Program Goals and Learning Outcomes

Mission Statement:

The Elmhurst University Department of Music strives to engage students in relevant learning experiences that provide students with the background needed for a successful career path in music. Our programs prepare students for musical careers including but not limited to performing musicians, scholars, teachers, sound recording engineers, composers, and performing arts managers, through comprehensive coursework and current pedagogies. Our wide range of course offerings include programs to foster artistic and musical growth, meaningful experiences, with both proven practices and forward-thinking innovation in the field of music. We strive to provide each student with a safe and challenging learning environment where students have opportunities to collaborate with their peers, faculty, and professional musicians from Illinois and beyond.

Goals:

The faculty of the Elmhurst University Department of Music are dedicated to:

1. Support students’ comprehension of requisite musical core curriculum in the development of a broad musical foundation towards the application of personal musicianship skills. (Pillar 1)
2. Foster student engagement in authentic experiences with professional musicians and practitioners outside of the Elmhurst University community to develop relevant and real-life learning experiences. (Pillar 2)
3. Engage students as life-long learners and scholars, instilling the pursuit of continued musical and professional growth. (Pillar 2)
4. Nurture an environment where students embody the highest standards of musical professionalism and integrity. (Pillar 2)
5. Create classroom and musical laboratory environments that are inclusive and representative of students’ cultural backgrounds and offer a diverse repertoire of materials and experiences. (Pillar 3)

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of a degree in music, all music students will acquire the knowledge and skills in five essential areas:

1. Performance
2. Musicianship Skills and Analysis
3. Composition/Improvisation
4. History and Repertoire
5. Synthesis

These five essential knowledge and skill areas provide the framework of our curriculum design.

Specific Program Outcomes**

1. The ability to function as a competent conductor creating accurate and musically expressive performances with various types of performing groups and in general classroom situations.
2. The ability to arrange and adapt music from a variety of sources to meet the needs and ability levels of individuals, school performing groups, and in classroom situations.
3. Functional performance abilities in keyboard and voice and functional performance abilities on instruments appropriate to the student’s teaching specialization.
4. The ability to apply analytical and historical knowledge to curriculum development, lesson planning, and daily classroom and performance activities, both in general and as related to their area of specialization.

Music Business. All music business majors will demonstrate:

1. Understanding of the principles of economics.
2. Functional knowledge of accounting.
3. Basic understandings of management, marketing, and business law.

Music Industry. All music industry majors will demonstrate:

1. Understanding of the overall function and structure of the music industry.
2. Functional knowledge of the marketing, promotion, and merchandising of music products.
3. Basic understanding of copyright law, publishing, contracts, and licensing.
4. Functional knowledge of artist management, concert promotion, and production.
5. Understanding of administrative structures and practices associated with music organizations.
6. Functional knowledge of computer and technological applications in the music industry.
7. Acquaintance with approaches and means to professional development, including job-seeking strategies, and interview techniques.
8. Understanding of entrepreneurship and history of the music industry.

Theory/Composition. All theory and composition majors will demonstrate:

1. Advanced ability in musical analysis, including the ability to produce analytical work independently and to compare and evaluate the results of different analytical procedures.
2. Highest possible skill level to develop a composition from concept to final product, including competency in both electronic and acoustic mediums, work with a variety of forms, styles, and notations, and the application of appropriate scoring principles to specific compositions.
3. Understanding of the relationships between theory and composition, including original and imitative work in composition and a basic understanding of the relationships between musical structure, aesthetic effect and cultural context.
4. Ability to use keyboard skills, appropriate terminology, research techniques, applicable technology, and rehearsal and conducting skills.

Jazz Studies. All jazz studies majors will demonstrate:

1. Comprehensive ability in various jazz styles, including the ability to perform, improvise, arrange and compose with knowledge of jazz history and literature, including the cultural sources and influences of jazz.
2. Ability to perform, compose, and arrange in a variety of jazz and studio styles with various sizes and types of ensembles.

Performance. All performance majors will demonstrate:

1. Comprehensive ability to perform in the major performing medium, including the ability to work independently to prepare performances at the highest possible level, to apply knowledge of styles and performance practices with respect to historical and cultural context in solo and ensemble literature.
2. Solo and ensemble performance in a variety of formal and informal settings.
3. Voice majors will demonstrate additional knowledge in foreign language and proper diction.