The music department offers a challenging and enriching curriculum for music majors, minors and students wishing to pursue music as an avocation. Music majors prepare themselves for one of a variety of careers in performance, education, music industry, or graduate school. Saint Mary’s University offers majors in music performance (all wind instruments, keyboard and composition), music education (K–12 Classroom and Vocal or K–12 Classroom and Instrumental), music industry, either music business or music technology, and music. A popular option for students is to complete the bachelor’s degree with a major in either music or music performance and continuing at Saint Mary’s in the Master of Arts in Instruction program; in a total of five years and one summer session qualified students, once certified, have a master’s degree and Minnesota teaching licensure.

General Department Goals

• Music degree programs develop the skills required for success in any of several career paths.
• Musical study provides students with opportunities to develop and enrich their personal and spiritual lives, explore the connection of music to various cultures and historical periods, and develop the basis for life-long participation in the arts.
• Music majors who complete graduation requirements from the Saint Mary’s Music Department will demonstrate knowledge of music history, including western music, world music and contemporary musical styles.
• Music majors will demonstrate analytical skills in the areas of music theory and aural skills, analysis of music from all historical periods, and will develop skills and understanding in conducting, arranging, improvisation and technology.
• Music majors will demonstrate performance skills appropriate to their major with their primary instrument or voice, as well as piano skills appropriate to their major emphasis.

The music faculty are active professionals and nurturing mentors for students. Faculty members and students present an ambitious calendar of recitals and concerts each year. Please see the course descriptions for complete listings of student ensembles, all of which perform on a regular basis, many of which tour regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Students anticipating majoring in music should take music fundamentals, applied lessons, ensembles, and experiencing music during their freshman year. Music performance and music education majors should take piano class and/or piano lessons until they are able to pass the required piano proficiency examination, normally taken during the Junior year. Many courses are offered in a rotating biennial schedule; students are responsible for completing required courses when they are offered.

Students are officially admitted to majors within the music department on the basis of an audition and are expected to successfully complete a comprehensive sophomore review (MU299), which includes a portfolio assessment, essays, interview, and juried performance examination.

Why Saint Mary's

• Our students benefit from small class sizes and personal attention from faculty and staff.
• Faculty have work experience in the areas that they teach and spend summers participating in research and furthering their scholarly knowledge.
• Students have the opportunity to participate various vocal and instrumental ensembles, which perform on campus, across the country, and internationally.
• We offer a Music Industry degree in the context of a liberal arts education, a rare combination that allows for both a specialized skill set and a well-rounded education.
• All majors have a strong international component required or available, allowing our students to gain global perspectives.
• The Saint Mary’s Alumni Association works hard to maintain relationships with our graduates.

Internships

Saint Mary's University has been sending students off campus for internships since the music department was established in the early 1970's. At that time, most of the interships were at local retail stores. Now, our music business and music technology students have been branching out to sites at far reaching locations. For example, we've had music business and music technology internships in St. Louis, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Mankato and Owatonna, MN in the last five years. Saint Mary's University music business majors are required to do at least a six credit internship off campus as part of their program. Music technology majors are required to do at least 3 credits of field study. Many of the music technology students at SMU earn additional off campus credits by working with professionals off campus. Most often, students find their own internship sites with the guidance of our office of off campus learning and the faculty members in the music industry program.

Scholarships

In addition to a variety of Academic Scholarships offered by Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, the Department of Music offers talent-based scholarships. Music scholarships are available for both majors and non majors, average around $1000 and are renewable yearly. These awards are given based on performing ability and music interest. Though you don’t need to be a music major to qualify for an award, you must participate in music activities at Saint Mary's (ensembles, lessons, etc.).

The Saint Cecilia Music Scholarships auditions also serve as the required audition to the music major for those students desiring to declare a major in music, eliminating the need for a separate audition to the major for those who participate. However, again, a major in music is not required to be eligible for St. Cecilia awards.

For more information or to apply, please visit the Music Departmental Homepage.

Accreditation

The Music Department is an accredited institutional member of National Association of Schools of Music.

For more information contact

Ned Kirk, D.M.A., Chair
Music Department
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
700 Terrace Heights #1460
Winona, MN 55987-1399
(800) 635-5987, Ext. 1513
nkirk@smumn.edu