Performance Office Applied Music Requirements

Private lessons on the major instrument or voice are a key part of Faculty of Music degree programs. In order to ensure the successful delivery of applied lessons, students and instructors are required to work within the following regulations and expectations. 

In August, students receive their Applied Instructor assignment by e-mail. Students must contact their instructor and then submit the online confirmation form by the deadline.

• Undergraduate and Masters students: 24 lessons per year (12 lessons per term).
• Opera Diploma students: 18 lessons per year (9 lessons per term).
• DMA students: 48 lessons over the course of their degree (grades submitted after every 12 lessons).
• No substitute teaching is allowed.
• All lessons, with the exception of organ lessons, must take place in the Edward Johnson Building or at the Faculty of Music South (90 Wellesley), and in-person. 

• Lessons are one-hour in length. Because of space constraints, lessons which take place in classrooms between the hours of 9am and 3pm may be subject to the 10-minute Pass Time policy which has been adopted as the university standard. The Pass Time policy states that classes will begin 10 minutes after the hour and end on the hour to allow passing time between scheduled activities for students and instructors.
• In Undergraduate and Masters programs, lessons should happen weekly.
• For the DMA program, it is highly recommended that lessons be taken in a sequence which aligns generally with the planned degree pathway and specifically with the scheduled recitals.
• Students and instructors must agree on a schedule that works for both.  If scheduling issues cannot be resolved, the Associate Dean of Performance will assign a new teacher.

• Attendance at all scheduled lessons is expected.
• Students must notify the instructor 24 hours in advance if they need to miss a lesson.
• Students should use the ACORN Absence Declaration Tool to report an absence.
• Instructors can find further information on Absences in the Instructor Handbook.
• Lessons missed for medical reasons must provide valid documentation (e.g., U of T Verification of Illness or Injury Form) to reschedule.
• Lessons missed by the student for non-medical reasons will be made up at the discretion of the instructor in consultation with the Associate Dean of Performance if needed.
• Instructors who must miss a lesson are required to reschedule the lesson within the same semester. The student should be provided with 24 hours of notice.
• If the student is more than 15 minutes late without notice, the lesson is forfeited, and a 5% penalty is applied to the term grade.
• If the instructor is more than 15 minutes late without notice, the student should contact the Performance Office to arrange a makeup lesson.

Instructors submit interim and final reports at the end of each semester. Grades are based on several factors, including progress over the course of the semester. A grading rubric is available in the Faculty of Music Academic Calendar and the Performance Office’s SharePoint site.

The Performance Office is available to help with any questions or issues related to lessons, performance.music@utoronto.ca 

Evaluation in Applied Music 

• Lesson preparation/time management/completion of assigned tasks/strategic timing of learning throughout the semester to prepare for jury or recital
• Material preparedness for lessons, e.g., score preparation, management of instrument and accessories, tuning of instrument, etc.
• Responsiveness to instruction, curiosity, inquisitiveness
• Demonstrated progress/growth/development (technique, sound production, expressive capacity)

• Appropriate level by year and program of the following:
  • Reading
  • Musical tools – sound production, tone and colour, articulation, dynamics, phrase shaping
  • Technical fluency
  • Repertoire
  • Memorization

• Artistic execution in lesson performance
• Expressive capacity
• Artistic imagination and creativity
• Artistic inquisitiveness/curiosity

• Stage/artistic presence
• Expressive capacity
• Artistic imagination and creativity
• Synthesis of musical gestures
• Communication

Students are provided with their Applied Teacher Assignment in August, before the start of the academic year. We ask that you get in touch with your assigned teacher as soon as possible, so that you can sort out how and when your applied lessons will be delivered this year. Once you have communicated with your Applied Teacher, please complete the Applied Teacher Assignment Confirmation online form by the requested due date.

Transfers into the Performance (Classical) Degree Program from the Bachelor of Music

Transfers from the Bachelor of Music to the Bachelor of Music in Performance (Classical only) should be made at the end of first year.  Transfers at the end of the second year are possible, but are not normally recommended. Transfers into the Performance program beyond the end of second year are not possible. Successful transfer candidates can be placed in either 1^st or 2^nd year of the Performance program based on the decision of the adjudication panel. In cases of where a student is placed a year behind, the duration of the program will be increased to 5 years.

To Apply: Submit a letter of intent to audition for the Performance program (Classical) by March 15^th to the Performance Office. A letter of recommendation from the applied teacher must also be submitted to the Performance Office. There are no exceptions to the deadline.   Please e-mail your letter to:  performance.music@utoronto.ca

The Process: The student is required to prepare 40 minutes of repertoire at the Performance-degree level corresponding to their year of study. The student will be scheduled for a 20 minute jury/audition during the Spring exam period and be adjudicated at the Performance level corresponding to the year of study being completed. Note that students wishing to transfer into the Piano Performance program must prepare and perform a fast tempo etude.

The results are conveyed to the student in writing by the Performance Office in early May. The student must send an e-mail to the Registrar’s Office by the 30^th of June, confirming their acceptance/placement in the Performance program, in order to complete the transfer. 

Students who have been placed a year behind, based on their audition, are not able to challenge this decision nor request exemption from a year of study, at a later date.

Transfers into the Performance (Jazz) Degree Program from Jazz Education or Jazz Comprehensive

Transfers from the Bachelor of Music, Jazz Education/Comprehensive to the Bachelor of Music, Jazz Performance should be made at the end of first year.  Transfers at the end of the second year are possible, but are not normally recommended. Transfers into the Jazz Performance program beyond the end of second year are not possible. Successful transfer candidates can be placed in either 1^st or 2^nd year of the Performance program based on the decision of the adjudication panel. In cases of where a student is placed a year behind, the duration of the program will be increased to 5 years.

To Apply: Submit a letter of intent to audition for Jazz Performance by March 15^th to the Performance Office. A letter of recommendation from the applied teacher must also be submitted to the Performance Office. There are no exceptions to the deadline.   Please e-mail your letter to:  performance.music@utoronto.ca 

The Process: A first year student is required to prepare 20 tunes and a second year 40 tunes. The student will be scheduled for a 20 minute jury/audition during the Spring exam period and be adjudicated at the Jazz Performance-degree level corresponding to the year of study being completed. 

The results are conveyed to the student in writing by the Performance Office in early May. The student must send an e-mail to the Registrar’s Office by the 30^th of June, confirming their acceptance/placement in the Jazz Performance program, in order to complete the transfer. 

Students who have been placed a year behind, based on their audition, are not able to challenge this decision nor request exemption from a year of study, at a later date.

Transfers into the Jazz Degree Programs from the Classical Degree Programs Or Transfers into the Classical Degree Programs from the Jazz Degree Programs

Students wishing to transfer into the Jazz program from the Classical program or vice versa, are required to apply through the Admissions Officer of the Faculty of Music, by submitting a Music Questionnaire.

Deadline: early January (confirm with the Admissions Office)