School of Music

You are required to register for major studio every semester.

If  you are  an undergraduate student, please register for  57-5xx (Major Studio). Co-requisite course: 57-417 (Major Vocal Performance Ensemble) or 57-418 (Major Instrumental Ensemble) or 57-419 (Chorus).

If you are a graduate student, please register for 57-7xx (Major Studio). Co-requisite course for graduate orchestral instrument majors: 57-818 (Major Instrumental Ensemble).

If applicable, you are required to register for a major ensemble every semester. Co-requisite course: 57-5xx or 57-7xx (Major Studio)

If you are an undergraduate voice major, you will register for 57-417, Major Vocal Performance Ensemble section A.
If you are an undergraduate instrumental major, you will register for 57-418, Major Instrumental Ensemble, section A.
If you are an undergraduate bagpipe, guitar, composition or piano major, you will register for either 57-419 section A or 57-418 section A.
If you are a graduate orchestral instrument major, you will register for 57-818, Major Instrumental Ensemble section A.

Graduate Only:  If you are planning to complete one or more of the following requirements, please register for the indicated course number.  These are 0-unit, pass/no-credit courses.

For the Outreach Performance and the Comprehensives, see the information available in CFA 108 and on the Forms page.

Please note the procedures and the deadlines.

Undergraduate Only:   If you are planning to complete your senior composition project or junior or senior recital requirement, please register for the indicated course number. These are 0-unit, pass/no-credit courses, except for the voice recital courses.

See more information on Recitals here.

Please note the procedures and the deadlines.

If you need to complete the Chamber Music requirement, and you wish to request a coach for a partially formed or complete group, please submit a group or string quartet Chamber Music Request Form. If you need to complete the Chamber Music requirement, and you are not part of a group, a chamber music coordinator will place you in a group.

If you are not required to take Chamber Music, you may choose to request Chamber Music for elective credit. Supplemental information regarding Chamber Music registration will be emailed.

In any case, please initially register for the applicable course number and section. See below. All course numbers are the same for undergraduate and graduate students. 

The School of Music will add the final course number and section to your schedule. Chamber Music or Sonatas may be arranged only with a coach who is approved by the School of Music.

The Chamber Music/Sonatas deadline applies: You may not register for Chamber Music or Sonatas after the announced deadline without special permission.

Undergraduate and graduate piano students: please complete and submit a Collaborative Piano Request Form. The School of Music will add the course to your schedule.

Graduate piano students only: you must fulfill this requirement by submitting a request form for Collaborative Piano or Chamber Music / Sonatas.

The add deadline applies: You may not register for Collaborative Piano after the 10th day of the semester without special permission.

Please complete and submit an Independent Study Request Form. The School of Music will add the course to your schedule. An Independent Study may be arranged only with a full-time faculty member.

The add deadline applies: You may not register for Independent Study after the 10th day of the semester without special permission.

Please complete and submit a Performance for Composers Request Form. The School of Music will add the course to your schedule. Performance for Composers may be arranged only with a full-time composition faculty member.

The add deadline applies: You may not register for Performance for Composers after the 10th day of the semester without special permission.

Graduate Composition Majors Only: You must fulfill this requirement by registering yourself for a space in Keyboard Studies (57-791 for 6 units), if you will be in your first semester of the class, or for Keyboard Studies (57-792 for 6 units), if you will be in your second semester of the class.  (See Katherine Heston for more information.)

Undergraduate Non-Piano Majors Only:  If you have not completed the keyboard studies test requirement for your degree, please register for 57-191.  

HINT: If you are planning to complete a keyboard studies test requirement, also register for Keyboard Studies Test (Degree), 57-293 A2 or A4, or Keyboard Studies Test (Music Ed), 57-393 A2 or A4.

If you are a junior or a senior, and you have been cast in a production, please register for 57-471 section A in the fall semester (for the production in the fall), or 57-473 section A2 in the fall semester and 57-473 section A3 in the spring semester (for the production in January), or 57-472 section A in the spring semester (for the production in the spring). 

If you are a graduate student, and you have been cast in a production, please register for 57-771 section A in the fall semester (for the production in the fall), or 57-773 section A2 in the fall semester and 57-773 section A3 in the spring semester (for the production in January), or 57-772 section A in the spring semester (for the production in the spring). 

You must fulfill this requirement by passing Introduction to Music Technology (57-101, a music mini-course, or 57-171, a self- paced music mini-course), and Computing @ Carnegie Mellon (99-101, a university mini-course).

HINT: A mini-course is indicated by the section letter.  A1 is 1st-half fall, A2 is 2nd-half fall, A3 is 1st-half spring, and A4 is 2nd-half spring.

HINT: If you’re wondering whether to take 57-101 or 57-171, please read the following information.

The expectations are identical between the two classes. The difference is that 57-101 has three times the class time to cover the same material as 57-171.  The pace of 57-171 is fast; there is just enough time to cover the minimum requirements for the assignments. The pace of 57-101 is slower; there is more time to cover an additional side lesson or two, and usually time for open lab and questions.

The recommendation is to not take 57-171 unless you fit certain criteria: you have previous experience with some of the software involved; you generally are very strong with computer technology, pick up skills quickly AND have some musical training; you cannot take the course during the other section times. If you're unsure, register for 57-101.

HINT: If Computing @ Carnegie Mellon is offered only during the first half of the semester, you have two options: 1) schedule it during the first half of the semester and Introduction to Music Technology during the second half of the semester (possibly at the same time), or 2) schedule it and Introduction to Music Technology during the first half of the semester. You would be done with both classes by the middle of the semester.

Music Support courses can only be academic courses inside of the School of Music (Graduate only: must be 57-7xx, 57-8xx, 57-9xx). A performance course may not be taken as a music support course.

HINT: Look at the Music Support Courses Two-Year Rotation list under Music Support Courses on the Current Students webpage.

General Studies courses can only be academic courses outside of the School of Music. A physical education course or an applied course in another College of Fine Arts school may not be taken as a general studies course.

HINT: Look at the University Schedule of Classes 

Elective courses can be any courses inside or outside of the School of Music (Graduate only: must be xx-7xx, xx-8xx, xx-9xx).

HINT: Look at the University Schedule of Classes.

Performance elective courses can be Chamber Music, Sonatas, Collaborative Piano, Jazz Piano, or Performance Ensembles.

HINT: Find a Performance Elective courses on the Music Course Schedules