Music Ensembles and Ensemble Requirements

Music ensembles play an important role in the various curricula of the School of Music and the life of the Belmont Campus, both for music majors and the general student. A detailed description of each ensemble may be found in the course listings. One-Credit Hour Ensembles which meet the Ensemble Requirements for majors in Music include:

Additional ensembles include: Oratorio Chorus, Chamber Ensemble-Brass, and Chamber Ensemble-String Quartet.

General Ensemble Requirements for Music Majors

All music majors except Music Education majors, Music Therapy majors, and Bachelor of Arts majors are required to enroll in at least one of the approved ensembles for one hour credit every semester enrolled as a full-time student, earning a minimum of 8 semester hours credit. Music Education majors and Music Therapy majors must earn a minimum of 7 semester hours credit, Bachelor of Arts must earn a minimum of 6 hours credit and Music Minors must earn a minimum of 4 semester hours credit. This number of credits only may count toward degree requirements. Students should register for no more than one ensemble (for one hour credit) each semester. MUN 3900 (Oratorio Chorus, 0 hour credit) does not fulfill the ensemble requirement and thus is taken in addition to a one-hour ensemble. Extra ensembles do not count as elective credit for music majors or minors.

Choral Ensemble Requirements

Voice principals* must enroll in a choral/vocal ensemble each semester enrolled as a full-time student and earn a minimum of eight (8) hours credit.  Exceptions: Music Education majors and Music Therapy majors take seven (7) semesters; Bachelor of Arts must take six (6) semesters; Musical Theatre Majors must take ten (10) semesters--two (2) semesters of choral ensemble and eight (8) semesters of MUN 3970, Musical Theatre; and Music Minors must take four (4) semesters.

Composition majors take 4 semesters of choral ensemble and 4 semesters of MUN 4980, New Music Ensemble.

*Musical Theatre majors must take eight (8) semesters of MUN 3970, Musical Theatre, and two semesters of ensemble other than Music Theatre. Classical Voice Performance majors must take two (2) semesters of MUN 3960, Opera Theatre or MUN 3970, Musical Theatre. No more than four semesters of MUN 3970 (Musical Theatre) may count toward this requirement for music majors other than those majoring in Musical Theatre.

Oratorio Requirements

All music majors and minors are required to enroll in MUN 3900, Oratorio Chorus, for a prescribed number of semesters. All voice principals are required four (4) semesters of MUN 3900. All other principals and music minors whose applied area is voice are required two (2) semesters of MUN 3900. MUN 3900 does not fulfill the requirement that music majors must be enrolled in at least one of the approved one credit hour ensembles every semester enrolled as a full-time student.

Exception: Musical Theater Majors pursuing the BM degree take three (3) semesters of MUN 3900. Musical Theater Majors pursuing the BFA degree take two (2) semesters of MUN 3900.

Ensemble Requirements for Instrumental Principals

Instrumental principals must participate in an ensemble each semester enrolled as a full-time student and earn a minimum of eight (8) hours credit. (Exceptions: Minors must earn 4 credit hours, Music Education majors and Music Therapy majors must earn 7 hours, and students pursuing BA in Music must earn 6 hours of ensemble credit.)

With the exception of Music Education majors, the following policies affect choice of ensemble:

• Instrumental principals (winds/strings/percussion) must participate in an instrumental ensemble
• Instrumental principals (guitar, piano, or organ) may participate in choice of ensemble
  
  EXCEPTION: Composition majors take 4 semesters of choral ensemble and 4 semesters of MUN 4980, New Music Ensemble

Ensemble Requirements for Music Education Majors/Instrumental Principals/Traditional Track:

• Music Education majors (traditional track) whose applied principal is a wind or percussion instrument must take a minimum of seven (7) semesters of MUN 4900, Wind Ensemble or MUN 4730 Concert Band.
• Music Education majors whose applied principal is a string instrument must take a minimum of five (5) semesters of MUN 4930, Symphony Orchestra or MUN 4740, String Chamber Orchestra, two (2) semesters of symphony Orchestra of String Chamber Orchestra for zero credit;  and two (2) semesters of MFI 3120, Chamber Ensemble - String Quartet.
• Music Education majors whose applied principal is piano, organ, or guitar (and thus are pursuing vocal licensure) must take four (4) hours of choral ensemble. Remaining ensembles may be choice of ensemble.

Ensemble Requirements for Music Education Majors/Instrumental Principals/Integrative Track:

• Music Education majors (integrative track) whose applied principal is a wind or percussion instrument must take:
  • Four (4) semesters (for one credit each, semester 1-4) of MUN 4900 Wind Ensemble or MUN 4730 Concert Band
  • Three (3) semesters of Wind Ensemble or Concert Band for zero credit (semesters 5-7)
  • Three (3) semesters (for one credit each semester) of a commercial instrumental ensemble (semesters 5-7)
• Music Education majors (integrative track) whose applied principal is a string instrument must take:
  • Four (4) semesters (one credit each, semesters 1-4) of MUN 4930 Symphony Orchestra or MUN 4740, String Chamber Orchestra
  • Three (3) semesters of Symphony Orchestra or String Chamber Orchestra for zero credit (semesters 5-7)
  • Three (3) semesters (for one credit each semester) of a commercial instrumental ensemble (semesters 5-7)

Ensembles in Residence

The School of Music has three ensembles in residence—The Belmont Chamber Winds, The Belmont Brass, and The Belmont Camerata Musicale. These ensembles present recitals and workshops each semester on the campus and throughout the Middle-Tennessee area. Members of these ensembles are faculty members who teach in their areas of performance.