General Music Information – Music Student Handbook

General Information

Until practice room assignments are posted, practice rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sign up for practice rooms takes place via Google Sheet during the second full week of each term for four days. After that, rooms are available if they are unreserved or if they are reserved but empty after ten minutes past the reserved start time.
Percussion, organ, and harp students will receive special instructions from their instructors regarding setting up practice times.

Sign up Dates for Spring 2026:

B.M. piano majors and ALL string bass players will receive an email on Monday, February 16, 2024, at 8 a.m.
B.M. voice and instrumental majors and ALL piano students will receive an email on Monday, February 16, at 1 p.m.
B.A. music majors will receive an email on Tuesday, February 17, at 8 a.m.
Are you a non-music major, taking lessons, or playing in an ensemble? You will receive an email at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
If you are a St. Olaf student looking for a practice room, you can sign up for a practice room via a QR code posted below on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at noon.
The signup process will end for all students on Thursday, February 19, at 2:00 p.m. You will not have access to the sign-up sheet after this time, so be sure to note the times you signed up. Schedules will be posted by each practice room door no later than Monday, February 23, at 9 a.m. Until the schedules are posted, all practice rooms are first-come, first-served.

Practice Room Etiquette

After practice room schedules are posted, a practice room may be used by any musician, if the room is vacant and not reserved.
If you do not arrive within 10 minutes of your reserved start time, the room is considered available.
If you leave a practice room for longer than 10 minutes, even if you leave items in the room, the practice room is considered available.
PLEASE clean up rooms before you leave; if you have moved equipment around, please return it to where it belongs. If you are using a small ensemble room or a classroom, be sure to arrange chairs and stands as you found them before concluding your practice or rehearsal.
There are lost and found bins outside CHM 101 and HOM 245 for items left in practice rooms. Please bring keys, IDs, and other valuable items to Taylor in CHM 101 or Lisa in HOM 245.

Questions? Please contact Lisa McDermott.

Under certain circumstances, a student can receive keys for various rooms in CHM, HOM, and Skifter. Contact your instructor or work supervisor and ask them to order a key through Lisa.

Please plan ahead – keys will be ordered from the college locksmith as needed.
Students will pick up their keys in the Buntrock Office (007). At the end of the semester or the end of the school year, this is where you will turn in your keys also.
See Lisa McDermott, HOM 245.

Students on work study should see the supervisor listed below:

Jonathan Kopplin, CHM 112: Ensemble librarians and performing rights
Taylor Wesseln, CHM 101: Stage and House Managers for recitals and department events
Lisa McDermott, HOM 245: Music department office work, student collaborative pianists
Faith Kimbrell, CHM 123: Music department instrument-related work
Sarah Gingerich, Alumni 180: Music Organizations office work and ushers for concerts
Jeff O’Donnell, Skifter Hall 109: Recital and concert recording and streaming
James Bobb, CHM 218: Chapel organists, chapel cantor
Faculty: Classroom assistants and course accompanists
Ensemble conductors: Ensemble assistants (e.g., ensemble managers, stage managers and small ensemble directors) and ensemble pianists

25-26 Ensemble Rehearsal Schedule

Ensemble Eligibility Policy

To Drop or Change a Music Ensemble:

Registration changes for most music ensembles are processed by the Music Organizations Office. First, you’ll need permission from the ensemble’s conductor. Once you’ve discussed the change with the conductor, fill out this form. The change will then be updated in SIS, which automatically updates the ensemble email alias.

Add a Music Ensemble
Because most ensembles require an audition, new memberships can only be requested by the conductor. The conductor must contact the Music Organizations Office directly (gingeric@stolaf.edu) to add a student to the roster.

Music Ensembles and Conductors

*Chamber Singers – Therees Hibbard

* Chapel Choir – Joseph Kemper

** Collegiate Chorale – Anton Armstrong

* Collegium Musicum – Dana Maeda and Jamie Bobb

Handbell Ensembles – Jill Mahr

*Jazz Ensembles – Joseph Jefferson

*Manitou Singers – Therees Hibbard

*Musical Theater Lab – Marita Stryker

*Norseman Band – Michael Buck

Percussion Ensemble – Matt McClung

*St. Olaf Band – Henry Dorn

*St. Olaf Cantorei – James Bobb

*St. Olaf Choir – Anton Armstrong

*St. Olaf Orchestra – Chung Park

*St. Olaf Philharmonia – Keehun Nam

*Viking Chorus – Joseph Kemper

* Membership fulfills ensemble participation requirements

** Membership fulfills ensemble participation requirements for piano majors only

The Senior Soloists Concert is held each spring to give selected senior musicians an opportunity to perform as soloists with the St. Olaf Orchestra.

Auditions are held with a jury of guest judges.
Senior Soloist auditions are open to seniors in the spring of their fourth year.
With the approval of their principal performing area teacher, seniors who graduate early are eligible.
Fifth year seniors enrolled for the fall semester only may audition in the spring of their fourth year.
Fifth year seniors who are enrolled for the entire academic year may audition in either the fourth or the fifth year, but not both.
Link to Google application (can be filled out online and submitted electronically)
Printable paper copy of application (you will need to print and submit to Taylor Wesseln in CHM 101)

Recital Attendance Requirements

Non-music majors who are taking lessons are required to attend at least four (4) official recitals or concerts per semester.
Music majors are required to attend a minimum of ten (10) official recitals or concerts per semester, and a total of sixty (60) before graduation.
To receive credit for attendance, swipe your ID with the House Manager when you enter the concert hall. You must swipe on the way in – swiping at the end of an event is not allowed. Except for official master classes (see below), you must arrive on time and remain for the entire performance to receive attendance credit.

Who Can Swipe an ID and For What Events?

Attendance credit is given for all official student recitals, faculty and guest artist recitals, and ensemble concerts.
Students who participate in one piece on a student recital, and stay for the entire recital, will be eligible to swipe for attendance credit, as long as they swipe before the event beings. Attendance credit is also given for participation in Band Day, Choral Day, and Christmas Festival. Students participating in Christmas Festival will receive one swipe for the three-day event.
Collaborative student pianists can receive attendance credit if they do not receive performance credit.
Attendance credit will also be given for attending official master classes (a minimum of one hour) and Pedagogy Saturday.
Attendance credit will not be given for any musical event off-campus or for partial attendance.

Music lockers are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. You must be enrolled in a St Olaf ensemble or St Olaf music lesson to be eligible to request a locker. Vocalists and pianists can request a locker to store their music. They will be assigned lockers if they are still available.

Music Locker Request Form

One-on-one peer tutoring is available at no additional cost in many 100- and 200-level Music courses as well as some 300-level courses. It is designed to enhance students’ overall learning and understanding of course material. Fill out the Tutor Request Form and you will be paired with a music tutor. Tutors typically meet with tutees for one-hour weekly sessions in CHM or HOM. See a list of tutors and their subject specializations here.

Please click here to see expected competencies across the Music curriculum.