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COURSES OF STUDY
Music (MS) (MU) (MED)
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music,
Bachelor of Musical Arts,
Bachelor of Music Education
Jeff Kensmoe, Jacqueline Leary-Warsaw, Benjamin Posey, Lester Seigel,
David J. Smith
The Department of Music provides music education and training of
distinctive quality within a liberal arts context. Students study music for
a variety of reasons: as an enhancement to their liberal arts experience;
as preparation for a career in performance; as preparation for teaching;
or as preparation for graduate school. For all students, the department
offers private lessons and music ensembles as well as courses in music
appreciation and music theory. All lessons and courses offered by the
department are designed to help students increase their enjoyment of and
ability to create music. In the tradition of the professional music school,
the department provides a collegial environment among all students with
the intention of cultivating talent and challenging students musically and
intellectually.
The department offers four distinctive degrees, all of which provide
music majors with a program of strength and rigor: the Bachelor of Arts
with a concentration in performance; the Bachelor of Musical Arts, a music-
intensive degree that requires individualized study in another academic
area; the Bachelor of Music Education, with majors in vocal/choral music
and instrumental music education (both majors lead to K-12 teacher
certification); and the Bachelor of Music with a major in performance. The
department also offers a minor in music.
Students who seek a degree in music must audition in their principal
instrument and demonstrate sufficient competency to undertake college-
level work. Once accepted, students must achieve a proficiency level
appropriate for their degree and must advance towards that degree at a rate
acceptable to the music faculty. Following two years of study, a committee
of music faculty will interview students. The committee will advise students
concerning their degree plans and expectations.
Upon completion of the music major, students will be able to
•
hear, identify, and work with musical elements – rhythm, pitch,
harmony, structure, timbre, texture,
•
read and apply musical notation through performance,
•
recognize and articulate an understanding of compositional process
and musical style with reference to artists, technologies, events, and
cultural forces through the major periods of history,
•
use research tools and analysis to develop, defend judgments, and
write about music,
•
demonstrate a trajectory of continuing growth in applying skills and
musical performance,
•
apply particular pedagogical skills to teach others.
