School of Music

Brian Justison (Director)

School of Music Faculty

Full-Time: Martin Atkins, Jeremy Brunk, Troy Castle, Amy Catron, David Cook, Ian Greenlaw, Kevin Guarnieri, Benjamin Hawkinson, Brian Justison, Katherine Leo, William McClain, Melissa Miller, David Moore, Cynthia Oeck, Perry Rask, Neal Smith, Mark Tonelli, Pei-I Wang, Nate Widelitz .

Millikin Community Arts Academy (music division)

Applied piano, band, string, wind instruments, voice available for children, youth and adults not enrolled in the university are not eligible for college credit. The Children’s Choir Program and Rock University provide quality ensemble experiences for local youth.

Mission of the School

The mission of the School of Music is to develop the whole musician - artistically, intellectually, technically - through the integration of theory and practice in an environment in which students become active learners through contact with a faculty who themselves continue to grow as artists, scholars, and teachers.

Music Core Learning Goals

Develop musical skills through listening, analysis, playing an instrument and/or voice
Develop an understanding of music in an historical and cultural context

Each degree program has a subset of learning goals appropriate for major. Assessment of learning goals happens throughout the curricula but most formally in activities at the end of each year. For details visit the School of Music website at www.millikin.edu/music.

General Information

Undergraduate degree programs are offered in accordance with the standards for admission and graduation established by the National Association of Schools of Music, in which Millikin holds membership. The degree programs are also accredited by the Illinois State Teacher Certification Board. Non-credit instruction is available to Millikin and non-Millikin students through the Millikin Community Arts Academy.

Music students must successfully complete all University Studies and music core requirements, as well as the specific requirements of the curriculum they elect in the School of Music.

Students with adequate preparation in music normally complete all requirements in eight semesters; students with deficiencies may require additional time.

Candidates for the Bachelor of Music degree in Performance must present, at a minimum, a half solo recital during the junior year and a full solo recital during the senior year; Music Education majors must give a half solo recital. These recitals must meet the minimum standards for excellence as established by the music faculty.

Bachelor of Music degree candidates in Vocal Performance and Vocal Music Education are required to pass an examination of functional keyboard skills, the Class Piano Barrier. The Barrier must be taken no later than the second semester of the sophomore year. All portions of the Barrier must be satisfied before student teaching arrangements can be finalized.

Students matriculated in the B.A. Music degree or any B.M. degree must participate in a major organization each semester in residence, as needed. Those whose principal area of performance is a wind or percussion instrument must enroll in band; string principals must enroll in orchestra; guitar principals must enroll in guitar ensemble, and voice principals must enroll in choir each semester in residence. Percussion principals must also enroll in their appropriate respective ensembles. Keyboard principals will replace major organization with MU 360, Keyboard Accompanying and Ensemble, in semesters 3-6. They may elect to do so in semesters 7-8 as well. Students pursuing the B.M. Piano Performance degree must enroll in MU 360 in semesters 3-8. Ensemble participation is not required of B.A, and B.S. music business majors.

Except as provided in the previous paragraph, all recipients of CFA talent scholarships are required to participate in at least one major ensemble each semester. In addition, students matriculated in the B.A. Music degree or any B.M. music degree must study applied music in their specific area each semester in residence. Students studying private applied lessons will be charged a $300 per credit hour fee. Students wishing to study privately in excess of degree requirements for any semester may enroll for lessons through the Millikin Community Arts Academy on a space-available basis. Instrumentalists desiring applied study in voice are encouraged to enroll in Class Voice.

All course offerings in the School of Music may be used to fulfill music electives. Credits beyond those required in applied music and music organizations may be considered as music electives only with the consent of the Director of the School of Music.

University Studies Requirements

Students in the College of Fine Arts are responsible for meeting all university-wide requirements and the requirements for a major in the College. See the section on Graduation Requirements in the Bulletin for those programs.

Special requirements for students certifying to teach are listed with the descriptions of those programs.

School of Music Program Administration:

Music Core Studies- Katherine Leo, Chair (Academic Studies), Troy Castle, Chair (Vocal Performance Studies), David Cook, Chair (Instrumental Performance Studies)

Area Coordinators:

Brass- David Moore
Guitar- Mark Tonelli
Keyboard & Class Piano- Pei-I Wang
Music Theory- Katherine Leo
Musicology- Katherine Leo
Percussion- Jeremy Brunk
Strings- Amy Catron
Woodwinds- Perry Rask
Voice & Class Voice- Troy Castle
Commercial Bass- Emma Taylor

Applied studies involve the study and applied performance of music written for piano, voice, organ, guitar, violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, euphonium and the percussion instruments. Degree credit in applied music may be for one, two, or three credits per semester, depending upon the degree program. A $300 per credit hour fee is charged.

Music Ensembles- Ben Hawkinson, Chair (vocal); William McClain , Chair (instrumental)
Area Coordinators:

Band- Neal Smith (interim)
Choral- Ben Hawkinson
Inst Jazz- Perry Rask
Vocal Jazz- Benjamin Hawkinson
Orchestral- William McClain

Music Education- Neal Smith, Chair
Area Coordinators:

Music Ed (Vocal) - Nathan Widelitz
Music Ed (Instrumental) – Neal Smith
Music Ed (Elementary/Early Childhood) - Melissa Miller