Revised: December 13, 2005

EXPLANATIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS AFFECTING THE EVALUATION OF MUSIC CANDIDATES

The following explanations and interpretations will help clarify factors concerning the assessment of the candidate in the categories of research, scholarship, and performance.  Appendix II offers specific examples of significant activities in the academic area, Appendix III activities pertaining to the applied area, and Appendix IV activities related to ensemble directors.

1. In the academic area of music, the professional activities of classroom teachers, primarily music history, music theory, music education and piano pedagogy, are comparable to those of classroom teachers in other schools and colleges at the University of South Carolina.  Candidates in these areas normally develop national reputations through publishing.  In many cases, however, these candidates also gain recognition through performance and/or workshop presentations.
2. "Applied teachers" are those music faculty who teach an instrument or voice in a one-on-one instructional setting.  All of the students they teach in this manner comprise their "studio" or "class."  "Studio" also is used to refer to the applied teacher's office where the actual teaching takes place.  "Ensemble directors" are those music faculty who direct the larger ensembles within the School of Music, including orchestra, opera, chorus, and band.
3. The work of applied teachers and ensemble directors often requires activities that differ from the work of many other university faculty.  Applied teachers are usually expected to perform, although it is unlikely that a candidate's national reputation will develop exclusively through performance.  There is usually little opportunity for applied faculty members to develop extensive solo careers that are national in scope after committing to a full-time faculty teaching position.  Invitations for professional activities may vary according to the nature of the applied faculty member's or ensemble director's appointment. Therefore, the national reputation of an applied teacher or ensemble director will usually develop through a combination of activities.
4. The term "significant" is used often in these appendices.  The use of this term  indicates that the faculty of the University of South Carolina School of Music deems an activity or accomplishment of sufficient importance to substantially and positively affect a candidate's record in a quest for promotion and/or tenure.
5. Letters from external referees, which are required as part of the candidate's tenure and promotion file, should be submitted by prominent scholar/teachers in the area of scholarship/research, and by prominent performers or artist/teachers in the area of performance.  Some candidates who teach in more than one area may have referees in each.  These letters are important indicators of quality and reputation.>
6. Candidates are encouraged to use their own ingenuity and creativity in indicating the national significance of their accomplishments in the areas of publication, composition, performance, conducting, teaching, presentations, awards, grants, adjudication, and recording.
7. Publications resulting from the doctoral dissertation will be weighed as evidence of research/scholarship but of themselves will not be considered sufficient material for promotion and/or tenure.  Clear indications must be evident that significant, independent scholarship going beyond the scope of the dissertation has been undertaken.
8. Candidates will document the nature of their contribution in the case of co-authored works.  Evidence of significant independent scholarship must be demonstrated by the candidate in these instances.
9. In some cases, a music candidate will have to choose a place in his/her file for an ambiguous activity that may fit the criteria of more than one of the three categories of teaching, research/performance, and service.  Although an activity may not be included in two different areas, the candidate may choose to direct the reader to other sections of the file containing additional pertinent activities that would also fit into the category under consideration.
10. When judging a candidate's musical performing ability, music faculty at the University of South Carolina form their opinions by witnessing "live" performances over a number of years and in various musical settings, including collaborative performances with the candidate.  Outside referees who evaluate only recorded performances may be influenced either positively or negatively by such factors as recording studio digital tape editing and enhancement or  the technical or acoustical playback quality of the recordings as reproduced on the referee's specific sound equipment.  Candidates are therefore encouraged, when preparing recordings for referees, to provide an assortment of performance situations, including live performances, that would be duly indicated in the labeling.  The candidate is responsible for providing to the referees the highest possible quality in recordings of his/her performances.

Appendices  II, III, and IV offer familiar examples of national/international activities as well as activities which are not national in scope but are considered significant for purposes of tenure and promotion.  These appendices are not intended to be in any specific order or priority, and are not to be considered exhaustive.  The candidate may document other significant activities not contained in these appendices.  A candidate is not expected to demonstrate evidence of excellence relating to all of the examples in the appendices.