Lessons

50min weekly lesson times will be arranged with your individual tutor/lecture. Students will receive up to, and a maximum of 12 lessons per semester. In some cases teachers will give some of your lesson time in shared classes. You must attend these classes as well as your lessons. Note that some individual instrumental lessons may take place off campus.

Attendance and absence: You are expected to be warmed-up and ready for your lessons and classes at the allocated time. As this course involves a lecturer/student ratio of 1:1, attendance is mandatory. Any unexcused absences will affect your final grade and you must provide a medical certificate for all lessons missed due to any illness. The tutor/lecturer is under no obligation to allocate an alternative time for missed lessons.

Preparation: You are expected to arrive at your lessons and classes having fully prepared the material set by your tutor/lecturer. This requires self-discipline and thorough practice. You are welcome to utilise the practice facilities available in I Block ground floor, but you should also expect to practise at home. The upstairs dressing rooms at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts cannot be used for practising while any staff member is engaged in a lesson, or rehearsal time in any of those rooms. Practice rooms in I Block may be booked for up to 2 hours at a time. A 10 minute break is allowed and advisable for a 2 hour practice session. However if you are not in the room you have booked for more than 10 minutes, your booking is forfeited, and another student may take over your booking. Please be considerate to each other in your use of the rooms. Booking charts can be found on the door of each room.

Instrumental/Voice class

Students are required to attend these classes and aim to perform regularly. Voice, Piano, Violin, Cello and Wind class run at varying times over the week at the Academy of Performing Arts. Times will be arranged at the beginning of each semester. Please inquire with your instrumental/vocal lecturer if you are unsure of times and locations.

Vocal Requirements

The prescribed course is to learn and prepare four Herbert-Caesari vocalises (your teacher may recommend more if required) along with a selection of scales (major, harmonic/melodic minor) and arpeggios (major/minor).

Students will be required to present a 15 minute recital of songs, which in agreement with your Voice Teacher will cover a suitable range of styles, and for the Classical Stream will include one Aria Antique and one song by a New Zealand composer.

Compulsory Requirements

Choir and Orchestra participation

All students enrolled in the BMus performance programme must join the University Chamber Choir or the University Orchestra. Attendance at all rehearsals and performances by the orchestra or choir as appropriate is compulsory. Failure to fulfil this requirement will constitute a failure to complete the requirements of this course. A register of attendance will be kept by the choir and orchestra directors. Failure to attend this course will also prohibit enrolment for credit in Choir or Orchestra (MUSI227-XXY) in the 2nd year of study.

Performance Hour

You are required to attend these sessions, contribute to the discussions, and perform regularly (a minimum of 2 times per trimester) as directed by your performance teacher. A register of attendance will be kept noting your presence at the beginning and end of performance hour and also a note of whether you contributed to the discussion. Failure to regularly attend performance hour will result in a deduction to your coursework mark.

All students are rostered to give a short performance at least once per trimester, and information on when you are required to do so is in the Google Calendar “Music Student Information Calendar”. Students can sign themselves up for further performances by using the ‘Friday Performance Class Booking calendar’. To have these calendars added to your account, please email either your university or a gmail email address to the Music administrator. Note that all students must have performed the work in their instrumental class before they can perform it in the Performance Hour.

NB For off-shore students affected by the COVID-19 situation the following arrangements are in place:

Lessons will be commenced when students arrive to Waikato, and a study plan will be set in place in order to help the student catch up on any work missed. Students should be in contact with their teacher, and Convenor of the course to discuss how they may commence studies whilst away from the Waikato campus.

Paper Evaluation: Written feedback will accompany the internal examinations.