Applied Voice Studio Assignments

Students are assigned to applied faculty studios by the Voice Area Head (Kate Butler) in consultation with individual faculty members.  New students may request a specific teacher assignment by contacting the Coordinator of Records and Student Affairs (Colleen McDonald) or by putting the request in writing to the Area Head.  Students accepted for study are responsible for communicating with their assigned applied teachers during the first week of each semester to arrange lesson times. Students pursuing voice study as a minor or as an elective are given lowest priority for applied study studio assignments.

All majors and minors must audition before any studio assignment can be considered.  Electives may simply sign up with Coordinator of Records and Student Affairs.  Elective voice students are assigned on a first come, first serve basis and may only study if there is adequate studio space after all majors and minors have been assigned.

Semesters of Voice Study at UNL
Please refer to the student handbook to determine the number of semesters of applied voice required for each vocal music degree. Once the degree-required semesters of applied voice are completed, students are no longer entitled to take lessons with a voice faculty member.  The School of Music requires undergraduate students to be enrolled in applied voice during the semester a degree-required recital is performed; therefore, students must complete their degree recital(s) during their degree-required semesters of applied voice.  If a student wishes to take applied voice in semesters beyond their degree's requirements, it will be at the sole discretion of the instructor involved. [back to top]

Applied Lessons

The applied teacher is required to meet with the student 1 hour per week, with at least 30 minutes being an individual lesson.   Each studio is a little different and there are a variety of scenarios including, but not limited to the following:

1 individual 30-minute lesson per week plus one hour-long group lesson.
2 individual 30-minute lessons per week.

Any time given to the student, above and beyond one hour per week, is extra, and completely at the discretion of the applied teacher.
[back to top]

Ensemble Requirements

All voice majors and minors should refer to the student handbook for ensemble requirements.

ALL students taking elective voice are required to participate in a vocal ensemble.  Should the elective student fail to pass their ensemble in the semester of voice study, they will be given an incomplete in voice study until they take and pass an ensemble in a subsequent semester.  The student will not be allowed to enroll in applied voice again, until the outstanding ensemble requirement is fulfilled. [back to top]

Juries

All voice majors, minors and electives are required to take juries. 

Exceptions:       DMA students are not required to take juries.
Other “students may be exempted from jury examinations only if they have performed a recital during the last seven weeks of that semester in fulfillment of degree requirements.” (UG Handbook, p. 10; MM Handbook p. 10)

If a student is unable to perform a jury for any reason, that student or his/her applied teacher must submit, in writing, a letter explaining why he/she is not taking a jury.  The jury must be rescheduled at the convenience of the voice area.

All students must arrange to take their jury on the prescribed date and time.  Majors must take juries on days set aside for majors.  Minors and electives must take juries on days set aside for minors and electives.  Only the most exceptional circumstances will be considered for a change and must be approved of by the voice area.  Students should not assume any more flexibility with voice jury scheduling than they would expect to have from general education classes outside the School of Music.  Major juries occur at the beginning of finals week (Monday through Tuesday or Monday through Wednesday).  Minor/Elective juries occur on the Wednesday or Thursday of finals week.  The specific schedule is posted on the area head’s door no later than one week prior to finals week.

Grading for the semester of a degree recital
Every undergraduate degree recital must be attended by the student’s teacher, plus one additional faculty member of the voice area..  The student must arrange the date of the recital in consultation with the applied teacher, the accompanist(s), and the additional faculty member.  This additional faculty member will be of the student’s own choosing, in consultation with the applied teacher.  The additional faculty member’s grade of the recital will constitute 1/3 of the recital grade.