Performance Assessment

In addition to the ongoing academic assessment that students undergo regularly through coursework and associated projects, Music Majors undergo regular assessment of their performance skills to ensure they are progressing at an appropriate pace.

There are three major points at which performance ability is assessed: the end of the second semester of lessons, the jury, and the senior recital.

Assessment Procedures

In order to facilitate feedback for students, all three performance milestones are evaluated using the Performance Assessment Rubric. The rubric lists the aspects of music performance that the faculty evaluate. Sudents are scored according to their success with these criteria.

• Musical Elements: Pitch, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, language skills (if applicable), accuracy
• Command of Instrument: Technique, tone, quality, intonation (if applicable)
• Presentation: Phrasing, musical style, ensemble, stage presence, appropriate literature, memorization (if applicable)

In order to successfully complete each milestone, students must earn a minimum score. As we expect students to improve over their career at UMM, these minimum scores increase at each milestone.

• End of second semester: 12
• Jury: 21
• Senior Recital: 30

At each milestone, students will be given feedback and their scores using the Performance Assessment Form. One copy of the form will be given to the student for their portfolio, and the other will be filed

The End of Second Semester

The first performance assessment takes place at the end of a student’s second semester of lessons.

• Students should perform the repertoire that is expected of them for their Individual Performance Studies final (see above).
• One copy of the form will be filed with the Music Discipline, while one copy of the form will be given to the student. The student should keep their copy for their portfolio.
• The End of Second Semester milestone is a checkpoint to inform students if they are making appropriate progress to pass a jury in two semesters, or if their progress is insufficient to accomplish that goal. While students may continue in the major even if they do not pass the End of Second Semester, it is an indication that the student may require extra work before they can pass a jury.

The Jury

The second performance assessment is the jury, which generally takes place at the end of a student’s second year, or during a student’s third year.

The jury determines if students are ready to enroll in the advanced level of Individual Performance Studies (Music 3200-3223).

Students may perform a jury if they are enrolled in their fourth (or later) semester of lessons.

• Remember that Music Majors are required to take at least two semesters of advanced Individual Performance Studies, so you will need to pass the jury by the end of your third year if you wish to graduate in four years.
• Plan carefully – you will want the opportunity to take your jury again if needed, so do not wait until the end of your third year to perform a jury.

Requirements for the jury

• Students should prepare a mini-recital of twenty minutes of music.
• At the discretion of the Individual Performance Studies instructor, the repertoire should include three different time periods.
• Vocal and Piano students must memorize their repertoire.
• Vocal Students are required to demonstrate proficiency in three languages (English may be used as one of the three).
• In addition to the performance, students should be prepared to answer questions about their future plans at UMM and what they intend to do with their degree.

Juries should be scheduled at least four weeks in advance and must take place in the regular fall or spring semester, not during finals week.

• Juries need to be scheduled in the Humanities Division office. They typically occur during faculty meetings, but alternative times are possible.
  • Individual Performance Studies instructors are asked to attend the juries of their students, if at all possible.
  • Students will be informed immediately following their jury if they have passed or not.

If a student does not pass their jury, the faculty may suggest a course of action for the student to take in order to pass their jury upon their next attempt.

To request a jury, fill out the Jury Request Form and turn it in to Professor Richards in HFA 73.

The Senior Recital

The third and final assessment of a student’s performance abilities at UMM is the senior recital. Please see Senior/Half Recitals for more information and requirements.

• Note that students pursuing a teaching license are required to perform at least a half recital in their primary performance medium to demonstrate mastery of that medium.