSP 1112, 3112, 3113, or 6112 as their primary instrument must perform a solo on a Tuesday Morning Recital once a semester.  Exemptions may be granted to first semester freshman, or those that perform a solo on a studio recital or other recital such as Honors Recital or solo recital.  Solos are defined as works for unaccompanied instrument or works for one instrument and keyboard.  These recitals involve all applied areas and occur periodically in the Recital Hall on Tuesdays at 11:00 AM. The format is a traditional recital for which the appropriate attire is required. All performances require consent of the major applied teacher by filling out the Tuesday Morning Recital Form found on the A-State Department of Music Knowledge Base under Current Students.

Studio Class

The major professor may require attendance and performance at Studio Class or other master classes. Students should consult their applied teacher for the studio requirement.

Jury

At the end of each semester of woodwind study, students will perform a jury on their primary instrument as a final exam before the woodwind faculty. The repertoire will be selected together with the applied teacher. The faculty will select the appropriate number of pieces from the repertoire list to be performed. BM, BME, and MME juries will be ten minutes long and ask for a minimum of five minutes of music be prepared, unless it is a Upper Level Proficiency jury. (See below for more information on Upper Level Proficiencies.)   MM juries will be twenty minutes long as ask for a minimum of fifteen minutes of music prepared.  A grade will be given by each faculty member, the average of which will be the jury grade. A Repertory Form will be completed prior to the jury.  It will list your repertoire and technical studies from the semester and include links to full scores of your jury repertoire.  Attributes of a fine jury performance demonstrate mastery of musicality, technique, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, tone quality, intonation, articulation, interpretation, and professionalism. Exception from a jury requirement may be granted when successfully performing a recital (half, full, or graduate) and passing a recital hearing.

The jury evaluation (including recital hearings and exit juries) follows a specific rubric, which is detailed below:

Musicality: A performer’s knowledge, skill, and artistic sensitivity in performing music.

Technique:  A performer’s agility, fluency, and clarity moving through the range of the instrument.

Rhythm: A performer’s ability to play the correct rhythm within the pulse given the style of the piece.

Tempo: A performer’s ability to play with a steady tempo at all times, demonstrating mastery of internal pulse.  When appropriate, the performer executes other tempo directives (e.g. ritardando, accelerando) organically and thoughtfully.

Dynamics: A performer’s ability to consistently create a wide range of contrasting dynamic levels that are appropriate for the style of music being played.

Tone quality: A performer’s ability to create a tone that is consistently focused, clear, and resonant at all registers and dynamics.

Intonation: A performer’s ability to demonstrate absolute physical and mental control over intonation both melodically and harmonically.

Articulation: A performer’s ability to effortlessly employ a varied palette of note shapes appropriate for the musical context.  (The means that the student has considered the beginning, middle, and end of the each note.). The mechanical and physical sounds of the articulation do no impede or distract from the music.

Interpretation: A performer’s ability to play characteristically in the appropriate style of the piece(s) and demonstrate an understanding of other instrumental or vocal parts if applicable.

Professionalism & Stage Presence: A performer’s ability to meet professional expectations while in the performance, space, including professional language, dress, stage presence, and demeanor.

Benchmarks have been set for each lesson level as a range for where students should aspire to: 

1000 level: 40

3000 level: 60

6000 level: 70

*75% of music majors in each category should meet these benchmarks.*

Upper Level Proficiency

Admittance to the Upper Level of Applied Lessons (MUSP 3112 or 3113) will not be granted until the Upper Level Proficiency has been successfully completed. Minimum expectations include demonstration of certain musical skills and reasonable development while performing literature which the woodwind faculty deems appropriate. An Upper Level Proficiency is typically attempted at the same time as woodwind juries.  A BM (MI), and BME student will typically attempt this at the end of their third semester of applied study.  A BM (P or JS) student will typically attempt this at the end of their second semester of applied study.

The Upper Level Proficiency will consist of a 20-minute jury with a minimum of three woodwind faculty evaluating.  A majority vote of the woodwind faculty present is required for granting or denying admission to the Upper Level (MUSP 3112 or 3113). If granted admission, the student will enroll in Upper Level lessons for the following semester and will proceed through the appropriate courses.

Repertoire presented should be approximately 12-15 minutes of music selected by the applied teacher from the current semester.  The selected repertoire could include two etudes in contrasting styles and a solo OR two contrasting solos. At least one selection must have piano accompaniment.  Scales could be a requirement in front of the entire woodwind faculty or to be performed prior to the jury for the applied teacher only, as is at the discretion of the applied teacher.

It is possible to receive a passing grade in Applied Lessons and still not pass the Proficiency. All students will remain at this Lower Level for as many semesters as necessary to pass the Proficiency. The Upper Level Proficiency may be repeated in subsequent semesters until admission is granted. Failed attempts could result in extra semesters of undergraduate enrollment.  A BME and BM (MI) must complete a minimum of 6 credits at upper level (MUSP 3112). A BM (P and JS) must complete a minimum of 18 credits at upper level (MUSP 3113)

Recital Requirements

All students seeking the BM Degree in Woodwind Performance and Jazz Studies must present a Half Recital (MUSP 3130) and a Full Recital (MUSP 4131).  All students seeking the BME Instrumental Degree and BM in Music Industry must present a Half Recital (MUSP 3130).*  The student is responsible for establishing the date and time of the degree recital in consultation with the major applied teacher as well as notifying their recital committee of the date, time, and venue no later than four weeks prior to the recital and recital hearing.  The Half Recital should contain approximately 25 minutes of music with no intermission; the Full Recital must contain at least 45 minutes of music and may include a brief intermission. All students seeking the MM Degree in Woodwind Performance must present a Graduate Recital MUSP 6131.  The Graduate Recital should contain approximately 50 minutes of music with an intermission.  Repertoire for recitals will be selected by the teacher and student.

• Scheduling: The student must work with their applied teacher to schedule their recital.  Fall recitals should be scheduled by September 5 and spring recitals should be scheduled by December 1.  Scheduling a recital after these dates will not be guaranteed and could delay graduation.  To schedule a recital, students should use the Recital Date Request Form in collaboration with the Scheduling Calendar.
• Recital Hearing: This must take place at least two weeks prior to the Half and Full Recitals.  It will be performed for a committee of three, comprised of the student’s applied teacher, another member of the woodwind faculty, and a final member from the applied woodwind or brass faculty.  It is the responsibility of the student to assemble the committee, schedule the hearing date, and reserve the venue.  The purpose of the hearing is to determine the readiness of the student to perform the recital repertoire. The student should be prepared to perform any selections on the recital (a portion of each piece will be heard). A typed draft of the recital program and program notes will be presented at this time for grading. As a general rule, program notes should consist of roughly two paragraphs for each piece.  If information is taken from a composer’s website, it must be indicated, and quotes must be cited in text (i.e. Mozart’s biographer Donald Minx said…)  The hearing must be passed by a majority of the woodwind faculty in order to present the Half or Full Recital.  If the hearing is failed the recital must be rescheduled or postponed.  The recital hearing rubric is the same as the jury rubric.
• Literature: All recitals must include literature chosen by the teacher in consultation with the student. Varied styles should be represented for all recitals. All pieces programmed for any recital must have teacher approval. Some literature may be from previous semesters of study.
• Evaluation: For Undergraduate students the recital assessment takes place at the recital hearing.  Following the hearing, the faculty in attendance will determine whether the student has met the requirements for the Half or Full Recital. A majority of the committee must be in agreement in order for the student to pass. If the requirements are not met, the recital must be rescheduled or postponed.  If the new recital date takes place after the last day of classes in the semester an Incomplete (I) for the course (MUSP 3130 or MUSP 4131) will be given.  The applied teacher will give the final grade for the recital. If the recital is not completed in due time, the grade will be recorded as “F.”   For Graduate students, the evaluation takes place during the recital.  The recital is evaluated by a recital committee comprised of three faculty members including the student’s applied teacher, a member of the Graduate Committee, and one other woodwind applied faculty member.  It is the student’s responsibility to form their committee.  The recital program and program notes will also be evaluated. For more detailed information on the Graduate Recital, please refer to the Graduate Music Student Handbook.

* The recital requirement for BME does not apply for students who entered before Fall 2022.  Students who entered before Fall 2022 may choose to perform a recital, but if not, students will be required to complete an Exit Jury.  For information about the Exit Jury, read below.

Exit Jury

At the end of a BA degree the student has an option to complete an exit jury, performed during the final semester of applied study in front of a minimum of three woodwind faculty.  The jury must include 25 minutes of music from at least two style periods performed with piano.  The entire prepared program will be performed for the jury.  A program along with program notes must be submitted to the members of the jury for evaluation.  Students who perform a Half Recital in their last semester of applied instruction are exempt from an Exit Jury.  The Half or Full Recital is highly encouraged, but not required for the BA degree programs.  Some applied teachers require a Half Recital in place on an Exit Jury.  Students should consult their applied teacher for the studio requirement.  The Exit Jury rubric is the same as the jury.

COLLABORATIVE PIANIST REQUIREMENTS

All Woodwind students will need a pianist with whom to perform for lessons, studio classes, juries, recitals and other performances. Inquire with your teacher regarding available pianists and requirements for various performance venues. Please check the Music Student Handbook for guidelines.