Major Requirements
A core curriculum is common for the first two years, with students pursuing a more focused course of study in the junior and senior years. For the senior capstone experience, all students complete a senior project in one of three formats: recital performance, composition, and/or music research. Declaring a music major by the sophomore year is strongly advised.
All majors and prospective majors are reviewed by the music faculty at the end of the fall semester of the sophomore year. Most students should be near the completion of core requirements at this time. Transfer students and those who decide to declare a music major after the sophomore year must consult the department chair.
The review involves a short performance in the student’s primary area of studio instruction, work samples in his or her primary area of interest (for students interested in composition, musicology, or ethnomusicology), and an interview about intended areas of focus in the junior and senior years. In this formal advising opportunity, the entire music faculty is available to help each student plan to fulfill upper-division degree requirements and complete the senior project.
A satisfactory sophomore review results in faculty approval of upper-division status as a music major and is a prerequisite for MUS 490 Senior Project.
Junior music majors must schedule a junior meeting with their advisor to complete the Junior Music Advising Form detailing their plans for and progress toward their senior project. Further advising for a student’s senior project is done individually to match students’ aims with departmental and national standards.
Enrollment in MUS 490 Senior Project requires completion of at least one semester of 300-level study in the chosen area of study. Majors are also required to complete the piano proficiency sequence before enrolling in MUS 490.
Credit Requirements
Prerequisites (may be waived by examination):
MUS 100 Music Theory Fundamentals
MUS 150 Music Theory I
A minimum of 45 semester credits, distributed as follows:
- Music Theory and Composition
MUS 200 Music Theory II
MUS 250 Music Theory III
- Music History and Literature
MUS 162 History of Western Music I
MUS 163 History of Western Music II
- Ethnomusicology/World Music
MUS 106 Workshops in World Music
- Four semester credits of a single instrument or voice lessons. Declared majors must enroll in studio instruction every semester on campus.
- Six semester credits of ensemble participation chosen from the following list. At least four of the six credits must be from Orchestra, Wind Symphony, or Choirs.
MUP 111 Orchestra
MUP 112 Wind Symphony
MUP 113 Jazz Combos
MUP 115 Voces Auream Treble Chorus
MUP 116 Community Chorale
MUP 117 Cappella Nova
MUP 118 Vocal Performance Workshop MUP 121 Gamelan Ensemble
MUP 125 African Mbira Class
MUP 135 Percussion Ensemble
MUP 136 Ghanaian Drumming Ensemble
MUP 138 Beginning Africa Marimba Ensemble MUP 214 Guitar Ensemble MUP 215 Chamber Music Ensembles MUP 293 Accompanying Class
- Eight semester credits of upper-division theory or composition chosen from:
MUS 300 Music Theory IV: Contemporary
MUS 316 Jazz Theory
MUS 333 Seminar in Electronic Music
MUS 341 Orchestration
MUS 342 Counterpoint
MUS 346 Conducting
MUS 347 Advanced Conducting
- Four semester credits of upper-division music history or ethnomusicology from:
MUS 301 Portland Music Scenes
MUS 307 Topics in Music
MUS 308 Topics in Music, Comparative and North American
MUS 361 Writing About Music
- Four semester credits of Piano Proficiency (or exemption by placement exam).
- Satisfactory Sophomore Review.
- Two semester credits in MUS 490 Senior Project. Requirements by area of focus:
Composition: Preparation of professional-quality manuscripts. Recital of original musical works; graded by jury.
Ethnomusicology: Thesis in ethnomusicology; graded by committee.
Musicology: Thesis in musicology; graded by committee.
Performance: Recital on the major instrument; graded by jury.
Self-Designed Senior Project: Lecture/recital or other proposed project; graded by jury.
Music is located in Evans Center on the Undergraduate Campus.
email music@lclark.edu
voice 503-768-7460
Chair Michael Johanson
Music
Lewis & Clark
615 S. Palatine Hill Road
Portland OR 97219