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Mission Statement and Objectives email the dept. of performing arts email the music dept. email the theater dept.
UIC Department of Performing Arts |
The UIC Department of Performing Arts is committed to theatre and music as forms of artistic expression that have a crucial role to play in the cultural, intellectual, social, and political life of the community in which they exist and in the world as a whole. The department seeks to:
These commitments are affirmed by striving to develop artists and auditors who combine technical knowledge, cultural sensitivity, intellectual resourcefulness, and imaginative daring with a strong sense of independence, self-confidence, and an individual voice. Objectives:1) To provide quality education and training in theatre, music, and dance for students who are talented, intellectually astute and share the faculty's commitment to music and theatre as forms of artistic expression and as humanistic endeavors. This commitment takes place in the context of a general liberal arts education at both the undergraduate (theatre and music) and graduate (theatre) levels. This is in keeping with the standards of artistic and intellectual excellence set by UIC's commitment-to “the centrality of liberal arts education” in its undergraduate programs and “high-quality graduate and professional programs in selected areas, "and it builds upon UIC's mandate to "provide its undergraduates with an education that is both broad and deep so as to prepare them for responsible citizenship and to open intellectual and career opportunities that will challenge their abilities, and serve as the focal point for investigation of the challenges and problems facing the region, the state, and society at large, both now and in the future” (UIC Statement of Mission). 2) To facilitate the development of the intellectual, physical, emotional, and imaginative tools necessary to help launch a lifetime of continuous learning and growth in the performing arts. At the undergraduate level, this comprises both a broad liberal arts education and development in areas of survey, analysis, research, craft and execution deemed essential to continued study of the performing arts as forms of artistic expression and as humanistic endeavors. At the graduate level, it means students work closely with faculty members to enrich their craft or scholarship in their areas of focused inquiry. At all levels, it includes teaching students how to continue to learn and to recognize growth and development. It also includes encouraging students to strive for the very highest standards of excellence and creativity. 3) To educate and train artists to believe in themselves; to feel strong, independent, and self-confident because of the unique personal visions they possess of their role in the performing arts and of the role of the performing arts in life. At both the undergraduate and the graduate levels this includes encouraging students to take responsibility for their own education and to seek out artistic mentors and models. The significant attention given in the Department of Performing Arts to individual student-nurturing through mentoring and private tutorials, and to appropriate class size, allows for substantial individual attention to each student. Procedures are in place for both student-initiated independent projects and independent studies. Students are encouraged to propose projects and study topics that meet personal goals and needs. In all aspects of the program we encourage students to see themselves as creative individuals with something valuable to share. 4) For Theatre: to provide a firm grounding in the dramatic literature, theatrical traditions and movement vocabularies of the Western world, both classical and contemporary, while also providing exposure to non-Western dance and theatre, and to non-literary and imagistic approaches to theatre and dance. While recognizing that contemporary performance takes many exciting and challenging forms, we believe that the most effective education and training comes from solid, in-depth exploration of texts and performance practices within the Western canon. Such exploration is accompanied by exposure to and exploration of other forms and approaches in American cultures and in those cultures elsewhere which challenge or complement prevailing American practices and aesthetics. Intensive study of Western theatre and dance practices develops the kind of discipline and rigorous methods of inquiry essential to the development of exceptional performing artists in
5) For Music: For students who wish to pursue an in-depth study of the development of Western music, the Department provides a major that trains them in the theoretical components of music. These studies are supported by classes in basic musicianship in order to cultivate individual abilities at the piano and in aural skills and sight-singing. As students develop theoretical and applied skills, they are exposed to the history and literature of the Western canon from its earliest stages to the present, especially to masterworks of the last five centuries. Once students have acquired this background, they are provided an advanced curriculum which prepares them for active professional careers as teachers, composers, and performers, and for future study in graduate school or conservatory. Advanced students study counterpoint, analytic techniques, form and analysis, and elective courses in composition, conducting, and orchestration in ways that familiarize them with classical traditions as well as contemporary standards and practices. Electives are offered in jazz studies and other music cultures of the world for those who wish to explore non-European traditions. Advanced performers study privately on the instrument of their choice with master teachers and enjoy opportunities to perform publicly. For students, staff, alumni, and local community members who already possess substantial musical abilities, the Department provides challenging performance experience. This population participates in choral groups, jazz ensembles, and a concert band led by highly skilled conductors. Faculty also coach small ensembles so that students may engage in more personal expression and may experience the individual and team responsibilities required to produce chamber music. Qualified general students study privately with the Department's many applied instructors. UIC concerts are produced on campus, in various locations in the city of
6) To provide an enriching exposure to the challenges and possibilities of music and theatre to students from other disciplines exploring the Performing Arts as part of their general education. The UIC Department of Performing Arts programs enrich the educational and cultural life of the general student, the campus, and the greater
7) To construct and maintain curricular and performance programming which emphasizes process rather than product and art rather than career. Department of Performing Arts objectives serve as primary criteria in the nurturing, development, and sustaining of faculty and students, in curricular development and review, in resource allocation, and in selection of performance offerings. They also serve as primary criteria in establishing long-range planning and programmatic and curricular self evaluation. In both faculty and students, we seek and support individuals who share a keen sense of intellectual curiosity and who wish to explore the performing arts as both artistic and humanistic endeavors. In curricular development and artistic programming we encourage cross-pollination with other artistic forms of expression and relationships with other research or creative endeavors outside the Department. A faculty of productive artists and scholars maintains a vital role in the tic and intellectual life of the campus and the larger community. They contribute to local, national, and international culture and scholarship. They set professional examples for student and community by presenting original scholarship and research in non-classroom settings such as broadcasts, lectures, news media, and publications, and through live performances on and off campus. Their leadership attracts outstanding visiting artists, scholars, recitals, concerts, and theatre and dance productions to the campus. The faculty takes seriously its role as a cultural resource to the University and to other arts presenters at UIC and in the community. In the allocation of resources we seek to individualize education and training, to insure the possibility of mentor-to-student nurturing, and to sustain excellence in support staffs. We provide student contact with Chicago-based, national and international its whose careers illustrate a consistent commitment to the arts as communication and as humanistic endeavor. NOTE: Departmental objectives are developed and monitored by the Executive Committee of the Department in collaboration with its Chair and faculty. Departmental objectives serve as the central criteria in annual budget review, in the re-evaluation of job descriptions at the inauguration of searches for new faculty or staff, and in decisions regarding the allocation of human, financial, and physical resources. |
