FSU College of Music Viewbook 23-24

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF MUSIC

FIND YOUR PLACE

Located in the beautiful capital city of Tallahassee, FSU is consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the nation according to US News & World Report . We have a 95% freshman retention rate and the best graduation rate among Florida’s public colleges and universities. Tallahassee is known for its natural beauty and our campus is no exception – it is the perfect place to live, study, and make music. Tallahassee has a vibrant arts community and abundant cultural offerings, with something new to discover around every corner.

The College of Music is home to more than 1,000 students spanning dozens of different degree programs. Truly experiencing the best of both worlds, our students benefit from the small class sizes and individualized attention that the College of Music can provide, while also enjoying the resources of a robust, nationally-ranked research university.

OUR STUDENTS

Balanced enrollment with 705 undergraduate and 350 graduate students

CONCERTS PER YEAR

The College of Music presents over 500 concerts per year, with a performance happening almost every night

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

OUR HISTORY

As one of Florida State’s four original academic programs, the College of Music has a rich, distinguished, and storied history that spans over 120 years

OUR LEGACY

Our college has housed resident faculty of national-leading performers, researchers and educators, including the first woman to earn the Pulitzer Prize in Music, multiple Grammy Award winners, Fulbright recipients, and Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship recipients

MARCHING CHIEFS

Our world-renowned Marching Chiefs is full of 425 students from every major, who serve as student ambassadors for the entire University

PLACEMENT

Our Music Education and Music Therapy programs boast a 100% placement rate

PERFORMANCE SPACES

CORE VALUE OF COMMUNITY

PULITZER

GRAMMY

FULBRIGHT GUGGENHEIM

CHART YOUR COURSE

As one of the nation’s most comprehensive collegiate music programs, we offer a variety of degree options to fit your personal interests and career goals. One of our greatest strengths is helping students find a successful bridge to their career in music.

Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Commercial Music

Jazz

Music/Liberal Arts

Sacred Music

Bachelor of Music Education (BME)

Choral

Instrumental

General/Elementary focus

Bachelor of Music (BM)

Composition

Music Theory

Music Therapy

Performance (Classical, Jazz, or Music Theatre)

Double major/dual degree with an outside field

Music minor

During the 2022-2023 academic year, students from the FSU College of Music performed on stages throughout Florida, New York, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

GET INVOLVED!

Immerse yourself in all our campus has to offer. FSU has more than 750 student organizations, from Greek life to intramural sports, to student government and social clubs. Enjoy a night at the theatre or an afternoon cheering on one of our nationally ranked athletic teams: at FSU there is something for everyone!

“I have enriched my educational experience through my involvement in Greek life, professional development organizations, study abroad, service clubs, leadership institutes, and student-run ensembles. Through these experiences, I have grown as a leader, student, and member of the FSU community, and have made Tallahassee my home away from home!”

— Bridg Gorder BME Choral Music Education, 2024

YOU CAN DO BOTH

Music students may combine their study of music with another field in the form of a double major or dual degree. In fact, about 15% of our students pursue this option in order to customize their experience and develop expertise in multiple fields. Students may also double-major within music or add a specialized studies program to customize their degree. Specializations include: Jazz, Music Entrepreneurship, Performance, Piano Pedagogy, and Sacred Music.

“FSU means “community” to me as everyone I have met has been incredibly inviting. From the National Trumpet Competition to the Goldwater Scholarship, every group at FSU has accepted me with open arms no matter what path I elected to pursue in terms of my education.”

— Jack Lyons BM Brass Performance / BS Astrophysics, 2024

REPRESENTATIVE DOUBLE MAJORS

African American Studies, Art History, Behavioral Neuroscience

Biochemistry, Biological Science, Cell/Molecular Neuroscience

Commercial Entrepreneurship, Communication & Technology

Communication Disorders, Computer Science, Creative

Writing, Criminology, Cyber Criminology, Economics, Editing

Engineering, Environmental Science, French Language

General Linguistics, Global Club Management & Leadership

Hospitality & Tourism Management Information, International Affairs, Japanese Language & Culture, Literature/Media/Culture

Management Information Systems, Marketing, Mathematics

Mechanical Engineering, Media/Communication Studies

Physics, Political Science, Professional Sales, Psychology

Public Health, Religion Retail Entrepreneurship, Social Sciences, Statistics, Studio Art Theatre, Writing & Media

REFINE YOUR FOCUS

Whether you are looking to advance in your current career path or perhaps make a career change, our graduate programs provide the opportunity to advance your musical studies. Take your education to the next level in one of dozens of programs available.

Graduate Programs

Master of Arts (MA)

Arts Administration

Music/Liberal Arts

Piano Technology

Master of Music Education (MME) (Full time or Summer)

Master of Music (MM)

Accompanying

Composition

Conducting

Music Theory

Music Therapy

Musicology

Opera Production (Coaching or Directing)

Performance (Classical or Jazz)

Piano Pedagogy

Doctor of Music (DM)

Accompanying

Composition

Performance (Classical)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Conducting

Music Teacher Education

Music Theory

Music Therapy

Musicology

Piano Pedagogy

Master of Music Education Summer Program

Designed especially for working teachers, this unique program is completed over three summers (late June to early August). Teachers earn their master’s degree without leaving the classroom or sacrificing income. The program culminates in a study-abroad experience at the FSU Study Center in London, England.

“For a conductor, having video and sound recordings of high-quality performances is essential. Florida State draws the very best musicians in the country, and that is reflected in their ensembles. Performing with groups like the University Symphony Orchestra took my conducting to a new level and opened doors in my career that would not have been possible otherwise. The caliber of performance is incredible, and there is a passion for excellence that fills the culture in a positive way.”

— Nathan Haines, PhD Music Education/Conducting, 2023 Director of Orchestras Brigham Young University

MEET YOUR MENTOR

Our 80+ faculty are leaders in the field and include Grammy Award winners, Fulbright and Guggenheim Scholars, major grant recipients, and even a Pulitzer Prize winner. More importantly, however, our faculty are attentive and available to our students and take the time and effort to prepare them for their future beyond the classroom.

We invite you to contact the faculty in your area of study and get to know them. You may request a trial lesson or observe a class on your next visit to campus (pending faculty availability). Virtual meetings may also be available.

”While working toward both my MM and DM in Vocal Performance at FSU, my teachers played a huge role in guiding me to become the musician I am today. They were always supportive about what my goals were as a singing actor and were flexible with their schedules so that I could still be a part of their productions.”

— Blythe Reed-Banks (MM 2020; DM 2023)

(Reed-Banks, right, with FSU Opera Director, Matthew Lata and classmate)

MAKE YOUR MUSIC

The College of Music presents more than 500 concerts and recitals annually in our five performance halls. Students frequently have the opportunity to perform off-campus as well; locally, nationally, and internationally.

Ensembles and Productions:

Bands (5)

Marching Chiefs & Seminole Sound

Orchestras (3)

Choirs (8)

Jazz Big Bands (3)

Jazz Combos

New Music Ensembles (2)

Early Music Ensembles (3)

World Music Ensembles (8)

Opera Productions (3)

Music Theatre Productions (2)

Various Chamber Music Ensembles

Additional Performance Opportunities:

Domestic and international concert tours

Chamber music competition

Two concerto competitions

Music Theatre New York Senior Showcase

Biennial Festival of New Music

Frequent guest artist masterclasses

REACH YOUR POTENTIAL

The College of Music Office of Student Success is a centralized location for all issues related to the academic music experience and serves as your point of contact from enrollment through graduation and beyond. The OSS recognizes the challenges and opportunities related to the discipline of music, including musician health and wellness, career preparation, professional employment opportunities, and performance anxiety, among others. Our Student Success Coordinators assist all students with registration questions and help you connect with the multitude of resources available to you at FSU.

MUSIC LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITY (MLLC)

The MLLC is a unique residential option for music majors and minors where students live and study together in Cawthon Hall. Housed just steps away from the College of Music, the 150–175 residents enjoy exclusive access to in-house classes, practice facilities, and a computer/keyboard lab. Students meet renowned musicians and guest artists to learn more about the field of music through the Colloquium Series, and have the chance to study abroad in London over spring break.

ENVISION YOUR FUTURE

A degree from the College of Music is the first step on your path to a successful career. Graduates enjoy careers as music producers and engineers, recording artists, private teachers, orchestral and opera performers, arts administrators, composers, conductors, and college professors, and our Music Education and Music Therapy programs boast 100% jobplacement rates. Our alumni are members of an extended musical family that spans the globe.

EMILY FREDRICKSON

BA 2012

Trombonist for the Tony and Grammy award-winning Broadway touring musical, Hadestown ; Associate Professor, University of New Orleans; Director, arranger and composer for the Dee Dee Bridgewater Big Band; past Director of Programming for the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra.

RYAN SPEEDO GREEN

MM 2010

DAMASCUS KAFUMBE

MM 2006, PhD 2011

Edward C. Knox Professor of International Studies; Chair, Department of Music; Director, African Music and Dance Ensemble and Afropop Band, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT.

KATERINA MCCRIMMON

BM 2020

National YoungArts Winner (Theatre) Presidential Scholar in the Arts; The Rose Tattoo (Broadway, 2109); The Light in the Piazza (Encores! at New York City Center, 2023); Azul: A Bilingual Musical (EP Release, 2023); Funny Girl (Broadway national tour, 2023).

Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera; Board of Regents at University of Hartford

Awards: Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions winner (2011); Sara Tucker Study Grant (2011); George London Foundation Award (2014); Gerda Lissner Foundation - First Prize (2014); Leonore Annenberg Fund for the Performing and Visual Arts Grant (2014); Richard Tucker Career Grant (2014); Grammy AwardPorgy and Bess (2021) and Fire Shut Up in My Bones (2023); Beverly Sills Artist Award (2023).

HAKEEM LEONARD

MM 2008, PhD 2014

Board Certified Music Therapist; Assistant Provost for Inclusion, Diversity & Equity; Associate Professor, Music Therapy, Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA; owner, Healing Hearts Music Therapy.

MIA HARTLEY

BM 2017

JD-MBA, Stetson University College of Law; US-UK Fulbright Postgraduate Scholar (2017); former Adjunct Professor at University of South Florida; Board-Certified Music Therapist; former Congressional Intern and Scheduler in the US House of Representatives; Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Merge Art Collective; Musician, Composer, and Performer.

JULIA BAUMANIS

BME 2010; MM 2016; PhD 2019

Assistant Director of Bands at Rutgers University (first female conductor in the university’s history); Artistic Director and Conductor of the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra; coauthor of GO ON - Tell Your Story! Voices of Women Band Directors (Midwest, 2023).

MARQUES L.A. GARRETT

PhD 2018

IZABEL ZAMBRZYCKI

MA 2016

Artistic General Manager, Colorado Symphony; past Senior Artistic Planning Manager and Assistant to the Music Director for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop.

Associate Professor of Choral Conducting, University of North Texas; past Assistant Professor of Music in Choral Activities, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Glenn Korff School of Music; 2023 recipient of the Chorus America Brazeal Wayne Dennard Award; founding conductor of the Nebraska Festival Singers; compositions commissioned by the Cincinnati Youth Choir, Concordia Choir, Harvard University, Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia, and Westminster Choir College.

YOUR BEST VALUE

The FSU College of Music is one of the most affordable top-tier music programs in the country. Florida State was ranked the # 1 Best Value Among Florida Public Universities and #3 of Best Schools for Financial Aid by U.S. News & World Report

Financial Aid comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, and awards are “stackable” up to the full cost of attendance.

Undergraduate Funding

Admission Scholarships : All first-year students are considered for academic merit scholarships such as the Vires and Mores Scholarships ($3,000 per year), the Presidential Scholarship ($6,500 per year plus additional funding for educational enrichment opportunities), and the prestigious Benacquisto Scholarship for National Merit Finalists (full cost of attendance).

Graduate Funding

Graduate Assistantships : Graduate assistants receive a full tuition award as well as an annual stipend (approx. $8,000 to $16,000 per year). Positions and responsibilities vary, but no additional application is required. Apply for admission by December 1 for best consideration.

Music Talent Scholarships : All admitted music majors are automatically considered for talent scholarships. Awards are competitive and are offered to students who demonstrate exceptional musical ability.

Fellowships and Grants : Students from any discipline may apply for these awards through the Graduate School. Students must apply by December 1 – see gradschool.fsu.edu for application instructions.

Out-of-State Tuition Awards : We are pleased to offer awards for 50% of the out-of-state portion of tuition to all admitted undergraduate music majors (approximately $7,222 per year). Out-of-state students are also considered for music talent scholarship funding.

Academic Common Market : Out-of-State students from southern states (AL, AR, DE, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV) may qualify for in-state tuition based on degree program and state of residency. Visit sreb.org/academiccommon-market for more information.

Need-based Grants, Work-study, and Federal Loans : Awards vary in amount and are based on FAFSA submission. For best consideration, be sure to complete your FAFSA as early as possible.

ANNUAL COSTS (2023-2024 Rates)

* Based upon enrollment of 15 credit hours per semester for undergraduate students and 9 credit hours per semester for graduate students

APPLYING FOR ADMISSION

Complete application and audition requirements can be found at music.fsu.edu/study/admissions

Step 1: Apply to FSU and pay $30 application fee

Step 2: Submit the Music Supplemental Application and additional materials

Step 3: Complete your audition/interview

Undergraduate Applicants:

An audition is required for all music majors and minors, and some programs (Commercial Music, Music Therapy, Composition) have additional portfolio requirements. Please note that FSU does require all applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores.

Graduate Applicants:

Most programs require an audition or interview. Additional requirements such as writing samples, prescreening videos, and other materials vary by program. GRE not required for any music applicants.

SEE FOR YOURSELF

The best way to get to know us is to make a visit to campus. We host visitors almost every weekday of the year, and we can help you connect with faculty, observe classes, and request a trial lesson.

Can’t make it to campus? We offer weekly information sessions over Zoom to answer all of your questions about our programs and the admission process.

Visit us at music.fsu.edu/study/admissions to schedule an appointment today.

Stay in touch – scan this QR code to join our mailing list today!

See past performances from College of Music ensembles at WFSU.org.