Overview
Alex Bádue
Charlotte Botha
Heather Buchman, chair (on leave spring 2025)
Ryan Carter
Gabe Condon
Lydia Hamessley
Special Appointments
Piano
Stephen Best, organ and keyboard skills
Elena Nezhdanova
Rick Montalbano, jazz piano
Sar-Shalom Strong
Tina Toglia
Voice
Renee Heitmann
Kay Smith Paulsen
Sharon West
Strings
Rick Balestra, jazz guitar
Susan Beevers, cello
Karlinda Caldicott, harp
Adam Dudding, folk guitar
Ken Meyer, classical guitar
Spencer Phillips, double bass
Edgar Tumajyan, violin and viola
Ubaldo Valli, violin and viola
Jessica W.H. Wilbee, harp
Woodwinds
Cornelia Brewster, flute
Joe Carello, saxophone
Allan Kolsky, clarinet
Jessica King, bassoon
Katherine Martins, oboe
Monk Rowe, saxophone
Brass
Jon Garland, horn
John Raschella, trumpet
Percussion
Mike Cirmo, percussion
Tom McGrath, drums
The goal of the Music Department is to enable a broad range of students to explore a wide variety of musical experiences and practices. Supported by their development of musicianship and technical skills, concentrators will acquire a more sophisticated understanding of music in historical and cultural contexts, theory and composition, and performance, while pursuing one of these areas in greater depth.
Students Will Learn to:
- Demonstrate active listening skills from among a wide variety of musical experiences and practices
- Make links between various musical styles and their historical and cultural contexts
- Demonstrate proficiency in various theories of music
- Display skills in making music through performance, composition, recording, or production
A concentration in music comprises 10 courses: MUSIC-220, MUSIC-221, MUSIC-210 or MUSIC-211, MUSIC-214 or MUSIC-254 or MUSIC-259 or MUSIC-260, MUSIC-310, the Senior Project (MUSIC-452), and
- MUSIC-100 and three full-credit electives at the 200-level or above (including at least one at the 300-level), or
- four full-credit electives at the 200-level or above (including at least one at the 300-level)
Concentrators must also pass proficiency exams in aural and keyboard skills, and demonstrate basic skills in music technology. They are also expected to participate in department ensembles in each semester. Students who need to prepare for the proficiency exams should consider taking MUSIC-180 and MUSIC-181.
At most, one course that counts toward completing requirements for the major can be taken credit/no credit, and only if it is taken before the concentration is declared.
Music concentrators will meet the Social, Structural, and Institutional Hierarchies requirement by completing either MUSIC-214 (Black Voices in Song), MUSIC-254 (Studies in World Music), MUSIC-259 (History of Jazz Since the 1950s), or MUSIC-260 (History of Jazz to the 1950s). Additionally, the department addresses and reinforces issues of gender, race, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation in many courses throughout its curriculum in the classroom, the studio, and its performing ensembles.
A more complete description of the Senior Project, the music technology requirement, and information about proficiency exams in aural skills and keyboard skills are available from the department. Students contemplating graduate work in music should consult with a member of the department at an early date. Department honors can be earned by students who have at least a 3.5 average in their coursework that counts toward the concentration as well as through distinguished achievement in MUSIC-550-MUSIC-551 (Honors Senior Project I-II).
A minor in music comprises five courses: one theory course (MUSIC-110,MUSIC-210, or MUSIC-211) and four others from among these possibilities:
- MUSIC-100
- one course credit in group performance, applied music, or solo performance
- full-credit courses at the 200-level or above
At most, one course for the minor can be taken credit/no credit, and only if it is taken before the minor is declared.