Music: Rich in culture and tradition
Ensembles, private instruction and international tours await.
Music
Our music program was founded more than 150 years ago, making music an integral part of the culture and traditions at Jewell, such as our choir's second-place and national finalist finishes in The American Prize in Choral Performance and the release of their third CD, to our opera workshops, holiday concerts, collaborations with Theatre and our Cardinal Sound band. Every three years, our choir tours England and Scotland, performing in some of the world's oldest cathedrals.
Our Music Programs
Private instruction, performance labs, ensembles, studio recitals and research add depth to classroom instruction for music majors and minors. Non-music majors also may take applied lessons and participate in Jewell’s highly acclaimed vocal, instrumental and choral ensembles. At Jewell, you may choose a B.A. in Music or a B.S. in Music, where you take more hours specifically in music. If you opt for the B.S. you may choose to gain a specific emphasis in performance. Or you may study for a B.S. in Music Education.
Graduates of the William Jewell College music program will:
- Perform to a standard appropriate for the course of music study being undertaken at an undergraduate Liberal Arts college on at least one instrument or voice as evidenced by incremental improvement in regular performance juries and assessment through the Sophomore, Junior and Senior departmental recitals;
- Demonstrate an informed understanding of common practice and post tonal theory as evidenced in the Summative Music Theory Examination;
- Demonstrate an informed understanding of the development of music in the western and non-western traditions as evidenced in the Synthesis Portfolio presented in the Senior year;
- Demonstrate the various demands of large and small ensemble performance as evidenced through involvement in a variety of ensembles, venues and styles of music throughout the duration of the degree;
- Demonstrate appropriate functional piano skills as evidenced through passing the Keyboard Barrier Examination; and
- Confidently undertake and present research, making use of diverse resources as evidenced in the Synthesis Portfolio presented in the Senior year.
Master Classes
Through the internationally acclaimed Harriman-Jewell Series, you can get free tickets to see the world’s greatest artists in concert. Each year the Department of Music and the Harriman-Jewell series team up to bring some of this outstanding talent to campus to give free master classes. You can perform for and interact with leading performers from around the world and receive direct feedback and instruction. Recently we hosted sopranos Joyce DiDonato and Danielle de Niese, violinists Robert McDuffie and Jeremy Denk, vocalists The King's Singers and Stephanie Blythe. This season the line-up of artists is equally great – you can find full information on the Harriman-Jewell Series web site.
Scholarships and Auditions
If you wish to major in music, you must audition for admission to the department. This can be done at the same time as an award audition. Non-majors also may audition for a music award. Awards are competitive and are distributed based on talent, as both a reflection of your achievement before coming to Jewell and also as an investment in your potential achievement. All awards require some participation in the department, usually in the form of applied lessons for at least four semesters and membership in one or more ensembles. Students may audition on instrument(s), voice, piano or a combination. For more information, contact Anne Aunspaugh at music@william.jewell.edu.
Auditions
The Music Award Application process begins with your application to William Jewell College. To start your Jewell application: www.jewell.edu/apply and complete the Talent Scholarship Application.
See our audition dates. You should plan to bring two contrasting pieces with you to your audition. We recommend that the standard of the repertoire you perform be at the level of material you would take to District or State music festivals. You can expect to be asked to do some sight-reading and may be asked to perform scales and/or arpeggios as appropriate.
- Vocalists: If possible, one should be in a foreign language.
- Instrumentalists: Your second piece may be a technical study. Piano accompaniment is recommended but not required.
- Pianists: Your second piece may be a technical study.
NOTE: A Jewell accompanist is available provided we have sufficient prior communication of your audition repertoire. Taped accompaniment is not permitted.