The music education concentration prepares students to teach music in elementary, middle, and high schools. The department is vitally concerned with providing quality experiences to prepare future music educators. A broad spectrum of course offerings provides opportunities to learn all aspects of music education. Following graduation with a Bachelor of Arts in music education, students may be eligible to enter a professional preparation program leading to a music teaching credential. Students in the music education concentration receive instruction in all instrumental areas, keyboard, and voice. They may choose from a wide variety of performance organizations - wind ensemble, choir, symphony, madrigals, chamber ensembles, opera workshop, jazz band, chorale, vocal jazz ensemble, and jazz combos. The high quality of these ensembles allows students to perform the finest of musical literature from a wide variety of historical eras and musical styles, while observing a conductor’s effective rehearsal techniques that are vital for success as a teacher.
Entrance into the music education concentration involves four steps. Students must:
- Complete an application, including questionnaire, available from the Music Department office.
- Audition demonstrating performance skills on the student’s primary instrument or voice.
- Interview before a panel of faculty and local practitioners.
- have their transcript evaluated by the Coordinator of Music Education. Courses are assigned based on the results of this evaluation regardless of courses completed at other institutions.