Degree Requirements

Brass, Woodwind, Percussion

MM • Performance

Overview

The two-year Master of Music (M.M.) degree in Music Performance trains students as informed artist-performers. In addition to demonstrating technical mastery of their instrument or voice, students are expected to exhibit a thorough understanding of the theoretical, pedagogical, and historical aspects of the major, as well as a knowledge of the literature of their performance area.

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Contacts
Degree Requirements
Advising & Registration
Graduation Timeline
Important Links

Contacts

Administrative Contacts

Graduate Advisor | Director of Graduate Studies

Hannah Lewis

Scholarships & Assistantships

Lynda Oh

Graduate Admissions Coordinator

Daniel Seriff

HR Coordinator

Theresa Orendain

Graduate Coordinator

Marina Martinez

Operations & Scheduling

Page Stephens

Division Contacts

Division Head, BWP

Patrick Hughes

Area Counselor, Percussion

Thomas Burritt

Area Counselor, Brass

Patrick Hughes

Area Counselor, Woodwinds

Andrew Parker

Faculty

Nathaniel O. Brickens

Professor of Trombone
Thomas Burritt

Associate Director, Butler school of Music
Professor of Percussion
Jonathan F. Gunn

Associate Professor of Clarinet
Caleb Hudson

Associate Professor of Trumpet
Patrick Hughes

Associate Professor of Horn
Richard Huntley

Lecturer in Percussion
Kristin Wolfe Jensen

Professor of Bassoon
Division Head, Chamber & Collaborative
Stephen Page

Associate Professor of Saxophone
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Andrew Parker

Associate Professor of Oboe
Ebonee Thomas

Assistant Professor of Flute
Ivan Trevino

Professor of Practice in Percussion
Charles W Villarrubia

Professor of Tuba/Euphonium

Ensemble Directors

Clifton Croomes

Director, Longhorn Band
Director, Symphony Band
Associate Director of Bands
Jerry Junkin

Director, Wind Ensemble
Marc Sosnowchik

Assistant Director of Bands
Director, New Music Ensemble

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Degree Requirements

The M.M. in Brass/Woodwind/Percussion Performance requires 30 hours of registered coursework, a comprehensive examination, and a recital.

Major Coursework

Major Coursework for the M.M. in Brass, Wind or Percussion Performance
Hours	Course Number	Course Title/Description
8	Inst. 480	Graduate Performance (2 semesters)
6	MUS 698RA and MUS 698RB	Master’s Recital (2 semesters) The recital may be performed at any time during the third or fourth semester.
3-6	MUS 379K or MUS 387L	Symphonic Literature or Band Literature
2-4	MUS 281	Chamber Music
2	ENS 18x	Problems in Performance Practice (Band or Orchestra)

A comprehensive examination is required of all master’s degree candidates, usually in the final semester.

Supporting Work

Supporting Coursework for the M.M. in Brass, Wind, or Percussion Performance
Hours	Course Number	Course Title/Description
3	MUS 398T MUS 388T MUS 388M 3	Pedagogy of Music Theory or Analytical Techniques or Contemporary Styles and Techniques
4-8		Semester hours chosen from the following: MUS 387L, Music Literature other than Symphonic Literature MUS 380, Advanced Studies in the History and Culture of Music Upper-division or graduate-level courses in music theory, Music & Human Learning, or related fields outside of music.

Master’s Recital

Students must perform a public degree recital in their second year.

Find recital scheduling procedures on the Butler School Operations website.

Juries

Master’s and doctoral students must perform a 10-minute jury in both semesters of their first year of study. Students must prepare 20 minutes of music for the spring jury, though not all repertoire will be selected by the faculty. Students must perform at least one selection with a collaborative pianist in each jury.

Some instructors may require students to announce their selections and/or talk about the music as part of the jury.

Postponements are allowed for extenuating circumstances (injury, death in the family, etc.). No-shows are considered a failure. If a jury is postponed, the student must perform the jury within the first twelve class days of the following semester and pass in order to advance to the next level.

Jury comments from faculty will be shared with students. The jury constitutes 50% of the semester grade for applied lessons and is determined by averaging individual grades of the jury committee (not including the primary studio teacher).

Find more information about this semester's juries, including FDFJ forms and deadlines.

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Advising & Registration

For information about course registration, deadlines, adding and dropping courses and other policies, visit the Graduate School Academic & Registration Policies webpage.

Students who wish to take an independent study course need to fill out a Consent Form. Once the faculty member and Graduate Coordinator have approved your request, the bar to register for the course will be lifted.

To be eligible for fellowships, scholarships and assistantships, graduate students are required to be enrolled full-time (at least 9 hours).

All international students are also required to be enrolled full-time during each long semester, regardless of whether they receive funding from the Butler School of Music.

View a List of Upcoming Courses offered by Musicology & Ethnomusicology

Transferring Coursework

A new master’s student may petition to transfer up to six credits of graduate level coursework completed at another institution, subject to approval by both the Butler School of Music Graduate Studies Committee chair and the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Detailed transfer regulations and forms for master’s students are maintained by the Graduate School.

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Graduation Timeline

Semester-by-Semester Overview

Prior to 1st semester

All students must take the diagnostic examinations in music history and music theory. Additional diagnostic exams are administered for students in composition, voice, jazz and music theory.

Semester 3

Registration for the following if required – MUS 698RA, 698A.
M.M. Piano Performance students take their group comprehensive exam.
With the approval of their studio teacher, some performance area students may perform their thesis recital.

Semester 4

Students must submit a completed M.M. degree check form to verify their completion of coursework.
Students must apply to graduate – check graduate school website for deadline.
Registration for the following if required – MUS 698RB, 698B, 398M.
M.M. String students take their group comprehensive exam.
All other students take individual comprehensive exams as arranged by their studio teacher (for performance area students) or their supervising professor (for academic area students).
Most performance area students perform their thesis recital.
M.M. Music & Human Learning – Non-Thesis Track complete their master’s project.
M.M. Music Theory, M.M. Music & Human Learning – Thesis Track and M.M. Composition students complete their master’s thesis or master’s report and submit it to the Graduate School.
M.M. Ethnomusicology and M.M. Musicology students complete their master’s report and submit it to the Graduate School.