A wide variety of performance opportunities await our students each year, with orchestras, bands, choirs and opera, jazz nonets and combos, small ensembles, and more.
A variety of programs and initiatives operate continuously or annually to enhance learning experiences and help students prepare for their future in music.
The MSU College of Music supports and challenges students, values innovation and creativity, and helps every community member achieve professional excellence.
The Honors Competition is an opportunity to showcase the exceptional talents of MSU music students. The final round will be an exciting music event open to the public. The outstanding winners will be featured as soloists with the Symphony Orchestra in a memorable performance.
Please note the policy outlined below for the Honors Concert Competition. (Updated 10.30.2024)
1. The Percussion, Piano, and Woodwind areas will be featured in the spring concert of even years, together with the winning composition for Band or Choir. The Brass, String, and Voice areas will be featured in the spring concert of odd years, together with the winning composition for Orchestra.
2. All full-time music majors from the areas to be featured that year are qualified to audition upon receiving permission from their applied professor (12 credits, undergraduate; 9 credits, MM; 6 credits DMA; Requests for exceptions to this may be petitioned to applied Area Chairs). Full-time Performance Diploma students are also eligible.
3. Candidates must be in residence during the semester of auditions and performances, and in good standing in the College of Music.
4. Candidates are eligible to win only once as an undergraduate and once as a graduate.
1. Each of the areas with their chairperson will coordinate and conduct the selection of Finalist.
2. The selected repertoire should be presented in full during the Final round and in the Honors Concert (see C. below for repertoire restrictions). Music selected must have ensemble (orchestra or wind ensemble) accompaniment and must be readily available for purchase or rental.
3. Finalists will be selected by each area in the Fall of 2024. In the 2024-25 academic year, the Final will be on Sunday, January 26th, in Cook Recital Hall
4. All Finalist must complete the Repertoire Sheet before the end of the Fall Semester, as soon as they have been named finalists.
5. The chairpersons of the respective areas will forward the finalists selections to the Director of Orchestras before the end of the Fall Semester, using the Repertoire Sheets as completed by the candidates.
6. The Director of Orchestras will coordinate all aspects of the Final rounds, posting the performance order after a draw, and communicating with the judges about rules and logistics of the competition.
1. Full concertos, solo pieces with accompaniment, operatic and concert arias, as well as full concertos, solo pieces with accompaniment, and operatic and concert arias for multiple soloists, are eligible. Music selected must have ensemble (orchestra or wind ensemble) accompaniment and must be readily available for purchase or rental.
2. All participants in the Final must play with live accompaniment. All participants will procure their own accompanist.
3. Selected repertoire must have the approval of the applied professor and the Director of Orchestras or the Director of Bands. It is important that this approval be secured before the end of Fall Semester.
4. All movements of a multi-movement work should be performed in the Final round as well as in the Honors Concert.
Maximum number of candidates eligible for the Final from each area is detailed below. The 2024-25 academic year will feature the Brass, Strings and Harp, and Voice areas. It is strongly recommended that only the most accomplished performers be chosen to represent each area.
1. The Jury will consist of three members from outside MSU. Judges will be chosen from a pool of individuals suggested by the faculty through their respective Area Chairs early in Fall Semester. Final selections will be made by the chairperson of the competition in consultation with the Dean of the College of Music. If available and desired, judges could be engaged for master classes with their respective areas prior to or immediately following the Honors Concert.
2. The Director of Orchestra will serve as the competition chairperson (ex-officio).
3. Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the competition by the chairperson of the competition.
4. All decisions of the judges are final.
5. Adjudication comments will be available from the chairperson of the competition the following day.
1. The Final of the competition will be conducted in the Cook Recital Hall at the College of Music, start time will be 1:00pm on Sunday, January 26th.
2. The performing times for each candidate will be posted two days prior to the Final. Each candidate will be allotted rehearsal time in the hall the day before or on the morning of the competition day.
3. The Final will be open to the general public.
1. Winners of the Honors Concert will be featured with the MSU Symphony Orchestra at the Cobb Great Hall of the Wharton Center on Friday, March 21st, 2025. Winners performing works accompanied by other ensembles will be featured with these ensembles on a date that will be decided by the director of that ensemble.
2. Winners should ensure they will be available for the Honors Concert performance on March 21st, 2025 before entering the competition. If a winner is not available for the performance day, the performance will not be rescheduled.
Matters of interpretation regarding these rules and regulations will be determined by the College of Music applied Area Chairs.
