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Majors-Music

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Let’s take it from the top.

Whatever has ignited your passion for music, you can stoke that fire as a music major in any of four tracks of study: performance, composition and theory, history and criticism, and technology.

As a music major, you’ll get involved and begin playing the moment you arrive on campus. Whether you’re interested in recording technology or hoping to get on stage, you’ll meet and collaborate with innovative professors and peers, benefiting from a liberal arts education that will enable you to create your best music and prepare for work in a variety of musical fields.

Catalog Requirements for:

Why Study Music at Clark?

  • Hone your musicianship in Estabrook Hall’s rehearsal space, recording studio, and practice rooms — or take to the stage in the Traina Center for the Arts’ Razzo Hall.
  • Perform as a member of Clark’s many vocal and instrumental ensembles, including chamber music ensembles, Clark Concert Choir and Chamber Chorus, Jazz Workshop, Concert Band, and the Sinfonia string ensemble.
  • Work closely with renowned faculty mentors who can guide and support your practice.
  • Explore music’s potential to advance social causes, and use your talents to generate political action and social justice — whether by serving at-risk youth in Worcester, or volunteering with a local arts organization.

The Music Path

As you begin to study music at Clark, you’ll take foundational courses that begin to build the intellectual and critical tools you’ll need for advanced work in music performance, theory, history, and technology. As you complete foundational courses, you’ll put your knowledge into action through workshops and seminars, and learn the intellectual, practical, and personal skills that are the hallmark of Clark’s LEEP model of education. In workshop courses, you’ll build “communities of practice” by bringing your developing proficiencies and interests to bear on challenging project-based tasks that require collaboration and integration of skills. For example, in MUSC 225: Jazz and Popular Music Composition and Performance, faculty mentors work with students as composers, performers, critics, and audio engineers to create new compositions from concept to recording.

Private Lessons

Private lessons for nonmajors and majors are offered with or without course credit in several areas. See MUSC 180 – Private Instruction in Instruments and Voice (for credit for majors and minors) and MUSC 018 Private Instruction for Instruments and Voice (noncredit).

Visit the catalog to view courses

Double-Majors and Minors

Clark Visual and Performing Arts Department (V&PA) majors are a motivated, tight-knit group. In fact, many music majors often double-major or complete a minor in another V&PA discipline (art history; media, culture and the artsscreen studies; studio art; or theatre arts), each of which has its own distinct curriculum — and faculty who encourage collaborative work.

Building your foundation

The Clark Experience

The Clark Core allows students to take courses across diverse disciplines, helping them develop critical thinking skills and respect for other cultures and perspectives. You’ll connect classroom learning with action through world and workplace experiences.

Learn More

Faculty and Programs in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts