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Music

Chairperson
Dr. Dale Wheeler

Program Information: 
E-mail:  inquire@rdc.ab.ca
Phone:  403.342.3400  OR  1.888.732.4630

Department Information:
For more information on the Music program, visit the Music Department, under About RDC.

Related Careers
Music is one of the largest and fastest-growing industries in North America. The following is a short list of opportunities in this field:

  • Performance: Solo, small and large ensembles (eg. bands, orchestras) music theatre accompanying, recording artist, studio musician, conductor.
  • Composition: Song writing, arranging, transcription, film scoring, computer- generated music.
  • Merchandising: Promotion/publicity, management, music sales, budgeting/ accounting, copyright.
  • Technology: Recording engineer, sound technician, equipment maintenance and set up, concert hall technical director.
  • Teaching: Private and group instruction in a home studio, private and group instruction in music academies, colleges, and universities.

One-Year Music Preparatory Program

The one-year Music Preparatory Program is designed to:

  1. provide an opportunity for students who have a general interest in music and wish to broaden their knowledge and skills;
  2. provide an entry-level opportunity for students who are considering a career in music and intend on pursuing the Music Diploma program but have limited formal music training.

In this program you will learn the fundamentals of reading, writing, hearing, and performing music. Through classroom instruction and private lessons you will gain valuable knowledge and will sharpen your playing skills. Optional participation by audition in small and/or large ensembles will allow you to further develop your performance abilities.

The program has three main components:

1. Core Classes: All students are required to take classes in music rudiments and aural skills, introductory music history, basic piano, and communications. These courses will provide fundamental training in the basics of music.

2. Primary Instrument Study: Each semester of the program you will take private lessons on the instrument on which you had a successful entrance audition. Lessons are available on most standard instruments (subject to instructor availability). Current options include:

  • Voice
  • Woodwinds 
  • Brass
  • Percussion 
  • Strings 
  • Classical Piano 
  • Jazz Piano 
  • Classical Guitar
  • Electric Guitar 
  • Bass Guitar

Private instruction on instruments such as Organ or in areas such as Conducting or Composition may be available to qualified students.

3. Optional Classes: Depending on your interests, course load and performance abilities, a variety of music ensembles are open to all students on the basis of audition.

Note: Completion of the Preparatory Program does not guarantee admission into the Music Diploma Program.

Students who wish to pursue the two-year Music Diploma program at RDC after completing the Music Preparatory program will be required to re-audition on their primary instrument. Since there is some overlap in course requirements between the two programs, students who complete the Music Preparatory program will have already fulfilled some of the requirements for the Music Diploma.

Admission Requirements

    Academic Requirements

1. High School Diploma with a minimum mark of 50% in ELA 30-1 or ELA 30-2

OR

2. Mature Student: You must be 19 years of age or older, out of high school at least one full year before the program starts, and have a minimum mark of 50% in ELA 30-1 or ELA 30-2, or a minimum score at the 50th percentile on the English component of the College Board Placement Test (written on campus) or the Test of Adult Basic Education (written off campus) and a score of 2-3 on a writing sample.

AND

  Other Requirements

1. Audition: College music study assumes that an acceptable standard of proficiency in an instrumental or vocal area has already been acquired. You must declare a principal instrument (eg. guitar, voice, piano, etc.) when you apply and present a playing audition on this instrument. You will continue to pursue lessons on this instrument during your time in the program. The audition consists of the following elements:

    1. A polished performance of two contrasting pieces of your choice that demonstrate your playing or singing abilities.
    2. A demonstration of technical skills appropriate to your instrument (eg. vocalises for singers; scales, chords, arpeggios, long tones, tonguing, etc. as appropriate for pianists and other instrumentalists).
    3. Aural tests (eg. recognition of chord qualities and melodic intervals, clapback of rhythmic patterns).
    4. Playing or singing a short unfamiliar excerpt at sight.
    5. A brief interview to discuss your musical background, interests and goals.

2. Theory placement test : This written test covers key signatures, major and minor scales, triads, intervals, meter and rhythm, and common musical terms. A score of 80% or greater is required. Students with Royal Conservatory Grade II Rudiments (or equivalent) are exempt. Requests for exemption should be directed to the Assessment & Test Centre.

Note: The audition requirements and the theory placement test are the same for both the Music Preparatory program and the Music Diploma program. The results of these will determine the appropriate program placement.

Further guidelines regarding audition expectations and the theory placement test are available from the Music Department.

Communications Course Placement Testing

Students will be required to take a College placement test before registering in a written communications course. (Students with 60% or greater in ELA 30-1 will be exempted from this test.) Students who do not achieve a satisfactory mark in this test will be required to complete COMM 150 before they can register in the required course, COMM 256. Students should take the placement test early in the event preparatory work (COMM 150) is required.

Program Content

  • MUSI 194 Introductory Music Theory I
  • MUSI 195 Introductory Aural Skills I
  • MUSI 196 Introductory Music Theory II
  • MUSI 197 Introductory Aural Skills II
  • MUSS 145/MUSS 145 Secondary Instrument Study (Private Lessons) (repeated for credit)
  • MUSI 233 Introduction to Music History
  • MUSI 241/MUSI 242 Basic Piano I & II (Students with Gr. 4 Piano from the Royal Conservatory or equivalent are exempt. Requests for exemption should be directed to the Assessment & Test Centre).
  • COMM 191 Oral Communications
  • COMM 256 Writing Skills for the Fine Arts* (ENGL 219, ENGL 210 or ENGL 200 may be substituted if you have English 30)

* See "Communications Course Placement Testing" above.

Other approved music options may be selected providing you have the necessary prerequisites and the courses fit your timetable.

Two-Year Music Diploma Program

The two-year Music Diploma may be taken for general interest or to help prepare you for a professional career in music. In today's world, musicians are required to be highly-trained, well-rounded, and versatile. The Music Diploma program provides you with a solid core of essential courses while allowing you the option to focus on particular areas of interest. Our unique blend of traditional and contemporary courses provides you with the utmost flexibility in pursuing career choices.

The Music Diploma is designed to:

  1. provide a solid foundation of transferable courses for those students who wish to use the Diploma as a stepping stone towards a 4-year university degree;
  2. provide valuable skills and hands-on experience for those students who may choose to pursue more immediate interests in the music industry, in the pop/rock field, or in private teaching.

The program has four main components:

1. Core Classes: All students are required to take classes in music theory, aural skills, music history, music merchandising, basic piano, and communications.

2. Primary Instrument Study: Each semester of the program you will take private lessons (MUSP) on the instrument on which you had a successful entrance audition. Lessons are available on the most standard instruments (subject to instructor availability). Current options include:

  • Voice
  • Woodwinds 
  • Brass
  • Percussion 
  • Strings 
  • Classical Piano 
  • Jazz Piano 
  • Classical Guitar
  • Electric Guitar 
  • Bass Guitar

    Private instruction on instruments such as Organ or in areas such as Conducting or Composition may be available to qualified students.

3. Ensembles: You will participate in at least one MUSE performance ensemble each semester. The expectation is that you will remain in the same ensemble for an entire year.   Ensemble credits gained as a Music Preparatory student do not count towards fulfilling this requirement.

4. Specialized Options: You will choose an additional 6 credit hours of music course options in consultation with your music faculty advisor that allow you to pursue individual areas of interest. Some examples of possible options and course combinations include:

Performance

Composition

Merchandising

  • MUSI 321 Music Business:  Career and Products 
  • MUSI 322 Music Business:  Performance

Music Technology

Note: The Merchandising courses, as sanctioned by the National Association of Music Merchants, are transferable to a number of NAMBI institutions offering "Music Merchandising/Business of Music" degree. Students are required to enroll in MUSI 321 and MUSI 322 to qualify for transferability. Those interested can obtain specific information from the Music Merchandising course instructor.

Transfer Features

Graduates of the Music Diploma may be able to pursue university degree studies in a variety of areas. These include baccalaureate degrees in Music, Arts, Education as well as a number of more specialized areas such as Music Merchandising and/or Music Therapy.

Individual courses in the Music Diploma program can be transferred to most North American universities on a course-by-course basis.

Transfer arrangements are different at each university and you are advised to consult the Alberta Transfer Guide, your Chairperson, Academic Advisors and the university to which you will transfer for more information.

The University of Lethbridge: RDC enjoys a block transfer arrangement whereby Music Diploma graduates who have a GPA of 2.50 and have majored in classical piano, classical voice, classical guitar or an orchestral instrument may be accepted into the Post-Diploma B.Mus./B.Ed program at the University of Lethbridge. Students who wish to pursue a more general music and education combination may also choose the B.A. (Music)/B.Ed. route.

Students considering this option are advised to consult the appropriate calendar information from the University of Lethbridge as soon as possible (available in print and online) to ensure that they are fully aware of all requirements. They are also advised to begin an early dialogue with admissions personnel in the University of Lethbridge Music Department.

National Association of Music Merchants Affiliated Music Business Institutions: Our affiliation with NAMBI provides transfer for our Music Merchandising courses and practica to approximately 30 other member schools in the USA. A list of these institutions can be found at http://www.nambi.org/.

Admission Requirements

    Academic Requirements

1. High School Diploma with a minimum mark of 50% in ELA 30-1 or ELA 30-2

OR

2. Mature Student

You must be 19 years of age or older, out of high school at least one full year before the program starts, and have a minimum mark of 50% in English 30 or ELA 30-1 or ELA 30-2, or a minimum score at the 50th percentile on the English component of the College Board Placement Test (written on campus) or the Test of Adult Basic Education (written off campus) and a score of 2-3 on a writing sample.

AND

    Other Requirements

1. Audition: College music study assumes that an acceptable standard of proficiency in an instrumental or vocal area has already been acquired. You must declare a principal instrument (eg. guitar, voice, piano, etc.) when you apply and present a playing audition on this instrument. You wll continue to pursue lessons on this instrument during your time in the program. The audition consists of the following elements:

  • A polished perrformance of two constrasting pieces of your choice that demonstrate your playing or singing abilities.
  • A demonstration of technical skills appropriate to your instrument (eg. vocalises for singers; scales, chords, arpeggios, long tones, tonguing, etc. as appropriate for pianists and other instrumentalists).
  • Aural tests (eg. recognition of chord qualities and melodic intervals, clapback of rhythmic patterns).
  • Playing or singing a short unfamiliar excerpt at sight.
  • A brief interview to discuss your musical background, interests and goals.

2. Theory placement test: This written test covers key signatures, major and minor scales, triads, intervals, meter and rhythm, and common musical terms. A score of 80% or greater is required. Students with Royal Conservatory Grade II Rudiments (or equivalent) are exempt. Requests for exemption should be directed to the Test & Assessment Centre.

Note: The audition requirements and the theory placement test are the same for both the Music Preparatory program and the Music Diploma program. The results of these will determine the appropriate program placement.

For further guidelines regarding audition expectations and the theory placement test, check out the Auditions page.

Communications Course Placement Testing

Students will be required to take a College placement test before registering in a written communications course. (Students with 60% or greater in English 30 will be exempted from this test.) Students who do not achieve a satisfactory mark in this test will be required to complete COMM 150 before they can register in the required course, COMM 256. Students should take the placement test early in the event preparatory work (COMM 150) is required.

Program Content

Year 1

  • MUSI 257/MUSI 258 Comprehensive Music Theory I & II
  • MUSI 259/MUSI 260 Comprehensive Aural and Keyboard Skills I & II
  • MUSE 201/MUSE 202 Symphonic Winds or MUSE 205/MUSE 206 Jazz Ensemble or MUSE 217/MUSE 218 Chamber Choir I & II
  • MUSP 145/MUSP 245 Principal Instrument Study I & II (Private Lessons)
  • MUSI 233 Introduction to Music History
  • MUSI 241/MUSI 242 Basic Piano I & II (Students with Gr. 4 Piano from the Royal Conservatory or equivalent are exempt.  Requests for exemption should be directed to the Test & Assessment Centre).
  • COMM 191 Oral Communications
  • ENGL 219  Language & Literature
    or
  • COMM 250 Business and Workplace Writing*

* See "Communications Course Placement Testing" above.

Note:  COMM 250 is not transferable. 

Year 2

  • MUSI 346/MUSI 347 Comprehensive Music Theory III & IV
  • MUSI 348/MUSI 349 Comprehensive Aural and Keyboard Skills III & IV
  • MUSE xxx Performance Ensemble (4 credits)
  • MUSI 360/MUSI 460 Principal Instrument Study III & IV
  • MUSI 321 Music Business:  Career and Products

or

  • MUSI 322 Music Business:  Performance

Note: Students who wish to attend the NAMM Winter Show in Los Angeles are required to enroll in MUSI 321.

Year 1 or 2

Choose one of the following music history classes:

  • MUSI 304 History of Medieval, Renaissance & Baroque Music
  • MUSI 301 History of Classical and Romantic Music
  • MUSI 302 History of Post-Romantic & 20th Century Music

AND

  • Music Options (6 credits)

Note: Options should be selected after consultation with your music faculty advisor. These options will allow you to pursue a specific focus within the music area.

Program Cost Estimates - 2009/2010

Note:

  • For each semester add $160 if taking MUSP private lessons and $360 if taking MUSS private lessons.
  • In addition to tuition and course fees, you should budget each year for the following: music scores (approximately $100.00), instrument purchase (if necessary), instrument maintenance (strings, reeds, drum heads, etc. approximately $150.00), plus textbooks and materials (approximately $750.00).
  • MUSI 321 - Special materials fee of $550 for the NAMM field trip.

Graduation Requirements

You must pass all courses for Year 1 and 2 and achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. Those students considering a transfer to the Post-Diploma B. Mus./B.Ed. at the University of Lethbridge should be aware that a minimum GPA of 2.50 is required for admission.