Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music

Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music

Location: Music 103

Phone: (409) 880-8144

Chair: Michael Bartnik

Welcome to the Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music

The Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music at Lamar University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees with comprehensive, research-based curricula. The department immerses its students in the cultural study of music, including composition, performance techniques, education, and history.  Students can perform as soloists and in ensembles and explore various musical genres as they refine their musical talents.

Students are encouraged to benefit from the rich cultural life of Southeast Texas by participating in the artistic institutions of the area, including the Symphony of  Southeast Texas, Beaumont Interfaith Choral Society, Beaumont Community Players, Beaumont Ballet Theatre and the Beaumont Civic Ballet.

The Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music is an accredited institutional Member of the National Association of Schools of Music and offers the following undergraduate degrees:

  • Bachelor of Music in Performance
  • Bachelor of Music in Composition
  • Bachelor of Music in Music Education (leading to Teacher Certification)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Music

We offer the Master of Music in Music Education and the Master of Music in Performance

Requirements for Music Majors

  1. Meet the basic requirements for all degree programs.
  2. Complete one of the programs of study listed.
  3. Complete six semesters of MUSI 1070 Recital Attendance .
  4. Earn a minimum grade of “C” or better in all music courses. A music course with a grade of “D” will not apply toward graduation.
  5. Complete courses in class piano: MUSI 1181 Class Piano I, MUSI 1182 Class Piano II, MUSI 2181 Class Piano III and MUSI 2182 Class Piano IV. [Note: Students whose applied instrument is piano will be advised to take four (4) hours approved by the piano area coordinator in lieu of Class Piano.]
  6. All majors taking applied music will be enrolled concurrently in their respective degree-required major ensemble.
  7. Applied music requirement must be met by completing lower and upper levels in the same applied number. 

Audition Procedure

To be accepted as a music major at Lamar University, all students must pass an audition in their major performance area (applied music). Audition dates may be obtained at www.lamar.edu/music-auditions or by contacting the Lamar University Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music. Special audition dates can be arranged if necessary.

Theory Placement Examination

All music major applicants will be given a Theory Placement Examination to determine their level of theoretical knowledge and aural skills.

Applied Music Requirements

Music majors must be enrolled in applied music each long semester until all applied music requirements are met, as explained below. The required sequence of courses includes a minimum of four semesters of lower-level (1200 series) courses in applied music. Applied music requirements must be met by completing lower and upper levels in the same applied number. 

Students in the music education/teacher certification program must complete three additional semesters of upper-level (3200 series) applied music courses. Students in the performance program must complete four semesters of upper-level (3400 series) applied music courses. Students in the Bachelor of Arts programs must complete two semesters of upper-level (3200 series) applied music courses.

Completion of the applied music requirement signifies the attainment of a given level of artistic performance rather than the completion of a specific number of semester hours of credit. A student may, at the discretion of the applied music faculty, be required to repeat any course in the applied music sequence. In such a case, the course may be repeated for credit. The applied music requirement is not satisfied until the approval of the faculty is obtained.

Any student registered for an applied music course (except MUAP 1101 Begin Band & Orch and MUSI 1183 Class Voice) will be required to perform in a major ensemble and pass a jury examination each long semester. With permission from the applied instructor, a student may be exempt from a jury examination in the semester during which the degree recital is performed.

Recital Performance Requirements

Bachelor of Music in Music Education (Leading to Teacher Certification)

 Upon completion of four semesters of lower-level applied music, the student must pass a performance jury examination to be eligible to advance to upper-level (3200 series) applied music courses. Each Bachelor of Music in Music Education (leading to Teacher Certification) major will perform a senior recital 30 minutes in length. The senior recital will be scheduled by the applied instructor and will take place no earlier than the third semester of upper-level study.  The student must be enrolled in applied music during the semester in which the recital is to be performed.

Bachelor of Music in Performance

  1. Upon completion of four semesters of lower-level applied music, the student must pass a performance jury examination to be eligible to advance to upper-level (3400 series) applied music courses.
  2. During the second semester of upper-level instruction, the performance major must perform a junior audition recital. This recital must be 30 minutes in length and will be scheduled by the applied instructor. A satisfactory Junior Audition Recital is a prerequisite for proceeding to a Senior Performance Recital.
  3. During the fourth semester of upper-level study, a Senior Performance Recital will be given. See the general policies below.

Bachelor of Music in Composition

Junior year: Public presentation of at least one original composition for any medium. Minimum length: 5 minutes. The student is responsible for recruiting and rehearsing the performer(s). Senior year: Presentation of a recital of original compositions. Generally, the requirement is a minimum of four compositions for differing media, although if one or more compositions are unusually long, exceptions may be made. Minimum length: 25 minutes of music (excluding time between movements, set-up time between pieces, etc.). The student is responsible for recruiting and rehearsing the performers, as well as coordinating the performance. Part of the grade for the recital will be dependent on the success of these efforts.

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts major will perform on regular recitals as required by the faculty. The Bachelor of Arts major is not required to perform a degree recital.

Ensemble Participation

Participation in a major ensemble is required when enrolled in applied instruction.  Major ensembles are as follows:

  1. For voice students: MULB 1170 A Cappella Choir, MULB 3170 A Cappella Choir II or MULB 1172 Grand Chorus, MULB 3172 Grand Chorus II (placement by audition)
  2. For wind and percussion students: MULB 1175 Marching Band, MULB 3175 Marching Band II and  MULB 1177 Symphonic Band, MULB 3177 Symphonic Band II
  3. For piano and composition students: MULB 1170 A Cappella Choir, MULB 3170 A Cappella Choir II or MULB 1172 Grand Chorus, MULB 3172 Grand Chorus II (placement by audition), MULB 1175 Marching Band, MULB 3175 Marching Band II and MULB 1177 Symphonic Band, MULB 3177 Symphonic Band II. 

Applied Music Courses (MUAP)

(Refer to Applied Music Requirements in preceding Music Department materials for complete explanation and requirements for Applied Music courses)

  • 1101 Beginning Band Instruments
  • MUSI 1183 Class Voice
  • 1217, 3217, 3417 Flute
  • 1221, 3221, 3421 Oboe
  • 1225, 3225, 3425 Bassoon
  • 1229, 3229, 3429 Clarinet
  • 1233, 3233, 3433 Saxophone
  • 1237, 3237, 3437 Trumpet
  • 1241, 3241, 3441 French Horn
  • 1245, 3245, 3445 Trombone
  • 1249, 3249, 3449 Euphonium
  • 1253, 3253, 3453 Tuba
  • 1257, 3257, 3457 Percussion
  • 1254, 3264, 3464 Guitar
  • 1269, 3269, 3469 Piano
  • 1281, 3281, 3481 Voice
  • 1283, 3483 Composition

Graduate Program

The Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music offers a Master of Music degree with concentrations in Music Education and Performance. The degree is designed to help music educators and performers advance musicianship and develop new concepts that may be applied to their particular fields of endeavor.

Admission Requirements

  1. University Requirements
    All persons seeking admission to any graduate degree in music must meet the university’s minimum general requirements for admission. Minimum university admissions requirements, deadlines, and other information can be found in the Graduate Admissions section of this catalog.
  2. General Requirements
    1. ​All applications will be evaluated in full by the music department’s graduate admissions committee. Note: Students meeting minimum university and department requirements are not guaranteed admission.
    2. All graduate applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree in music (either a B.M. or a B.A./B.S. with a major in music) from a nationally-accredited program. Applicants who do not have such a degree should apply to one of our undergraduate music degrees and then reapply for our graduate degree upon completing their undergraduate major in music.
    3. Applicants for the music performance track will perform an audition for the applied committee in his or her performance area as a part of their application. Prospective students on the performance track in voice must additionally show proficiency in German, French, and Italian diction prior to acceptance in the program. The performance audition requirement will be evaluated by a committee comprised of applied faculty in the area of the applicant’s major instrument/voice.
  3. Requirements for International Students
    Applicants who are non-native English speakers must demonstrate minimum English proficiency at the time of application as noted in the table below.
    Reguirement Regular Admission Lamar University Pathway Program Conditional Admission
    TOEFL Internet-based Total 79 61 Below 61
    TOEFL Paper-based Total 550 500 Below 500
    IELTS Total 6.5 6.0 Below 6.0

    Regular admission entails no additional language requirements. The Pathway Program requires study in a university-approved ESL curriculum as a corequisite to all graduate courses in music education, history/literature, and theory. Applicants whose scores fall under the “conditional admission” may not enroll in graduate-level courses in music education, history/literature, and theory, until their scores meet the “Pathway Program” minimum scores.
  4. Leveling Courses and Remediation
    At the time of application, the music department’s graduate admissions committee may recommend or require remedial coursework in those areas deemed deficient in the student’s educational background. Students with an undergraduate major in music will not generally have leveling requirements, however, deficiencies in one or more areas may be determined by entrance examinations or transcript evaluation. Upon evaluation by the heads of the music education, music history/literature, and music theory faculty, all leveling course requirements (as well as which courses will be required as a prerequisite(s) or corequisite(s) to graduate-level courses) will be communicated to the applicant. In the event leveling courses are required, no more than 6 credit hours of audited remedial work will be allowed (with completion of the requirement signified by written approval of the faculty teaching the audited course). If more than 6 hours of remedial work is required, the student must enroll for course credit on their transcript and receive a minimum "C" grade to complete the requirement.
  5. Other Information and Non-course Graduation Requirements
    The director of graduate music will serve as the general adviser for all graduate students in music. A committee of three graduate faculty members will serve in an advisory capacity and administer the final oral examination. The student will select his or her own committee, in consultation with the graduate adviser. For students on the Performance track, the oral examination committee will also be the recital committee. For students on the Music Education track with a thesis option, the oral examination committee will also be the thesis committee.
    The music department’s graduate admissions committee will be comprised of no fewer than three graduate faculty members with the three minimum members being
    1. either the music education area head (for applicants in music education) and/or applied faculty member (for applicants in applied music)
    2. either the music history/literature or the music theory area head
    3. either the director of bands or the director of choral activities

      An optional fourth admissions committee member chosen from the music faculty may be included in the admissions committee.

Music Degree Requirements

Candidates for the master's degree in music must meet all general degree requirements of the College of Graduate Studies as listed elsewhere in this catalog.

Performance Track: 30 Hours

The Performance track of the Master of Music degree requires 30 semester hours as listed below. In addition, a public recital and either a research paper or lecture recital are required.

  1. Applied -- 12 hours (3 semesters, 4 credit hours each semester)
  2. Music History -- 6 hours (two 3-hour courses)
  3. Music Theory -- 6 hours (two 3-hour courses)
  4. MUED 5320 Music Reference, Research and Writing 
  5. MUAP 5301 Field Study and Capstone
  6. Public recital -- 50 minutes of music
    1. A committee of three professors, chaired by the major applied professor, will evaluate the performance. The two remaining professors will normally be applied faculty in a related performance area. 
  7. Lecture recital -- performance-related, based on research or research paper
    1. A committee of three professors, chaired by the major applied professor, will evaluate the performance. The two remaining professors will normally be applied faculty in a related performance area. 
  8. Comprehensive examination 
    1. An approximately one-hour exam based on topics taken from the student's graduate coursework in music. The major applied professor will serve as the chair of the committee. Two additional faculty chosen from among those professors under whom the student has taken courses in the degree will also serve. The exam may be administered in written or oral form at the discretion of the faculty committee. 

Music Education Track: 30 Hours

The Music Education concentration of the Master of Music degree requires 30 semester hours.

  1. Music Education - 18 hours
    1. MUED 5320 Music Reference, Research and Writing (required)
    2. MUED 5330 Basic Concepts in MUED (required)
    3. 12 elective hours in music education courses
  2. Music History -- 6 hours (two 3-hour courses)
  3. Music Theory -- 6 hours (two 3-hour courses)
  4. Written examination 
    1. A committee of three graduate faculty members, selected by the student from graduate faculty under whom the student has taken a graduate-level course at Lamar, will administer a final comprehensive examination. It will be in written format, timed with a clear deadline for submission. The chair of the department does not typically serve on the written examination committee. Topics covered will be taken from the student's coursework in the master's curriculum. 

Programs