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• Music Student Handbook
• Senior Comprehensive

Senior Comprehensive

• Introduction
• Senior thesis option
• Composition recital option
• Performance recital option

Senior music majors complete a senior project related both to the student’s sustained and serious interest in a particular area of music and to the courses they’ve taken in the music department. All senior projects involve both a written and a public component (the rubric we use for assessing the oral presentation for thesis writers can be downloaded here—rubrics for theses and recitals are included in the discussion below).  Each component is graded High Pass (HP), Pass (P), or Not Passed (NP).

In their junior year, students submit a proposal for their senior project  to the music department faculty. Students with a particular interest in music history, theory, or critical studies in music and culture will propose a senior thesis of approximately 6250 words in length (25 or more pages, exclusive of title page and bibliography). Students with a particular interest in composition will prepare a portfolio of original compositions developed in MUSC 230, 257, and independent study, including both acoustic and electronic music, some of which will be presented in a composition recital during the senior year. Composers will write an argument-driven accompanying paper of approximately 2,500 words in length (10 pages or more, exclusive of title page and bibliography) -- analysis of a composer(s) who has/have influenced their approach to composing. Students with a demonstrated ability in performance or conducting will propose a senior recital, and will write an argument-driven paper approximately 2,500 words in length (10 pages or more, exclusive of title page and bibliography) that addresses analytical and historical issues related to at least one work in their recital.

All seniors will present a progress report to the music department faculty early in the fall semester (click here for student deadlines). They will present their final work in a public forum during the spring semester, either in recital (instrumentalists, vocalists, conductors, composers) or in an oral presentation.

A final grade of “Passed With Distinction” on the senior comprehensive will be awarded if all components (written, aural, and performance, if applicable) are graded High Pass.

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Timetable for Submission of Senior Project Proposals

Senior Project proposals By October 1 in the junior year (5th week), every music major must meet with his/her adviser to discuss their senior project ideas. They will bring the first draft of their senior project proposal to this meeting. The appropriate form is available here, or by request at the Music Department office. Between the 5th and 10th week of the fall semester, students will work with their adviser to refine the proposal; in the 10th week of the fall semester, these proposals will be discussed by the full faculty. Proposals will be approved, provisionally approved with specific recommendations, or returned for revision and resubmission.

(NOTE to students planning to study abroad in the fall semester of their junior year: Students planning to study abroad in the fall semester of their junior year must submit their proposals by March 26 in the student’s sophomore year of music study—10th week.)

The senior project proposal consists of an application and a detailed summary of your project. For a thesis, or other non-recital project proposal, please describe your topic in detail, including information about any work you may have already done in this area as well as a preliminary bibliography. For a performance recital, please include your proposed repertoire for both the junior and senior recitals, as well as a paragraph-length topic proposal and a preliminary bibliography for the accompanying paper (senior recital only). For a composition recital, please explain the type and amount of music you propose to write, and include a paragraph-length topic proposal and a preliminary bibliography for the accompanying paper.

You are also required to submit supporting documentation with the proposal:

• Senior thesis or other non-recital project: Examples of your writing on music, and a preliminary bibliography.
• Performance: A confidential written evaluation by your applied teacher or conducting professor, to be submitted separately.
• Composition: A portfolio of completed compositions.

During the fall term of their senior year, all seniors will discuss their plans for completing the project in a meeting with the music department faculty.

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Senior Thesis or Other Non-Recital Project

Exploring and Developing a Thesis Topic

Students should begin to explore possible thesis topics with a faculty project adviser during their junior year and should enroll in Music 374 (Junior Comprehensive Preparation, 2 units) in the spring semester of their junior year to facilitate the development of their senior project proposal. At a minimum, thesis-writers must be enrolled in Music 474 (Senior Comprehensive Preparation) during the spring semester of their senior year.

Timetable for Completing a Senior Thesis

Fall Semester

• September 25-ish (5th week of classes): Present a summary of preliminary research to music department faculty.
• November 15-ish (12th week of classes): Submit outline prospectus and preliminary bibliography to the faculty project adviser. These should contain an abstract of your topic, an identification of primary issues, and a summary of the methodology you have chosen to examine them.

Spring Semester

• February 20-ish (5th week of classes): Completed full first draft due. Submit the completed paper along with all supporting materials other than the bibliography to your faculty project adviser.
• March 30-ish (10th week of classes): Completed bibliography and second draft due. Submit your revised draft and completed bibliography to your faculty project adviser.
• April 15 (12th-13th week of classes): Deadline for final revisions. Submit three printed copies of your completed paper to your project adviser by noon for department evaluation.
• April 20-ish (14th week of classes): Registrar’s deadline for senior comprehensive grades.

Evaluation Process

Upon department approval of the thesis topic and research methodology, a second faculty member will join your project adviser in evaluating your written work, methodology, and public presentation. Your final project grade (High Pass, Pass, Fail) will be determined by the consensus of these two faculty members. The rubric we use for assessing the senior thesis can be downloaded here.

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Composition Recital

Additional Required Coursework

All students intending to give a composition recital must complete MUSC 257 by the end of the junior year at Occidental. It is strongly recommended that they enroll in conducting or choral conducting (MUSC 272, 273). They must also complete MUSC 230 (Advanced Electronic Music) and junior and senior comprehensives preparation (MUSC 374, 474).

Assembling a Portfolio

Students intending to give a composition recital will assemble a portfolio of original compositions with the guidance of one or more music department faculty members. The portfolio may also contain preliminary sketches and revisions in addition to the final copy of each composition. The portfolio will include works begun or completed in MUSC 230, 257, and independent study courses, and may contain up to two works composed independently. This portfolio must be submitted in hard copy, with recordings if available, to the faculty along with the senior project proposal.

Composition Recital Content

Students must discuss compositional goals for the recital with their composition teacher no later than the spring semester of the junior year. Practical considerations, such as space and performer requirements, must be included in this planning process. During the senior year, the student and faculty composition teacher(s) will choose compositions in the portfolio, resulting in at least 45 minutes of music. Composition recitals must include at least one work for electronic media. Students must begin recruiting performers immediately upon approval of recital repertoire, and all Occidental student performers must agree to perform without financial compensation.

The student is responsible for completing instrumental and vocal parts no later than five weeks in advance of the recital date. The student also is responsible for scheduling coaching and rehearsal sessions as needed. The student may perform in her/his own recital, and may choose either to conduct ensemble performances, or to recruit a conductor.

Composition Jury

A student presenting a senior composition recital must participate in a recital jury at least four weeks prior to the recital date. A committee comprised of at least two music department faculty members, including the student’s composition teacher and another faculty member outside of the composition area, will hold the jury. At least five days prior to the jury, the student must give the composition teacher a complete portfolio, consisting of all scores intended for the recital, the analytic paper (completed in MUSC 490), and a formatted draft of the recital program, which will include the title page; complete titles of all repertoire, movements or sections as appropriate; names of all performers; program notes for all compositions (to be prepared in MUSC 374, 490, 474); and texts in English for all vocal works, including the original language where relevant (see below for templates).

At the jury, the student will meet with the committee for a thorough evaluation of the portfolio. The final decision regarding compositions to be included in the recital will be made at the jury. If the portfolio does not demonstrate adequate evidence of achievement, and/or the recruitment of personnel to perform in the recital has not been completed satisfactorily, the student will be asked to postpone the recital date.

The student shall submit his or her recital program in print-ready form to the music department no less than one week before the recital date. (Sample recital programs may be examined in the music department office, and templates for your program are available for download here: program front/back with side banner; program inside.)

Analytic Paper for Composition Recitals

When composers submit their senior project proposal during their junior year, they will include a paragraph-length topic proposal and preliminary bibliography for their 2,500-word paper (one of the two written components of their senior comprehensive project, along with their program notes). This paper will consist of an argument-driven analysis of a composer(s) who has/have influenced their approach to composing, focusing on a piece or pieces to analyze. It is expected that students will be reading on their topic and composing during the summer before their senior year.

Students will work with their senior seminar (MUSC 490) instructor on this paper during the fall semester of their senior year.  An annotated bibliography is due in the 4th week of the fall semester; an abstract proposal is due in the 6th week, and a complete first draft is due in the 10th week. The final paper is due on the last day of classes, fall semester. The rubric we use for assessing the senior analytic paper  can be downloaded here.

Grading the Senior Comprehensive Composition Project

A portfolio must be submitted to the Music Department no later than noon on Monday, April 15. This portfolio will include the final paper (produced in MUSC 490), the recital program, and all scores. A senior composition recital is graded High Pass, Pass, or No Pass, and the rubric we use for assessing senior composition recitals can be downloaded here.

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Performance Recital

The repertoire for both a junior and a senior recital should represent a range of historical periods and national styles. Recital repertoire is developed in consultation with the applied teacher and other members of the music department faculty. Repertoire planning for a recital should begin no later than the spring semester of the year preceding the recital.

Vocal and piano recitals are usually performed from memory. The decision whether or not to perform a recital from memory is made by the applied teacher.

A junior recital should contain 30-45 minutes of music.
A senior recital should contain at least 60 minutes of music.

Scheduling Junior or Senior Recitals

At the beginning of the academic year, the music department will establish available dates for junior and senior recitals. 

For 2013-14, junior recitals will be held on Saturday afternoon, April 5, 2014; senior recitals will be scheduled between April 4 and April 19, 2014. The student is responsible for filing a senior project proposal form, which will include a description of proposed repertoire for the junior recital, in the 10th week of the semester (see above concerning senior project proposals). Please note: the student must obtain the applied teacher’s approval of the proposed program before submitting the senior project proposal to the music department.

Junior Recital Requirements for Conductors

Conductors must perform a junior recital on their principal instrument or voice.

Performing at Informal Student Recitals

Music majors, as well as all students receiving applied music scholarships, are required to perform regularly in student recitals (Music on a Friday Afternoon, or MOFA).

Recital Miscellany

The student is responsible for securing ushers for the recital.

The music department will record all junior and senior recitals performed by music majors. The student will be given the original recording, and a copy will be kept in the department archives.

Recital Jury

A student presenting a junior or senior recital must perform a jury at least four weeks prior to the recital date to determine the student’s level of preparation for the event. All of the repertoire presented at the jury must be at a level of preparation that indicates that the music will be ready for public performance at the time of the recital. If the jury does not demonstrate adequate preparation and achievement, the student will be asked to postpone the recital date. In addition to the repertoire, the student must present the required analytic paper (seniors only), and a draft of the recital program booklet at the time of the jury (see below for templates).

Recital Program Copy for Junior and Senior Recitals

Sample recital programs may be examined in the music department office, and templates for your program -- both junior and senior -- are available for download here: program front/back with side banner; program inside. Approved junior and senior recital programs must be submitted electronically to the music department administrative assistant no less than one week before the recital date.

Your recital program draft must be reviewed and approved by the student’s applied teacher and recital preparation instructor or adviser prior to the jury. The student must bring three printed copies of the draft to the recital jury, one for each member of the committee. After passing the jury, and after the draft of the program copy is approved by the complete jury-grading committee, the student is responsible for submitting the print-ready program (in hard copy or Word format) to the Music Department office for duplication. The final print-ready program is due in the department office one week before the recital.

The junior recital program (click here for templates) must include full titles of all repertoire, movements or sections as appropriate; complete names and dates of all composers included in the program; brief program notes for all compositions (to be prepared in Junior Recital Preparation, MUSC 374); English translation of all vocal texts; names of all performers on the program; and any other text, comments, or acknowledgments that you intend to include in the program. The student is responsible for proofreading the program, and the final document must be submitted electronically to the music department administrative assistant no less than one week before the recital date.

The senior recital program (click here for templates) constitutes one of the two written components of the senior recital and shall be judged on the accuracy of its content, the incisiveness and clarity of the program notes, and layout. The program shall include the title page of the recital, full titles of all repertoire, movements or sections as appropriate, complete names and dates of all composers included in the program; program notes for all compositions (to be prepared in senior seminar (MUSC 490) and senior comprehensives preparation (MUSC 474); English translations of all vocal texts (these may be on a separate sheet, but must be included with the draft of the program copy); the names of all performers on the program; and any other text, comments, or acknowledgments that you intend to include in the program. The student is responsible for proofreading the program, and the final document must be submitted electronically to the music department administrative assistant no less than one week before the recital date.

The music department will duplicate 30 copies of your program for your junior or senior recital. If you wish to have additional copies, these will be at your expense.

Analytic Paper for Performance Recitals

When performers (instrumentalists, vocalists, and conductors) submit their senior project proposal during their junior year, they shall include a paragraph-length proposal and preliminary bibliography for their 2,500-word paper (one of the two written components of their senior comprehensive project, along with their program notes). This paper will consist of an argument-driven analysis of at least one work in their recital. It is expected that students will be reading on their topic and working on their senior recital repertoire during the summer before their senior year.

Students will work with their senior seminar (MUSC 490) instructor on this paper during the fall semester of their senior year.  An annotated bibliography is due in the 4th week of the fall semester; an abstract proposal is due in the 6th week, and a complete first draft is due in the 10th week. The final paper is due on the last day of classes, fall semester. The rubric we use for assessing the senior analytic paper  can be downloaded here.

Grading the Senior Comprehensive Performance Recital

A portfolio must be submitted to the Music Department no later than noon on Monday, April 15. This portfolio will include the final paper (produced in MUSC 490) and the recital program. A senior performance recital is graded High Pass, Pass, or No Pass, and the rubric we use for assessing the performance recital can be downloaded here.

Comprehensives Preparation Courses (Music 374, 474)

Music majors preparing for a recital or thesis are expected  to enroll in Music 374 (junior comprehensive preparation--2 units; this course may be repeated once) and Music 474 (senior comprehensive preparation--2 units). Music 474 is required. Music 374 and 474 can each be repeated once for credit.

We expect that these comprehensives preparation courses will allow you to practice or compose an additional 4-6 hours per week, as well as to engage in an historical and analytical study of each composition on the recital program under the supervision of the music faculty adviser for the course. This study culminates in recital program notes written by the student and approved by both the recital preparation adviser and the applied teacher.

The student and senior comprehensives preparation instructor must have a first meeting no later than the second week of classes. They will continue to meet weekly or bi-weekly, as determined by the student and instructor. At the first meeting of the semester, the student and instructor will:

• Establish a schedule for the historical and analytical study of the recital compositions, including specific dates on which the student will report on specific compositions;
• Set specific dates for the completion of first drafts and revisions of the written notes, including the draft to be submitted at the recital jury;
• Set specific dates for the completion of the first draft and revision of the complete recital program that will be submitted at the recital jury.

The final grade of the senior comprehensive preparation course will be given by the course instructor, and will be based on:

• Applied teacher’s evaluation of the use of extra practice time (50%)
• Completion and quality of the historical/analytical study of the recital compositions as evidenced in the student’s weekly or bi-weekly reports and in the completed recital program notes (50%).

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