Majors & Minors
Music
Major, Minor
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
All students with a passion for music can find their niche at Union.
Music at Union is a rich and compelling amalgam of many things, including faculty who are practicing musicians and composers as well as dedicated teachers and scholars; diverse course offerings and ensembles; a creative and close-knit learning environment; and opportunities for collaboration and personal exploration.
The Department of Music's integrated curriculum explores music theory, composition, music history, jazz and world music, with theory courses taught by composers.
You will be encouraged to use your newly acquired theoretical knowledge in compositions of your own almost from the start. In addition to a full major and an interdepartmental major, students may pursue a minor, including one in World Musics and Cultures.
Most courses are open to the general student body, regardless of their major, and students may also enroll in private vocal and instrumentation instruction.
Other learning opportunities
Field trips to Tanglewood, Broadway, concert halls and other venues enhance classroom analysis and discussions. Students are also exposed to diverse perspectives through lectures, performances, recitals and workshops by visiting musicians. There are many faculty-led music groups eager for your participation, including jazz, choral and orchestral groups, a taiko ensemble, an early music ensemble, the Camerata Singers and several a cappella groups.
Union College and Community Chorale
Students of music also will find enriching learning opportunities abroad. The Union winter break mini-term on the Indonesian island of Bali features, among other things, daily group instruction with master performers in gamelan (Balinese orchestra of gongs and xylophones).
A sampling of courses
Elements of Music Theory
An introduction to the art of music for students already familiar with the basics of notation. A review of musical elements (intervals, triads, scales, durations) complemented by hands-on creative work in the Music Technology Studio.
Early Music Ensemble
Devoted to the study and performance of music from the Middle Ages through the early Viennese Era. Participants play on both modern instruments and reproductions, including the harpsichord. Emphasis is placed upon historical performance practices.
Music and Culture
Explore the relationship between music and culture, through live performance, discussion, video and audio, and workshops in a variety of world music areas. Students will consider how one conducts research on performing arts, culminating in a focused project on music-making in the community.
After Union
Graduates of our program have gone on to study at some of the nation’s leading music schools and secured jobs in the field as performers, conductors, composers, lyricists and educators.
Here is what some of our alumni have been up to:
- Audio engineer, Stwertka Publishing
- English language assistant, French Embassy
- M.A. candidate, John Hopkins University
- M.A. candidate in music business, NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development
- Pianist and composer, self-employed
