Frequently Asked Questions
General Music Questions:
1. Who can enroll in music classes? Who is the music program for?
2. What degrees/options are available?
3. What can I do with a music degree?
4. Are there scholarships available?
5. What kinds of classes are offered?
6. Do you offer evening classes?
7. Do you offer internet courses?
8. Do you offer “Fast Track” internet courses?
10. Do you offer classes during the summer?
Questions about private lessons:
11. How do private lessons work?
12. What day and time are private lessons?
13. How long are private lessons?
14. Do I have to have previous experience
for private lessons?
General Music Questions
1.
Who can enroll in music classes? Who is
the music program for?
Answer: The music program is for YOU!
Classes are open to everyone, regardless of major, with very few exceptions*.
2. What degrees/options are available?
Answer: We offer:
A.) An Associate of Science Degree in Music.
B.) The opportunity (with or without completing the Associate’s degree)
to take music classes at Grayson with the intention of transferring credits to
a four-year institution and completing a bachelor’s degree in music.
C.) The opportunity to take music classes as a non-music
major, as an elective and/or for personal enrichment.
3.
What can I do with a music degree?
Answer: Many things! In most cases,
students will want to transfer into four-year schools, where they could use
their degree as a starting point for getting a bachelor’s degree in any number
of areas including Music Education, Instrumental/Vocal Performance, Music
History, Music Media, Music Theory/Composition, Music Business, Music Therapy,
and so on. Students with these four-year
degrees eventually move on to become elementary music teachers, junior high or
high-school band, choir, or orchestra directors, college professors, church
musicians, performing artists, songwriters/composers, musicologists, or work in
various fields of the music industry, including audio engineering, writing as a
music critic, managing bands, and working for record companies. Music is an extremely diverse field, with
many “standard” jobs and many individual, unique opportunities available.
4. Are there scholarships available?
Answer: Yes! Click here.
5.
What kinds of classes are offered?
Answer: We offer a full variety of courses, including private lessons,
ensembles, Music Theory, Music Literature, and more. Click here for a
complete listing with descriptions.
6.
Do you offer evening classes?
Answer: We typically offer one evening section of Music Appreciation, MUSI
1306, section .081. Also some private
lessons occur in the evenings (as per instructor availability). Music Appreciation meets for one day per week
(the exact day changes from one semester to the next) and the time is typically
from 6:00 PM – 8:50 PM. For the latest
details, check the Schedule of Classes.
7. Do you offer internet courses?
Answer: Yes! Music Appreciation is
offered as an internet course (MUSI 1306, section .INT). It should be available each long semester,
and is the online equivalent to the classroom version of the course. There is also a “Fast Track” version of the
course available (see below). A greater selection of online music classes
may be offered in the future.
8. Do you offer “Fast Track” internet courses?
Answer: Yes! Music Appreciation is
offered as a Fast
Track course (MUSI 1306, section .INA).
This class, separate from the regular internet version of the course
(section .INT), begins at the midpoint of a regular (long) semester, and goes
through the end of that semester.
9. Are internet courses “completely online,” or do
they require coming to campus for testing or other purposes?
Answer: They are completely online.
Testing and all other assignments “to be turned in” take place
online. However, the internet version of
Music Appreciation typically requires concert attendance, like its classroom
component. Concerts can be of the
student’s choosing, however (with certain qualifications) and are not limited
to certain performances, on GCC campus or otherwise. This means the course can be taken from
nearly anywhere in the world. For more
information, email deringj@grayson.edu.
10.
Do you offer classes during the summer?
Answer: Yes! In the past we have
offered Music Appreciation and private lessons.
More summer music courses may be offered in the future. For the latest details, check the Schedule of
Classes.
Questions about private lessons:
11. How do private lessons work?
Answer: They are one-on-one sessions with an instructor, on voice or any of
several instruments (see courses or faculty). They meet
once a week, at the same time and day each week (Example: Tuesdays at 3:00 PM).
12. What day and time are private lessons?
Answer: The system is extremely flexible!
First, register for the lessons you want. Then, students must check the Blackboard
Shell for that course. In it they will
find instructions for contacting the teacher, and/or scheduling lesson days and
times. Most instructors teach several days of the
week, and at various times throughout the day.
To get into the Blackboard system, go to www.grayson.edu
and click on “Blackboard.” For help, go
to www.grayson.edu and click “Helpdesk.”
13. How long are private lessons?
Answer: There are two kinds available:
A) 30 minutes per week. These are MUAP 11XX courses, and are for one
credit.
B) One hour per week. These are MUAP 12XX courses, and are for two
credits.
Important!
Music majors are required to take 1200 level lessons each semester on
their primary instrument!
14. Do I have to have previous experience to take
private lessons? Do I have to be able to
read music?
Answer: No previous experience in playing or reading music is required! Each instructor examines the student’s
current musical skill level (if any) and customizes a plan that fits the his or her needs.
Answer: Decide for yourself: As of this writing, a semester of 30-minute
lessons (15 total) with one of our talented instructors (who are all carefully
selected professionals possessing at least a Master’s Degree) costs $210. Hour-long lessons simply double the cost,
totaling $420. On the
other hand, private teachers (who may or
may not have college degrees) often charge $30, $40, $50, or more
per hour.
15 weeks of hour-long lessons with a $50/hour
teacher = $750
15 weeks of hour-long lessons at
Your
savings: $330!!
*Some ensembles may have audition
requirements. See ensembles for details.
Music Theory and Eartraining and Sightsinging classes are corequisites,
and must be taken in order.