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About the Music Program at Pitt State

An enriching experience 

Are you passionate about Music? You're in the right place! Our award-winning faculty — all accomplished musicians in their own right — fulfill the educational and cultural needs of our music students, the campus, area public schools, and the region.

We prepare students for elementary and secondary music teaching, for careers at the university level, and for performing professionally. We provide dynamic opportunities to achieve excellence in both the applied and academic music subjects across all degree programs.

Our performance spaces include an historic and architecturally beautiful small concert hall in McCray Hall, accoustically tuned spaces in the stunning $30 million Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, and the iconic field at picturesque Carnie Smith Stadium, home to Gorilla Football.

Whether you're on stage or in the audience, your experience here will be enriched by musical performances including concerts by large ensembles, chamber music groups, student and faculty recitals, opera productions, and the Solo and Chamber Music Series, which brings in interntionally acclaimed performers to an intimate concert hall.

Participate in:

  • clinics
  • master classes
  • workshops
  • instrument demonstrations
  • concerts
  • guest conducting
  • teacher consultation
  • pre-college applied lessons
  • music festivals for students from elementary schools through high school
  • the annual Jazz Festival
  • the annual Four State Honor Band
  • adjudication
  • program evaluation

We partner with public school teachers for our student teaching program, class observation, seminars, and for unique musical performance experiences on our campus and in their schools.

Mission

  • instruct and inspire those whose professional goals include the creation, performance, critical assessment, and teaching of music
  • offer courses to the general student body that will enhance their understanding and appreciation of all music
  • provide leadership at the campus and the region in the world of musical arts
  • provide transformative musical opportunities to the campus and the region, including individual and group study and performance for pre-college and college students, and continuing music learning and performance experiences for music educators
  • maintain and enhance our outreach, programming, and assistance to area public schools and other educational/professional organizations by acting as adjudicators, clinicians, guest conductors, and consultants
  • contribute to the enhancement of the cultural life of the university and the region through the performance and sponsorship of frequent and varied concerts and recitals

 

Bachelor of Music with Elective Studies in an Outside Field

Students will:

  1. Understand, apply, and integrate foundational concepts of musical study in theory, aural skills, history, composition, and improvisation.
  2. Demonstrate the ability to learn independently, make inquiries, think critically, discover solutions, and integrate knowledge into their academic, professional and musical areas of study.
  3. Develop and demonstrate effective communication skills, including artistic self-expression, with diverse audiences through multiple media.
  4. Acquire a basic understanding of diverse musical systems and traditions across the world, and develop a sensitivity to and awareness of cultural and societal differences, and their contribution to an interdependent global consciousness.
  5. Acquire a basic understanding of technology and professional skills, along with knowledge of specific technological developments within area of specialization.
  6. Perform music from a variety of different styles and time periods in solo and ensemble (large and chamber) settings at a level appropriate for the area of specialization, with sufficient technical and musical skills requisite for artistic self-expression.
  7. Utilize piano for personal music study and instruction.
  8. Demonstrate interdisciplinary attainment by completing the requirements for a minor in a discipline outside of music.
  9. Present a capstone project that reflects their academic and musical work. For this project, students will develop, organize, document, and present a project synthesizing their musical and interdisciplinary studies or perform a solo recital of at least 40 minutes in duration.

Program Guide (PDF)

Bachelor of Music in Music Performance

Students will:

  1. Demonstrate a level of performance to prepare themselves for professional performance opportunities and/or graduate study through a mastery of technical accuracy and musical expression on their instrument/voice.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the artistic elements of performance on their instrument/voice.
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the musical theoretical concepts associated with music.
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of the history of music and how their instrument/voice fits into the progression of musical history.
  5. Demonstrate the ability to offer instruction in their applied area by understanding the pedagogical and literature requirements of their instrument/voice.
  6. Develop an analytical, creative, and intuitive understanding of music as a cultural language.
  7. Demonstrate a knowledge of the representative repertoire of their instrument/voice in solo, chamber, and larger ensemble idioms.
  8. Demonstrate how to communicate musical ideas and concepts through their musical medium.
  9. Understand the societal impact of music and the ethical responsibility of a professional musician.
  10. Develop an awareness of health and safety issues, hazards, and procedures associated with practice and performance.

Program Guide (PDF)

Bachelor of Music in Music Education

Students will:

  1. read and write music.
  2. create, arrange, and improvise music.
  3. integrate technology to facilitate music reading and writing.
  4. examine the organization of sound in musical forms through listening to, analyzing, describing, and performing music.
  5. demonstrate pedagogical skills in planning, delivering instruction, and assessment for vocal, instrumental, and general music ensembles and classes.
  6. demonstrate skills in selecting, analyzing, interpreting, presenting, and evaluating music and music performance within the context of music education.
  7. examine the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects of music education.
  8. select, design, and apply assessment strategies that evaluate musical knowledge and skills.
  9. demonstrate appropriate professional, ethical, and administrative responsibility.
  10. articulate the unique musical contributions of cultural diversity.

Program Guide (PDF)

Master of Music

Students will:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of advanced theoretical concepts in music.
  2. Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the history of music.
  3. Demonstrate a high level of musicianship and application of analytical skills through applied study in their area of concentration, if majoring in performance or conducting.
  4. Further refine research and writing skills through the preparation of their final written document or thesis.
  5. Further develop an awareness of health and safety issues, hazards, and procedures associated with practice and performance.

Master of Music in Conducting Program Guide (PDF)

Master of Music in Music Education Program Guide (PDF)

Master of Music in Performance (PDF)