We view the department's role within the context of a nationally ranked liberal arts institution to be an important one. We believe firmly in the liberal education of all Earlham students and take seriously our responsibility to contribute to that end. The department's curriculum and faculty are intentionally selected to serve both majors and non-majors through classroom courses, performing organizations, and private studio experiences. We strive to help students understand that perceiving musical pattern and shape is important and that understanding and experiencing music is vital to the soul's health and not merely a cultural frill. The music faculty is dedicated to helping students reach their potential in whatever areas they pursue.
Individual attention is a hallmark of the department.
All courses are open to both majors and non-majors, including performing organizations and studio lessons. To foster a sense of community within the department, the curriculum is designed so that majors are required to take a variety of courses which give them a broad education in the areas of theory, history, ethnomusicology, and applied music. That is, there are no specialists in this liberal arts setting. We value scholarship and performance equally. Majors will quite naturally focus their individual course of study in the department in different areas, such as theory, ethnomusicology, or performance, but the requirements for all majors are the same.