BA in Music
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania — Bloomsburg, PA
About this program
Commonwealth University's BA in Music is available at both the **Bloomsburg** and **Mansfield** campuses and provides a broad education in music within a liberal arts framework. The degree is appropriate for undergraduates who wish to major in music regardless of specific career aspirations, and for those who seek a broad general education rather than intense specialisation at the undergraduate level. All music majors at Commonwealth University complete coursework in **music theory and aural skills**, **music history** (including music from a variety of cultures), **class piano**, **music ensembles**, and **applied study on primary and secondary instruments including voice**. BA students additionally complete the full 45-credit general education curriculum. The degree is designed for flexibility: students develop musicianship and performance abilities while building an intellectual understanding of the arts, and may combine the music major with coursework in other disciplines. Music programs at Commonwealth University are **NASM-accredited**. The Bloomsburg campus music department is chaired by **Dr. David Tedford** (strings; 2019 International Conductors Workshop and Competition winner; conductor of the Bloomsburg University Community Orchestra; co-founder of The Adore Project promoting underrepresented composers). Faculty include **Dr. Joseph Stuligross** (choirs), **Dr. Charisse Baldoria** (piano, composition), **Dr. Stephen Clickard** (brass, band), **Dr. Gifford Howarth** (percussion, marching band), **Dr. Tracey Schmidt** (flute, theory), **Dr. Matthew Slotkin** (guitar), and **Dr. David Tedford** (strings). At Mansfield, faculty include **Dr. Amelia Garbisch** (music education, voice), **Dr. Gifford Howarth**, **Dr. Rebecca Dodson-Webster** (French horn, music history), **Dr. Michael Hardy** (guitar), **Dr. Eun-Joo Kwak** (piano; assistant chair), and **Dr. Roy McLerran** (director of bands). **Kate Baldwin** (two-time Tony Award nominee, *Big Fish*; four-time Drama Desk Award nominee) has visited Mansfield to conduct a master class series with voice students. The Bloomsburg Concert Choir, directed by Dr. Joseph Stuligross, collaborates regularly with the **NEPA Philharmonic** and the Choral Society of Northeast Pennsylvania in major works including recent performances of Orff's *Carmina Burana*, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, and the Requiems of Brahms and Mozart. Choir travels include Chicago, Boston, and Toronto. The annual **Mansfield Piano Festival** was established to encourage music education and provide performance opportunities for students.
Audition & application overview
- Requires a live or recorded audition
- Requires a dance audition
In Person
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