Areas of Study - Strings

The String Division of the UCA Music Department offers applied instruction in violin, viola, cello, bass, and guitar, with each instrument taught by a faculty member that is an accomplished performer and teacher on that instrument. Students receive weekly lessons and participate in small and large ensembles. Given the size of the department and the excellent student to teacher ratio, each student receives a great deal of personal attention from their professors. The school is very supportive of student activities, and will assist students with travel expenses involved with competitions and conferences. Summer study in Italy is available.

Faculty
Dr. Linda Hsu (violin/chamber music/string class)
Katherine Reynolds (viola)
Dr. Stephen Feldman (cello)
James Hatch (bass)
Smokey Emerson (guitar)

Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Music in Performance
Bachelor of Music in Education
Bachelor of Arts
Music Minor
Master of Music in Performance
Master of Music in Education

Performance Opportunities

• UCA Chamber Orchestra – Student orchestra with full wind and percussion sections.
• Conway Symphony Orchestra – Students play side by side with professors and professional musicians from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra in a state-of-the-art performance hall.
• String Chamber Music – Small ensembles of 2-5 players. Sometimes with keyboard and wind players.
• New Music Ensemble – Directed by composition professor. Students interested in contemporary music gather to play new music and sometimes their own compositions.
• Recitals – degree recitals, studio recitals, general recitals, joint recitals.
• Student Conductor Recitals – Student conductors organize their own orchestras.
• Concerto Competition – Winners solo with the UCA Chamber Orchestra.
• Guitar Ensemble
• Cello Ensemble
• Many students also perform professionally with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Pine Bluff Symphony Orchestra, Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra, and the South Arkansas Symphony. Additional free-lance opportunities are also available.

Teaching Opportunities:
UCA Community School of Music
Student Teaching in Public Schools
Pickin’ Porch Music Store
Private Studios

Jury Requirements for Current Students:
Jury is required for all orchestra scholarship students, as well as all those counting the lesson credit(s) toward a music degree, be it a major or minor in a string instrument or another area of music. Students who have performed a degree recital during the semester are exempt from juries. The length of jury is determined by the credit hour(s) of the lesson:
1-credit-hour lesson: 5 minutes
2-credit-hour lesson: 10 minutes
4-credit-hour lesson: 20 minutes

Scholarship Information
Students may apply for orchestra scholarships at their auditions. Scholarships are awarded for four years and may be extended as long as the students fulfill the scholarship requirements. Students may appeal for bigger scholarship awards if they make significant progress in their studies at UCA. Graduate Assistantships are available for all instruments. Students do not have to be music majors to receive orchestra scholarships. Award is based on ability and need. Music scholarship can be stacked on academic scholarship up to the state limit.

Audition Requirements
1. Scale of choice in three octaves.
2. Two contrasting works or movements. No piano accompaniment needed.
3. Sight-reading

Audition dates are announced in the fall semester. Please contact kfelkins@uca.edu to set up for an audition. Recordings can be accepted in lieu of live auditions. If you wish to apply without a live audition, please send a recording of your playing when submitting a scholarship application. Applications can be mailed to UCA Department of Music, 201 Donaghey Ave, Conway, AR 72035, Attention: Strings.

For graduate assistantships: In addition to a recording, please also send a cover letter, resume, and at least one recommendation letter.

Scholarship Requirements
In addition to the departmental requirements, these are specific requirements for string players:

1. All students on orchestra scholarships play in the UCA Chamber Orchestra every semester. Most also play in the Conway Symphony Orchestra, based on the needs of that orchestra. The Conway Symphony Orchestra conductor decides who will play with that group.
2. All scholarship students must register for lessons. Any student receiving $1000 or more per semester must take one-hour (2 or 4 credits) lessons.
3. All students receiving $800 or more per semester must participate in a second ensemble starting the second semester of freshman year. The second ensemble is usually string chamber music, but can be jazz ensemble or wind ensemble for bass players.