Music Major and Minor
Within the liberal arts framework, the Music Program offers major leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.), intended for students who wish a broad education in music. Students are expected to have a high level of musical competence in performance of their major instrument.
Music Major Fields Of Emphasis
Performance, Music Theory/Composition, Instumental Education and Vocal Education
Teacher Licensure in Music Education
Students who seek an endorsement in music education must complete the courses for a major in music and take additional courses to meet teaching certification requirements. Students may prepare to teach NK-12 vocal/general music or NK-12 instrumental music. They may also choose to specialize in 1) instrumental music in which the student's primary performance medium is usually an orchestral instrument or 2) choral and general music in which the student's primary performance medium is voice or the student opts to pursue both specializations. Many students choose electives in the specialization which is not their main focus so they can prepare to meet professional challenges.
Admission to the Music Major
Freshmen who express interest in majoring/minoring in music should follow the appropriate music curriculum and receive advising from the Music Program coordinator. Students may apply for major standing as early as the end of the freshman year. A successful major standing jury will result in admission to the music major.
Transfer students who enter Lynchburg College with sixty or more accepted credits must apply for major standing during their first semester at the College. Approval for major standing may be granted after that first semester or the music faculty may defer final action until the end of the student's second semester of study. With the exception of transfer students who enter Lynchburg College with sixty credits or more, no deferrals on major standing are given after the student has completed seventy credits.
Major Standing Juries
Students majoring in music must successfully complete a qualifying review by the music faculty at the end of the sophomore year. Major standing juries for the Bachelor of Arts in music occur in the tenth week of classes each semester.
The jury for the B.A. in music will consist of a performance on the student's major instrument (except for composition). Several pieces should be fully prepared from which the jury can select two pieces to hear. The composition jury should ideally be the performance of an original work. In lieu of that possibility, the presentation of a portfolio of theoretical papers and/or related class projects may be submitted to the jury. The result of a major standing jury may be 1) approval, 2) deferral, or 3) denial.