Arts & Humanities

Music - Pursue Your Passion

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Music Scholarships and Auditions

Being a part of a Manchester University music organization is a fun and meaningful experience. Thousands of students have enhanced their education through an MU ensemble. Scholarships up to $3,000 are available for students who participate in an ensemble, regardless of major. Audition for us today!

Program Opportunities

  • Music Major
    • General Music
    • Music Education
    • Instrumental Performance
    • Vocal Performance
  • Music Minor
  • Ensemble Participation 

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.

Careers in Music

  • Accompanist
  • Audio Recording Engineer
  • Band Director
  • Choir Director
  • Composer/Arranger
  • Conductor
  • Multimedia Sound Worker
  • Music Producer
  • Music store Specialist
  • Music Teacher/Professor
  • Musician
  • Orchestra Director
  • Performer
  • 85 Careers for a Music Major

Program Highlights  

  • Students who participate in one or more of MU’s music ensembles meet others with similar interests, form strong bonds through music and make friends for life. You don’t have to be a music major to participate
  • The Manchester Symphony Orchestra is a unique assemblage of students, faculty, staff and alumni of Manchester University, as well as community members and other professional musicians from the region. MU students make up about one fourth of the 50-member ensemble.
  • Private lessons are available for all students, regardless of major. The Music Department provides instruction on all standard band and orchestral instruments, piano, organ and voice.

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 – as it pertains to breadth within and outside of music –and believes music can change people’s lives. It’s why the Music Program offers so many ways for students who aren’t music majors to participate in MU’s outstanding program nonetheless.

For those who pursue a music degree, however, Manchester offers a range of opportunities in the field. Students learn to understand and appreciate Western art music through a balance of academic and performance areas of music. In addition, they open their minds and ears to the diversity of musical expression through course offerings in world musics and jazz.

A Manchester music degree expertly stresses fundamental skills and understanding in solo and ensemble performance, music education, history and analysis, theory and conducting, preparing students for whatever musical field is in their future.

Updates

Manchester University is committed to the future of the Music Department and will continue to offer academic programs in music.

The Manchester Bold campaign, including fundraising for Winger Hall renovations, reflects this commitment to the arts.

Some of the updates our students participating in music opportunities will benefit from include:

  • Classrooms with cutting-edge acoustics and surround-sound equipment will improve students' ability to analyze compositions and experience – virtually – concert halls around the world.
  • A new recording studio will enable students to create professional-quality recordings. Students in all majors will be able to use these spaces to record and edit digital and multimedia projects, podcasts and other media projects.
  • The acoustics of new rehearsal and practice spaces will provide high-quality sound and maintain safe decibel levels.
  • With more practice spaces, Manchester can add ensembles to engage more students in music performance.

Manchester will continue to offer strong academic programs in music. The structure of music majors, minors and concentrations will change going forward as the music faculty revise the curriculum, building on current strengths and creating new opportunities.

The University’s extracurricular vocal, choral and instrumental performance opportunities -- such as the A Cappella Choir and Spartan Pride Marching Band – will remain. A gospel choir is in the works, and the University is working to add more opportunities.

Manchester University will also continue its relationship with the Manchester Symphony Orchestra and developed a memorandum of understanding to help guide the future.

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
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