2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Aug 01, 2025

2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Music Major

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Music Overview

The music program offers both a major and a minor, as well as courses and activities for non-majors. Courses are designed to teach students to listen to music intelligently, develop musical perception, master the skills of music, and apply them creatively. Our curriculum acquaints students with music across a broad stylistic, cultural, and historical spectrum. The study of music can open new perspectives on many aspects of culture and society, therefore Clark’s music program stresses the advantages of combining professional musical development with the humanistic breadth offered by a strong liberal arts education. Courses and ensembles are open to majors and non-majors. Assignments and projects are designed to suit the different goals and backgrounds of the students in each category.

For more information, please visit the Music Department’s webpage.

Non-Majors

All of the courses, seminars, and activities in the music program-with the exception of MUSC 180-are open to qualified non-majors. Students who have a strong interest in music but whose major lies in another discipline can declare a minor in music.

Performing Organizations

Non-majors and majors may audition for a variety of organizations, which rehearse regularly and perform several yearly concerts. Auditions are held during the first week of each semester. The following musical activities - MUSC 170 Clark Concert Choir, MUSC 171 Clark Chamber Chorus, MUSC 172 Concert Band, MUSC 173 Chamber Music Ensemble, MUSC 174 Jazz Workshop and Combo, and MUSC 175 Clark University Symphony Orchestra -are open to all undergraduate and graduate students and offer 0.5 credit. MUSC 170 Clark Concert Choir, MUSC 171 Clark Chamber Chorus, MUSC 172 Concert Band, MUSC 173 Chamber Music Ensemble, MUSC 174 Jazz Workshop and Combo, and MUSC 175 Clark University Symphony Orchestra are available to students who wish to audit and have their participation recorded on their transcripts.

Private Lessons

Private lessons for a wide range of instruments and for voice for nonmajors and majors are offered with or without course credit. See MUSC 180 - Private Instruction in Instruments and Voice (for credit for majors and minors) and MUSC 018 Private Instruction for Instruments and Voice (noncredit).

Major Requirements

Core requirements, taken by all majors (six course units):

These courses are to be completed by the first semester of the junior year; exceptions must be approved by the Music Program Director:

VAPA 010 - ArtsLaunch
MUSC 100 - Exploring Music Historically and Critically
MUSC 121 - Theory I: Principles of Tonal Analysis
MUSC 122 - Tonal Analysis II: Form and Chromaticism
MUSC 141 - Computers and Music
MUSC 001 - Keyboard Skills (.5 credit)
MUSC 002 - Sight Singing and Ear Training (.5 credit)
Students who test out of either MUSC 001 or 002 must substitute an additional workshop course, music ensemble credit or semester of MUSC 180 chosen in consultation with their music major advisor.

Ensemble Performance Requirements (one course unit)

A minimum of two semesters of an Ensemble Performance course taken for credit MUSC 170 - Clark University Choir MUSC 171 - Clark Chamber Chorus MUSC 172 - Concert Band MUSC 173 - Chamber Music Ensembles MUSC 174 - Jazz Workshop and Combo MUSC 175 - Clark University Symphony Orchestra or by other arrangement with Music Program Director.

Additional requirements ( a minimum of 6 additional courses)

A musicology course (MUSC 101 , MUSC 102 , MUSC 103 , or MUSC 104 )

Any three additional MUSC courses at the 100-level or above; at least one must be at the 200-level. (A maximum of two of these courses may be fulfilled by four semesters of MUSC 180)

VAPA 290 - V&PA Capstone

A 200-level MUSC course or a senior project in the senior year. Most music majors will want to complete an independent project carried out under the close supervision of a member of the music faculty (MUSC 270 , MUSC 297 or MUSC 290 ); these projects may be focused on a creative project (composition, music production), an academic project (musicology, music theory or analysis) or a performance (a senior recital) depending on a student’s interest and focus.

Ensemble Performance List

Honors in Music

The intention to pursue Honors in Music must be declared in the junior year and requires approval of the music program director and the other music faculty members.

An Honors Program will include one additional music course relevant to the student’s program of study taken by the end of the student’s junior year. Depending on a student’s interest and course of study, this may be a Junior Honors Recital (half program). In the senior year, it will also involve a semester of Music 297: Honors, done under the guidance of a music faculty member.

With faculty approval, a student may propose a year-long project to fulfill the honors requirement. This would involve two semesters of MUSC 297 or one semester of Music 280 Honors in Performance (first semester of the senior year) and a Senior Honors Recital (MUSC 297) with a complementary paper in the second semester of the senior year.

Music Faculty

Program

John Aylward, Ph.D.

John Freyermuth, M.F.A. - Program Director
Benjamin Korstvedt, Ph.D.
Matthew Malsky, Ph.D.

Cailin Marcel Manson, M.MUS

Music Staff

Yelena Beriyeva, M.Mus.

Part-Time

Ashley Hames L’Esperance, M.M.M.E

Samantha McGill, B.S.

Brent Wetters, Ph.D

Affiliate

Hannah Berube, M. Mus.

Anastasia Black, M. Mus.

Anton Boutkov, M. Mus.

Deborah Cole, M. Mus.

Michael C. Connors,

Joseph W. D’Angelo,

Deborah Greenbaum, M.A.

Ariana Falk, D.M.A.

Joseph Halko,

William Jones, M. Mus.

James MacDonald, M. Mus.

Gabe Rami, M. Mus.

Amanda Romano Foreman, M, Mus.

Nicholas Tocci, M. Mus.

Emeriti

Gerald Castonguay, Ph.D.
Hartmut Kaiser, Ph.D.

Music Courses

Courses offered within the last 2 Academic Years