Lessons & Juries (Performance Studies)

Music Lessons Offered

Brass: Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Jazz Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba
Composition (with prerequisite Music 223 and instructor approval)
Historic Strings: Viol de Gamba
Historic Winds: Dulcian, Recorder, Sackbut, Shawm
Keyboard: Piano, Jazz Piano, Harpsichord, Organ
Percussion: Percussion, Drum Set
Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, String Bass, Hardanger Fiddle, Harp
Voice
Winds: Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Saxophone, Jazz Saxophone

General Information

Lessons are requested, dropped, and changed by filling out one of the forms to the right.
Lessons cost $650 per .25 credit per semester for the 2025-2026 academic year and will be added to your tuition statement.
Taking lessons may include research/analysis, listening, and memorization time, in addition to practicing the instrument (see below).
We do not offer music lessons for no credit or auditing.

CHANGING OR DROPPING A LESSON

Students should fill out the lesson change or drop form immediately to allow waitlisted students to be placed in open spots.
There will be no refund of the lesson fee if dropped after the 6th day of classes, Wednesday, September 10, 2025, for the fall semester, and Wednesday, February 11, 2026, for the spring semester.
If you have questions, please contact Lisa McDermott (mcderm6@stolaf.edu, x3180, HOM 245).

PERSONAL STUDENT PRACTICE TIME: RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES

0.25 credit lessons = 3–6 hours per week
0.50 credit lessons = 6–12 hours per week
1.0 credit lessons = 10–21 hours per week

Studio Class Attendance Expectations: Recommended Guidelines

0.25 credit lessons = 3–4 hours per semester
0.50 credit lessons = 6–8 hours per semester
1.0 credit lessons = 10–12 hours per semester

Music Department event Attendance Expectations:

Music Majors are required to attend 10 Music Department-sponsored events in both fall and spring terms. (Interim events will be added to the spring count). A minimum of 60 total attendance credits are required for the BA and BM music degrees.
Non-Music Majors are required to attend 4 music events in fall and spring terms .(Interim events will be added to the spring count.)
See below for complete information about attendance credit.

Please complete this form to request music lessons – Instrumental Lesson Request Form

The music lesson fee is $650 per .25 credit each semester for the 2025-26 academic year.
There will be no refund of the lesson fee if dropped after the 6th day of classes, Wednesday, September 10, 2025, for the fall semester, and Wednesday, February 11, 2026, for the spring semester.

Please complete this form to request music lessons in piano – Piano Lesson Request Form

The piano lesson fee is $650 per .25 credit each semester for the 2025-26 academic year.
There will be no refund of the lesson fee if dropped after the 6th day of classes, Wednesday, September 10, 2025, for the fall semester, and Wednesday, February 11, 2026, for the spring semester.

Please complete this form to request composition lessons. The 2025-26 lesson fee is $650 per .25 credit each semester. In order to take private composition lessons, you must have completed MUS 223 and obtain instructor approval.

NOTE: There will be no refund of the lesson fee if dropped after the 6th day of classes, Wednesday, September 10, 2025, for the fall semester, and Wednesday, February 11, 2026, for the spring semester.

Composition Lesson Request Form

Please complete this form to request music lessons in voice.

The voice lesson fee is $650 per .25 credit each semester for the 2025-26 academic year.
There will be no refund of the lesson fee if dropped after the 6th day of classes, Wednesday, September 10, 2025, for the fall semester, and Wednesday, February 11, 2026, for the spring semester.

Vocal Lesson Request Form

Please complete this form to request historic instrument lessons.

The lesson fee is $650 per .25 credit each semester for the 2025-26 academic year.
There will be no refund of the lesson fee if dropped after the 6th day of classes, Wednesday, September 10, 2025, for the fall semester, and Wednesday, February 11, 2026, for the spring semester.

Historic Instrument Lesson Request Form

Please complete this form to request that your music lesson be dropped from your schedule – Music Lesson Drop Form

There will be no refund of the lesson fee if dropped after the 6th day of classes, Wednesday, September 10, 2025, for the fall semester, and Wednesday, February 11, 2026, for the spring semester.
The last date to drop a lesson or make graded and S/U changes was April 11, 2025, for the 2024-2025 spring semester.

Juries (performance exams) are held during the final exam period each semester.

Juries are generally required for all students taking lessons.
At the discretion of the performance studies teacher, students performing on an Entrance/Continuance Recital and students performing a Junior or Senior Recital, provided more than one faculty member attends and provides written feedback, may not be required to perform an end-of-semester jury in the same semester.
A teacher may elect to waive the jury requirement for any student in their first semester of study (i.e., to place greater emphasis and time on technical studies.)
Students who have performed on a Student Recital are required to perform an end-of-semester jury.

Who performs a Level I Jury?

Non-music majors
All music majors in secondary performing area

The level I jury committee consists of the student’s teacher plus at least one other faculty member. A level I jury normally consists of between 3 and 10 minutes of music. Comments (written or verbal) will be shared with the student in a manner determined by the teacher.

All level I jury students are generally required to perform a jury each semester; however, the requirement to perform a jury in one of the semesters per year may be waived at the discretion of the teacher. With the approval of the studio teacher, a student taking piano or organ lessons may be allowed to take the keyboard proficiency examination required for their degree in lieu of performing a level I jury one semester.

Who performs a Level II Jury?

B.A. music majors in principal performing area
B.M. composition majors
B.M. church music majors with voice as a principal performing area
B.M. music education students in principal performing area
B.M. elective studies majors

The level II jury committee consists of the student’s teacher and one to two other faculty members. A level II jury normally consists of between 5 and 10 minutes of music. Level II jury repertoire should include two pieces in contrasting style or one longer piece with contrasting sections. The faculty in each performing area may stipulate further requirements. Written comments are required and are shared with the student in a manner determined by the teacher. These written comments are to be filed in the Music Office.

Who performs a Level III Jury?

B.M. performance majors in principal performing area
B.M. church music majors with organ as principal performing area

The level III jury committee consists of all available faculty in that performing area but not fewer than three faculty members in any case. A level III instrumental jury normally consists of between 10 and 15 minutes of music and should contain two pieces in contrasting styles or one longer piece with contrasting sections. A level III vocal jury should contain at least three selections in contrasting styles and be approximately 10 minutes in length. The faculty in the performing area may stipulate further requirements. Written comments are required and are shared with the student in a manner determined by the teacher. These written comments are to be filed in the Music Office.

General Information

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. Sixty (60) attendance credits total are required for graduation at the end of 4 years.

Students who participate in one piece on a student recital, and stay for the entire recital, will be eligible to swipe for attendance credit, if they swipe in before the performance begins. Attendance credit is also given for participation in Band Day, Choral Day, and Christmas Festival. Students participating in Christmas Festival will receive one attendance credit for the three-day event.

Attendance credit will also be give for attending official master classes (a minimum of one hour.)

Attendance credit will not be given for any musical event off-campus or for partial attendance.

To receive credit for attendance, swipe your Ole Card with the House Manager when you enter the concert hall. Swipes are not accepted at any other time. With the exception of official master classes (see above), you must arrive on time and remain for the entire performance to receive attendance credit.

Lessons & Juries (Performance Studies)

Music Lessons (Performance Studies)

Music Lessons Offered

General Information

CHANGING OR DROPPING A LESSON

PERSONAL STUDENT PRACTICE TIME: RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES

Studio Class Attendance Expectations: Recommended Guidelines

Music Department event Attendance Expectations:

Juries

Music Performance Attendance Requirements (formerly known as Pink Cards)

General Information