The College of Wooster welcomes community for fall arts events
The College of Wooster will showcase a wide variety of arts events throughout the fall semester of the 2025-26 academic year. Open to the […]
Overview
Students who major in music at The College of Wooster get the best of both worlds: intensive music training in a small setting with expert faculty who mentor undergraduate students combine with non-music courses that give students a global perspective and engage critical thinking skills. Music courses make up a majority of the curriculum for a music major, but students also take the required First-Year Seminar in Critical Inquiry and a course called Writing intensive early in their time at Wooster. Courses in arts and humanities, history and social sciences, math and natural sciences, social justice or religious studies round out liberal arts requirements for graduation. Our graduates move on to work in a variety of settings as performers, teachers and more. The College of Wooster is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
Current Students: Departmental WebsiteBachelor of Music and Bachelor of Arts in Music at The College of Wooster
Wooster offers four programs related to music.
The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree is for students seeking an emphasis on music within a strong liberal arts education. Students may choose to focus on performance, music theory, or musicology.
The Bachelor of Music degree is intended for students planning to attend graduate school and then to enter a professional career in music. Students may choose a major in performance or composition.
The College of Wooster also offers music as a minor and gives students the option to double major in music and another field of interest. The multidisciplinary nature of courses at The College of Wooster gives students the ability to develop critical-thinking and research skills that help graduates succeed well beyond the classroom. Every student at The College of Wooster completes an independent study under the guidance of a faculty mentor, culminating in a thesis delivered in the spring of a student’s senior year. For music students, this often means a performance or delivery of a body of work and is a highlight of each student’s college experience.
Wooster’s Music Education programMusic Scholarship Auditions
Music Scholarships are awarded in music performance and music composition to incoming students on the basis of music performance skills demonstrated at the audition or compositional skills evidenced by written scores. You must audition as an incoming first-year student (transfers are not eligible), and scholarships are available for $2,000-$8,000 per year. Recipients may major in any academic area offered at Wooster. Those auditioning must perform in areas in which the College offers instruction.
Applying For ScholarshipsBeginning with the first semester of the first year and continuing for as long as the music scholarship is held, recipients must:
- Enroll in private lessons on the instrument or voice in which the scholarship was awarded or in composition lessons if the scholarship was awarded for composition.
- Participate in the Wooster Singers, Wooster Chorus, Wooster Symphony Orchestra, Scot Band, or Wooster Jazz Ensemble, as assigned by the ensemble directors. (Depending upon need, pianists might be asked to enroll in Accompanying instead of a large ensemble during some semesters.)
- Must earn a satisfactory grade (C- or higher) or a satisfactory audit in the required lessons and ensembles each semester in order to maintain the scholarship.
Degree Auditions
Audition details for Bachelor of Music in Music Performance
To gain admission to the B.Mus. in Music Performance, a student must pass an entrance audition before a faculty jury of three, to be appointed by the chairperson. The audition will occur near the end of the second semester of college and must demonstrate the student’s ability to perform well challenging repertoire representing several historical periods and styles. A student wishing to perform an entrance audition must notify the chairperson in writing at least three weeks prior to the audition. Only after passing the entrance audition may the student declare as a major the B.Mus. in Music Performance. A prospective candidate for the B.Mus. in Performance may declare a major in Music prior to the semesters stated above but will be listed as a candidate for the B.A. Music until they pass the audition. A student who does not pass the entrance audition in the second semester may have a second opportunity in the third semester.
Auditions are held for those wishing to focus on vocal performance and the following instruments: bagpipe, <bassoon, cello, clarinet, electric bass, euphonium, flute, French horn, guitar, oboe/English Horn, organ, percussion, piano, saxophone, string bass, trombone, trumpet, tuba, violin, viola.
Audition details for Bachelor of Music in Music Composition
To gain admission to the Bachelor of Music in Composition, a student must, near the end of the third semester of college, submit to the chairperson a portfolio of two or more completed original scores. These compositions must be accompanied by a letter stating the student’s wish to seek the Bachelor of Music in Composition. The chairperson will appoint a faculty committee of three to review the portfolio. Only after receiving the committee’s approval of the submitted works may the student declare as a major the Bachelor of Music in Composition. A prospective candidate for the Bachelor of Music in Composition may declare a major in Music prior to the semesters stated above but will be listed as a candidate for the B.A. Music until they pass the portfolio review. A student who does not pass the portfolio review in the third semester may have a second opportunity in the fourth semester.
Am I required to audition in order to register for music classes?
No. However, auditions are required for several of our large ensembles (Wooster Chorus, Wooster Symphony Orchestra, Wooster Jazz Ensemble, and Scot Symphonic Band) or if you wish to pursue a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Performance, Music Theory/Composition, Music Education in Public School Teaching, or Music Therapy. In addition, several performance-based courses require permission of the instructor. In those cases, you can contact the instructor via email to set up an initial meeting.
No audition is necessary for the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree.
Faculty & Staff
Matthew Ryan Kilgore
Adjunct Instructor of Music, Percussion & Director of Scot Marching Band
Jeffrey Lindberg
Professor of Music, Wooster Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Trombone, Jazz History and Improvisation
Christin Sears
Visiting Assistant Professor of Choral Music; Director of Choral Activities
Greg Slawson
Adjunct Instructor of Music, Jazz Piano, Improvisation, Music Technology
Thomas Wood
Professor of Music, Violin, Chamber Music, String Methods, Music History and Literature
Latest Music News
Recording by College of Wooster Professor of Music Jeff Lindberg with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra reaches No. 1 on national JazzWeek chart
“More Amor, A Tribute to Wes Montgomery,” the latest recording of Jeff Lindberg, professor of music at The College of Wooster, with the Chicago […]
Three Wooster pipers compete in campus-hosted pipe and drum competition
Three pipers from The College of Wooster competed in the Ohio Valley Indoor Piping and Drumming Competition hosted March 28 through 29 on the […]
Wooster Chorus to begin annual tour with performance March 23
The highly acclaimed Wooster Chorus, an ensemble of 50 student musicians from The College of Wooster, will perform at the First Presbyterian Church of […]
Major
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, this major is for students seeking an emphasis on music within a strong liberal arts education. Required courses include music theory and lessons, along with courses in history and literature. All students at The College of Wooster complete independent study in their senior year under the guidance of a faculty mentor, and bachelor of arts in music students complete independent study projects in their junior and senior years.
Bachelor of Music
Students who pursue a Bachelor of Music degree select either music performance or music composition as their focus during their four years. This major is the most musically complete program in the study of music and is intended for students planning to attend graduate school and then to enter a professional career in music.
Minor
A minor in music requires completion of six courses: two courses in music theory, two courses in music history and literature, and two music electives.
View CoursesIndependent Study
All students at The College of Wooster complete independent study under the guidance of a faculty mentor and deliver a performance or thesis in spring of their senior year. Students earning a bachelor of arts in music or a bachelor of music degree are encouraged to explore an area of music that inspires them.
Search the I.S. Database
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Biology major broadens animal knowledge with post-reproductive lifespan research in vertebrates
Joe Carter ’25 of Plainfield, Illinois, spent his time at The College of Wooster working as a teaching assistant and STEM Zone Intern, and […]
Two music majors complete joint recital to celebrate their Independent Study compositions
Gracelyn Jack ’25 and Ethan Yoder ’25, both music composition majors from The College of Wooster, performed a joint recital to feature their Independent […]
History major investigates 1970s music genres
Zach Perrier ’25 always knew he wanted to major in history. But ultimately, he chose to attend The College of Wooster because the music […]
Music major draws from historical lows to hit musical highs in a soulful self-designed recital
For vocal music majors, completing a senior recital as part of an Independent Study at The College of Wooster is the culmination of years […]
Alumni
Our graduates move on to work in a variety of settings as performers, educators, and more.
Music education alumna fosters love for music in elementary students
Amherst Exempted School District’s elementary music teacher Mindi (Dodson) Krase ’03 knew she wanted to pursue a music education degree before attending The College […]
Music alumnus Douglas Buchanan ’06 wins Dominick Argento Chamber Opera Competition
Composer Douglas Buchanan ’06 won the 2024-2025 Dominick Argento Chamber Opera Competition along with librettist Caitlin Vincent for Bessie and Ma. The award is […]
English alumnus releases debut EP Metamorphosis
In September 2023, Lee Miller Matsos ’06 released his debut EP Metamorphosis, Pt. 1. The EP is the first of three installments of his […]
Music alumna builds community as museum president
In her position as president of the Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM), Erika (Fischer) Floreska ’93 works on a wide range of projects, but […]
Ensembles
Music majors and interested non-majors at The College participate in a full range of musical ensembles. Please contact the ensemble directors for information regarding auditions.