Music

You can major or minor in music at F&M. Our courses explore multiple genres — including jazz, global popular music, and more — and dive into music history and culture, theory and composition, and performance and conducting.

A major in music is designed to allow you — no matter your musical background — to thrive and carve your own individual path. The majority of our courses are open to students with no formal background in music, but there are many academic and performance opportunities for those with a musical background. You can perform with your talented peers in our ensembles and take private vocal or instrumental lessons with our highly renowned professors. The grand finale of your F&M music experience is a recital, research project, or creative project of your choosing.

By the time you graduate, you will have: 

• Become proficient in recognizing and performing many styles and genres of music from throughout the world
• Gained a comprehensive understanding of music theory: melody, harmony, rhythm, and form
• Developed competence in speaking and writing about music
• Become proficient in musical composition
• Gained competency in ear-training by way of sight-singing and melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic dictation
• Developed skill with a variety of music analytical techniques and practices
• Built an understanding of performance protocols and stage etiquette
• Honed your technical skill and expressive capacity as a solo and ensemble performer
• Developed competence in working with primary and secondary source materials (i.e. information literacy)

Wondering what music courses are like? Take a look at our course catalog to explore what classes you can expect to sample.

Studying music at F&M is deeply rooted in electives outside the classroom. With music ensembles, studio lessons, and research and study-abroad opportunities, you’ll develop your natural talent and skill and gain deeper understanding in an area that most intrigues you.

Research Opportunities 

Do you dream of conducting an orchestra that’s performing your original composition? Or maybe you feel a pull toward the history of music and want to venture deeper by researching musical archives. You won’t have to wait until graduate school to dive in. Every student at F&M has extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led research.

The music department offers research funds through F&M’s own Nolt Music Award, which is awarded to students undertaking musically enriching projects.
Explore research at F&M

Off-Campus Study

Off-campus study, in the U.S. and internationally, is encouraged. Our students have studied abroad in Italy, England, Austria, Australia, and more. 
Explore off-campus study at F&M

You can take private or for-credit studio vocal or instrumental lessons. Studio lessons include masterclasses and performances, in addition to working one-on-one with one of our renowned professors for a truly personalized approach to honing your skill.

Students can take private studio lessons (vocal or instrumental) on a credit-bearing or non-credit basis.

If you major in music, you’re encouraged to participate in one of the College’s many instrumental or choral ensembles. By doing so, you’ll not only enjoy extraordinary artistic opportunities each semester, but develop an appreciation of the creative endeavor related to music and musical performance.

The Adams & Gustafson Music Achievement Award

The Adams & Gustafson Music Achievement Award is offered to rising sophomores who have shown distinction and exhibit potential in their music studies at F&M. The award is $1,250 per semester ($2,500 per year) and is renewable for a total of six semesters pending eligibility. The award is named in honor of Courtney Adams and Bruce Gustafson, two of the founders of the modern-day F&M Music Department. This award is designed to recognize students who exemplify the passion for and intellectual commitment to music that Professors Adams and Gustafson epitomized.

The Nolt Music Award

The Nolt Music Award is a grant of up to $3,000 enabling F&M student musicians to undertake musically enriching projects. Possible projects include:

• Taking lessons with a member of a major orchestra or opera company resulting in a recital
• Attending a summer music festival in the U.S. or abroad
• Funding the premiere of a student composition
• Undertaking a research or field-work trip
• Going to a major metropolitan area to attend/critique a series of concerts or operas
• Funding a tour by the Nolt Scholar's chamber ensemble

Any enrolled F&M student may apply; however, projects must be completed prior to the student's graduation.

Competitions, Contests & Recitals

In addition to the opportunities above, the music department also offers:

• Solo and concerto competitions for singers and instrumentalists
• Music composition contests
• Senior recitals
• Achievement awards via honors in music

The Ann & Richard Barshinger Center provides a world-class concert hall to serve as the centerpiece of F&M’s thriving music program. Adjoining the Barshinger Center is Meyran Hall, a building that serves as home for the music department, as well as others. Our concert hall features an expanded stage designed to handle a full 70-piece orchestra or a full chorus with up to 135 performers. Seating accommodates just over 500, all with a first-rate view of the stage. The elegant setting was designed by a team that led the centennial renovations of Boston’s Symphony Hall, and the acoustics were designed by one of the world’s leading acousticians, creating an acoustically vibrant atmosphere.

Many of our students complete a major or minor in music even if they do not intend to embark on a career in music. The writing, analytical, critical thinking, and creative skills you gain by studying music in F&M’s liberal arts environment can play a pivotal role in your post-college plans. 

Graduate School

It’s not uncommon for F&M music majors to study in graduate programs in the U.S. and abroad. Students who have graduated with degrees in music have gone on to doctoral programs in musicology, ethnomusicology, and composition.

Career Paths

Music graduates are prepared for a wide array of careers. They’ve built successful careers in performance and the music industry, and have also gone on to careers in medicine, law, and more. They hold positions such as: 

• Music Department Chair
• Associate Professor of Music 
• Music Teacher
• Orchestra Director
• Music Director
• Audio Visual Technician
• Producer & Engineer
• Private Instrument Instructor 
• Singer
• Arranger 
• Freelance Musician

They also land in many positions seemingly unrelated to music, including:

• Director of Marketing
• Law Partner
• Associate Attorney
• Research Technician
• Associate Scientist
• Director of National Accounts
• Senior Development Manager
• Pediatrician