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Policies and Petitions

From academic expectations to building access to instrument rentals and petitions, these policies and resources are here to help you navigate the Faculty of Music. Whether you're preparing for a performance or planning your course path, you'll find the tools and information you need to stay on track and make informed decisions. 

Faculty of Music Policies

  • Academic Policies: Key academic policies cover attendance, lesson cancellations, accompanying time, auditions and concert participation. 
  • Advertising Policies: Guidelines for promoting events through digital screens and posters – what's eligible, how to design and where to submit. 
  • Building Policies: Guidelines on building access, room bookings, locker use and respectful space sharing. 
  • Piano Policies: Guidelines for using Faculty of Music performance pianos, including rules for care, prepared piano use and access to practice instruments. 

Academic Resources

  • Keyboard Facility Requirements: All BMus students (except piano majors) must meet Laurier's keyboard proficiency standard by year 3 through an RCM certificate, placement exame or optional workshop. 
  • Academic Petitions: If you believe a university rule has been unfairly applied or you’ve faced serious extenuating circumstances, you may submit a petition for academic consideration.
  • Exam Deferrals: Process to request a deferred exam for serious, documentable circumstances such as illness, religious observance or family emergencies. 

Additional Undergraduate Policies

Regulations governing all Music programs can be found on the academic calendar, including:

  • Temporary withdrawal
  • Ensemble policy
  • Policy on credit for outside ensemble
  • Studio policy regarding progression from half hour lessons progression
  • Policy concerning academic probation/program withdrawal/re-audition
  • Post-Degree regulation
  • Aegrotat standing policy

Instrument Rentals

Instruments for Instrumental Techniques Courses

In most cases, students should rent instruments required for technique classes directly from Long & McQuade. 

  • Rental of instruments may cost between $25 and $300 per six-week period, per instrument.
  • If you have your own instrument and it is satisfactory to the instructor, you may use it instead of renting one.
  • You must have an instrument for the first class.

Use of Faculty Instruments

Students may, in discussion with their studio instructor or as assigned by an ensemble director, use an instrument owned by the Faculty of Music.

  • In such cases, students will be charged a rental fee of $50 per term (fall, winter, spring).
  • If the instrument is returned damaged beyond normal wear and tear, a repair fee of $500 will be charged in lieu of putting down a damage deposit ahead of time.

If you are assigned a faculty-owned instrument, email musicdesk@wlu.ca or visit office M5008.

Music Resources

Supplies and Books

The Faculty of Music cannot supply students with office supplies; however, you can visit The Hawk Shop where you can find: 

  • Texts, score paper, and stationery supplies.
  • Lists of required books for courses.

Photocopying

Due to copyright regulations, students are not permitted to bring photocopied music to performances or juries. Students are permitted to make one photocopy of a piece for their personal use.

Students may use their OneCard with most campus photocopiers. The Faculty of Music’s photocopier is not available for student use and staff will not copy music for you. Photocopying services are available in The Hub. 

Waterloo Campus Library and Music Ensemble Collection

The Library's music librarian Greg Sennema is available to help you navigate the Library's collections and resources, and to assist you in your research.

Library: 4th Floor

All musical scores and music for one to three performers are located on the fourth floor of the Library, which is also the location of the Music Ensemble Collection.

  • Acquaint yourself with the different categories of scores that are located on the stacks.
    • Scores are arranged by medium (string quartets, songs, symphonies). 
    • Collections include the complete works of selected composers (e.g. Chopin, Wagner, Bach, Haydn, Palestrina, Schoenberg, etc.).
    • Growing selection of Canadian and BIPOC composers (e.g., Violet Archer, Tania León, Scott Joplin, etc.).
    • Books on harmony, theory, performance, composers, etc.
  • The Library's collection of audio recordings, whether on CD or through a streaming service such as Naxos, are all findable through an Omni search.

Helpful links:

Music Ensemble Collection

Ensemble members (Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, choirs, etc.) will be assigned a specific part by their conductor and it will be the ensemble member’s responsibility to sign out the music from the Music Ensemble Collection and return it on time.

  • These parts will be available at the circulation desk on the second (main) floor of the Library.
  • When signing out parts, specify to the librarian which part you will be signing out for each piece (e.g., “I’d like to sign out the Flute 1 part for Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, Flute 2 for Sleigh Ride, and piccolo for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5”).
  • You may not sign out a part on behalf of another student.