New Student Information

You will attend Towering Traditions, Belmont’s Summer Orientation program in June or August (and in January before classes begin for Spring entry). It's VERY important that you attend Towering Traditions. During this orientation event, you'll get to know new and returning Belmont students and Belmont faculty, become better acquainted with campus and academic life, learn more about what it means to major in music, and meet with a music advisor.

Before Towering Traditions

Before Towering Traditions, you will be contacted by the School of Music to take your online Music Theory placement test. If you place into a level higher than Fundamentals, then you may also take an Aural Skills placement test when you come to Towering Traditions. Also at Towering Traditions, you will take a piano placement test (if you aren’t a piano major). Visit the Placement Test & Review page for more information about the placement tests and how to prepare for them.

If you are a transfer student or have a few college classes you want to transfer to Belmont, send us a transcript as soon as you have finished those classes. Please be sure that your final grades are listed on those transcripts. The Director of the School of Music will evaluate the music classes on your transcript before you come to orientation. You will also take the Music Theory and Secondary Piano placement tests like all incoming music students so that you can be placed in the right level of theory and piano. (Transfer students who have successfully completed four semesters of music theory and piano should contact the Director of the School of Music regarding whether or not they should take placement tests.)

Commercial Music majors will be contacted before orientation to choose an emphasis within the Commercial Music program. Click here for more information about the emphasis areas.

The AP Music Theory Test score of level 4 or 5 is accepted as credit. During summer orientation, you will still take a placement test to determine placement into a level of Theory. The placement test will determine if the AP credit will count as credit toward your major/minor in music at Belmont or will be elective credit.

During Towering Traditions

During Towering Traditions, not only will you have many orientation meetings, but you will also be advised and will register for your classes. Since music lessons are a part of your schedule, you will be assigned a private instructor in your applied area. You will receive an email with your applied instructor and his or her contact information before the first week of classes. It is your responsibility to contact your teacher to set up a lesson time that fits around your class schedule and the teacher's schedule.

A typical fall semester schedule for an incoming freshman includes:

• Private lessons in your applied principal area (voice, keyboard, or instrument),
• Music Theory
• Aural Skills
• Private lessons or classes in your applied secondary area (usually piano)
• An ensemble
• First Year Seminar and First Year Writing
• A Wellness course

Be sure to read through our New Student FAQs to know what to plan for as a Music Major.