BA-MUSC - Bachelor of Arts in Music
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Program Description
The Department of Music offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Music with concentrations in Music Business, Music Education, Music Performance, Popular Music, Sacred Music, and Worship Music and Production.
Music Business Concentration
Catawba students who have chosen the Music Business concentration as the focus for their Music majors pursue “behind the scenes” careers in the music industry. After graduating from Catawba College, music business majors are prepared to become music managers, agents, producers, promoters, or label executives.
Music majors who concentrate in Music Business take specialized business, marketing, and economics courses to develop acumen allowing them to excel in a competitive industry. Students learn alongside their classmates through Catawba’s innovative Artist Development Program (ADP) while also completing a professional internship centered on their specific interests in the concentration.
Music Education Concentration
The Music Education Concentration is for Music majors whose goal is to meet the music competency studies and experiences expected by the State of North Carolina for K-12 music teacher licensure, all while gaining a rich and well-rounded education in music.
The Catawba Music Education program features a unique “Cognate Area” design. In addition to the core requirements of the Music major and the concentration in Music Education, you can further customize your course of learning based on your desired career outcomes by choosing to declare one of the following:
Teaching
Conducting
Performance
Each of the Cognate Areas offers advanced-level study that all culminate in 30-minute Capstone (public forum) experiences prior to graduation: teaching a music lesson; conducting a concert; and a recital performance.
Music Performance Concentration
Music majors who concentrate in Music Performance want just that: a career centered on the pure performance of music. Whether you’re performing music for an audience, teaching students on a private level, or moving on to advanced Master’s or Doctoral studies, the Music Performance concentration is your first logical step.
When you major in Music with a concentration in Music Performance, you focus your studies in voice, a particular instrument, or both with the goal of developing as a performer. This B.A. Music degree program prepares you to become a professional musician after graduation, functioning both as practitioner and artist with technical competence, a broad knowledge of music, an understanding of and appreciation for the artistic process, and the foundational knowledge required to become a profitable performer.
Popular Music Concentration
Music majors pursuing the Popular Music concentration at Catawba College are prepared to establish successful careers as professional musical performers, songwriters, engineers, or producers in one or more of the many unique forms of contemporary pop music, including rock, alternative, country jazz, gospel, and urban genres.
Learn the true origins of popular music in the classroom, including the theory and history behind it. Then, explore its progression and evolution and what pop music means to you through advances in technology, cultural influences, and even personal participation in our pop a capella ensemble. One of the best advantages that the Music Department at Catawba College offers you as a musician is a safe, nurturing environment for you to develop your singular artistic voice.
Sacred Music Concentration
Music majors pursuing the Sacred Music concentration look forward to careers as church musicians functioning as performers, administrators, choral or instrumental directors, or as worship arts and music administrators. They may also focus their talents as worship recording artists, songwriters, or as professional worship music producers.
The concentration in Sacred Music acquaints gifted students who are music majors with the best methods and materials needed to implement a complete church music program upon graduation from the program. Choosing organ or voice as their primary performance medium, students craft a curriculum which most closely matches their interests and talents by participating in ensembles, completing career internships, and self-directing their own unique senior project. Since the Sacred Music concentration is very performance oriented, majors also give two recitals.
Music Business Concentration
Catawba students who have chosen the Music Business concentration as the focus for their Music majors pursue “behind the scenes” careers in the music industry. After graduating from Catawba College, music business majors are prepared to become music managers, agents, producers, promoters, or label executives.
Music majors who concentrate in Music Business take specialized business, marketing, and economics courses to develop acumen allowing them to excel in a competitive industry. Students learn alongside their classmates through Catawba’s innovative Artist Development Program (ADP) while also completing a professional internship centered on their specific interests in the concentration.
Music Education Concentration
The Music Education Concentration is for Music majors whose goal is to meet the music competency studies and experiences expected by the State of North Carolina for K-12 music teacher licensure, all while gaining a rich and well-rounded education in music.
The Catawba Music Education program features a unique “Cognate Area” design. In addition to the core requirements of the Music major and the concentration in Music Education, you can further customize your course of learning based on your desired career outcomes by choosing to declare one of the following:
Teaching
Conducting
Performance
Each of the Cognate Areas offers advanced-level study that all culminate in 30-minute Capstone (public forum) experiences prior to graduation: teaching a music lesson; conducting a concert; and a recital performance.
Music Performance Concentration
Music majors who concentrate in Music Performance want just that: a career centered on the pure performance of music. Whether you’re performing music for an audience, teaching students on a private level, or moving on to advanced Master’s or Doctoral studies, the Music Performance concentration is your first logical step.
When you major in Music with a concentration in Music Performance, you focus your studies in voice, a particular instrument, or both with the goal of developing as a performer. This B.A. Music degree program prepares you to become a professional musician after graduation, functioning both as practitioner and artist with technical competence, a broad knowledge of music, an understanding of and appreciation for the artistic process, and the foundational knowledge required to become a profitable performer.
Popular Music Concentration
Music majors pursuing the Popular Music concentration at Catawba College are prepared to establish successful careers as professional musical performers, songwriters, engineers, or producers in one or more of the many unique forms of contemporary pop music, including rock, alternative, country jazz, gospel, and urban genres.
Learn the true origins of popular music in the classroom, including the theory and history behind it. Then, explore its progression and evolution and what pop music means to you through advances in technology, cultural influences, and even personal participation in our pop a capella ensemble. One of the best advantages that the Music Department at Catawba College offers you as a musician is a safe, nurturing environment for you to develop your singular artistic voice.
Sacred Music Concentration
Music majors pursuing the Sacred Music concentration look forward to careers as church musicians functioning as performers, administrators, choral or instrumental directors, or as worship arts and music administrators. They may also focus their talents as worship recording artists, songwriters, or as professional worship music producers.
The concentration in Sacred Music acquaints gifted students who are music majors with the best methods and materials needed to implement a complete church music program upon graduation from the program. Choosing organ or voice as their primary performance medium, students craft a curriculum which most closely matches their interests and talents by participating in ensembles, completing career internships, and self-directing their own unique senior project. Since the Sacred Music concentration is very performance oriented, majors also give two recitals.
Degree Designation
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Program Level
Bachelors