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 Thalia Hernandez ([email protected], 405-208-5634) to make an advising appointment, or to discuss any questions you have about enrollment.
- 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 still 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.
All new vocalists will be enrolled in choir. However, all vocalists must do a choir placement audition during freshmen orientation week.
You will be assigned an individual 10-minute audition. There will be a prepared example outside the audition rooms. The example will be emailed to your OCU student account.
Choral placement auditions will be held in the Bass Center and the dates will be released soon.
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.
Thalia Hernandez will contact you over the summer with your choral placement audition time. See Ensemble Placement Auditions for Incoming Students and the Choral Program Newsletter.
All new music theater students are required to attend dance leveling during new student orientation week.
Students will level in ballet, tap, and jazz. The Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment will enroll students in dance classes, based on leveling, before classes begin.
You must attend all three levelings:
- Ballet
- Tap
- Jazz
You will receive information on what to wear via email before Orientation Week. There are no exceptions to the dress code.
All instrumentalists must participate in chair placement auditions for Symphony Orchestra and Wind Philharmonic.
The Instrumental Newsletter will provide more detailed information, and selections to prepare will be available for download through SharePoint.
All incoming students will be placed in Class Piano I. If you believe you do not belong in the beginning class piano, please contact Thalia Hernandez at [email protected].
The placement exam will take place during new student orientation week.
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.
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 MacBooks.
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.
Software: Computer notation software is also a crucial tool for your coursework at OCU. We recommend you wait to purchase any software until you are on campus and your professors have given you specifics for what is required in each course. There are a few software packages that we can suggest, however, if you do not wish to wait:
- The latest version of Sibelius notation software, or;
- 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.
NOTE: You are welcome to investigate freeware material online, we do not require that you purchase Sibelius 7 or Sibelius 7.5. You may purchase Sibelius 7 Academic Student. The less expensive versions lack many functions you will need for courses, however, and so may not be adequate.
Students using PCs may be required to have the sequencing software Cakewalk Music Creator 5. Apple computers have sequencing software (i.e. GarageBand) and many other applications already included.
OCU students have access to download Microsoft Office free of charge from the OCU Technology website.
Financing: 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 Jack Malm at [email protected].
All freshmen music majors will be enrolled in Theory, and all students must complete the Theory Diagnostic Exam.
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 and enroll in Music Theory I and Aural Skills I.
Dr. Heine may be reached at [email protected], 405-208-5219, or in FA 321.
See here for study suggestions on how to prepare for Music Theory at the collegiate level.
Helpful Links
- Academic Calendar
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Theory Diagnostic Exam
- Music Library Information for Students
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.
