Each student is heard by a faculty jury upon audition for admission at the end of each academic term and at junior and senior recitals. The faculty in music gives special recognition to excellence in musical understanding and technical proficiency as demonstrated through performance. Students pursuing this curriculum are eligible to work toward a performer's certificate. Students must understand the overall structure of music, acquiring the tools of musical analysis and learning to write music for various mediums and performing ensembles. The school boasts a faculty of distinguished music theorists, composers, arrangers and orchestrators.
Young composers are able to study with professionals and to present their own pieces for critique.
This curriculum is designed for the student interested in musicology, a study of the broad discipline of music including music history, music literature, music listening, music criticism and music research. Fifteen credit hours of an appropriate foreign language are required. Through classroom instruction, discussion groups, public lectures, reading assignments and attendance at live concerts and recitals, students study repertory, literature, music history and analysis. This curriculum normally leads to graduate study. This curriculum prepares students for parish leadership as directors of music or as organist-choirmasters.