MUSIC
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The Dordt Difference Music celebrates life in God’s good world and reflects our relationship to God and his creation. Whether music is your specialty or hobby, we’ll help you develop gifts that will let you enjoy music even more and serve others through it. We’ll teach you to shape sounds and words in response to God’s call to develop every part of that world. Dordt’s music program is large enough to offer a variety of performance opportunities, courses, and lessons taught by specialists in their fields; it is small enough for faculty members to get to know each student as they nurture each person’s musical growth. An average of 300 students—more than 20 percent of the student body—annually participate in one or more musical groups. We offer more performance opportunities than most colleges of our size. Our exceptional faculty are passionately committed to their work and to educating young people to go out and serve Christ in their personal and communal lives. We work with professional musicians from regional orchestras who offer individual lessons and help lead small ensembles. Renowned guest artists frequently commend the quality of our B.J. Haan Auditorium. If you are considering a music major, you can best prepare yourself for college-level work by being involved in a band, orchestra, or choir and by taking music classes and private lessons in piano, organ, an instrument, or voice.
HANDS-ON OPPORTUNITIES • Participate in large group ensembles: Concert Band, Campus-Community Band, Chamber Orchestra, Concert Choir, or Chorale. • Join a small ensemble such as Jazz Band, Kantorei, or Bella Voce. • Get involved in student-led groups: chamber ensembles, vocal groups. • Take private lessons, perform in recitals, teach lessons to local students. • Play and sing in chapel, student-led worship, and area church services.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
THE PROGRAM The music performance and pedagogy major prepares you for a vocation in performance, studio teaching, and graduate school. The music management major combines music and business courses to prepare you for a career as an administrator of professional music organizations. The general music major provides a range of courses and experiences that will prepare you for graduate school. It is suggested that students interested in a career in music therapy select the general music major and minor in psychology. The church music major prepares you for leadership in churches and for service as organist, pianist, or director of choral or instrumental ensembles. The music education major prepares you for teaching with emphases ranging from elementary through high school.
Our graduates enter careers in teaching, performance, management, composition, and church music. Some have studios and give private lessons. Others combine music with art, business, theatre arts, communication, or psychology to prepare for interdisciplinary fields. Many talented Dordt musicians have successfully entered and completed programs at graduate schools or conservatories, opening doors for themselves and future graduates.
The general music minor provides a fine complement to majors in other fields. The music education minor prepares elementary school teachers to teach music in the classroom or to be specialists in music. The music performance minor prepares outstanding non-majors for performing after college. For more information on music programs or faculty, please request additional information sheets or go to www.dordt.edu/music
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT “The Dordt College Music Department provided me with the tools and training I needed to pursue a life of choral singing and education. My coursework laid a solid foundation in music theory, history, and conducting. Participation in several music ensembles at Dordt helped me develop my skills in singing, playing, performing, and music-making. My professors were incredible mentors to me in the ‘stuff’ of music education, but also in how our faith in Christ and our reliance on God’s Word informs the way we sing, play, teach, and perform. Excellence was always a pervasive theme—giving your best for the glory of God, and inspiring students to give their best as well.” Ryan Smit (’99) received his master’s degree in choral music education from Arizona State University, during which time he sang professionally with the Grammy® Award-winning Phoenix Chorale, regarded as one of the finest choral ensembles in North America. He serves as the choral director for grades 7 through 12 at Lynden Christian School and the choir director at Third Christian Reformed Church in Lynden, Washington. He also serves as the artistic director for the Bellingham Chamber Chorale and performs as a member of Male Ensemble Northwest.
THE FACULTY Karen A. DeMol, Ph.D., emerita, Northwestern University; aural skills.
Karen.DeMol@dordt.edu
Benjamin Kornelis, D.M.A., Michigan State University; director of choral ensembles, choral music education Benjamin.Kornelis@dordt.edu John MacInnis, Ph.D., Florida State University; music theory, music history, church music, co-chair
John.MacInnis@dordt.edu
Bradley Miedema, D.M.A., North Dakota State University; director of instrumental ensembles, instrumental music education, co-chair Bradley.Miedema@dordt.edu
ADJUNCT FACULTY Andrea Carlson, horn John Casey, string bass Marian Casey, cello Pamela De Haan, voice, vocal pedagogy, saxophone Sharon Foughty, music education Jennifer Frens, violin, viola August 2015
Matthew Geerlings, organ Beverly Gibson, clarinet Geoff Gunderson, guitar Timothy Hillyer, percussion Stephanie Kocher, flute Kevin Linder, trumpet, Jazz Band Lisa Miedema, violin
Vance Shoemaker, low brass Norma Snyder Jones, piano Kristi Stanichar, oboe Debora Vogel, voice Anna Vorhes, harp Leah Walker, bassoon MaryLou Wielenga, piano, organ