Chamber Music MUS-F 450 and MUS-F 550: Frequently Asked Questions
Q. I am participating in a group to help out my friends. I don't need credit for this ensemble to fulfill any degree requirements. Do I still need to enroll?
A. Yes, all members of all groups must be enrolled in MUS-F 450 (Undergrads) or MUS-F 550 (Graduates). Please keep in mind that graduate students have the option to enroll in the course for zero credit hours (if their degree program allows it), but at least 50% of the members of each group must be enrolled for one credit hour.
Q. Somebody in my chamber group is not enrolled. What does this mean for the rest of us?
A. All members of all groups must be enrolled in one section of MUS-F 450/550 for each group they participate in. If anybody in your group is not enrolled (or is not making up an incomplete from a previous semester) all members of your group will receive incompletes, regardless of whether or not you met the other requirements for the semester. Make sure everybody in your group is enrolled!
Q. I'm in two chamber groups this semester. Do I need to enroll twice?
A. Yes. You need to enroll in one section of MUS-F 450/550 for each group you participate in.
Q. I'm in three chamber groups this semester. Do I need to enroll three times?
A. Yes. You also need to have permission from Professor Ganatra to participate in more than two groups.
Q. I'd like to participate in four groups this semester. Is that OK?
A. No. The absolute limit is three groups.
Q. I am an undergraduate student, and I'm already at my 20 credit hour limit. I'd like to participate in another chamber group but I don't want to go over my limit. What can I do?
A. Some undergraduate students can reduce the number of hours they're enrolled in private lessons in order to make room for another section of chamber music. Check with the advisors in the Music Undergraduate Office.
Q. I am a graduate student, and I don't need credit for chamber music to graduate. Do I really have to enroll in the course to participate?
A. Yes. ALL members of all groups must be enrolled in MUS-F 450/550. As a graduate student, though, you have the option of enrolling in the course for ZERO credit hours. This means you won't be charged any tuition for the course, but will only have to pay a fee to the registrar to enroll.
Q. How many chamber groups may I participate in?
A. Please limit yourself to two (and enroll in the course once for each ensemble!). If you feel that you absolutely must participate in a third group, you will need to get explicit permission from Prof. Ganatra to do so.
Q. I have an incomplete grade in MUS-F 450/550 from a previous semester. Do I need to enroll in the course this semester to make up my grade?
A. No. If you're participating in a chamber group this semester to make up for a previous semester's Incomplete, please indicate it on the group sign-up form when your group is formed. You should not enroll in the course for this ensemble. (But if you are also participating in any other ensembles, you will need to enroll in the course for those).
Q. I'm a graduate student and I enrolled in MUS-F 550 for zero hours. I thought this meant the class was free, but now my bursar bill shows I owe $18. What's going on?
A. The $18 fee is charged by the Indiana University Registrar for their record keeping and maintenance of your grades for this course, even though it doesn't cost any tuition. We cannot waive this fee, and the Registrar won't either. The $18 fee applies to any zero-hour course at IU.
Q. Everybody in our chamber group is enrolled, but we just received an email saying that fewer than half of us are enrolled for credit. What exactly does this mean?
A. All members of all groups must be enrolled in MUS-F 450/550. Graduate students have the option to enroll for zero credit hours, but at least half the group must be enrolled for more than zero hours. Example: a brass quintet with two undergraduates and three graduates might have all five members enrolled in the course, but only the two undergraduates are paying for it. One of the graduate students will have to switch from zero hours to one hour. It's up to you and your group to decide who has to pay.
Q. I understand that everybody in my group has to be enrolled, but I don't understand why more than half have to be enrolled for one hour. What is this rule for?
A. As an ensemble working with a Jacobs School of Music faculty member, you are benefitting from our world class faculty. Those faculty members have to be paid. Their salaries come from the tuition you pay.
Q. I want/need to be in chamber music this semester, but I don't have a group. Can I just be assigned to a group?
A. No. It is your responsibility to put together your chamber group, and in the end, a group that you put together will be more successful than one you're assigned to. If you still have not managed to form a group by the third week of the semester, you should drop the course to avoid earning anincomplete, which you would have to make up in a future semester. If you are a Facebook user, join the group "Chamber Music at Jacobs" to help you find potential group members. Remember to check regularly to see if there are other people who may be able to include you in their group. Another way to find a group is by talking with fellow students and discussing the possibility of forming a group together. There are usually over 300 students enrolled in either F450/550, so there is a large pool of people to ask. Try asking at orchestra rehearsals, Clouse's Lounge, the second floor lounge, or any place where students gather.
Q. What if I can't find a chamber group before the deadline?
A. You should drop the course immediately to avoid an Incomplete grade, which will have to be made up in a future semester. The exception to this rule is Performer Diploma students who must be enrolled in Chamber Music every semester. PD students need to make an extra effort to ensure that they're properly signed up and enrolled in chamber music.