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Prospective Students
The Program
Maybe you want to compose and perform your own music. Or maybe you'd like to share your love for music by helping to inspire the next generation as a teacher. Perhaps you'd rather perform in a band or orchestra, compose music for films, or sing the lead in musical theatre. If these careers sound cool to you, then you should consider our Bachelor of Arts in Music or a Bachelor of Music with concentrations in education, performance, or piano pedagogy.
Our degree programs are designed to prepare students for successful careers as performers, public school teachers, and private music instructors. Because of our relatively small size, our students receive a high degree of personal attention. Private applied music study and solo performance are at the heart of all of our programs. Students also learn skills in:- Music theory and analysis
- Conducting
- Improvisation
- Composition
- Computer-assisted music production
- Music research
Real World/Career Outlook
You've performed solos, conducted ensembles and presented a senior recital, you've learned analytical methods, researched the history of your music, and perhaps spent a semester as a student teacher. Now it's time for the next step - bringing your talents to the real world. Our students practice their craft on and off campus throughout their college days, becoming involved as professionals in many exciting areas:
- Church music
- Chamber music ensembles
- Private teaching
- Public school teaching
- Vocal groups
- Rock and jazz bands
- Study abroad
Many of our graduates go on to advanced and specialized study in graduate school - The Manhattan School of Music, the Cincinnati College-Conservatory, the University of Maryland, and Louisiana State University are just a few of the institutions our graduates have attended.
Interested in receiving more information?
Music Department Newsletter
Faculty
Our award-winning faculty choose from a variety of techniques in order to assist students in accomplishing their learning objectives, including:Private lessons
- Group lessons and master classes
- In-class discussion and activities
- Collaborative projects with on-campus and off-campus organizations
- Online learning methods such as discussion boards and digitally streamed audio and video
- Community-based service learning and internships
- Innovative ensemble rehearsals and a busy performance schedule
Great teaching is a priority at Longwood. Here you'll be taught by experienced professors - not graduate assistants - who care deeply about helping you maximize your potential.
Highlights
Students have opportunities to perform as members of distinguished ensembles, such as the Camerata Singers, University Choir, Wind Symphony, and Jazz Ensembles. Smaller groups are also available, including the Chamber Singers, Flute ensemble, and Percussion ensemble. Each ensemble presents concerts during the year, and many perform off-campus. The larger ensembles travel each year, with recent highlights including the performance by the Camerata Singers at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and the Jazz Ensemble's concert on the Riverwalk in New Orleans.
Students can join our professional organization, the Music Educators National Conference, as well as either of two national music fraternities, Sigma Alpha Iota (women), and Phi Mu Alpha (men).
An increasing number of students participate in summer institutes or study abroad. Recently, Longwood music students have made specialized study trips to France; spent entire semesters in Dublin, Ireland, and Florence, Italy; attended the Asolo Song Festival in Northern Italy; the OperaFestival in Rome; and a summer workshop in harpsichord performance at the University of Michigan.
Auditions
Our Students Say . . .
Being a member of the Longwood Wind Symphony and the Jazz Ensemble gave me many opportunities to grow as a musician and performer. Through concerts on campus, in the surrounding community, and even on trips around the country, the opportunity to showcase the knowledge I had gained at Longwood was never lacking. -Robert Blankenship ‘01
My degree from Longwood has really opened the door to success for me as musician and teacher. People everywhere know that Longwood stands for a close relationship with an outstanding faculty, and that its graduates will know how to make it in real-world situations. --Daphne Tipton Guill ‘85
