Music Major

Darrell Brown	Director of Instrumental Music
Patrick Dill	Director of Choral Activities
Brett Keating	Marching Band Director
Joel Matthys	Assistant Professor of Music

The Music Program offers majors in music, music education and music therapy, as well as a minor in music.

Mission Statement and Program Goals

The music program at Carroll University seeks to provide instruction and high quality musical experiences to music majors and non-majors, and provide opportunities for Carroll and the larger community to experience high-caliber musical performances. We seek to develop graduates with exemplary musical skill and a strong body of knowledge suited to each individual’s musical and/or career interests through rigorous training in musicianship and theory, private instruction on individual instruments and voice, and a diversity of courses in various genres, styles, and approaches to professional music-making.

Music Department Goals

1. Foster conceptual understanding of musical components and processes
2. Provide opportunities for continued practice in creating, interpreting, presenting, analyzing, and evaluating music
3. Develop increased understanding of musical achievements from various analytical, historical, and cultural perspectives
4. Develop enhanced capacities to integrate musical knowledge and skills
5. Foster a set of capabilities for independent work in the music professions

Music Major

The music major offers both liberal arts and professional degrees as a preparation for a variety of careers, including music performance, music education, and business. For the performance emphasis, two one-hour recitals are required in successive years, usually during the junior and senior year. The liberal arts emphasis requires a half-hour recital in the final semester of study. A proficiency in piano must be passed by students with the performance emphasis or bachelor of music education degree. This competency should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Acceptance into the performance emphasis requires a special audition. Performance juries are required of all music majors and minors each semester.

Any student may be admitted to the music program with provisional status for the first year of study. Students with prior music theory training may take a music theory diagnostic examination to determine placement. At the end of the first year, all music students must pass an entrance audition for full music major status. Students undergo a portfolio review at the end of the sophomore year to discuss career goals and progress in the degree.

Learning Outcomes for Music

Students studying music will develop:

1. The ability to hear, identify, and work conceptually with the elements of music such as rhythm, melody, harmony, structure, timbre, and texture.
2. The ability to read, realize, and understand musical notation.
3. An understanding of compositional processes, aesthetic properties of style, and the ways these shape and are shaped by artistic and cultural forces.’
4. An acquaintance with a wide selection of musical literature, the principal eras, genres, and cultural sources.
5. The ability to develop and defend musical judgments.
6. The ability to perform appropriate undergraduate level music with proficiency alone and in ensemble settings.
7. Understanding of procedures for realizing a variety of musical styles.
8. Knowledge and/or skills in one or more areas of music beyond basic musicianship appropriate to the individual’s needs and interests.
9. Understanding of and experience in one or more art forms other than music.

Professional Degrees in Music

The Bachelor of Music in Music Education prepares students to a high level within the discipline of music, including performance, theory and history, and, at the same time, prepares future teachers for careers of distinction and leadership. The central philosophy of the degree is that music teachers can be most effective only by first becoming accomplished musicians themselves, capable of performing, conducting and analyzing at a sophisticated level.

Two half-hour recitals are required in successive years, usually during the junior and senior year. A voice competency is required of all instrumental music education majors. A proficiency in piano must be passed by all bachelor of music education majors. This competency should be completed by the end of the sophomore year.

There is no incoming freshman entrance audition at Carroll. We accept all students as provisional music majors for their first year of study. At the end of the first year, music majors audition for the faculty to be elevated to full music major status. At the end of the sophomore year, the music faculty meet with every student to discuss career goals and progress.

Transfer students must take a music theory placement examination before registering for music courses.

Students must meet all requirements of the secondary education minor including the required core (except EDU 100, EDU 209, EDU 265  EDU 353 , and EDU 304 ), all General Education courses required by the Education Department, and state licensing requirements of the Teacher Education Program (TEP).