Hello Future Shockers!

This webpage is here to give you a wealth of information about our program. There are two things you’ll need to do before you arrive, which are covered in the Music Theory and Orientation sections below. You can feel free to take the rest of the information as just gentle reminders, or however you need to think about them to avoid stress.

Please note, we recommend using Adobe Reader to access these documents. You can fill these out, print them, and bring them in, or you can fill out one of the paper copies we have in the office.

This amount of info will lead to several questions, and we encourage you to reach out and ask them. If you feel comfortable doing so, feel free to email evan.ricker@wichita.edu. Otherwise, we would suggest you ask a member of the faculty in your applied area (instrument or voice). You can find our music faculty here: www.wichita.edu/musicfaculty

Info You Need Now

Music Fundamentals Module Information

Dear Musician,
Welcome to music studies at Wichita State University! My name is Dr. David MacDonald. I teach music theory and composition at WSU, and I'll be helping you get started on your course of study.

To enroll in MUSC 127: Music Theory I, you must first score an 90 or better on the WSU Music Fundamentals Exam. You can take the exam as many times as you need, so there's no pressure! It's just our way of making sure that we're all starting from a similar baseline of knowledge.

If you've never taken a music theory course before, don't worry! You're not alone! I didn't have any theory classes until I got to college, either. That's why we've assembled the resources here. If you have studied music theory before, you might find these to be a useful form of review as you begin. (For students interested in studying music composition, there is an optional second module you may take. Read below for more information.)

If you have any questions about music theory, the fundamentals module, or anything else you're curious about, I am happy to answer them. The best way to get in touch with me is by email.

I look forward to meeting you in the fall!

David MacDonald, D.M.A.
Assistant Professor of Music

How to sign up for the module

  1. Purchase digital access to the Music Placement Exam for $15 from Rising Software. In addition to your name and email, you will need the following information to register:
  2. School Code: WSU-EXAM
  3. PIN: GQ4L
  4. You will then receive an email (subject: WSU Music Placement Exam - access
    information) that will include a username, password, and school code which you can use to log in at https://auralia.cloud/ to take the test.
  5. Your subscription to the testing service lasts two months, during which time you may take the exam as many times as you want to improve your score. Use the links below to learn more.

If you run into any difficulties with the tech services, you can contact Rising Software. If you have any questions about the exam content, you can contact me directly.

Learning resources

Pitch notation, clefs, and the piano keyboard
Rhythm notation
Major scales
Major key signatures

Practice questions

Some excellent free practice drills are available to quiz you on the fundamentals of music reading, scales, and more.

Information for Music Composition Students

The music composition sequence typically begins with MUSC 259, Introduction to Music Composition. This course is taught in a lecture/workshop setting covering some broad concepts, and is taught by me. Following semesters are taught as one-on-one lessons. The introductory class has a prerequisite of Theory I, so most often, students begin their study of composition formally in their second year. However, in the interest of allowing students to get started right away, I am willing to waive the prerequisite for the course for students who achieve a 90 or better on the “Intermediate Fundamentals” test.

This test covers some—but not all—of the topics addressed in Theory I, so students will still need to take that course concurrently with Intro to Composition. Just like the test above, I have included some learning resources below.

Note: This test is not required for incoming composition majors, and you will not be set back in your studies if you don’t take it. This is just provided as an option for students who wish to start their composition track early. Also, this test does not require a second purchase. Your access to both the fundamentals and intermediate exams is covered by the same subscription.

Going further

Minor scales and key signatures
Simple meter and compound meter
Intervals
Triads
Seventh chords

Orientation Info

Wichita State offers many options for orientation for both First Year (Freshman) and Transfer students. Please check back for more information about dates and sign-ups, or check the respective portions of the wichita.edu website.

How important is orientation? From Wichita State's website:

  • Students who attend orientation are more prepared to begin classes and more successful in reaching their academic goals.
  • Orientation gets students excited to be a Shocker so that they gain the most from their college experience.
  • Orientation also provides information and services in one place, rather than having new students try to obtain this information from each office on their own.
  • Finally, orientation gives students an opportunity to connect with other students before the semester even starts.

We encourage you to attend and look forward to meeting you when you do so!

College of Fine Arts Laptop Requirement

All Fine Arts majors are required to have a personal laptop computer. This requirement reflects the digital and technical nature of 21st century work in the arts. Students should plan to bring their laptops to all Fine Arts classes, unless exempted by the specific instructor of a class. Whatever your major, having a laptop will make you a more productive student - anywhere can become a creative space, allowing for collaboration and creativity at a moment’s notice.

We understand that laptops are not cheap. Laptops are, however, a required tool for your professional future. The good news is that our laptop requirement is an opportunity for you to get something you need and get help from your financial aid. Since laptops are required in all Fine Arts programs, the WSU Office of Financial Aid can boost your financial aid eligibility to buy it. Please note that we do not consider Chromebooks to be laptops. While they are a cheaper alternative, they are little more than large phones and will not provide you with the technology you need to succeed.

You can find more information about the CFA laptop requirement here.

Our Social Media Information

Keep up with the School of Music and get to know your new family! You can find us on facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Info You Might Want/Need

Auditions for Ensembles

Ensemble auditions take place the week before classes start in the fall. You can see more information about specific ensembles on our website. Generally, instrumental ensembles will ask you to prepare a specific selection from the upcoming season, while vocal ensembles merely ask that you have a (classical) piece or two memorized for performance. You can find information for last year’s ensemble auditions at www.wichita.edu/audition.

Instrument Loan Policy

Students are able to borrow an instrument from the School of Music for a variety of reasons. The most important step in checking something out is getting the relevant professor (whoever teaches the instrument or the methods class or whoever leads the ensemble) to email Dr. Timothy Shade that request. The rest of the process is relatively quick once that email has been sent. We have info available about our check-out policy and a sample contract.

Lockers

The School of Music has lockers of varying sizes available for use for a small fee. A sample locker rental agreement is available here.

Pizza Party

In our continued efforts to build community in the School of Music, we’ll be having a pizza party on the first Monday of classes during the lunch hour, provided covid protocal will allow.

Practice Room Keys

We have multiple practice rooms available, and they are often useable at any time during the day or night. The practice rooms are locked, but you are able to get a key. A small deposit, a portion of which will be credited to your account when the key is returned, is required. A sample practice room agreement is here.

Recial Attendance

The WSU School of Music does have a recital attendance requirement. We use “recital” here generally, as multiple kinds of classical-oriented and jazz concerts are included. You will learn more about the requirement on the first Tuesday of the semester when you attend your first recital class. You can find a sample recital attendance form here.