Oct 14, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2016-2017 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

The Hartt School



The Hartt School is an internationally acclaimed performing arts school with programs in music, dance, and theatre. The school was established by Julius Hartt and Moshe Paranov in 1920 and was one of the three founding institutions of the University of Hartford in 1957. Alongside the traditional performance-oriented majors in music, dance, and theatre, the school offers programs in music history, music theory, ballet pedagogy, music education, and composition. Hartt also offers innovative programs in music management, performing arts management, and music production and technology.

With a strong tradition of excellence, Hartt takes pride in its talented artist-faculty. Recognized nationally and internationally as performers, educators, creators, and scholars, The Hartt School faculty members are active in their areas of expertise. Through performances, recordings, books, articles, major awards, grants, and fellowships, faculty members set an excellent example for their students. Interaction between faculty and students provides the framework for the development of future professional performing artists, arts managers, composers, music and production technologists, and teachers. A strong commitment to a select student body ensures a high quality of education.

A wide range of opportunities is available to Hartt students. Musicians benefit from participation in large orchestral, wind, or choral ensembles. Smaller chamber music ensembles, as well as solo opportunities, help to create well-rounded musicians. Each year, master classes are given by guest artists such as Eugene Levinson,  Maureen O’Flynn, Elly Ameling, Patricia Racette, Midori, Bright Sheng, Patricia Schuman, Joseph Schwantner, John Corigliano, Elizabeth Chang, Jaime Thorne, Oscar Ghiglia, Noa Kageyama, Robert Wilkerson, the American Brass Quintet, and the Miami, Emerson, Colorado, Lark and Miró string quartets. Hartt also boasts Performance 20/20, a highly competitive honors chamber music program that provides its students with the opportunity to perform even more extensively. Vocal performance opportunities include a variety of choral performing organizations as well as black-box and fully staged operas. Voice students also have the opportunity to audition for and perform in productions by Connecticut Concert Opera, and to hold section-leader positions in many fine area choirs. Future music educators have years of hands-on practical training with children from The Hartt School Community Division, the Hartt String Project, the Hartt Band Project, and area schools. Management majors have special opportunities to participate in a comprehensive internship program. Interns have worked at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, at Creative Artists Agency, and in a wide variety of other arts-related organizations and record companies in New York City and around the country.

Dancers thrive in both workshops and large-scale productions. They participate in master classes with professional artists from Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, American Ballet Theater, Martha Graham Company, Armitage Gone!, Bill T. Jones, Jose Limón Company, as wel as with Wendy Whelan, Misty Copeland, Doug Verone, Gemma Bond, Yuriko, Marcia Weary, David Gordon, and contemporary choreographers from all over the world. Dance students also have the opportunity to study abroad at the Julidans International Dance Contemporary Dance Festival every summer in Amsterdam. Hartt dancers have performed in NYC at the Joyce Theater and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. They collaborate regularly with Hartt theatre and music students on special projects. Ballet pedagogy majors have four semesters of hands-on teaching with students in the Hartt Community Division.

In the Theatre Division, the classroom experience is enhanced by the yearly production of 20 plays and musicals, incorporating a broad repertoire of contemporary and classical works. A highlight of the actor training program is the third-year semester in England. Both the music theatre and actor training programs present a yearly showcase in New York City. Music theatre students have the opportunity to participate in Goodspeed Musicals’ annual Festival of New Musicals. Actor training students have the opportunity to participate in activities with the Hartford Stage Company, in roles or understudying in the company’s productions.

For more than four decades, the growth of The Hartt School was nurtured by the philanthropy of Alfred C. Fuller, founder of the famous Fuller Brush Company. Fuller’s generosity helped to create scholarship opportunities that continue to benefit Hartt students. Additional support from the Fuller family enabled Hartt to build the Alfred C. Fuller Music Center, the four-story complex that houses The Hartt School music divisions, administration, and community division. In the same spirit of generosity demonstrated by her husband, Mary Primrose Fuller left a bequest of $19.8 million in 1998, creating new opportunities for Hartt. The Dance and Theatre students enjoy the state of the art facilities at the nearby Handel Performing Arts Center.

The Hartt School of the University of Hartford is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music, the National Association of Schools of Dance, and the National Association of Schools of Theatre. Its programs in music education are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and it shares University of Hartford accreditation by the Commission of Higher Education of the State of Connecticut and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Mission

The Hartt School provides pre-professional training in the performing arts characterized by artistic and academic rigor, individualized attention including mentorship and peer support, and a synthesis of tradition and innovation leading to lifelong service to, and advocacy for, the arts.

Values

We believe in an education that

  • Promotes a contextual understanding of the arts from historical, cultural, and theoretical perspectives;
  • Is rich in performance and collaboration opportunities within the school, University, community, and professional world;
  • Cultivates broadly educated individuals and performing artists of vision, depth, and confidence through unique opportunities available throughout the University;
  • Is connected with the professional world and the evolution of the field;
  • Fosters and develops teaching excellence, which equips and inspires future teachers to positively impact the field; and
  • Underscores the essential role of the arts in enriching society and the human experience.

Facilities

The Hartt School operates the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center, the Alfred C. Fuller Music Center, and Lincoln Theater.

The Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center was converted from an industrial building designed in 1929 by pioneering industrial architect Albert Kahn. This vibrant new center for performing arts education serves as a resource for the entire community. The 56,000-square-foot center provides performance and rehearsal space, classrooms, and studios for students in The Hartt School’s Dance, Theatre, and Community Divisions. Housed in the Handel Performing Arts Center are the 184-seat Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation Black Box Theater and the 96-seat McCray Theater, given through the generosity of Kent ‘51 and Susan McCray. Performances in these venues include the third-year student public performances in theatre and music theatre, recitals, lectures, and Community Division performances. Each theater has state-of-the-art, light board and sound equipment.

All courses for dance majors are taught at the Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center. The south wing includes five spacious studios, artistic and production offices, a conference room, and dressing and shower facilities. The 9,000 square feet of dance studios have high ceilings, wooden barres, mirrors, wall-mounted video and audio technology, Gerstung multilayered dance floors, and natural light.

The Fuller Music Center consists of three wings:

Millard Auditorium is one of the main performance venues on the University of Hartford campus. An intimate, 428-seat house, Millard is used for operas; theatre productions; orchestra, wind ensemble, and chamber music concerts; solo recitals; and lectures. Millard has computerized sound and lighting equipment, a 50-foot proscenium arch with a stage depth of 32 feet, a 22-line-set fly rail, and a full orchestra pit.

O’Connell Hall houses the newly renovated, 72-seat, Berkman Recital Hall, as well as practice rooms, teaching studios, and offices for the Hartt Community Division. Room 21, recently renovated, is an intimate space for recitals and meetings.

Paranov Hall, a four-story instructional building, houses classrooms, the Hartt recording studios, faculty and administrative offices, and the LEGO Learning Center, a state-of-the-art research facility housing a large classroom and an adjoining observation room designed to further the understanding of how children in their first seven years develop musical understandings and skills.

Lincoln Theater accommodates outside bookings as well as campus-based activities. It is used for commencements, lectures, concerts, theatre and music theatre performances, solo performances, orchestra/wind ensemble concerts, and a variety of other activities. Lincoln Theater seats 716 and has a thrust stage that measures 65 feet at its widest, 52 feet from back wall to front edge of thrust. It has a full orchestra pit as well as sound and computerized lighting equipment with follow spots. The dressing rooms easily accommodate up to 50 performers.

The Mildred P. Allen Memorial Library, located adjacent to The Hartt School on the upper level of the east wing of the Harry Jack Gray Center (above Wilde Auditorium), provides reference, circulating, and online materials in the fields of music, dance, music theatre, and related arts. The Allen Library’s collections, services, and facilities are open to the entire University community.

The Allen Library’s holdings of more than 90,000 items include more than 20,000 books and bound journals on music and dance; 40,000 musical scores; 20,000 sound recordings (including recordings of Hartt operas, concerts, and recitals); and 1,200 DVDs and videocassettes. Thousands of additional audio tracks are streamed online. Subscriptions to more than 400 online and print journals allow students and faculty to remain abreast of current research.

In addition, the Allen Library website presents extensive resources and finding aids for music, dance, theatre, and related performing arts (http://library.hartford.edu/allenlibrary).The library catalog and other online research tools help users identify and locate scholarly resources managed by University Libraries. Members of the University community holding University of Hartford e-mail accounts may access subscription databases and electronic journals from locations off campus. Professional library staff members are available to help users find materials, and library instruction is available upon request.

The Allen Library’s facilities include several dual boot iMacs with Windows 7 and Mac OSX; all provide access to Microsoft Office, online resources, and some music software. Macbooks and PC laptops are available for brief checkout; Macbooks have music notation software (e.g., Finale). Digital camcorders, audio Zoom recorders, USB microphones, tripods, and iPads are available for brief checkout. CD players, turntables, cassette players, and DVD/VHS players, installed in carrels and in listening rooms, are available for listening to and viewing items. Self-service photocopiers, printers and a public scanner are located at the front of the library. Two seminar rooms (one large, one small) with AV and computer projection are available for teaching, group study, and meetings. Reading and study areas have wireless Internet access.

The Allen Library’s hours may be found at http://library.hartford.edu. Special hours are observed during the summer and holidays.

Faculty

Instrumental Studies Division 

Vocal Studies Division 

Music Education Division 

Academic and Contemporary Studies Division  

The Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz 

Dance Division 

Theatre Division  

Admission

Requirements for Admission

Each fall, The Hartt School admits more than 160 new students. A very small number of students are also admitted in January. To be considered a candidate, The Hartt School requires of all applicants:

  • University of Hartford and Hartt School applications and fees
  • High school/college transcript(s) and SAT/ACT scores
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Application essay

In addition, application requirements for individual programs can be found at http://harttweb.hartford.edu/admissions/audition/default.aspx:

Applicants to The Hartt School must be graduates of, or students who will graduate from, an accredited secondary school; or they must have successfully passed a high school equivalency examination. It is expected that a college preparatory program of studies will have been pursued in high school.

Candidates for admission to the freshman class should file an application as early as possible during the senior year of high school but no later than January 15. Students seeking entrance in January should apply by November 1. Late applications will be considered only if vacancies exist.

Prospective students are strongly encouraged to visit the campus. To arrange an information session or obtain other information, contact

The Hartt School
Office of Admissions
University of Hartford
200 Bloomfield Ave.
West Hartford, CT 06117-1599

Telephone: 860.768.4465

Fax: 860.768.4441

harttadm@hartford.edu

http://harttweb.hartford.edu

International students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 550 for the written exam or 173 for the computer-based exam.

Performing Arts Scholarships

Hartt School applicants are eligible for Hartt’s performing arts scholarships, which are awarded based on the student’s audition/interview and are therefore primarily talent/merit awards. Performing Arts Scholarships are awarded for fall entrance only. No separate application is necessary; all Hartt applicants are automatically considered. Hartt scholarships may not be combined with any other scholarships from the University. Scholarships are awarded upon acceptance and are renewable each year for the length of the degree program into which the student has been accepted, contingent upon continued academic performance and progress at the level required each semester. Need-based aid is awarded according to the results of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which should be filed by February 1.

Audition Information

The Hartt School schedules audition days in December, January, and February of each year, plus additional regional dates. See The Hartt School website (harttweb.hartford.edu) for specific dates and locations.

Transfer Students

Qualified transfer students, including inter-school transfer students, are accepted to Hartt in both fall and spring semesters for music programs, and in fall only for theatre and dance programs. In order to be considered for admission, applicants must be in good standing from other regionally accredited institutions or from another school at the University of Hartford. (Note: Individual programs within Hartt often have additional admission requirements and standards. These may include, but are not limited to, cumulative GPA requirements and additional academic review.)

Official transcripts from each institution previously attended are required, whether or not transfer credit is requested. Students who have earned fewer than 30 transferable credits are also required to submit official high school transcripts and ACT or SAT scores. All credentials must be sent directly from the institutions attended to the University of Hartford, Office of Admission and Student Financial Assistance.

Transfer credit is limited to work completed at regionally accredited colleges and universities in the United States. Course work completed abroad will be evaluated case by case, based on submission by the student of relevant course materials and grading information. Previous studies should have been completed within a 10-year period immediately preceding application for admission; credits over 10 years old may not be accepted. A minimum grade of C- at the undergraduate level is required for transfer credit. Credits granted by previous colleges for CLEP, nontraditional learning experiences, and other examinations will be evaluated on a separate basis and generally may not be used to fulfill All-University Curriculum requirements. Credit may be granted for service connected learning as recommended by the A.C.E. Guide for Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Forces; form DD214 or 295, or Course Completion Certificates, should be forwarded to the office of Admission and Student Financial Assistance.

Grades do not transfer, even when credits do. Grade point averages are computed solely on courses completed at the University of Hartford. A preliminary transfer evaluation is done upon acceptance to The Hartt School. The student must furnish course descriptions for all college-level courses previously taken. A final evaluation cannot be completed until a final transcript is received.

Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts Transfer Applicants

Transfer students seeking admission to B.Mus. or B.A. degree programs should note that their class ranking may be diminished from their most recent standing at another institution (i.e., if a student is currently a sophomore, the student may not automatically enter Hartt as a junior). The University evaluates previous course work for transfer to satisfy academic degree requirements; performance-related courses may require that a student demonstrate proficiency, measured through a placement examination, an audition, or a jury with Hartt faculty, before transfer credit is granted for previous performance-related course work. In many instances, a full course description and syllabus are required to determine if a course satisfies a University of Hartford requirement. The Hartt School retains the authority to make all decisions regarding transfer of music-related credits, and also has the authority to evaluate and place transfer students in programs at the level deemed appropriate by faculty.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Transfer Applicants

Students seeking admission into the dance programs should understand that all students entering these majors enter as first-year students in the performance areas, regardless of previous work. The Hartt School does consider previous course work for transfer to satisfy academic degree requirements; however, the performance-related courses in dance may require a full eight semesters of study at The Hartt School. The Dance Division generally accepts transfer students for fall-semester matriculation only and considers each candidate for scholarship based on the audition.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Transfer Applicants (Music Theatre and Actor Training)

Transfer students seeking admission to the Theatre Division should understand that all students enter the music theatre and actor training programs as first-year students, regardless of previous work. The Hartt School does consider previous course work for transfer to satisfy academic degree requirements; however, the performance-related courses of these programs require a full eight semesters of study at The Hartt School to fill program degree requirements. The Theatre Division considers transfer students for fall-semester matriculation only and considers each candidate for scholarship based on the audition.

Student Performing Organizations

Hartt’s professional character is reflected in the richness of performance opportunities afforded its students. Membership in all large performing organizations of the instrumental and vocal divisions is by audition and is open to all University students.

Instrumental

Hartt Symphony Orchestra

Hartt’s principal instrumental performing organization, the Hartt Symphony Orchestra, is intended for training in orchestral techniques. Six public concerts, featuring a healthy balance of classic symphonic literature and newly composed music, are presented.

Foot in the Door (Hartt Contemporary Players)

Foot in the Door (Hartt Contemporary Players) is a mixed ensemble of advanced players whose repertoire includes music of established as well as emerging 20th-century composers. The ensemble has appeared in New York, Boston, Cleveland, and Indianapolis; has recorded for Opus One and CRI; and has been heard on Connecticut Public Radio and WNYC-FM New York.

Hartt Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band

The Hartt Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band are intended for training and developing careers in music performance, music education, music theory/composition, music management, and music production and technology. Each ensemble performs the highest-quality repertoire written for winds and percussion ranging from small chamber ensembles to the full symphony band orchestration. Regularly, the ensembles have as guests internationally acclaimed composers, soloists, and conductors. In addition to regular tours, community concerts, and convention appearances, the Hartt Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band give four to six performances annually.

Hartt Concert Jazz Band and Combos

These organizations prepare and perform music in the jazz style, with both functional and artistic objectives.

Hartt Percussion Ensemble

With an emphasis on chamber music, the Hartt Percussion Ensemble’s repertoire includes works for both small and large ensembles. Programming includes percussion ensemble “classics” (by Varese, Cage, Harrison, Reich, etc.), as well as contemporary literature and premiere performances. Concerts have also featured the folk music of various cultures, including that of Mexico, Africa, Cuba, Brazil, and the Middle East, as well as American Ragtime. In addition, the Hartt Graduate Percussion Group and the Hartt Steelband serve as extensions of the Hartt Percussion Ensemble. Ensemble members are pursuing a wide variety of majors at The Hartt School, including percussion performance, music education, music management, acoustics, music production and technology, and composition.

Hartt Steelband

Featuring the music of the Caribbean, the Hartt Steelband serves as an extension of the Hartt Percussion Ensemble. The group performs on authentic Trinidadian steel drums, created from finely tuned, 55-gallon oil barrels, accompanied by an authentic calypso percussion section. The Hartt Steelband’s repertoire includes traditional Jamaican folk songs, Afro-Cuban salsa, American popular music, Western European classics, and features the calypso and soca music of Trinidad.

Hartt Baroque Collegium

The Hartt Baroque Collegium performs instrumental and vocal music of the Baroque and early Classic periods. The Collegium performs regularly at Hartt and in concert series throughout the Hartford area.

Capitol Winds

Capitol Winds is a symphonic band comprising students from the University of Hartford as well as members of the Greater Hartford community. The group plays challenging concert band literature and performs several concerts each year. The band has premiered works by Hartt composers and hosted guest soloists from the Hartford area.

Vocal

The Hartt School’s Vocal Division focuses on providing excellent musical training and performance opportunities for undergraduate vocal students.  Hartt’s program provides curriculum-supported training and experience in opera performance, choral singing, and recital performance in addition to a rigorous undergraduate core music curriculum.  The Vocal Division believes that strong training and performance experience in each of these three areas produce young musicians who are well-rounded and prepared to establish professional careers in music.  Hartt’s opera training is exclusively focused on undergraduates, providing seven semesters of training, black-box, and main-stage experience in vocally and pedagogically appropriate repertoire.  Hartt’s rich choral tradition provides experience in a wide variety of repertoire, from Renaissance music to the large choral-orchestral masterworks, emphasizing important elements of style and musicianship development.  The division’s vocal seminars provide opportunities for performance majors to explore the world of art song and oratorio with Hartt’s coaching staff.

Choral department auditions for placement in choral ensembles take place during the first week of classes in the fall.  The audition consists of singing a prepared piece, sight-reading, and some musicianship testing.  Based on the audition, the educational needs of the students, and the artistic needs of the department, students are assigned to four hours per-week in appropriate choral ensembles.  Choral ensembles are open to all University of Hartford students. 

Hartt Chorale

A mixed chorus for about 45 voices that performs a wide variety of a cappella and accompanied repertoire from the Baroque period to the present in four to six concerts each year.

Hartt Choir

A mixed choir of 60 voices that performs a variety of both mixed-choir and men’s or women’s repertoire.

Hartt Chamber Choir

This choir performs a wide range of repertoire, from 16th century polyphony through contemporary works.  Students are placed in the chamber choir on the basis of vocal ability, musicianship, and stylistic sensitivity.

Camerata

A treble choir of about 30 women that performs a variety of music for female voices, both a cappella and accompanied repertoire. Occasionally, the Camerata combines with the other choirs to perform major choral works.

Recent larger choral performances include Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with the New Haven Symphony under the baton of Edward Bolkovac, Britten’s War Requiem with the Hartford Chorale directed by Christopher Zimmerman, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms under the direction of Edward Cumming, and the finale of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection), Dona nobis pacem by Vaughan Williams, and Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater, all led by Edward Bolkovac. 

Opera Black Box and Mainstage

Opera Black Box provides opportunities for vocal performers to learn stagecraft through the performance of a variety of opera scenes each semester. Recent undergraduate performances include Menotti’s The Old Man and the Thief, Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury, Lehar’s The Merry Widow, Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, Copland’s The Tender Land, Weill’s Street Scene and the New England premiere of Thomas Pasatieri’s The Hotel Casablanca with the composer in residence.

Theatre

The Hartt School Theatre Division offers a performance degree (B.F.A.) in two distinctive programs: Actor Training and Music Theatre.

Performance is an essential part of the training experience. Casting is supervised by the director of the division, in consultation with the faculty and visiting artists. The plays chosen for production in each of the majors (music theatre or acting) are selected from a broad range of classical, modern, and new material. The intent is to provide experience for the student in many styles of theatre, supporting the work of the classes and expanding the student’s knowledge of the theatrical repertoire.

Currently, the Theatre Division is enjoying partnerships-in-training with Tony Award-winning (for regional theatre) Hartford Stage Company, Tony Award-winning (for regional theatre) Goodspeed Musicals, and Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod.

Dance

Performing opportunities for Hartt dance majors include two fully produced series in Millard Auditorium and/or Lincoln Theater, productions in the Handel Performing Arts Center’s blackbox theaters, studio showings of works-in-progress, lecture-demonstrations, and open rehearsals. Outreach performances in local schools and community centers offer students valuable performance and production experience. There is also the opportunity for students in good standing to perform with various professional and semiprofessional companies with permission from the division director. The school has performed at Jacob’s Pillow, The Kennedy Center, American College Dance Festival, The Joyce Theater (NYC), among other festivals and venues.

Dance majors have performed on tour at Jacob’s Pillow, The Hollywood Bowl, and the Kennedy Center.

Chamber Music

Coached by faculty artists, chamber ensembles for strings, woodwinds, and brass perform at Hartt and throughout the Greater Hartford area. Six semesters of chamber music are required in all instrumental performance majors.

Performance 20/20

Performance 20/20 is Hartt’s innovative honors chamber music program for exceptionally talented instrumentalists. Admission is by audition, and all members are given a full-tuition scholarship. The program offers students the opportunity to be part of an advanced chamber music program that supplements the traditional performance major.

An entering performance major who auditions exceptionally well at the initial Hartt audition will be nominated by that committee for inclusion in the live 20/20 audition. A continuing Hartt student who is not a member of 20/20 is considered for inclusion upon the recommendation of his/her teacher and after passing preliminary audition. The performance and progress of 20/20 participants are reviewed on a continuing basis. A student who contributes to the goals of the program and who continues to mature musically may continue in 20/20 for the length of time normally associated with completion of the course of study. Performance 20/20 provides students the opportunity to perform advanced chamber music with other talented and motivated students. A wide range of instruments allows for unique combinations and the opportunity to perform a varied repertoire of chamber music. In addition to on-campus performances, 20/20 performs off campus at a variety of venues. 20/20 ensembles are coached by eminent members of Hartt’s faculty who are experienced chamber music performers. Workshops, retreats, and special master classes by visiting international artists are an integral part of the 20/20 experience. Friendships and artistic alliances formed with 20/20 colleagues help develop important professional connections and contacts for the future.

Other Performing Opportunities

Special master classes are programmed within all performance areas. Pianists perform in the Hammerklavier series. Guitar students present works of leading composers in the series “An Evening with Guitar.” Master classes by some of the world’s foremost performing artists and industry professionals take place regularly at The Hartt School. Many of the most distinguished artists appear as guest soloists, recitalists, chamber musicians, and lecturers in special workshops. Recent appearances include Edward Carroll, Charles Castleman, Glenn Dodson, the Emerson String Quartet, Norman Krieger, Edgar Meyer, David Finckel and Wu Han, the New York Brass Quintet, the St. Lawrence Quartet, the Orion Quartet, Nelita True, William Vacchiano, and Glen Velez.

The Paranov Competition is open to all matriculated students (with some restrictions). Winners are selected to perform with one of the major instrument ensembles during the next school year. Some of the finalists in this competition may be awarded a reading session. Preliminary and final audition dates are announced in the fall.

Special Lectures and Performance Series

Institute of Contemporary American Music (ICAM)

Founded in 1948, ICAM is Hartt’s link to the larger new-music community. ICAM provides a forum for the presentation and comparison of various styles and trends in new music. Such noted figures as Milton Babbitt, Earle Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Martin Bresnick, Neely Bruce, John Cage, Elliot Carter, Aaron Copland, Lisa Coons, John Corigliano, Anthony Davis, Ross Lee Finney, Kyle Gann, Michael Gordon, Jennifer Higdon, Stanley Jordon, Jo Kondo, Alvin Lucier, Tristan Perich, Steve Reich, Ralph Shapey, Ingrid Stolzel, Michael Torke and Joan Tower, among others, have been featured on the ICAM Lecture Series.

Hartt Music History Forum

The Music History Forum, founded in 1987, has brought to Hartt accomplished musicologists like Joshua Rifkin, who has visited several times in recent years. Other participants have included John Devario, Barbara Heymen, and Walter Frisch. The program provides students with opportunities to learn about the latest in musicological research.

Hartt Music Theory Forum

The Hartt Music Theory Forum was established in 1988 for musicians and scholars to visit The Hartt School to share their theoretical ideas and research with students, faculty, and the community. Forum speakers have included James Baker, Benjamin Boretz, Charles Burkhart, Scott Burnham, Mark DeVoto, Allen Forte, Joel Lester, Robert Morgan, Dorothy Payne, Lee Rothfarb, Carl Schachter, Janet Schmalfeldt, and Robert Wason.

Hartt Choral Workshops

The Hartt School sponsors an annual High School Choral Festival in which high school choirs come from Connecticut and the surrounding states for a day of choral workshops, vocal master classes, and choral concerts.

Faculty Artist Series

Appearances by members of Hartt’s prestigious faculty occupy an important place on the annual performance calendar. Featured in the Faculty Artists Series are instrumental and vocal solos, duos, trios, quartets, and quintets in performances of both classical and contemporary literature.

Students are afforded an additional opportunity to hear and learn from Hartt’s master teachers through an ongoing schedule of faculty solo recitals, master classes, and faculty guest appearances with Hartt performing organizations.

Student Organizations

NAfME

As part of their course requirements, music education majors are expected to maintain membership in the Hartt chapter of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Student Chapter 227, the national  professional association of music educators. Elected student officers, along with the membership, plan an agenda of activities designed to provide hands-on experience in the planning and execution of events that will play an important part in their future as music educators. Activities typically include a weekend professional conference with invited guest clinicians jointly sponsored by Hartt and NAfME chapters.

American String Teachers Association

The Hartt School Student Chapter of American String Teachers Association (ASTA) is open to all string music education and performance majors. The club sponsors activities such as faculty recitals, play for your peers, instrument donation drives, and guest speakers. All string students are encouraged to join. For more information, contact the Music Education department of The Hartt School.

American Choral Directors Association

The American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) is an organization dedicated to the enhancement and enrichment of choral music and choral music education. The club sponsors activities that further the understanding and practice of choral music in our University, district, state, division and national levels. All students are encouraged to join, regardless of their major. Guest conductors and speakers give workshops. Hartt’s chapter hosts informal readings of choral music and sponsors school and University activities as well as travel to local, state, and national festivals of ACDA.

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is a national music fraternity for men. Membership is open to all men who have a sincere love of music and brotherhood. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia was founded in 1898 at the New England Conservatory of Music, when a group of 13 young men, under the guidance of Ossian Everett Mills, “met to consider the social life of the young men students of that institution” and to “devise ways and means by which it might be improved.” Sinfonia became a national fraternity in 1900 with the admission of another group of men into the group at the Broad Street Conservatory in Philadelphia. Since that time, Sinfonia has grown into the largest music fraternity in the world, with more than 140,000 brothers and sisters, and chapters on more than 200 college and university campuses across the nation. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia has a history at The Hartt School dating back to 1955. The Zeta Omega chapter of Sinfonia was founded in 1955 at the Hartt College of Music.

Pi Kappa Lambda National Honors Society, Epsilon Gamma Chapter

Pi Kappa Lambda was organized in 1918 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Epsilon Gamma Chapter was installed at The Hartt School in 1981. Currently, there are over 155 active chapters. The primary objective of Pi Kappa Lambda is the recognition and encouragement of the highest level of music achievement and academic scholarship. Consideration for membership is based on the recommendation of the Faculty Committee.

Membership eligibility:

  1. Any junior considered by the Faculty Committee to be outstanding in scholarship and musicianship, provided the student has been in residence the equivalent of at least four semesters and ranks not lower than the highest 10 percent of the junior class as determined by GPA.
  2. Any graduating senior considered by the Faculty Committee to be outstanding in scholarship and musicianship, provided the student has been in residence the equivalent of at least four semesters and ranks not lower than the highest 20 percent of the graduating class.
Sigma Alpha Iota

Sigma Alpha Iota (SAI) is an international music fraternity for women. The SAI Manual for Members states that fraternity, which comes from the Latin feminine noun fraternitas, refers to both men and women. All the music fraternities have used it for many years.

The Eta Mu chapter was installed at The Hartt School in 1987. Since that time, its members have sought to promote an interest in music within the chapter, the school, and the community.

Summerterm

Undergraduate courses are offered in the summer for undergraduates matriculated in The Hartt School. Three- and six-week core curriculum classes are offered from mid-May to mid-August.

Registration

Students are strongly encouraged to register as early as possible and at least three weeks prior to the first day of Summerterm.

Students normally carry a maximum load of 6 credits per session during Summerterm. The Core Summerterm Catalog may be found online at www.hartford.edu/summerterm.

Online registration is available at www.hartford.edu under Self-Service Center/Students or at www.hartford.edu/summerterm under Self-Service Center/Students.

Undergraduate Programs

Degree Programs

Offered at the undergraduate level are the Bachelor of Music, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, and the Bachelor of Arts. Additionally, an interdisciplinary program is available: the Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a major in acoustical engineering and music, which is offered by the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture.

Bachelor of Music

The Bachelor of Music may be achieved with a major in any of the following areas: performance, music education, composition, music theory, music history, jazz studies, music production and technology, and music management.

All Hartt students pursuing the Bachelor of Music degree receive a common body of knowledge and skills, consisting of

  • Private lessons (up to eight semesters) and participation in large and/or small ensembles (up to eight semesters)
  • Music theory, ear-training, and music history (a minimum of four semesters each)
  • Keyboard Study
  • Four All-University Curriculum (AUC) courses
  • Two semesters of reading and writing courses
  • One semester of math
  • Academic electives

A minor in music is also available. See here  for more information.

Performance: Instrumental and Vocal

The Hartt School’s Bachelor of Music in Performance has a distinct profile that sets it apart from other conservatories and music schools in the United States. In addition to the required coursework, the major consists of three significant elements: performance, pedagogy, and career development.

Performance: Majors are involved with solo, chamber, and large-ensemble performances.

Pedagogy: Course work ensures that all performance students leave Hartt prepared as private teachers. The program includes a special class in the techniques of teaching and an observation program in Hartt’s Community Division.

Career development: For instrumentalists, this consists of two classes: Communicating with an Audience and Building a Music Career. These courses prepare students for artist residencies, community performances, and arts in education programs. Students are provided with the information and skills to present themselves effectively in these activities through preparation in content and repertoire selection, stage presentation and speaking techniques, and building a relationship with the audience. Students also are provided with information on résumé preparation, negotiating a contract, making a recording, and other career-related concerns. Vocal performance majors address career-related issues in the vocal performance seminar, which meets weekly for all eight semesters of the program.

Music Education (includes Music Teaching Certification requirement)

The Music Education Division is steeped in a long-standing philosophy of research-based pedagogy.  Music Education faculty members strive to ensure that Hartt students receive the best and most current education and training available in order to thrive in a wide variety of modern educational settings. Students will develop critical philosophies and methodologies and be able to prescribe and enact appropriate strategies that will enhance the development of comprehensive musical understanding and achievement. Students in music education programs will develop the ability to model, observe, and assess music and movement behaviors in both large- and small-group settings in preschool through high school.

Music education applicants are accepted as vocal, instrumental, or double major combining a performance degree with the correlating music education degree. During the audition process, all students interested in music education will have an interview with a music education faculty member, which includes evaluation of singing, aural skills, academic preparation, and teacher dispositions. All potential music education students must also successfully complete an audition with the Vocal or Instrumental Division faculty members.

Studies for the Bachelor of Music in Music Education at The Hartt School consist of a balanced program of specialized music, professional education, and liberal arts studies designed to develop musician-teachers.

To be considered for certification, each candidate must complete, or be waived from, the Praxis I Computer-Based Test (CBT) exam in basic mathematics, reading, and writing skills, administered by Educational Testing Services at Sylvan Learning Center facilities nationwide (see Waiver Information). The Praxis II exam, taken in the junior year, covers music education, music history, and music theory. Students are encouraged to take the Praxis I CBT exam in their freshman or sophomore year and must complete Praxis II in order to qualify for student teaching.

Students are required to study their principal instrument or voice each semester (except during Student Internship) and attain a high level musical artistry. A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.67 must be maintained and a sophomore evaluation successfully completed before students are allowed to register for junior-level music education classes. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from all Student Internship commitments. Public transportation is not usually available.

The core curriculum prepares students to assume positions at a variety of levels (N-12) in general, vocal, and instrumental music education. Students choose either a vocal/general or instrumental emphasis in which they would like to specialize. Four semesters of methods classes form the core of each program.

Composition

The Bachelor of Music in Composition offers a balanced curriculum of courses that emphasize traditional skills, classical practice, and contemporary techniques. Beyond Hartt’s core theory and music history sequence, required courses for undergraduate composers include orchestration, analysis, and electronic music. From the sophomore year on, all majors receive a weekly lesson with a faculty member. The department also encourages students to take electives in conducting, sound technology, music management, and jazz studies. The program includes a wide range of performance opportunities, by which students can hear, and receive recordings of, their music.

This program involves instruction in both traditional techniques and practical experience with new and emerging musical and media technologies. Studio D is the composition department’s teaching and composition studio. At its heart is a MacPro workstation with multiple displays and a flexible, multichannel audio system. Sequencing/digital audio, notation, digital audio editing and sound design, synthesis, sampling, CD mastering, sound and music for picture, and algorithmic composition are taught through the realization of compositional concepts and use of the following software: Logic Studio, Finale, MetaSynth, Pro-Tools, MAX/MSP, Komplete7, East/West Platinum Complete + Symphonic Choirs, and others.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Music Theory

Music theory is a vital component in the education of musicians. Music theory instruction at The Hartt School provides students majoring in music, dance, and theatre with experiences in perceiving, analyzing, and performing music. The core music theory and ear training curriculum for undergraduates is two to five semesters of music theory with two to six semesters of ear training. Kodály instruction is used for all levels of ear training.

Applicants for the Bachelor of Music in Music Theory usually have preparatory training in music theory and performance. A total of 137.5 credits is required for the bachelor’s degree, which is usually completed in eight full-time semesters. Music theory majors follow a carefully planned curriculum under the supervision of a faculty member of the music theory department. The undergraduate degree program includes instruction in the fundamentals of music theory, tonal harmony, tonal analysis, post-tonal analysis, tonal counterpoint, modal counterpoint, keyboard harmony, orchestration, score reading, music theory pedagogy, and ear training pedagogy. A senior essay is completed during the senior year. The senior essay topic is selected by the student and is supervised by a faculty member of the music theory department. Undergraduate music theory majors are required to maintain an overall grade point average of B- throughout their degree programs.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Music History

Hartt’s Department of Music History, Literature, and Criticism teaches students not only about the various musical styles throughout history but also about recent views on performance practices. Candidates for the Bachelor of Music in Music History may select an emphasis in either performance practices or research. The department provides opportunities for students to perform through the Collegium, a select group of singers and instrumentalists.

Please refer to curricula for Music History-Performance Practices Emphasis  and Music History-Scholarship and Research Emphasis .

The Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz

Legendary jazz saxophonist Jackie McLean (1931-2006), was a jazz icon of the idiom who sought to create a program providing instruction for the American art form we call Jazz. The first classes offered in jazz started in the 1980 through the African American Studies Department.  In 1981 Mr. McLean had the Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies approved by the National Association of School of Music and accepted its first 10 students for the academic year.  The program was renamed the Jackie McLean Institute (JMI) of Jazz in 2000 honoring the commitment, hard work, and dedication Jackie put into the program over his 30 years of service. Since then, the Jackie McLean Institute has offered countless students the opportunity to create music, perform in ensembles, receive hands on training with living legends, and learn the history of how the art form of Jazz has evolved.

It is our mission at the Jackie McLean Institute to develop aspiring and skilled musicians in the art form known as Jazz. Through the curriculum, there is historical analysis and perspective, narratives on improvisation, and dialogue concerning the expression of jazz music and the blues aesthetic. Using these practices along with tutelage and cultivation, students will realize their choices to create an individual style.

Music Production and Technology

What is a music producer? There are many acceptable definitions, depending on the musical genre in question. To produce a quality recording, however, one must have strong musical skills and instincts, and be proficient as a recording engineer to exploit the full capabilities of a production studio. The premise which underlies the Hartt Music Production and Technology (MPT) program is that a successful music producer or recording engineer must be a knowledgeable, practiced and educated musician. It is the goal of the MPT Department to train musicians to be producers of quality music products (thus the audition requirement and core music curriculum).

Training in the studio is approached in much the same fashion as the process of learning an instrument. To play an instrument, one must spend a great deal of time practicing in order to make a connection between written music or music heard in one’s head, and the maneuvering of hands and fingers. Eventually a level of proficiency is reached at which that connection is made subconsciously– it is at that level that one truly becomes a musician. Students in the Music Production and Technology program are trained to view the studio as an instrument through which they will create music, both their own and the collaborative product of working with other artists.  Reaching that level means dedication to learning and practicing the craft.

Students follow a course of study that combines a traditional music conservatory curriculum (including study of an instrument or voice–classical or jazz) with courses in recording engineering, acoustics, electronics, and music business. Included are both a practicum (working in Hartt’s professional recording studio) and an internship at a production facility off campus. In the final semester of the fourth year, students work in small teams to engineer and produce a full-length recording. These senior projects become a valuable part of the students’ portfolio.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Music Management

The arts industry, a multibillion-dollar, highly globalized enterprise, ranks among the 10 largest industries in the United States. It is a diverse, challenging, fiercely competitive field, constantly affected by changes in technology, legislative issues, and the economic environment. Students interested in careers in this industry must be well prepared in budgeting, accounting, economics, marketing, and management theory.

This major provides performing musicians with a broad background in the business of the arts. Students receive weekly private lessons, play in ensembles, and study music theory, history, ear training, and keyboard. Business courses include accounting, economics, marketing, computers, and finance. A core curriculum of 12 specialized music and arts management courses provides a synthesis of music and business studies. Students apply their knowledge using case studies, small-group discussions, and projects. In addition, students complete at least one 180-hour internship. All management students are required to complete the internship sequence MUM 420  and MUM 421 .

Management students have completed internships with SONY Music, Epic Records, the Litchfield Jazz Festival, ASCAP, Aspen Music Festival, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, The Kennedy Center, New York Theatre Workshop, the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, and many other arts organizations. Graduates hold positions in recording companies, artist management, symphony and opera administration, development and fundraising, marketing, and public relations.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Five-Year Double Majors

Students may elect a double major which requires fulfilling the requirements of both programs. These double majors generally require a minimum of five years, often including summer and/or winter study, and may result in overload charges. A fee may be assessed for private music instruction in the fifth year. Participation in a performing organization is required for a minimum of eight semesters. The most popular of these programs combines Music Education or Music Management with a program in Performance. A complete list of five-year, double majors may be found in the Hartt School Supplemental Application.

Bachelor of Fine Arts

The Hartt School offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts with majors in dance, music theatre, and actor training.

Dance

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance was established to provide rigorous preparation for professional performance and teaching careers along with a meaningful liberal arts education. Both the performance and pedagogy majors emphasize serious technical training in classical ballet and classical modern dance techniques, as well as contemporary dance forms, ballet pedagogy, composition, dance history, kinesiology, music, technology for dance, and other dance studies. Entering students in both programs must have at least an intermediate technical foundation in ballet or contemporary dance.

The primary focus of the performance emphasis is preparation for a professional performance career. Performance opportunities abound with the Hartt Dance Ensemble, mainstage performances, black-box performances, studio workshops, and apprentice positions in professional companies.

The focus of the teaching emphasis is to prepare professional dance educators to teach in conservatories, schools of dance, and private studios. Teaching majors work daily with the ballet school’s master teachers and get hands-on experience observing, assisting with, and teaching children’s classes at the Hartt Community Division’s ballet program. They are also involved in the school’s public-service teaching in Hartford public schools.

A minor degree in dance is also available. See here  for more information.

Please refer to curricula on pages Dance-Ballet Pedagogy Emphasis  and Dance Performance Emphasis .

Music Theatre

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Theatre provides professional educational development and experience to individuals who have chosen to enter the field of music theatre by bringing together as a core the disciplines of music, dance, and acting. The program addresses the ever-changing aspects and character of theatre and performance. Embracing and at times surpassing contemporary standards in educational approaches, the program develops in students the skills and techniques necessary for the transition to the professional, competitive field of music theatre.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Actor Training

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Actor Training is designed to provide students with the appropriate training to prepare them for careers in the acting profession, including theatre, film and telvision. The program combines a challenging and stimulating combination of classes and performance.

Acting and scene study classes form the nucleus of the training, which involves all technical aspects of voice and speech, movement, and text analysis. Each semester offers the student a different focus on the literature available to the actor. Students then must apply this knowledge and experience in rehearsals. In addition, there are workshops and seminars dealing with special skills and career preparation.

Studio performances begin in the second year of training. Plays are chosen for the training opportunities that they present to the students. In the third year, students continue to perform in works of increasing technical complexity. In the spring of the third year, student actors attend Hartt’s English Theatre Centre in London, England.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Bachelor of Arts

There are two Bachelor of Arts program:

  • Students who wish to enroll in a liberal arts program with special emphasis on music should elect the Bachelor of Arts with a major in music.
  • Students who wish to have an intense focus on the business of the performing arts, without a performance requirement, may elect the Bachelor of Arts with a major in performing arts management.

Music

The Bachelor of Arts in Music is a rigorous academic program that prepares the student for graduate study in music or other disciplines. Students in this program receive a broad overview of musical study with a heavy concentration on music history and theory.

Students in this program take the same core courses as other Hartt School students, such as harmony, ear training, form and analysis, piano keyboard class, and music history. They may also take advanced courses in theory and history and must complete a senior project.

In addition, B.A. music majors take courses from a variety of non-music disciplines, including the physical sciences, social sciences, language arts, communication skills, mathematics, philosophy, history, and computer science as part of their general education.

There are no performance requirements for the B.A. in music. Students who wish their programs to include musical performance may take private lessons through either the school (by audition) or the Community Division.

Music courses and other required courses may not be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis. An average of C or better in all required music courses is necessary for completion of the major.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Performing Arts Management

The performing arts industry, a multibillion-dollar enterprise, is among the largest industries in the United States. It is a diverse, challenging, highly competitive field, constantly affected by changes in technology, legislative issues, and the economic environment. Students interested in careers in this industry must be well prepared in business, including budgeting, accounting, economics, marketing, and management.

The Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts Management provides training for a background or interest in music, theatre, dance, or other performing arts. The diverse curriculum includes courses in liberal arts, humanities, music/arts management, and business. Twelve specialized courses in managing music and performing arts form the core of this curriculum. All majors complete a minimum of one 180-hour internship in either a for-profit or a not-for-profit organization. Management students are required to complete the internship sequence MUM 420  and MUM 421  before graduation.

Management students have completed internships with Goodspeed Musicals, BMG Entertainment, WCCC Radio, Live Nation, the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford; in record labels both major and independent; and in performance venues around the country. Graduates hold positions in industries such as recording, artist management, concert production, marketing, and public relations.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Bachelor of Science in Engineering

Acoustical Engineering and Music

Combined options in acoustics and music are available within the Interdisciplinary Engineering Studies program at the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture. This rigorous curriculum leads to the Bachelor of Science in Engineering and includes a basic engineering core as well as a major concentration of courses offered by The Hartt School.

The program is designed for those students who have the aptitude and desire for a career involved with modern technology and the field of music. To be accepted into this focused curriculum, applicants must have the math and science background required of all engineering students and must successfully pass the entrance requirements of The Hartt School, including audition. See Acoustical Engineering and Music, B.S.E.  of the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture section of this Bulletin.

Although the curriculum is scheduled to be completed in four years, it is certainly one of the most challenging undergraduate programs at the University, requiring 142-145 credit hours for completion. Close counseling is required by engineering and music advisors.

Course Requirements

Engineering and Arts and Sciences courses totaling 84 credit hours, including 71 credit hours of core courses required of all engineering students, and 55-59 credit hours in music are needed for the completion of the degree.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Related Programs

Honors Program

For an overview of the University-wide Honors program and specific program requirements for Hartt School students, see Special Academic Opportunities . Hartt students interested in the Honors program should contact their academic advisor or the director of Hartt’s Honors Program for additional details and Hartt-specific requirements.  Qualified Hartt students are strongly encouraged to participate in the Honors Program.

Nondegree Programs

At the undergraduate level, the nondegree option is the Undergraduate Diploma in Music.

Undergraduate Diploma

The Undergraduate Diploma is a three-year program open to all instrumental and vocal performance majors, composers, and jazz studies students. Students completing this program may continue formal training at The Hartt School in an undergraduate degree program or in the graduate professional degree program.

International students must have a minimum TOEFL score of 550 for the written exam or 173 for the computer-based exam. Tuition for the program is based on the University’s three-fourths tuition rate, which includes programs of 9-11.5 credit hours per semester. Hartt performing arts scholarships are not available to diploma students.

Please refer to curriculum here .

Requirements for Graduation

Requirements in addition to those listed in Academic Regulations  are as follows: 

Performance and B.F.A. Majors

Performance majors take juries to establish proficiency level. A critical point in a student’s progress is the achievement of junior standing, a level determined by the jury taken in the sophomore year.

In the Theatre Division, the two sophomore evaluations, described in full in the Theatre Division Undergraduate Handbook, take the place of the jury to confer junior standing.

In the Dance Division, majors are evaluated twice a year. Details may be found in the Dance Division Undergraduate Handbook.

Jazz students take juries and are evaluated on an ongoing basis.

Composition Majors

Students with a major in composition must have the equivalent of one evening’s performance of their music before graduation.

Programs of performances must be submitted at least four months before the anticipated graduation date.

Music Education Majors

Review Process

The Music Education Division conducts reviews of all majors in the department each semester. Students who fail to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.67, who fail to obtain a grade of B- or better in a music education or education course, or who show a lack of progress toward completion of the degree are placed on departmental probation and receive counseling and academic advice from the department. Students who are unable to maintain the standards of the department may removed from the music education major.

All first-semester sophomores are required to pass a Sophomore Skills Evaluation Exam, which assesses piano and solfège skill development. The content of the exam may be obtained from the chairperson. The essay and the results of the skills exam will be used as acceptance criterion to admit a student to the final phase of the music education program.

Performing Organization Requirements

To fulfill B.Mus. requirements for undergraduate degrees, most students at The Hartt School are required to participate in performing organizations. In some cases students may be placed in more than one organization.

Major choral performing organizations:
Hartt Camerata, Hartt Chamber Choir, Hartt Choir, Hartt Chorale

Major instrumental performing organizations:
Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band.

String instrumentalists, regardless of major, are auditioned and placed in the orchestra. Woodwind, brass, and percussion instrumentalists, regardless of major, are placed by audition in the orchestra, symphony band, or wind ensemble.

Composition majors may participate in the Composers’ Ensemble to fulfill the performance organization requirement.

Jazz instrumentalists and vocalists are placed in jazz ensembles, based on audition results and on the needs of the individual ensembles.

Specific performing organization requirements for each curriculum may be found in the individual degree program curricula.

All-University Curriculum

All Hartt students are required to complete four of the five AUCs, as follows:

  1. Living in a Cultural Context: Western Heritage (AUCW)
  2. Living in a Cultural Context: Other Cultures (AUCC)
  3. Living in a Scientific and Technological World (AUCT)
    Note: The AUCT is a 3- or 4-credit course. The 4-credit AUCT includes a lab.
  4. Living in a Social Context (AUCS)

Hartt students are not required to take Living Responsively to the Arts (AUCA). However, they may take this AUC as an academic elective.

Transfer and intercollege transfer students are evaluated on an individual basis for AUC requirements. The Hartt evaluator should be consulted about the process of transferring courses as AUC substitutions.

Information Literacy in the Performing Arts

Information Literacy in the Performing Arts (HLM 020 ) is an online course required for all Hartt first-year and transfer students. HLM 020  is an introduction to library resources in the performing arts and in searching techniques. The course may also include some class meetings. Successful completion of HLM 020  is required for graduation from The Hartt School.

Hartt Undergraduate Handbook

The Hartt Undergraduate Handbook provides students with details of the policies and procedures particular to The Hartt School’s academic programs (e.g., lessons, performing organizations, juries, recitals, facilities, performing arts scholarships). Students are responsible for knowing, and expected to adhere to, the policies and procedures set forth in the handbook as an addendum to this Undergraduate Bulletin. The handbook is available on Blackboard.

The Hartt School Community Division

A variety of noncredit activities is offered through the Community Division of The Hartt School. The Community Division provides not only music and dance instruction for students preparing to enter the field of music, dance, and theatre, but also training and experiences for individuals of all ages and levels of experience who wish to enhance their ability and knowledge. Study is offered in 28- and 34-week increments plus a summer session. More than 2,500 students, including many enrolled at the University of Hartford, participate in Community Division activities each year.

The Hartt Community Division offers a comprehensive program for the study of instrumental music. Private lessons are available for all orchestral instruments, in addition to piano, organ, and guitar. Precollege students may participate in a variety of instrumental ensembles, including chamber ensembles, serving elementary-aged through  advanced high school students.

The Community Division has one of the most successful Suzuki programs in the nation, offering instruction for violin, viola, cello, bass, piano, guitar, and flute. The Suzuki program includes five string orchestras, multiple group classes, weekend workshops, and the week-long Hartt Suzuki Institute in early August.

For vocalists, opportunities include private voice lessons and regular master classes. Precollege students, beginning at age 6, may participate in the six premier ensembles of the Connecticut Children’s Chorus and the High School Chamber Choir.

The Community Division Dance department offers programs for beginning through advanced students at the Handel Performing Arts Center. Serious pre-college dancers participate in the pre-professional dance programs which provide intensive training and unique performance opportunities. In addition, classes in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, and Hip-Hop are offered to students of all ages (from 3 through adult).

Early childhood education in music is offered through the First Steps in Music program. Parents, along with their infant and toddler children, attend music and movement classes together, thereby providing a foundation for future study in the performing arts. Adult students also have many opportunities for participation at the Community Division, including private instruction, dance classes, adult string and wind chamber ensembles.

All programs of the Community Division are open as noncredit options to University of Hartford students. Community Division students enjoy access to the Mildred P. Allen Memorial Library and to all events presented by The Hartt School.

For further information, contact the Hartt Community Division at 860.768.4451, visit the website at www.hcd.hartford.edu, or visit the Community Division office in room 19 of the Fuller Music Center.