Spring Arbor University Crusader

Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Features

For all worship arts majors one thing is always on their minds, particularly as their senior year approaches- the piano proficiency exam. However, some worship arts students have begun to ask why certain aspects of the piano proficiency are required, why their teachers aren't helping to prepare them more and if it is possible for them to have alternatives to the keyboard based exam.

The piano proficiency exam has been a part of the Spring Arbor University worship arts degree since it evolved from the contemporary music degree. Dr. Brian Walrath, Associate Professor of music said, "When the department first created the degree, they wanted to have a balance between contemporary music and a classical training degree."

The National Association of Schools of Music handbook states in section VII that keyboard competency is a required skill.

Dr. Bruce Brown, the music department chair, expressed the need to keep the piano proficiency exam as part of the requirements for Worship Arts. "I've been in music schools all my life. It is a standard in all degrees," he said. "One school I know of worship arts was made to go into a different program because they didn't fulfill the accreditation requirements."

Brown also said, "Keyboard clarifies theory and all the things we do when we look at a piece of music. The keyboard has been highlighted as a basic fundamental skill in music."

But for many of the worship arts majors who haven't had a strong piano background there is a high level of stress with having to learn piano in order to pass their exam.

Sophomore Ben Rupp said, "I feel it's going to be difficult to pass it. Even though I've gone through a lot of it, I feel like I've forgotten what I've already learned."

Worship Arts senior Dan Suminski said, "I think the test should be a gradual test throughout the four years, and I think that students should have to take piano each year to be sure they will graduate with the proficiency test finished. This test has caused me a lot of stress in a semester filled with 18 credits."

Senior Allison Butler feels she was lucky to have an advantage before entering the worship arts program. Butler has studied piano since the fourth grade. She said, "I learned most of the exam requirements in high school. But the exam would be difficult if I didn't know all that already."

The worship arts students seem to see a proficiency exam as important, but some believe it should be refined. Senior Ben Videtich said, "It should include more of the practical stuff."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools