Fall 2012 Incoming Student Information
Freshmen & Transfers

Orientation Information for New Freshman & Transfer Music Students Fall 2012
Orientation Website

Incoming Students will be enrolled in courses by the School of Music. Stars 101 enrollment days are NOT required for music students. You can make an individual advising appointment at any time over the summer, or meet with an advisor during orientation week. Contact Greg Aldridge (graldridge@okcu.edu, 405-208-5634) to make an advising appointment, or to discuss any questions you have about enrollment.

AP Tests
If you scored a 4 or a 5 on an AP test, you will receive college credit for the corresponding OCU course. However, if you have not received your official AP test score yet, you should NOT change the suggested enrollment. Students who have scored a 4 or 5 on the AP Music Theory Exam are NOT required to take the Theory Diagnostic Exam during new student orientation week. A composite AP score of 4 or 5 will exempt you from Music Theory I and Aural Skills I.

Choir Placement
All new vocalists will be enrolled in choir. However, all vocalists must do a choir placement audition during freshmen orientation week. Choral placement auditions will be held in the Bass Center B207 on Monday, August 13, 2012, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. for music theater students, and on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. for other music majors enrolled in choir. You will be assigned an individual 10-minute audition. There will be a prepared example for you outside the audition rooms, or you can download it here. Included in the audition will be general vocalizing and sight-reading. ALL incoming vocalists must complete the choir audition before the first day of classes, Monday, August 20, 2012. Greg Aldridge will contact you over the summer with your choral placement audition time. See Ensemble Placement Auditions for Incoming Students and the Choral Program Newsletter.

Dance Placement
All new music theater students are required to attend dance leveling during new student orientation week from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, in Gaylord Center, Studio R. Students will level in ballet, tap and jazz. The School of Dance & Arts Management will enroll students in dance classes, based on leveling, before classes begin. You must attend all three levelings: ballet, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.; tap, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; and jazz, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. – also, please download and read this document on what to wear. There are no exceptions to the dress code.

Instrumental Ensemble Chair Placement
All instrumentalists must participate in chair placement auditions for Symphony Orchestra and Wind Philharmonic. Auditions will be held Sunday, August 19, 2012. The Instrumental Newsletter will provide more detailed information. See Ensemble Placement Auditions for Incoming Students.

Matriculation Choir Rehearsal
ALL new music majors enrolled in choir must participate in Matriculation Choir Rehearsal on Tuesday, August 14, 2012, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Kirkpatrick Auditorium and perform at Matriculation Convocation on Wednesday, August 15. Attendance will be taken. BRING A PENCIL!!!

NEWSLETTERS

Newsletters for 2012 will be updated in June. Please feel free to look over the newsletters from 2011.

Instrumental Newsletter
Choral Program Newsletter
Broken Leg Newsletter – Opera & Music Theater


Piano Placement
All incoming students will be placed in Class Piano I. If you believe you do not belong in beginning class piano, please contact Greg Aldridge at graldridge@okcu.edu. The placement exam will take place during new student orientation week on Thursday, August 16, 2012, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Bass Center A309. For the exam, you will be asked to play scales, arpeggios and harmonization. You will also need to prepare one piece. The piece does not need to be memorized.

Technology Requirements
All incoming freshman music majors are required to have a laptop computer. The Bass School of Music is an Apple Digital school and suggests our students purchase a MacBook. Apple computers may be ordered through the OCU Custom Apple Store. Students who purchase a MacBook must also purchase AppleCare Protection Plan. By purchasing AppleCare, you will receive an additional discount when purchasing your computer through the OCU Custom Apple Store at OCU Custom Apple Store. Log in to the OCU Custom Apple Store using your OCU username and the password that was sent to you by OCU Admissions for access to BlueLink and the OCU Campus Network. When you receive your Apple computer and AppleCare, register both immediately.

Students may choose to purchase a PC if desired, but in-class faculty demonstrations and technology support will be for Apple computers, not PCs.

It is highly recommended that all students purchase a computer lock and carrying case.

Computer notation software is also a crucial tool for your coursework at OCU. There are a few software packages that are very important to have prior to your arrival on campus.

Please purchase and install the latest version of Sibelius notation software on your laptop and take some time to get familiar with the software prior to beginning your coursework. If you are an experienced Finale user, you may continue to use that platform. However, we will not be able to provide additional support for problems that you may encounter while using Finale for class assignments.;

Sibelius 7 (Mac/PC) can be purchased here: PURCHASE SIBELIUS 7

NOTE: You may purchase Sibelius 7 Academic Student. The less expensive versions lack many functions you will need for courses and will not be adequate. Sibelius 7 Academic Student includes four years of complimentary upgrades to the software, and is priced at $279.95. The full version costs around $480.

Students using a PC are required to have the sequencing software Cakewalk Music Creator 5. Apple computers have sequencing software (GarageBand) and many other applications already included. OCU students have access to download Microsoft Office free of charge from the OCU Technology website.

Should you wish to finance your purchase through a student loan, you must fill out a Request for Additional Financial Aid for Education-Related Expenses form. Please mail your completed form to the Financial Aid office or fax it to 405-208-5466.

If you have any questions concerning technology, please email John Cross at jcross@okcu.edu.

Theory Placement
All freshmen music majors will be enrolled in Theory, however, all freshmen who are not receiving AP credit for Music Theory I MUST complete the Theory Diagnostic Exam on Thursday, August 16, 2012, at 9 a.m. in Petree Recital Hall. BRING A PENCIL!! Transfer students must contact Dr. Erik Heine to discuss the appropriate class assignment for Music Theory. In order for credits to be evaluated, you will need to provide syllabi for Theory and Aural Skills and copies of exams if you have them. Transfer students who were not previously music majors, or who have never taken Music Theory, must take the Diagnostic Exam. Dr. Heine may be reached at eheine@okcu.edu, 405-208-5219, or in FA 321. See here for study suggestions on how to prepare for Music Theory at the collegiate level. Click here for more information: Theory Diagnostic Exam.

IMPORTANT ORIENTATION EVENTS FOR MUSIC STUDENTS:
Monday, August 13, 2012
Choral Placement Auditions for music theater majors – 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., Bass Center B207 (YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED A TIME)

Tuesday, August 14, 2011
Dance Leveling – 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Gaylord Center, Studio R. All new music theater majors are required to attend.

Choir Placement Auditions for all music students enrolled in choir who are not music theater majors – 10:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 3:30 p.m., Bass Center B207 (YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED A TIME)

Matriculation Convocation Choir Rehearsal – 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Kirkpatrick Auditorium. All vocalists are required to attend. Attendance will be taken. Please bring a pencil.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012
All vocalists meet at 8:00 a.m. for final rehearsal and choir robe distribution. Attendance will be taken. Kirkpatrick Auditorium.
All students meet at McDaniel University Center Patio at 8:30 a.m. to prepare for procession.
Matriculation Convocation at 9:00 a.m., Kirkpatrick Auditorium

Bass Music School Orientation – 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., Petree Recital Hall, Kirkpatrick Fine Arts Center
Attendance required for all new music majors. Parents are welcome.

Thursday, August 16, 2012
Theory Diagnostic Exam – 9:00 a.m., Petree Recital Hall. All new music majors are required to take this exam. Attendance will be taken. Please bring a pencil.

Piano Placement Exam – 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Bass Center A309

Sunday, August 19, 2012
Instrumental Chair Placement Auditions – All students enrolled in Wind Philharmonic and/or Symphony Orchestra will be scheduled for chair placement auditions by Ben Nilles, ensemble librarian. Audition music will be available online August 1. Directions for accessing the music will be available in the Instrumental Newsletter.

Monday, August 20, 2012
All day – classes begin
Opera/Music Theater auditions for Fall 2012 shows (required for all incoming vocalists)

Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Mandatory Meeting for All Music Majors – 1:00 to 1:50 p.m., Petree Recital Hall

HELPFUL LINKS:
Academic Calendar
Frequently Asked Questions
Undergraduate Catalog (.pdf)
Theory Diagnostic Exam
Music Library Information for Students
Instrumental Newsletter
Choral Program Newsletter
Broken Leg Newsletter – Opera & Music Theater
Choral Placement Music
OCU Apple Store
Username is your OCU Username (first part of your email)
Password is the password you were given to initially log in to BlueLink and the OCU network from your Admissions Counselor.
If you have not received this information, please contact your Admissions Counselor.