I've been thinking about posting something on this topic for a while now. Recent posts by terminaldegree and a response from Prof. Bellman at Dial M have codified some of my thoughts.
As a theory professor, it seems like I get to do the dirty work around here. We're in the midst of new student orientation here and I get to administer the dreaded theory placement exam. At TTU, we recently abolished our remedial theory course for a variety of reasons. Now students must pass the placement test or they cannot register for harmony. They get two chances--one at their audition and one during orientation over the summer. If they fail twice, it is up to them to secure tutoring or otherwise master the material. And since we don't offer "trailer" sections (i.e., harmony I is only offered in the fall; harmony II is only offered in the spring) failing twice could put the students a full year behind.
So far this year, I've seen prospective music majors score in the teens (percentage) on this test. No wonder they dread my smiling face.
We also administer oral exams to all of our master's students. The committee comprises their studio faculty member, one history faculty member and one theory faculty member. I'm not going to speak for the other faculty members, but I try to gear my exams towards the kinds of theory things that, say, the average professional musician (i.e., plays with a few local orchestras, has a private studio, conducts a church choir) needs to know. I generally give them three scores from different historical periods and ask them undergraduate-level analytical questions about the scores (guess the genre, historical period, where's the recapitulation, what are the harmonies in the first eight measures, etc.).
(Before I continue, this year has been pretty good--all of the master's exams I've sat on have been fairly strong passes). In the past, I've had students crying during the theory portions of these exams. Most students request to do the theory section first "to get the hard stuff out of the way."
My point is, as a theorist I feel sort of like the hatchet man. People dread my presence in the room because their performance on my little test can make or break their freshman year. I'm the one that brings the "hard stuff" to the master's exams. I don't know of any schools that offer music history placement exams (why not? are there any?), nor do I know of anyone dreading having to answer questions about the origins and development of the trumpet. Most undergraduate music majors (I would wager to say) fail theory if they fail anything.
I am reminded of the joke in which a man is trapped in a flood and a boat comes by. The boat pilot says "hop in!" and the man says "No, God will save me." The flood waters get higher and a second boat comes by. The man in the boat says "Hurry--get in! I'll save you" and the man says "No, God will take care of me." Finally, the flood waters get so high that the man is standing on his rooftop. A helicopter flies in and drops a rope ladder. The man refuses it, saying that God will save him. Well, the flood waters get higher and higher and the man drowns. When he gets to Heaven, he meets God and asks why God didn't save him. God says "I sent two boats and a helicopter--what more do you want?"
If a student fails theory three times and insists on being a music major, there's nothing I can do. If the student cries because the master's oral exam is too difficult, there's nothing I can do. I sent boats and helicopters.
If, however, you hop on that first boat that comes along (or, as Prof. Bellman said, you're still standing there after the door is slammed in your face) then I'm more than happy to help you out.
(For more reading on the perils of majoring in music, see Jason Heath's advice for aspiring music performance majors and his road warrior without an expense account series. They should be required reading for all incoming freshmen music majors.)
As a theory professor, it seems like I get to do the dirty work around here. We're in the midst of new student orientation here and I get to administer the dreaded theory placement exam. At TTU, we recently abolished our remedial theory course for a variety of reasons. Now students must pass the placement test or they cannot register for harmony. They get two chances--one at their audition and one during orientation over the summer. If they fail twice, it is up to them to secure tutoring or otherwise master the material. And since we don't offer "trailer" sections (i.e., harmony I is only offered in the fall; harmony II is only offered in the spring) failing twice could put the students a full year behind.
So far this year, I've seen prospective music majors score in the teens (percentage) on this test. No wonder they dread my smiling face.
We also administer oral exams to all of our master's students. The committee comprises their studio faculty member, one history faculty member and one theory faculty member. I'm not going to speak for the other faculty members, but I try to gear my exams towards the kinds of theory things that, say, the average professional musician (i.e., plays with a few local orchestras, has a private studio, conducts a church choir) needs to know. I generally give them three scores from different historical periods and ask them undergraduate-level analytical questions about the scores (guess the genre, historical period, where's the recapitulation, what are the harmonies in the first eight measures, etc.).
(Before I continue, this year has been pretty good--all of the master's exams I've sat on have been fairly strong passes). In the past, I've had students crying during the theory portions of these exams. Most students request to do the theory section first "to get the hard stuff out of the way."
My point is, as a theorist I feel sort of like the hatchet man. People dread my presence in the room because their performance on my little test can make or break their freshman year. I'm the one that brings the "hard stuff" to the master's exams. I don't know of any schools that offer music history placement exams (why not? are there any?), nor do I know of anyone dreading having to answer questions about the origins and development of the trumpet. Most undergraduate music majors (I would wager to say) fail theory if they fail anything.
I am reminded of the joke in which a man is trapped in a flood and a boat comes by. The boat pilot says "hop in!" and the man says "No, God will save me." The flood waters get higher and a second boat comes by. The man in the boat says "Hurry--get in! I'll save you" and the man says "No, God will take care of me." Finally, the flood waters get so high that the man is standing on his rooftop. A helicopter flies in and drops a rope ladder. The man refuses it, saying that God will save him. Well, the flood waters get higher and higher and the man drowns. When he gets to Heaven, he meets God and asks why God didn't save him. God says "I sent two boats and a helicopter--what more do you want?"
If a student fails theory three times and insists on being a music major, there's nothing I can do. If the student cries because the master's oral exam is too difficult, there's nothing I can do. I sent boats and helicopters.
If, however, you hop on that first boat that comes along (or, as Prof. Bellman said, you're still standing there after the door is slammed in your face) then I'm more than happy to help you out.
(For more reading on the perils of majoring in music, see Jason Heath's advice for aspiring music performance majors and his road warrior without an expense account series. They should be required reading for all incoming freshmen music majors.)