Music: String Performance - BM

Caine College of the Arts

Department of Music

About This Degree

The String Program at USU is lead by the members of the Fry Street Quartet and bassist Braun Khan.

The Fry Street Quartet occupies the Manon Caine Russell and Dan C. Russell Endowed String Quartet Residency at Utah State University. This residency affords string majors the rare opportunity to study with a world-renowned string quartet as their primary professors.

Dr. Khan has performed to equal acclaim in both the jazz and classical worlds, and runs a dynamic bass studio at USU.

The size of the String Program at Utah State allows for each student to receive a great deal of individual attention throughout his or her study. With chamber music as a natural focus of a program led by a string quartet, a close-knit atmosphere is at the heart of the student experience, and the shared artistic and educational values of the Fry String Quartet are central to this experience.

Competition winners and finalists, summer study at home and abroad, and continuing studies in prestigious graduate programs across the country are common among the ambitious students of the String Program at the Caine College of the Arts.

For more information about String Performance, see the department website.
All music majors must pass and audtion to be admitted.
Admitted and current students must meet with an advisor.
Log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
The highest math requirement for this degree is the Quantitative Literacy (QL) of the student’s choice.

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits: 120
Credits of C- or better: 100
Total credits taken at USU: 30
Credits of upper-division courses required for the major taken at USU: 10
Minimum Grade Point Average (many majors require a higher GPA): 2.0 GPA
Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above): 40
Upper-division credits taken at USU: 20
General Education Requirements
University Studies Requirements
Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Admission Requirements For This Program

New freshmen:
- Admitted to USU in Good Standing
- Must pass entrance audition on primary instrument
Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU:
- Admitted to USU in Good Standing
- Must pass entrance audition on primary instrument

Major Requirements

Course Grades and GPA Minimums

To maintain Music Major (and Pre-Music Major) status at USU, students must:

Complete all Individual Instruction (primary instrument) courses with a grade of B- or higher
- Any grade lower than B- will result in an extra required semester of Individual Instruction.
- Any subsequent semester in which a student fails to meet this minimum grade may result in dismissal from the music program.
Complete all music major core and emphasis classes with a grade of C or higher
- Any music course grade lower than C will not count towards graduation.
- Core courses may be repeated once in an attempt to earn a grade of C or better.
- Any subsequent semester in which a student fails to meet this minimum grade may result in dismissal from the music program.
Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all courses that fulfill a degree/emphasis requirement.
- This GPA does not include general education and depth courses.
- This GPA does not include the STEP courses for Music Education majors.
- If a student’s degree/emphasis GPA falls under this minimum, the student will be placed on departmental academic probation for one semester.
- Inability to meet this degree/emphasis GPA during the probationary period will result in referral to the department head who in consultation with the appropriate faculty member(s) will determine if the student shall be allowed to remain a music major through an extension of the probationary period.

GRADING SCALE for music courses:

93-100 A

90-92.99 A-

87-89.99 B+

83-86.99 B

80-82.99 B- Lowest grade for individual instruction to fulfill graduation requirements)

77-79.99 C+

73-76.99 C Lowest grade for all other program courses to fulfill graduation requirements)

70-72.99 C-

67-69.99 D+

60-66.99 D

59.99 or below F

BM Performance Music Core Curriculum (33 credits)

A grade of C or better is required in all Music Performance courses.

MUSC 1110 - Music Theory I (BCA) 3 credit(s)
MUSC 1120 - Music Theory II 3 credit(s)
MUSC 1130 - Aural Skills I 1 credit(s)
MUSC 1140 - Aural Skills II 1 credit(s)
MUSC 1170 - Keyboard Harmony I 1 credit(s)
MUSC 1180 - Keyboard Harmony II 1 credit(s)
MUSC 1190 - World Music 3 credit(s)
MUSC 2110 - Music Theory III 3 credit(s)
MUSC 2130 - Aural Skills III 1 credit(s)
MUSC 2180 - Computer Applications in Music Proficiency Exam 1 credit(s)
MUSC 3110 - Music History I: Antiquity through the Renaissance 3 credit(s)
MUSC 3120 - Music History II: The Baroque and Classical Periods 3 credit(s)
MUSC 3170 - Special Topics in Music Theory 3 credit(s)
MUSC 3190 - Music History III: Romanticism through the 21st Century (CI) 3 credit(s)
MUSC 3920 - Junior Recital 1-2 credit(s) (1 credit; 30-minute recital)
MUSC 4920 - Senior Recital 1-2 credit(s) (2 credits; 60-minute recital)

String Performance Emphasis Required Courses (41 credits)

All individual instruction courses must be passed with a grade of B- or better. All other music courses must be passed with a grade of C or better. Major requirements may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. Minimum GPA for all required courses is a 3.0.

Individual Instruction (16 credits minimum)
Register for 2 credits of pre-music individual instruction on your major instrument first and second semesters of study. (4 credits at the 1000-level required.)
Register for 2 credits of individual pre-barrier instruction on major instrument the third semester of study. (2 credits at the 2000-level required.)
Register for 2 credits of individual instruction on major instrument for all remaining semesters of study. (10 credits at the 4000-level required.)
Ensembles (16 credits)
MUSC 3500 - Symphony Orchestra (DHA) 1 credit(s) (8 credits minimum)
MUSC 4500 - String Ensemble 1 credit(s) (8 credits minimum)
MUSC 2350 - Conducting 2 credit(s)
MUSC 3180 - Orchestration 2 credit(s)
MUSC 3515 - Orchestral Auditions Seminar 2 credit(s)
MUSC 3520 - String Pedagogy and Solo Literature 2 credit(s)
PE 1057 - Yoga 1 credit(s)

Recital and Concert Attendance Requirement

To graduate, students are required to attend a minimum of 80 concerts or recitals. Recital and concert attendance is monitored and recorded in the Music Student Services office. Students should turn in programs after attending concerts and recitals for documentation of attendance.

Music Electives (10 credits)

Music electives are subject to music faculty aproval.

General Education and Depth Education Requirements

Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your Academic Advisor for details.

Total Credits: 120

Suggested Degree Map - Music: String Performance BM

Music: String Performance BM - 4 Year Degree Map