Areas of Study
Music education
Instrumental performance
Vocal performance
Theory-composition
General music
Music minor
Overview
At Manchester University, music programs enrich the culture of our campus, provide service and a meaningful bridge to the surrounding community. We offer limitless opportunities for rewarding careers in music education, performance, technology, composition and more. You will have the chance to study music in an intimate setting with dedicated and student-centered faculty.
Why Manchester?
At Manchester University, we strive to go a step beyond. And that’s especially true in our music curriculum.
An accomplished and dedicated faculty embraces the MU ideal of the whole student -- breadth outside of music as well as within it -- and believes passionately that music can change people’s lives. It’s why the music program offers so many ways for students who aren’t music majors but wish to participate in MU’s outstanding program nonetheless.
For those who do pursue a music degree, however, Manchester offers a full range of opportunities in the field. Students are taught to understand and appreciate Western art music through a balance of academic and performance areas of music. In addition, they are also exposed to the diversity of musical expression through course offerings in world musics and jazz.
A Manchester music degree, whether in performance, general concentration or theory-composition concentration, expertly trains students as performers, teachers and advisors, and stresses fundamental skills and understanding in solo and ensemble performance, music education, history and analysis, theory, and conducting.
Students interested in majoring or participating in music at MU should consider attending one of our Music @ Manchester Weekends. Learn more here.
Careers in Music
- Accompanist
- Actor/Actress
- Audio Recording Engineer
- Choir Director
- Composer/Arranger
- Conductor
- Disc Jockey
- Multimedia Sound Worker
- Music Agent
- Music Critic
- Music Producer
- Music Teacher/Professor
- Musician
- Tour Manager
- Vocal Performer
- 85 Careers for a Music Major
Program highlights
- Music majors in performance, general concentration and theory/composition concentration and music education, enabling you to begin your career in music
- Jazz and small ensembles
- The Spartan Pride Marching Band
- Gold & Black Attack Pep Band
- Music @ Manchester Weekends
- Opera Workshop
- The music department offers scholarships to all students interested in participating in one or more of our ensembles. To audition for a scholarship, contact Dr. Tim Reed or attend one of our Music at Manchester weekends. For further information, check out audition requirements.
Successful Graduates
- Kenzie Hare '18 was awarded the prestigious Stotler Fellowship from the University of Illinois, where she studies in the master’s program in vocal performance.
- Grant Ebert '17 completed a Masters of Vocal Performance and Literature program at the University of Illinois.
- Mykayla Neilson '17 graduated with a degree in Music Education and is now head band director of Fairfield Jr./Sr. High School in Goshen and continues to be active as a performer. Her band has reached the ISSMA Marching Band Finals each year since she became the Director of Bands.
As a singer and songwriter, Mykayla has now released two self-produced albums, Cherished and I. More on Mykayla’s journey as a songwriter can be found at facebook.com/mykaylacynthia - Katie Huddleston ‘15 is now the orchestra director for Eastern Howard School Corporation in Greentown, Ind. Katie also regularly performs with the MSO and the Kokomo Symphony Orchestra and is cello instructor for the Kokomo Youth Symphony. Katie is also the ISTA union representative for her district.
- Jeremiah Sanders '14 Since graduating from Manchester, Jeremiah has been active as a performer and currently attends Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music pursuing a Performer's Diploma under the tutelage of Jane Dutton. He completed a Master of Music Perfromance degree from butler UNiversity, and is now pursuing a Doctorate at Indiana University.
- Kelly Iler '14 completed her Master's degree in vocal performance at University of Northern Colorado. She continues to perform throughout Indiana.
- Nick Kenny ’11 has recently performed with the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra and the Colorado Brass. Nick now serves as the executive director for the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra.
- Stephanie Green '11 Rapatta is a choral music educator for Elkhart, Ind., Community Schools. She is teh 2019 Teacher of the Year at West Side Middle School
- Tyler Secor '10 is pursuing his Ph.D in music theory at Ball State University.
David Moan '09 continues to perform regularly in the Detroit, Mich., area. He is a member of the Michigan Opera Theatre Chorus where he often performs solo roles in support of world class opera singers such as Deborah Voigt and Daniel Belcher. He has also worked with renowned composers Kevin Putz and William Bolcom through the Michigan Opera Theatre. David is also very active performing in professional musical theater productions. His most recent starring roles have included: John Wilkes Booth in Assassins, Sir Lancelot in Camelot, the title role in Sweeney Todd, and Will Bloom in Big Fish.