Overview

What are the possible major applied areas of study?

At the undergraduate level, students study the sacred music concentration with an emphasis in organ or voice. At the graduate level, students have the option of organ or choral conducting. Dual-concentrations at the graduate level are possible but may require additional time to complete the program. We also offer the Certificate in Advanced Performance Studies (CAPS), a highly focused one- or occasionally two-year program. CAPS applicants must have earned a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university. Details about the CAPS program can be found here.

Tell me more about the program and how it would prepare me for a vocation as a church musician.

Our programs in Sacred Music prepare students for careers as soloists, teachers, and church musicians; and for studies at the graduate or doctoral level. Students benefit from a high degree of individual attention from their applied teachers which facilitates a personalized approach to learning. Areas of study include service playing, organ literature, history of sacred music, organ pedagogy, and sacred music internships. (See the university catalog for program and course descriptions.) Class sizes are small, and opportunities for creative learning are many. Music making outside the School of Music, most often at an area church, allows students to put into practice the skills and concepts learned in the classroom. During sacred music internships students apply their knowledge under the mentorship of faculty. The high number of practicing church musicians on our faculty allows students to observe their professors in the roles of organist, conductor, composer, singer, and liturgist. Regular departmental field trips, master classes by visiting artists, “organ crawls,” and attendance at conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society promote an outlook that is forward-thinking and nationally aware. Of equal importance, the program supports an ethic emphasizing the pursuit of knowledge, skill, wisdom and independent thought while maintaining support and respect for one’s colleagues. In this manner the program seeks to model the kind of healthy working relationships and high personal, musical and intellectual goals that we hope will mark each student’s life upon leaving ECU.

What should I prepare for an audition and when are your upcoming audition dates?

BM Performance, Sacred Music Audition information

Organ Concentration:

Performance of solo literature representing three contrasting historical and stylistic periods (memorization optional); performance of a hymn of the student’s choice, which may or may not include a special introduction or re-harmonization;

Performance of solo literature representing three contrasting historical and stylistic periods* (memorization optional), plus a hymn

• a work by J.S. Bach
• a work from the Romantic era
• a modern work (post 1960)
• a hymn of the student’s choice, which may or may not include a special introduction or re-harmonization

Sight read a brief passage of music using manuals and pedals.

*Please contact the faculty if you have questions about your audition repertoire.

Vocal Concentration:

Two selections: 1 English and 1 Italian, memorization required. See Vocal Studies website for more detailed information regarding the audition.

MM Performance, Sacred Music Audition Information

Organ Concentration:

Performance of advanced solo literature representing three contrasting historical and stylistic periods* (memorization optional), plus a hymn

• a work by J.S. Bach
• a work from the Romantic era
• a modern work (post 1960)
• a hymn of the student’s choice, which may or may not include a special introduction or re-harmonization

Sight read a brief passage of music using manuals and pedals.

Entrance/placement exams will also be administered in Aural Skills, Theory, and Music History

*Please contact the faculty directly for guidance about your repertoire.

Choral Conducting Concentration:

Prepare and discuss a self-edited anthem-octavo of your choosing as well as “Like as the hart desireth the Waterbrooks” by Herbert Howells. Your discussion of these pieces should focus primarily on formal organization, stylistic background, rehearsal strategies, and overall dramatic affect. Be prepared to sing and/or play excerpts of these pieces to illustrate points during your discussion. Conduct one of the university choral ensembles in a 15-minute rehearsal of the above repertoire.Diagnostic sight singing, score reading, and aural acuity session with Dr. Andrew Crane.

Audition Dates

For audition dates and information see the the School of Music’s Future Students pages.

*An audition can be scheduled by appointment under some circumstances. Please contact the faculty as needed.

What are the scholarship opportunities for Sacred Music majors?

Undergraduate students who wish to be considered for School of Music scholarships should apply and audition before each year’s scholarship consideration deadline. Undergraduates should apply to ECU in early autumn in case they are invited to apply to the ECU Honors College. Selection for the Honors College comes with a scholarship award. Graduate assistantships and graduate out-of-state tuition remissions are available; complete the ECU graduate application and audition before the deadline to be considered for those opportunities. There are also numerous opportunities for church employment in the area, and faculty regularly assist students in finding suitable church jobs.

How does the performance major differ from the sacred music degree and how do I know which area to choose?

Those whose ultimate goal is a career in university teaching and performing may wish to choose Organ Performance. While this does not eliminate the possibility of a career in sacred music, it does place more emphasis on public performances and pedagogical knowledge than the sacred music concentration, and is a logical choice for those who wish to concentrate their energies on developing the highest degree of skill in their playing. It should be noted that several sacred music courses are required for the performance major, and most performance majors are actively involved in church music during their time at ECU. Furthermore, there is an equally high standard expected in the playing ability of those in the Sacred Music track. The faculty works with each student to help them determine their educational and career goals. Students who choose the organ performance degree take full advantage of our diverse and gifted faculty, aiming for a balance between performance studies (applied organ, harpsichord, piano, historic performance practices) and academic courses (research projects, counterpoint, specialized music history courses, among others). We believe that both degree tracks provide an excellent foundation for further graduate work, and offer as proof news of our recent graduates seen elsewhere in this web site.

What is your approach to teaching applied organ?

The objective of applied organ lessons is to equip students with a solid and healthy manual and pedal technique, a knowledge of musical styles and historical performance practice, and the ability to register repertoire accurately and sensitively. In addition, well-informed and efficient practice techniques and regular performance opportunities are emphasized. The American Guild of Organists professional certification program is incorporated into study at ECU, and students are encouraged to consider entering various local and national competitions in order to strive for the highest standards in organ playing. Most students earn AGO certification before they graduate.

What are your practice and performance instruments?

The main teaching and performance instrument is a 3-manual, 58 stop, mechanical action organ built in 2005 by C.B. Fisk. It is designed in a French-Symphonic tonal style, and resides in an acoustically ideal space. Most weekly lessons and the weekly studio performance class are held on the Fisk. Occasional studio trips or out-of-town lessons allow students to learn on instruments by Richards-Fowkes, Casavant, Aeolian-Skinner, Harrison & Harrison, and others. View details on the C.B. Fisk organ.

In addition, there are five pipe organs in the School of Music by Jaeckel, Lauck and Zimmer.

What are some of the opportunities your students have to perform and hear other organists?

The School of Music has a gifted and active performing faculty and a rich concert series, including The Fisk on Fourth organ recital series. Our students perform for each other each and every week in our Organ Studio seminar, a requirement for all students registered for applied organ. This class allows students to develop confidence in performing under pressure, learn & hear a broad spectrum of music, and hone their skills in speaking eloquently in public about music the related arts. ECU organists regularly perform recitals for American Guild of Organists chapters throughout the southeast USA. The School of Music’s annual Concerto Competition is open to organists and several recent students have been finalists and prizewinners in the AGO’s NYACOP and RCYO, the MTNA Collegiate Competition, Poister Competition and the Metropolitan Music Ministries Organ Competition. A number of ECU students have been awarded the E. Power Biggs Fellowship by the Organ Historical Society. Students are regularly invited to play in masterclasses for the world’s leading artists, both in our area and in prestigious venues such as the AGO National Pedagogy Conference.

What should I prepare for an audition and when are your upcoming audition dates?

MM in Performance, Organ Performance, Audition Information

Performance of advanced solo literature representing three contrasting historical and stylistic periods* (memorization optional), plus a hymn

• a work by J.S. Bach
• a work from the Romantic era
• a modern work (post 1960)
• a hymn of the student’s choice, which may or may not include a special introduction or re-harmonization

Sight read a brief passage of music using manuals and pedals.

Entrance/placement exams will also be administered in Aural Skills,Theory, and Music History

*Please contact the faculty if you have questions about your audition repertoire.

Audition Dates

For audition dates and information see the School of Music’s Future Students pages.

*An audition can be scheduled by appointment under some circumstances. Please contact the faculty as needed.