The recital is the capstone experience for all seniors pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music with an emphasis in Performance. Generally, these performances are presented as half recitals, with two seniors sharing the program. Solo recitals may be presented only with the approval of the music department. Please consult the performance instructor as early as possible if you are interested in this option.

HONORS IN THE MAJOR
Those students pursuing honors in the major will present a full-length solo recital and write an in-depth paper on the repertoire performed. A condensed version of the paper will be printed as notes in the program. This option is for students who demonstrate exceptional musical and academic talents. Students interested in earning honors in the major should discuss their intentions with their instructor and academic advisor as early as possible.

GRADING AND EVALUATION
Students are graded on pass/fail basis for their recital credit. Any letter grade assigned for the work leading up to the recital is combined with the private lesson credit.

GUIDELINES

Duration:
Repertoire for the recital should be about 25-30 minutes in length per person for a half recital, and 45-50 minutes in length for a solo recital. A program of shorter or longer duration must be approved by the performance instructor.

Preparation of an encore is at the discretion of the individual instructor; an encore should only be included in cases of great musical and technical proficiency.

Repertoire:
The works performed in the recital should show a variety of style periods and technical skills. Works performed in previous jury examinations may be included as part of the senior recital program.

Memorization is REQUIRED for all singers and pianists. Memorization for other instruments is at the discretion of the individual instructor.

Program Notes:
Students are required to research and write program notes that will serve as the written document for the senior project. These notes will be submitted to your instructor and/or academic advisor. You are strongly encouraged to submit preliminary drafts of program notes well in advance of the performance date to allow for revision and editing. Finalized program notes should be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the performance date. Generally, notes are not published in the program except for those students pursuing honors in the major. Departmental approval is required for publication of notes in the program.

Jury Examination/Hearing:
Students need not take a jury during the semester of the senior recital. However, a recital hearing in front of the faculty is required no later than one month before the performance date. Depending on the calendar, the hearing may take the place of a jury for the semester preceding the recital.

This hearing is not graded, but provides an opportunity for the student to perform the complete program and receive recommendations from the faculty in preparation for the final performance. A recital performance is a public representation of the Department of Music and Randolph College by the student; therefore, the faculty may recommend postponement or cancellation of the recital if they feel that the student is unprepared or that the performance will not meet the standards of the department.

Since the faculty committee is using this hearing to assess the quality of the recital performance, it is in the student’s best interest to have her material as well-prepared as possible. The program material should be thoroughly rehearsed, coached, and as close to memorized as possible. The performance at the recital hearing should accurately reflect what will happen (or can happen) at the recital several weeks later.

It is ultimately the individual student’s responsibility to be prepared for the recital.

Cancellation/Rescheduling:
Cancellation or rescheduling of a recital is strongly discouraged. It may only occur under extenuating circumstances and must be approved by the faculty. Students should bear in mind that the recital date is publicized throughout the campus community. Any cancellation or rescheduling of the date will adversely affect the schedules of the department faculty and community members planning to attend the concert.

Program/Publicity:
The music department will copy up to 75 recital programs. Any special paper for programs must be supplied by the student. Please consult with your academic advisor and your instructor regarding formatting of the program.

The music department arranges scheduling of the hall and rehearsal times as well as notices to the campus community via email or the portal. Any additional publicity is the responsibility of the student.

Recording/Reception:
All recitals are recorded for archival purposes by the music department using the recording equipment in Wimberly for archival purposes. Students who would like a copy of their recital recording should provide a blank audio CD to Dr. Speer. Students who wish to arrange for additional recording or videotaping may do so provided that it does not interfere with the performance in any way.

Room 209 may be reserved for a reception after the performance should students (and families) wish to do so. All of the logistics of the reception (supplies, refreshments, set-up and clean-up) are the responsibility of the student.