Music

Department Chair - Timothy P. Farrell
Professor - Linda S. Mack and Mark A. Walters
Associate Professors - Lisa Campi, Timothy P. Farrell, and Katherine D. Jetter

Program Mission and Goals

The Fort Lewis College Music Department is committed to the philosophy that the arts enrich both the human mind and spirit, and the faculty are dedicated to fostering artistic and intellectual development throughout the campus and surrounding communities. Through programs that both challenge and nurture, the Music Department attempts to meet the following goals:

Provide an opportunity for all the students of this liberal arts institution to develop a better understanding of the musical arts;
Provide training in music leading to its associated careers;
Provide artistic leadership and musical performances for the enrichment of the cultural aspects of the College and community.

The Music Department has also established the following objectives:

In general education, the Music Department should serve a large portion of the student population both in courses which require previous musical experience and in courses designed for the neophyte.
Graduating seniors with majors in music should
1. demonstrate an understanding of the formal, harmonic, and melodic structure of standard musical literature;
2. demonstrate performance competency in at least one area of applied music;
3. demonstrate practical knowledge of keyboard skills;
4. demonstrate an understanding of music in its historical and cultural contexts; and,
5. where applicable (Music Education option), meet qualification requirements for certification by the Colorado Department of Education.
Musical performances should offer a wide variety of literature and styles in live concerts by both student and professional musicians. The College and community should both be actively involved in these programs.

College-Wide Goals that the Music Department’s Goals Address

The Music Department’s goals are aligned with two of the College’s four general education goals to be assessed:

Goals 1 and 3 and objectives 1, 2a, and 2d correspond to College-wide goal, “Learning as Inquiry.”
Goal 2 and objectives 2b, 2c, 2e, and 3 correspond to the College-wide goal, “Responsible Action.”

In today’s complex society, the need persists for the educated person to be aware of the important role played by the arts. The Fort Lewis College Music Department, an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music, provides an opportunity for all students to be actively involved in the expansion of their understanding of music. The discipline and sensitivity developed by the study of music provides an excellent background for many and varied careers. The Music Department awards both majors and a minor in music.

For the student interested in majoring in music, the department offers a comprehensive curriculum. There are five different courses of study (options), each leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music: General Music Studies, Jazz Studies, Music Business, Music Performance, and Music K-12 Teaching option. The only double majors available are in Music K-12 Teaching option with Jazz Studies or Music Business.

All students majoring in music will be required to pass an entrance audition and theory placement exam. Music majors must also successfully pass an individual performance exam during the semester they are enrolled in MU 229 (Theory and Musicianship IV). This is a juried exam occurring within the student’s Applied Music course that term. Most often this will occur during the second semester of the sophomore year.

Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Music:

All music majors must satisfy the following Special Departmental Requirements as well as the listed Common Requirements.

Special Departmental Requirements:

Piano Proficiency Requirements:
All music majors must satisfy a piano proficiency requirement before taking Mu 349 Conducting I or Mu 423 Orchestration. The requirement includes sight reading, harmonization of a simple melody, and demonstrated ability to perform easier piano compositions (such as Clementi: “Sonatina Op. 36 #1;” Bach: “Two Part Invention”). Students with adequate skills may petition to take the examination and may receive credit for the appropriate courses. (See Credit by Examination ) Those with less background must take a piano placement test and, in their freshman year, enroll in the proper course in the Piano class sequence 103, 104, 203, and 204. Successful completion of this sequence with a grade of A or B also satisfies the piano proficiency requirement.

Music Literature Requirement:
Concert Attendance. Attendance at scheduled recitals and concerts and at regularly scheduled listening labs is required each semester.

Major Ensemble Requirement:
At least 8 credits from Mu 105, 110, 117, 305, 310, and 317 are required. Students will be assigned to the appropriate major ensemble by the applied music instructor(s). Mu 110, 117, 310, or 317 is required for the instrumental specialization, and Mu 105 or 305 for the choral specialization. At least one of the above is required each semester of residency with the exception contained within the following:

Music K-12 Teaching option:
A Major Ensemble is not required during the semester of student teaching.

Applied Music Requirement:
One applied course is required each semester of residency except during the semester of student teaching (Music Education option). The following guidelines pertain to the Music Performance option: Students must obtain music faculty approval before declaring the Music Performance option and subsequently register for 2 credits of applied music for their major instrument each semester of residency.

Foreign Language Requirement:
Two semesters of foreign language, either German or French, are strongly recommended for the General Music Studies and Music Performance options. The voice specialization within the Music Performance option requires three semesters of German or French, including at least one semester of each language.