The music major at Dickinson is notable for its high degree of one-on-one instruction. There are four tracks for majors—performance, music history, composition and analytical theory. Whichever track students choose, after completing their introductory courses, they work independently with the music faculty. All performance majors take weekly one-hour lessons and participate in a shared junior recital and solo senior recital. Theory, composition and history majors work individually with a faculty member on a senior project.
Welcome to the Dickinson College Music Department!
At Dickinson, we offer our students direct access to our faculty, all of whom studied at the top institutions within their fields (including the Curtis Institute, The Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, Juilliard, the New England Conservatory, Peabody Conservatory, and the Westminster Choir College).
The department offers students interested in music a wide range of curriculum choices in four areas: honing their performance skills under the guidance of performance studies faculty, learning how to craft a piece with our resident composition professor, or understanding how music and culture intersect with our professors of music history and theory. Music majors are prepared solidly for further graduate studies in music and careers in music. Students also engage their passion for music in our various ensembles, which allow both majors and non-majors to continue their music-making in a supportive, vibrant, and exciting environment.
In addition to our academic program, the music department also provides the greater Central Pennsylvania region with access to excellent performances by eminent artists such as Phyllis Bryn-Julson, Barry Snyder, and Rita Sloan, the ensemble Alarm Will Sound, award-winning vocal artists Nordic Voices, and other global artists from Indonesia, India, and Africa. We also provide access to lectures by composers and scholars of international stature such as the greatly acclaimed composer Milton Babbitt, or Tim Page. As our calendar of Upcoming Events makes clear, Dickinson is a vibrant place for musical enjoyment and study. We hope to see you soon!
Prospective students applying to Dickinson College click here.
Professional performers interested in performing at Dickinson College click here.
For a complete list of upcoming musical events this semester, visit our Events Page.
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