Music

In Depth

The Music program offers coursework focused on music theory, analysis, and composition, performance, music history and repertory, and music careers. By senior year music majors have knowledge and experience of the theory and analysis of music, particularly but not exclusively the highly systematic genres of the West, familiarity with representative styles and repertory of European music from the Middle Ages through the present and characteristics of American and non-Western music, performance experience both on a primary instrument (or voice) and in ensembles in music of various styles, educated tastes and opinions about a wide range of musical repertory that they can express fluently in both oral and written forms, and skills specific to a variety of careers in music-related industries.

The Fine Arts Department The department sponsors the Chorale, Concert Band, Jazz Orchestra, String Orchestra, and West African Drummers. The Department also offers students the opportunity for private study for credit with a local teacher on a variety of musical instruments or in voice. The additional fee for private study under this program is partially subsidized for music majors and minors. For more information on precise fees and qualification for the subsidy please contact the Registrar’s office. Registration is done in person at the registrar’s office after the student secures an instructor during the regular registration period in the semester before the lessons take place.

Most courses meet in our beautiful McCarthy Arts Center, a stimulating creative space anchored by a professional-quality theater that is home to one of New England’s leading and longest-running summer-stock companies, the Saint Michael’s Playhouse. McCarthy also has a recital hall for music performance and an art gallery, along with spaces dedicated to classroom teaching, individual practice, group rehearsal.

Music majors are encouraged to explore double majors or major-minor combinations. Students preparing for careers in the music industry should complete the Business Administration Minor; those preparing for graduate work in music therapy should complete the Psychology Minor (including Abnormal Psych and Developmental Psych). Other students should complete a minor that complements their interest in music (e.g. Anthropology for research in ethnomusicology, Creative Writing for songwriting, Theatre for musical theatre performance, etc.)

Scholarship opportunities are available to incoming and returning students through the Fairbanks-Paulin and McCarthy Scholarship programs.

Special Opportunities

Vocal and Instrumental Instructors

Contact information for all music instructors is available from Prof. Lew and in the McCarthy Arts Center.

Careers

St. Mike’s Music graduates excel in a variety of careers. Many have continued with graduate studies in music therapy, music education, composition, church music, ethnomusicology, or music technology. They have attended graduate programs at the Universtity of Southern California, Columbia University, NYU, Catholic University of America, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Saint Andrew, the University of Illinois, and other top universities. Our graduates include folk performers who tour internationally, film composers, singer-songwriters, music teachers and professors, club managers, military musicians, music therapists, music company executives, and church musicians. Of course choosing the music major doesn’t mean you have to continue in a musical career. We also have graduates who are oral surgeons, radio journalists, pharmacists, accountants, businesspeople, and veterinarians.