Master's Theses in Music History and Literature, Theses in Music Composition, and Theses and Final Projects in Music Education

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1 Master's Theses in Music History and Literature, Theses in Music Composition, and Theses and Final Projects in Music Education A thesis is a report of original research and scholarly and creative work that is shared with the academic community and made available to the public. All master's degree candidates in Music History and Literature and in Music Composition are required to submit a thesis or thesis equivalent before the completion of their study at UWM, and all candidates in Music Education must submit a thesis or a final project. While the thesis or final project is usually completed during a candidate s final semester of study, students should begin thinking about a topic no later than midway through their degree program, because it often takes several semesters for them to conduct and complete their work and to gain final approval for it. Thus, early in their program, students should seek out an adviser in their area of concentration who will work with them in developing an appropriate topic and preparing a thesis proposal. When the proposal is ready, it must be submitted to both the adviser and another faculty member in the same academic area. After they both have approved the proposal, it must be submitted to the departmental Graduate Committee for approval. Registering for Thesis Credit. In Music History and Literature and in Music Composition, students should register for Music 990 (Research of Thesis), a 3-credit course. In Music Education, students should register for Mus Ed 990 (Thesis or Final Project), the number of credits (1-6) being determined by the amount of time the student and his or her adviser expect the student to spend on the work during a particular semester. Except in special circumstances, once a student has registered for thesis credit he or she should continue to do so in succeeding semesters until the project has been completed. A grade of P (Progress) is assigned during any semester before the thesis or final project is completed. Once completed, a letter grade is assigned. A grade of C is technically possible but undesirable. Thesis and Final Project Proposals. Students should prepare a four-to-six (4-6) page proposal that includes a clear description of the intended project, methodology, and principal bibliographic resource materials and other supporting documents that will be used in connection with the study. In the case of thesis equivalents in Music History and Literature, the proposal should outline two separate projects. For theses in Music Composition, the proposal should describe the intent and nature of two compositions. After a student s proposal has been approved and signed by the student's thesis adviser or director and at least one other faculty member in the same academic area (it being the responsibility of the thesis director to obtain the other signatures on the proposal), the student must submit five (5) copies of the thesis or final project proposal to the Director of Graduate Studies. The Director of Graduate Studies will then circulate the proposal to the members of the Graduate Committee for their comments and approval or disapproval.

2 In the thesis or final project proposal, the student should describe his or her specific program of research, explaining the basic ideas or questions to be explored and illustrating the approach or line of thought to be taken, insofar as these have been developed. In addition, the student should explain the relationship of the project to the work of other scholars or practitioners in the same general area, and indicate clearly the significance of the proposed work and the contribution it will make to the field. Students should outline their plan of work, methodology, and schedule. The following questions may be pertinent: 1. What is the present state of the proposed study? 2. What work has thus far been done on the project? 3. What remains to be done? 4. What makes the proposed methodology particularly appropriate for the investigation? 5. Does the student have access to the materials essential for carrying out the project? 6. Does the student have competence in the foreign languages needed or in the technology that will be used for the project? Students must also provide a list of primary materials and publications by other scholars that have the greatest relevance to their proposed study. The significance of the works included should be made clear in the description itself. Students should use some widely accepted bibliographic format for listing the materials, such as one of those proposed in the most recent edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. Students in Music Education must follow APA (American Psychological Association) style directives. The quality of the written presentation will be a factor in judging the student's proposal. Since the proposal will be reviewed by a faculty committee largely outside the student's particular sub-discipline in music, she or he should not assume that members of the Graduate Committee will be familiar with the significance of a given project to the student's concentration. Therefore, it is important that the proposal be clearly understandable to persons not in the student's sub-discipline, and that it present its merits to a diverse panel. In addition, the student's grammar, syntax, and spelling should be impeccable. After the student has submitted her or his proposal to the Graduate Committee, the Director of Graduate Studies will notify both the student and the student's thesis director as to whether the proposal has been approved. The Director of Graduate Studies will also communicate any suggestions members of the committee may have for the modification or revision of the proposal to the student and/or thesis director. In Music History and Literature, appropriate thesis equivalents may consist of: 1 Two revised or expanded seminar papers each totaling between 30 and 40 pages of text; or 2 One revised or expanded seminar paper, plus: i a comprehensive review essay of an edition or major musical monograph, or

3 ii a concentrated study of the life and work of a musician or musical scholar. Thesis Format Standards for Theses in Music History and Literature and Theses in Music Education. The UWM Graduate School maintains strict guidelines for the formatting of theses. Students and their advisers should obtain and consult the booklet entitled Master's Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Format Requirements, published by the Graduate School, early in their thesis writing process. The publication is also available on the Web: Grad_Sch/Publications. Topics covered in this publication include layout requirements, spacing, fonts, margins, paper, overall appearance, printing, use of copyrighted material, multiple volumes, page numbering, divisions and subdivisions, tables and figures, references and bibliography, appendices, and other pertinent topics. The booklet also includes sample pages, which are useful to consult. For further information, students may call All master's students completing theses in Music History and Literature and in Music Education must call to schedule two kinds of appointments with the Graduate School--the first, to have their thesis format reviewed, and the second, to submit the final copy of their thesis. Standards are strictly maintained. Thus, students must be sure to take representative samples or a draft of their thesis to the Graduate School for a format check well before they are finished with their work, because there are often regulations that are crucial to the acceptance of their thesis which they may overlook in the manual, and they must allow time to make whatever adjustments are called for in time to meet the deadline for their desired graduation date. Composition Thesis Proposals. Candidates for the M.M. in Music Composition must complete two compositions. One must be for large ensemble (orchestra, wind symphony, or choir), with or without electronic component. The other may be for electronic medium alone, or for chamber group or large ensemble, with or without electronic component. The composition thesis proposal should consist of an abstract describing the intent and nature of these TWO separate projects, such as the make-up of the composition medium, theoretical approaches to be explored, duration of the composition, and a brief description of the structural form and staging of the composition. Gaining Approval for Theses and Final Projects in the Music Department. Completed theses, thesis equivalents, final projects, or composition theses must be submitted to at least two (2) members of the appropriate academic area, including the student's thesis or final project director and another appropriate area faculty member. This submission must be done far enough in advance of the student's proposed graduation date to allow her or him to make any revisions suggested by either or both of the faculty members. Six (6) weeks is suggested as the minimum time needed for the faculty to read the thesis or final project and the student to make recommended revisions. After making the recommended revisions, the completed thesis, thesis equivalent, or final project must again be submitted to and approved by two members of the student's academic area

4 before the Graduate Adviser can be notified that the thesis requirement has been completed. Gaining Approval for the Thesis in the Graduate School, and Final Destination of the Thesis. One copy of the thesis in Music History and Literature or thesis in Music Education must be submitted to the Graduate School by the date established by Graduate Student Services for graduation in a particular semester; this is usually about two weeks prior to the end of the examination period in the semester. The date is also published in the monthly Graduate School electronic newsletter, which the graduate adviser in music distributes to music graduate students via the music-grads listserv. Theses in Music History and Literature and theses in Music Education become part of the circulating collection of the Golda Meir Library. Because thesis equivalents in music history, theses in music composition, and final projects in Music Education are retained only by the Music Department, although candidates may submit a copy to the Music Library if they so choose, they are not subject to the dates established by the Graduate School. Nevertheless, a final copy must be approved by two members of the appropriate academic area by the last date in the semester by which grades must be turned in to Enrollment Services. Grace Period. If students cannot meet the thesis submission deadline set by the Graduate School for the semester in which they plan to graduate, they should inquire about the grace period during which they may submit their thesis somewhat later and graduate the following semester without having to enroll in additional credits. In Spring 2001, for example, if students were not able to turn in their completed thesis by the submission deadline of May 5, 2001, for graduation in May, they were allowed to submit it by June 22 and graduate in August without enrolling in additional course work or Music 888 (Candidate for Degree). Master's Recitals in Performance (Vocal and Instrumental), Collaborative Piano (Vocal and Instrumental), and Conducting (Choral and Instrumental) All master's degree candidates in Performance (Vocal and Instrumental), Collaborative Piano (Vocal and Instrumental), and Conducting (Choral and Instrumental), are required to present a final recital. While vocalists and instrumentalists normally present this recital during their final semester of study at UWM, they should begin developing their recital program well in advance of their final semester, because it often takes more than one semester to prepare the recital program and submit the necessary documents relating to it to the departmental Graduate Committee for approval. Moreover, conducting recitals may consist of two or more performances presented in different semesters, or performed with different ensembles during the same semester. The documents candidates must submit to the Graduate Committee consist of their proposed recital program(s) and substantial

5 program notes about the works presented on the recital. For further information about these documents, see under The Recital Program and Program Notes below. Content and Length of the Recital. It is expected that students will present works representative of a variety of styles and historical periods on their program. A composition written after 1900 by a composer from the Americas must also be included in the program. The program should feature the performer primarily in a solo capacity, although one ensemble work may be included. Students are encouraged to consult not only their principal teacher but also other members of their area of study as well as members of the music history faculty for suggestions regarding performance practices appropriate to the various styles of music that are represented on their program. For vocalists and student recitalists on most instruments, the recital should be approximately 70 minutes in performing length. For conductors, the works presented on their several programs should total a minimum of 50 to 60 minutes. For brass players, it is acceptable for the recital to be no longer than 50 minutes in performing length. Exceptions may be granted in unusual circumstances. Securing the Recital Hall. Students who plan to present their recital in the Recital Hall should sign up for a date and time in the Music Department office as soon as they know when they wish to schedule their recital. They must also fill out a School of the Arts Scheduling Form and a Recital Hall Concert Form containing information for the House and Stage Managers, which they may obtain in the department office. On the latter form they will be asked to indicate what equipment they will need for the recital (e.g., chairs, stands, risers, etc.), which if any piano they wish to use, whether they wish to use the harpsichord, whether the concert is to be recorded, and other relevant information. To secure use of the harpsichord, students must obtain written permission from Professor Jeffry Peterson, and they must also notify Jonathan Moberg ( or ) to arrange for the tuning of the instrument for rehearsals and the recital. If recording is to be done, students must make arrangements for it with Dan Gnader ( or ; dgnader@uwm.edu) and pay for it themselves. If the recital is to be recorded, they must indicate that on the Recital Hall Concert Form so that the House Manager can notify the Box Office. If a reception is to be given after the recital, it too must be arranged and paid for by the student her- or himself, who must also take care of the clean-up. Students should request a copy of the Student Recital Program Guidelines, which will inform them about proper procedures for submitting their program and program notes to the Development and Marketing office, which will prepare their printed recital programs. In general, students must provide all the information about their programs on disk as a "rich text format" or "rtf" document or submit it electronically to the Development and Marketing Office at least three weeks before their recital date. (Before submitting their program and program notes to the Development Marketing Office, however, students must have gained the approval of both their major professor and the Graduate Committee of the Music Department; thus, additional time must be allowed for this procedure. See immediately below.) Recording Recitals and Concerts

6 I. Recording Lab Seminar Students and faculty may choose to take the Recording Lab Seminar to learn about using the MUS175 Recital Hall recording booth, MUS103 Recording Lab, and the Zelazo Bader Hall sound booth. The seminar is free, offered multiple times per semester, and takes about 1 hour. Postings around the first floor of the Music Building will give the dates and times of the seminars. It covers: o Using the Marantz CD-R Recorder (in MUS175) o Transferring raw recordings to a computer editing station (in MUS103) o Mixing and mastering a recital for a finished CD The Zelazo sound booth is equipped with the same Marantz CD-R Recorder as the Recital Hall, along with additional signs and notes for using the room's mixer. II. Student Access Students must first take the Recording Lab Seminar to gain access to the recording facilities. Students who wish to record in the Recital Hall (or someone else's recital) may request access to the recording booth from the Music Department Office. A sign out sheet has been posted on the MUS103 Recording Lab door. The key to the room may be checked out from the Music Office for a maximum 24 hours. The Recital Program and Program Notes. Five (5) copies of a student's proposed recital program, accompanied by substantial program notes, must be submitted to the Graduate Committee for approval at least six (6) weeks in advance of the proposed recital date, after having been approved and signed by the student's major professor. The program should include the full name of each composer, his or her dates, the correct and full title of each work, the titles of any individual movements, the dates of composition of each work for which such information is available, the medium of each work (e.g., flute and piano; soprano and basso continuo; oboe, clarinet, and bassoon), the timing of each work, and the names and roles of other performers on the program. Program Notes. The program notes should in general include brief composer biographies, information about the origins and genesis of the recital pieces, and the student s own original perceptions about the pieces he or she is performing. Students should be careful not to plagiarize other sources in preparing their program notes. Thus, along with consulting a number of different printed sources about the works they are performing, students are encouraged to think carefully about the works and to describe what seems interesting and significant about them in their own terms, so that audience members are directed to listen for certain qualities, or may experience a sense of recognition about what they have just heard if they read the notes after hearing a piece. Students may, of course, quote other sources in their program notes, but if so, they must cite them properly, and they should not simply repeat verbatim, or restate in only slightly reworded language, discussions about the composer and works found in other sources. They should write in their own words, and the ideas they express should be original.

7 Further suggestions about what to include in program notes, how to prepare them, and how to present them, can be found in such sources as Jonathan Bellman s Short Guide to Writing About Music; E. Eugene Helm's and Albert Luper's Words and Music: Form and Procedure in Theses, Dissertations, Research Papers, Book Reports, Programs, Theses in Composition; and Richard J. Wingell's Writing About Music: An Introductory Guide. It is also useful to consult program notes that have been prepared by skilled program annotators, such as those prepared for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Writing Style. For information about which titles of works to italicize, which to place in quotation marks, and which to capitalize without using either italics or quotation marks, it is useful to consult Kern Holoman's Writing About Music. Both the accuracy of the student's notes and the quality of her or his written presentation will be taken into account in judging the program notes. The notes should be well organized, clearly written, correct in terms of factual information, and carefully edited. The student's grammar, syntax, and spelling should be impeccable. If necessary, the student s major professor must ask the student to revise his or her program notes before approving and signing them. Neither the student nor the student's major professor should rely on the Graduate Committee for correcting errors of whatever sort. Texts of Vocal Works and their Translation. Students who are presenting vocal works on their recital should also include the texts of these works, both in the original language and in English translation. The authors of the original texts as well as the translations should be cited in the program notes. Bibliography. The program notes submitted to the Graduate Committee must be accompanied by a bibliography indicating the sources the student used in preparing the notes. The bibliography should use some widely accepted bibliographic format, such as one of those proposed in the most recent edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. The bibliography should not, however, be included in the printed program given out at the recital. The Approval Process. After the student has submitted five copies of his or her signed recital program and program notes to the Graduate Committee, the Director of Graduate Studies will distribute them to the members of the Graduate Committee for their comments and approval. After receiving the comments of the Graduate Committee, the Director of Graduate Studies will notify both the student and the student's major professor as to whether the recital proposal and program notes have been approved and will also communicate any suggestions made by members of the committee for the improvement or revision of the proposal. Students whose work does not pass muster with the Graduate Committee the first time will be required to revise their proposed program and program notes. The Recital Hearing. After a student's program has been approved by the Graduate Committee, she or he must schedule a preliminary audition or hearing to take place no later than four (4) weeks preceding the proposed recital date. In the case of conducting recitals, the hearing may take place three to four (3-4) weeks in advance of the recital

8 date(s). It is the student's responsibility to contact those persons whom she or he wishes to serve on her or his hearing committee and to arrange a time for the preliminary audition. In most cases, the hearing committee should be composed of at least two (2) members from the student's performance area, plus one (1) member of the Graduate Committee. The major professor is welcome to attend in an advisory capacity. The student is also responsible for securing any accompanying musicians needed for the recital hearing. In the case of conducting recitals consisting of more than one performance, the recital hearing should consist of specified rehearsals of the different ensembles the student is conducting, and the hearing committee should attend each of these rehearsals, if possible. Students should inform the Director of Graduate Studies of the date(s) of their hearing as well as the members of their hearing committee. This will allow the Director of Graduate Studies to provide the members of the hearing committee with a Graduate Recital Evaluation Form. At the hearing itself, each of the members of the hearing committee should fill out an Evaluation Form, commenting on the student's preparedness for the recital and indicating whether she or he approves or disapproves the audition. The evaluation forms should then be given to the student s major professor, who, after noting their content, should return them to the Director of Graduate Studies for accurate record keeping. If the hearing has been judged unsatisfactory, the student must postpone the recital and schedule another audition. While members of a student s hearing committee should make every effort to attend the student's recital, it is not strictly required, and the major professor alone judges the success of the recital. Additional Requirements for Conducting Candidates. Candidates for the M.M. degree with a concentration in conducting must also submit a formal paper or recital document to their major professor. In the band conducting area, the written document should include composer biographies and work lists; a broad-based analysis of the two principal works on the recital program including their place in history, instrumentation, primary musical material, and an outline of their overall structure; and tension and repose line diagrams. In the choral and orchestral conducting areas, the written document should include biographies of the composers whose works are being performed on the recital, extended program notes detailing the origins and genesis of selected recital pieces, theoretical analyses of selected pieces, and conducting analyses of selected pieces. These documents, which are intended to illustrate the vast preparation and research a conductor should undertake when preparing a concert program, are due by the end of the semester. For more detailed information about these recital documents, students should consult with their major professor. Master's Recitals in Music Education--Choral or Instrumental Conducting Emphasis, and Lecture-Recitals in String Pedagogy

9 Music Education--Choral or Instrumental Conducting Emphasis. While students in Music Education--Choral or Instrumental Conducting Emphasis must present a conducting recital, they are not required establish a hearing committee or arrange for a recital hearing. Rather, students should consult with their major conducting adviser (Deutsch, Dvorak, Hansen) about the requirements for the recital and obtain the permission of their adviser to perform the recital. For permission to be granted, students must have maintained satisfactory progress in their conducting course work. Moreover, students must be enrolled in 660:693 (Mentoring/Apprenticeship Program) the semester of their conducting project, and they are strongly advised to enroll in Advanced Conducting II (Music 554) the semester of their conducting project as well. The conducting recital should be given during a student s final semester of course work or fall within the semester prior to its completion (for example, recital in Spring, final course work in Summer). Recital dates must be arranged in cooperation with the student s major conducting adviser and may not be finalized before the adviser approves the date. While other faculty members in a student s conducting area (for example in choral conducting, Sharon Hansen, Gloria Hansen, and Christopher Peterson) are urged to attend the student's recital, the major professor alone judges the success of the recital. String Pedagogy. Students completing a degree program in String Pedagogy must register for and present a one-credit Recital and Lecture Demonstration (Music 991) at any time before they complete their studies at UWM. The lecture-recital consists of two parts: 1 A performance of a minimum of minutes of music that has been approved by the major teacher. 2 A lecture totaling approximately 30 minutes to be given before, during, or after the recital, in which the candidate discusses one or more pieces to be performed on the recital program, with emphasis on the pedagogical values of the piece(s), the difficulties, and how they are overcome. Students in String Pedagogy must submit five (5) copies of their proposed lecture-recital program to the Graduate Committee for approval at least four (4) weeks in advance of their proposed lecture-recital date, after having been approved and signed by the student s major professor. The program should be accompanied by (1) brief program notes about the pieces the student intends to perform and (2) a description of what she or he plans to cover in the pedagogical lecture. Students must also establish a hearing committee and arrange for a recital hearing in much the same way students concentrating in Performance do. For further information, see under Master s Recitals in Performance (Vocal and Instrumental), Collaborative Piano (Vocal and Instrumental), and Conducting (Choral and Instrumental) above.