Music

Our curriculum and department strive to affirm the development of the whole student-intellectually, physically, emotionally, and ethically. This goal is learning-centered rather than teaching-centered. Thus, each student will:

demonstrate competency with fundamental musicianship skills, including sight-singing; solfège; rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic dictation

 demonstrate proficiency in Western music theory, including standard principles of voice leading and part writing in diatonic and chromatic harmony and contemporary idioms.

demonstrate an understanding of the major historical styles, epochs, and composers of Western music, from antiquity to the present

demonstrate growth as performers in both solo and ensemble situations

demonstrate an ability to improvise using a given set of parameters

demonstrate an understanding of the music from outside traditional Western studies and styles, and to draw connections to Western music

demonstrate an ability to write and speak intelligently about music

demonstrate an ability to synthesize various aspects of music study (theory, history, musicianship, performance) in both academic and performance venues, thereby demonstrating critical thinking and maturing into well-rounded performing musicians

develop the capacity to evolve into self-sufficient and life-long learners in musical studies