Revised: September 14, 2015

EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES IN THE APPLIED AREA

I. RESEARCH/CREATIVE ACTIVITY
National/International

1. Recordings issued and distributed by a significant label within a candidate’s area, as documented by the candidate. Candidates should also indicate the extent of their individual contributions, i.e., soloist, chamber musician, orchestra member, choir member, etc.
2. Guest artist, stage directing, or conducting appearances in other states. These activities include, but are not limited to, solo recitals, chamber music concerts, a choral or instrumental ensemble activity which requires the significant involvement of the candidate, a substantial solo work with orchestra, a substantial opera role, and a concert or other production in which the candidate serves in the capacity of conductor or director.
3. Invitations received by ensembles regularly conducted by a candidate for performances at national conferences and/or professional venues.
4. Invitations to guest conduct ensembles in professional or educational settings in other states.
5. Articles by the candidate and reviews written by the candidate in journals in the candidate’s field of specialization, including electronic publications. The candidate will document the significance of the publication.
6. Publication of books, pedagogical materials, arrangements or editions. The candidate will document the significance of the publisher.
7. Premieres of new works, especially solo and chamber works normally take a substantial effort on the part of the performer, both in hours of preparation and in consultation with the composer. In the case of some contemporary works, preparation may also include techniques or methods which are being learned for the first time. The national significance of the composer involved will be documented by the candidate.
8. Favorable reviews of the candidate’s performances, recordings, compositions, or arrangements in the national media, or in journals in the candidate’s field of specialization.
9. Finalist in, or winner of, a national or international performance competition. The candidate will document the significance of the competition. In some areas of music, these competitions have an age limitation of approximately 30 years of age. However, a candidate who has won a competition such as this, even if at a lower academic rank or while still a student, has achieved a significant honor. National and international competitions will normally offer prize money to the top three winners and may offer other types of awards as well, such as public performances in the performing halls of major cities and recording contracts.
10. National grants or fellowships in the performing arts. Grants and fellowships in the performing arts are highly competitive, and often do not appear as impressive in dollar amounts as the grants and fellowships in other disciplines. Nevertheless, when funding is obtained it is a significant achievement.
11. Radio and television performances in national and international broadcasts, such as National Public Radio and Public Radio International. The candidate will document the nature of his/her performance, such as soloist, member of a chamber or large ensemble, host, etc., as well as the significance of the broadcast.
12. Reviews, written by the candidate and published in leading journals in his field, of another author’s books, recordings, compositions, or arrangements. Candidates will document the significance of the publications using their reviews.

Local/Regional

1. Faculty Artist performances. A consistent record of on-campus performance activities can be indicative of quality. These activities include, but are not limited to, solo recitals, chamber music concerts or other ensemble activity, choral or instrumental, which requires the significant involvement of the candidate, a substantial solo work with orchestra, a substantial opera role, and/or a concert or other production in which the candidate serves in the capacity of conductor or director. Faculty performances are subject to a high degree of visibility. Positive peer evaluation of this public work by colleagues who have attended these concerts may be indicative of quality.
2. Appointment, through audition, to the position of artistic director of a professionally managed, paid orchestra, chorus or opera company.
3. Invitations for ensembles regularly conducted by the candidate to perform at in- state conferences and/or professional ensembles.
4. Invitations to guest conduct at in-state educational festivals and/or professional ensembles.
5. Favorable reviews of performances and/or recordings in the local press may be indicative of quality.
6. Selection through audition for in-state artist fellowships or awards based on performance. The candidate will document the significance of the fellowship or award.
7. Selection, through audition, to become a member of a professionally-managed, paid orchestra.
8. Successful applications for competitive internally-funded performance projects or other creative musical ventures. Grants for research in the arts and humanities are highly competitive. When funding is obtained it is a significant achievement.
9. In-state radio and television broadcasts. Candidates will document the nature of the performance, such as soloist, member of a chamber ensemble or large ensemble, host, advertising, etc., as well as the significance of the broadcast.
10. Appearances as a guest artist with local and state school music organizations.
11. Successful applications for competitive internally funded research. Grants for research in the arts and humanities are highly competitive. When funding is obtained it is a significant achievement.
12. Papers given at state conferences.
13. Program notes written for local musical productions.
14. Reviews written about local musical productions.
15. Articles written for in-state professional music journals.
16. Any of the above activities pursued through community engagement and designed to benefit both faculty/university and the community.

II. TEACHING
National/International

1. Invitations to conduct master classes in applied music in other states.
2. The recruitment of talented students from outside the state. The candidate may document the quality of students in his/her studio. The candidate’s performing ability and teaching reputation are often key factors in attracting talented students, both from within the state and out-of-state/country. Activities demonstrating evidence of national exposure by students and former students (teaching positions, competitions, acceptance to highly competitive graduate schools, fellowships, assistantships). In music, instrumentalists and singers are often closely identified with their applied teachers. The successful activities of students and former students reflect positively on the candidate and the USC School of Music.
3. Publication of books or articles on teaching, including electronic publications and educational compact discs and other educational media.
4. Presentation of master classes, workshops and seminars outside the state.

Local/Regional

1. Effective recruitment, which may be reflected by the size and quality of the applied teacher’s studio.
2. Peer reviews of teaching effectiveness. These evaluations should be based on observation of the candidate’s teaching. Applied teachers may also be evaluated through peer observation of student performances in juries, recitals, and concerts.
3. Positive student ratings on appropriate unit-approved student evaluations.
4. Successful experimentation with innovative teaching techniques.
5. Successful direction of and involvement in undergraduate and graduate student research.
6. Consistent successful record of direction of undergraduate and graduate degree recitals.
7. A significant teaching award.
8. Self-published books, materials, and/or recordings.
9. Presentation of master classes, workshops and seminars.
10. Demonstrated commitment to student mentoring.
11. Demonstrated ability to attract talented undergraduate and graduate students to the School of Music.
12. Consistent and continued success of students after graduation, including acceptance to prestigious graduate schools, the awarding of fellowships/teaching assistantships to graduate schools, winning or placing in local, regional and national competitions, appointments to university and college faculties, and/or hiring by orchestras and opera companies.
13. Any of the above activities pursued through community engagement and designed to benefit both faculty/university and the community.

III. SERVICE
School of Music faculty are frequently involved in musical performance as a form of service. These activities require the same level of preparation and artistic commitment as a professional engagement.

National/International

1. Invitations to serve as an adjudicator for competitions, or as a clinician, conductor or guest artist for music education workshops and conferences in other states.
2. Serving as an officer in national or international professional organizations.
3. Serving as the editor or as an active member of an editorial board for national or international scholarly presses and professional journals.
4. Serving as an advisory board member for national or international music clinics or festivals.
5. Serving as a review board member for grant proposals.
6. Serving as a review board member for accreditation proposals.
7. Serving as an active participant in professional organizational meetings and activities on a national or international level.
8. Organizing out-of-state meetings, symposia, conferences, workshops, and concerts.
9. Reviewing of manuscripts for professional journals.
10. Serving as the editor of professional organization publications, newsletters, etc.
11. Serving as an external referee for presses, journals, tenure and promotion cases at other universities outside the state.
12. Working in schools outside of the region (pre-K through university) in service to practicing school music educators and their students.

Local/Regional

1. Adjudication at solo and ensemble festivals, All-State auditions, and at ensemble competitions for bands, choruses, and orchestras within the state.
2. Serving on School of Music committees, University committees, serving on Faculty Senate, any other involvement in faculty governance.
3. Serving as an officer in local/regional professional organizations.
4. Serving as an advisory board member for local/regional music clinics or festivals.
5. Serving as a review board member for grant proposals.
6. Serving as a review board member for accreditation proposals.
7. Serving as an active participant in professional organizational meetings and activities.
8. Organizing meetings, symposia, conferences, workshops, and concerts.
9. Serving as the editor of professional organization publications, newsletters, etc.
10. Serving as an external referee for presses, journals, tenure and promotion cases at other universities within the state. Working locally in schools (pre-K through university) in service to practicing school music educators and their students.
11. Any of the above activities pursued through community engagement and designed to benefit both faculty/university and the community.