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BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Birmingham-Southern College will begin offering
a Master of Music degree in fall 2002, with concentrations in piano,
organ, voice, and composition.
The 12-unit program is designed to be completed in four semesters,
or two years of study. It will be the college's only daytime
graduate program.
“We recognized a need for advanced training in music in these
four areas, not only from our current students in the undergraduate
program, but also from music professionals in the local community
who want to hone their performance or composition skills through
graduate study,” said Dr. Lester Seigel, chair of the college's
Division of Fine and Performing Arts.
“We want to offer graduate education in those areas where
we feel we are the strongest and where we feel we can offer high-quality
education and training, and we are doing that with graduate study
in piano, organ, voice, and composition.”
Seigel said that the graduate program in music will be a continuation
and intensification of the college's undergraduate program,
with the focus remaining on personal attention and small class size.
The graduate program also will expose students to performance opportunities
within the college community and the local Birmingham area; the
facilities and musical equipment of the Hill Music Building on campus;
various college ensembles such as the Concert Choir, the Opera Workshop,
and the in-residence Red Mountain Orchestra, which performs annually
with student winners of the Whittington Competition; and the Hugh
and Barbara Thomas Master Class Series, which each year brings up
to four eminent performers and teachers to campus.
Some qualified graduate students may receive teaching opportunities
through the college's Conservatory of Fine and Performing Arts;
be engaged as teachers in private lessons, musicianship, and theory
classes as an aid to their graduate education; and be offered classroom
teaching opportunities.
The college currently offers the Bachelor of Music (with majors
in church music, composition, music performance, or music history),
Bachelor of Music Education, and Bachelor of Arts in Music degrees.
In June 2001, the college's music program was reaccredited
by the National Association of Schools of Music Commission on Accreditation.
The music program at the college has been accredited by NASM since
1934.
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