Letter from Dr. Chan, Head of UPM Music Department

Dear colleagues and friends,

I am spreading information about the Music Program offered by UPM for STPM grads who are thinking of taking up music in local government universities. Kindly forward this mail to your colleagues, friends, music teachers and music schools around who might have contact with potential students. Kindly forward this message as soon as you can, preferably before 22 March 2008 so that potential students will have time to consider before the dealine of application to KPT. Thank you very much.

Regards, Chan

=========================================================================

To STPM graduates who are contemplating studying music in government university:

Before you fill in the application form, you must be wondering which university to choose as your first choice. It is important for you to know what kind of program each university is offering so that you will get to learn what you want to learn later. Below is a brief description about music program offered by Universiti Putra Malaysia.



INTRODUCTION TO UPM MUSIC PROGRAM

Bachelor of Music Program (Music Performance) offered in Universiti Putra Malaysia, under the Faculty of Human Ecology, focuses on music performance, with a coherent and comprehensive content of Western Classical music tradition, but with also exposure to popular, jazz, commercial and traditional music. Performance is the core of the program where every student would have to have a major study instrument where individual instrumental lesson is the main component throughout the course which will lead to a Final Solo Recital for graduation at the last semester.
Besides, students will have to take an orchestral instrument as their second study instrument. Students will have performance experience and training in various combination including solo, chamber, choir and orchestra.
The program also provides a strong and concentrated support courses to enhance the performance skills, which is known as performance support courses. Performance support courses are divided into 1) theory and composition courses, 2) analysis and interpretation courses and 3) history courses. Beside all the performance and related courses mentioned above, UPM's music program also include a number of 4) academic courses in music that prepare students to pursue Master degree in music in various fields like performance studies, music education, music therapy, ethnomusicology.

THE STRENGTH OF THE DEPARTMENT

The department is known for its vigorous training on solo performance and orchestra training. Facilities in the department includes a Steinway 9 foot grand, two Kawai grand pianos, 12 upright pianos, full Orchestra percussions, three double bass, three bassoons, three horns, and other orchestral instruments.
Miss Yeoh Pei Sze (violinist), who is also an examiner for Trinity Guildhall, and Dr Loo Fung Chiat (pianist) are leading the classical performance studies in the department. Students majoring in jazz and commercial music are also increasing under the tutelage of Dr Chan Cheong Jan (pianist, composer) and Mr Arif Yusof Zain (saxophonist), and also with our adjunct professor Ooi Eau Jin. Conductor of National Symphony Orchestra Mustafa Fuzer Nawi is training the department's orchestra, while Mr Ian Tan is instructing the department's choir.




TYPE OF COURSES

A. PERFORMANCE COURSES
First Study Instrument
Second Study Instrument
Solo Instrumental I, II, III and IV
Lecture Recital
Final Recital
Choir I, II, III
Orchestra I, II, III
Chamber music I, II

B. THEORY AND COMPOSITION COURSES
Musical language (Tonal Harmony)
Advance music language
Orchestration
Basic Composition

C. MUSICIANSHIP COURSES
Aural skill I (Solfege, ear training and keyboard harmony)
Aural skill II (Solfege, ear training and figured bass)
Basic Conducting Technique

D. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION COURSES
Performance practice
Repertoire studies
Analysis and interpretation

E. HISTORY COURSES
Musical awareness (Baroque until Classical)
Advanced music awareness (Romantic until Contemporary)

F. ACADEMIC COURSES IN MUSIC
Psychology and sociology of music
Music and child development
Introduction to music therapy

G. MUSIC TECHNOLOGY COURSES
Introduction to music technology
Audio system
MIDI and sequencing
Recording Technique
Electronic Music

H. OTHER COURSES
Jazz Appreciation
Jazz Improvisation
Music Industry

Further information please contact: chanupm@gamil.com or 0389467122 Dr Chan


--
CHAN Cheong-Jan
D.Lit (Doctor of Literature in Musicology-Osaka University)
Senior Lecturer (Music Education, Composition and Ethnomusicology)
Music Department,
Faculty of Human Ecology,
Universiti Putra Malaysia,
UPM Serdang, Selangor,
MALAYSIA
Poscode 43400
Fax 603-8656-1689 (Attn:Dr Chan)
Tel 603-8946-7132
Mobile 6017-871-2011