FAQ
The three summers I spent at InterMuse brought results. My students are more musically literate and they sing from the heart.
—Ben Peterson
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have not attended InterMuse or Kodály certification courses before, register for Level I. If you have taken courses at other Kodály-certified schools, you can register for the next level up. BYU's program is a three-summer commitment. You can only take one level per summer.
You will receive the book list in your classes on the first day. You can purchase the books at the BYU Bookstore that day. They are not sold in advance because people not registered for the program often purchase them off the shelves if they are put out early. Approximate cost is $75-$100.
No official activities are planned, but often visiting students get together to go to the Tabernacle Choir broadcast or to other events being held in town or in Salt Lake City. A list of events will be in your registration check-in packet.
The dress code is casual, with most female students wearing slacks or skirts and blouses. Men usually wear casual to business casual attire. Shorts, if worn, must be knee length—no sleeveless attire, please. Concert dress is appropriate for the final concert on Friday, June 24.
After final registration and required course work are completed, grades will be posted(entered on transcripts) in late August. An official transcript may be requested from the BYU Records Office. Go to registrar.byu.edu then click on records. Cost is $5 for a certified electronic pdf copy or $6 for a hard copy.
BYU Records Office, B-150 ASB
Provo, UT 84602
Phone: 801-422-2631
Fax: 801-422-0613
It is your responsibility to keep your records at BYU updated with respect to name and address changes. If you have changed your name within the last year, please update your records.
A final banquet will be held on the last Friday evening after the concert. The cost is included in the workshop tuition. You may bring guests to this event by paying $15 for each additional dinner ticket. Tickets may be obtained upon registration or until Sunday, June 5. Please inform us if you have special dietary needs.
A complete list of eating areas will be included in your packet, which you will receive at registration check-in on Monday morning, June 13.
We read every submission and will implement those ideas that would improve the academy and are feasible. Be sure to complete the online survey evaluation that will be emailed to you at the end of the academy.
Please put your request in writing and send it to InterMuse Refunds, 253 Harman Continuing Education Building, Provo, UT 84602, or fax a letter to 801-812-8491. Make sure you state your name and what options you selected. After the deadline, each situation will be considered individually, depending on the case and the reason for the refund request.
InterMuse is an academy. Academies are considerably more rigorous and in-depth than workshops and conference sessions. As an academy, InterMuse provides intensive graduate-level coursework for a nationally recognized certification requiring passing three levels of musicianship, pedagogy, and musical content. These levels are completed in three separate summers of study. Each level is worth 3 graduate credits, leading to a cumulative total of 9 and Kodály music education certification endorsed by the Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE). This certification is recognized as the beginning point for advanced studies in any number of aspects of the Kodály Concept for Music Education, which was recently placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its merits as one of the “best practices for preservation of culture” and one of “those models of teaching . . . worthy of use on an international scale . . .”
We have the challenge of obtaining 3 graduate credits worth of passing grades in a two-week span of time. Please know that the coursework will be intense as we have much to accomplish in a very short amount of time. Plan on at least 2–3 hours of homework each evening in addition to the daytime classes.
Because this is a nationally endorsed certification course, there are required classes and seat hours for each level. The basic coursework is set by OAKE, but something unique to the InterMuse Academy is that you may also choose a specialty track. In some cases, you may be able to choose more than one specialty track in a given summer. However, you are still expected to complete all three levels for one of those. (Please refer to the specialty track options when you register).
It is strongly suggested that you register for credit because:
- The tuition cost is the same for credit or non-credit;
- The homework load and class assignments are the same either way. In other words, even those taking InterMuse for non-credit will be required to do the same amount of work in order to complete certification requirements;
- Many who have taken InterMuse for non-credit later wished they had applied for credit because university graduate credit usually leads to higher pay in most school districts. If you are putting in the same amount of work anyway, why not let it help you qualify for higher pay either now or in the future?
Certification and graduation are based on seat-time plus teacher-assessed evidence of growth and development. You will be required to attend all classes each day, as well as the final concert. Please do not schedule vacation days or ask for exceptions during the two weeks of InterMuse. Please also make every effort to be on time, as attendance will be taken in each class. The ability to complete certification requirements and graduate may be compromised if you miss classes.
The Refresher Course allows InterMuse graduates to return and audit classes for a much-reduced price. You can customize your study by focusing on aspects you wish to strengthen and improve. Some past Refresher Course participants have attended all three musicianship levels while others have pursued all three pedagogy levels; still others have chosen to do a mixture of them. Homework, actual class participation, and all chamber choir rehearsals plus the final concert are required; however, tests are not.
USOE (Utah State Office of Education) credit is only available for Refresher Course students. The amount of credit you receive will depend on the total number of in-seat hours. You must apply separately for it according to USOE guidelines.
Yes for Level III. It is optional for Levels I and II.
Please save your back:
You will be receiving large amounts of musical study and teaching materials every day. Much of it will be useable in your own studio or classroom teaching. Happy day for teaching, however, not so easy on the back! Most participants find it helpful to have a backpack or wheeled suitcase for transporting materials from class to class.
A Water bottle for keeping hydrated and protecting your voice.
An A440 Tuning Fork is required for all classes at all times but may be purchased at the bookstore if you don’t already have one.
