The following factors play a role in the grading of private lessons:
effort/preparedness/attendance for weekly lessons
forum performance
jury performance
accomplishment/achievement relative to level/major
saxophone and departmental forum attendance
recital attendance
The grade A is not the default grade. Do not assume that because everything went "OK" in your lessons that you are entitled to an A.
As you progress upwards your grade will reflect not only your effort and progress, but what the faculty and I have determined to be acceptable skills and quantity of repertoire relative to your level and major. Thus it is possible, as in real life, to work hard, get positive feedback and encouragement, make progress, and still not get an A. The grade A is reserved for superlative accomplishment and mastery of the maximum skills expected at a given level.
B+ indicates above average achievement and progress.
B indicates average achievement and progress.
B-, C+, and C indicate fair to below average progress in need of improvement
and will trigger music scholarship probation.
A grade lower than C indicates substandard accomplishment and will trigger reassessment of major/curriculum.
Quantifiable skills include:
tone quality and intonation
technical skills mastered for weekly lessons
technical skill in performance
quantity of repertoire mastered
attendance at lessons/forums/recitals
Overall musicality/interpretation is less objective in terms of grading, but certainly will play a strong role in assessing level of performance.
Weekly lesson and forum performance grades are determined by the private teacher and count as two thirds of the final grade. The private teacher is responsible for making the student aware of his or her expectations for the semester.
Jury grades are determined by an average of the panel's individual grades. The jury grade counts as one third of the final grade.
Absences at saxophone forums, jazz forums and saxophone recitals above 4 (total) count one half-grade penalty per absence. This includes excused absences - plan accordingly.