As one of the components of that center of excellence in fine and performing arts, the Music Department is committed to educating ALL students, majors and non-majors alike, in a variety of areas in music. Knowledge of music continues to expand and evolve, as does our responsibility in teaching it. As a faculty we will continue to teach what we feel our students need to know in order to be prepared for the twenty-first century, being especially sensitive to the increase of knowledge in the areas of world music, American popular music, music technology, and the ways that music interacts with other disciplines. We encourage student performances in both ensemble and solo genres. Although our emphasis is on western European art music, we also offer courses in world music, jazz, and popular music.
Students also learn about computer technology and applications in music.
Our majors learn a variety of specialized skills essential for their professional lives. We regularly have musical projects in which we invite community musicians to participate. Our facility, including one of the best recital halls acoustically in the northwest, is a major venue for various community musical organizations, and is a focal point for much of the musical performance activities in the Rogue Valley. Thus the Department of Music has grown through the years into the center for musical performance in Southern Oregon. We anticipate this type of activity will continue and expand far into the future.