Music Performance Major
For those passionate about singing or playing an instrument for others, a Music Performance major will teach you everything you need to reach musical excellence and refine your talent for professional performance.
Our foundational music courses allow students to delve into composition and conducting, study music theory and harmony, and examine major compositions and their historical contexts. By analyzing and practicing performance techniques and theory, you will develop new skills and sharpen your existing musical gifts. Our Music Performance program will stretch the limits of your abilities and provide active experience through music technology in our fully equipped music lab, vocal and instrumental ensembles, and personal music instruction and lessons.
Music Performance majors must choose a concentration in piano, vocal, or instrumental music performance and decide on a primary and secondary instrument to focus on over their four years. Every Music Performance student closes their four years of study with a culminating senior recital.
- Instrumental: Become an expert on the instrument of your choice. The instrumental performance curriculum will provide you with an introduction to electronic music, instrumental arranging, instrumental pedagogy, and musical literature.
- Piano: Focus on piano performance with additional studies in theory and history, composition, and electronic music. You will also study piano pedagogy and piano music literature. Piano students are encouraged to take choral and instrumental arranging courses to complement their studies.
- Vocal: Learn how to best express your voice through song. Voice courses include vocal pedagogy; vocal literature; diction in Italian, French, German, and English language; and two foreign language proficiency courses.
Music Performance Curriculum & Degree Options
- Bachelor of Music in Music Performance – Instrumental
- Bachelor of Music in Music Performance – Piano
- Bachelor of Music in Music Performance – Vocal
Contact the Music Program
Dr. Christopher Bade, Department of Music, Theatre & Dance Co-chair & Professor of Music
765-998-5258
chbade@taylor.edu
Lisa Royal, Music Program Assistant
765-998-5232
lsroyal@taylor.edu
Cathy Moore, Concert & Tour Coordinator
765-998-5292
ctmoore@taylor.edu
Related Majors
Related Minors
Music, Theatre, & Dance Department
The department of Music, Theatre & Dance emphasizes active learning in every program. By joining our Music and Theatre majors, you won’t just sit and study methods and theories—you’ll put them into action.
Through ensemble rehearsals, concerts, theatrical productions, student recitals, and fully staged musicals and operas, our students take their learning from the desk to the stage. You’ll also gain a technical background in music theory, acting methods, and dance techniques to take your gifts and skills to the next level and pursue industry-related careers on top of performance.
All prospective music and musical theatre majors must audition for admission into the Music, Theatre & Dance department. Our programs offer both merit- and need-based awards that are designed to enhance the University’s financial aid package. To be considered for music scholarships, students interested in music majors or minors must be complete their auditions by March 15.
To sign up for an audition time, speak with a Taylor Music or Theatre professor, or to receive additional information about music auditions and scholarships, please contact Lisa Royal, the music program assistant.
Some of our Music, Theatre & Dance graduates have gone one to complete their master’s degrees at the following colleges:
- Bowling Green State University
- Ball State University
- Indiana University
- Southern Illinois University
- University of Michigan
No matter which Music, Theatre & Dance major you pursue, you will have a wide range of career opportunities, from music composer to performer to teacher to stage manager. The Music, Theatre & Dance department has a 96% career placement rate, and our faculty and Calling and Career Office work hard to connect students to employment and internship opportunities throughout their time at Taylor.
Learn more about Taylor University’s Music, Theatre, & Dance philosophy.
The Smith-Hermanson Music Center houses an electronic music studio, a music technology lab, teaching studios, rehearsal rooms, and practice rooms. The attached 218-seat Butz-Carruth Recital Hall boasts a Bösendorfer grand and a Steinway piano. The Recital Hall is designed to provide the best acoustics for performance recording. The electronic studio and technology lab are equipped with music composition and editing software.
- 47 pianos across campus
- Wind, brass, string, and percussion instruments
- Electronic and pipe organs
- Five-octave handbells
- African drums
- Drum sets and keyboards
We offer ensembles and private lessons in all instrumental and choral areas.
- Instrumental: symphony Orchestra, wind and jazz ensembles, jazz combos, bell choirs, and chamber music ensembles such as string quartet, brass ensemble, and flute choir
- Piano: piano, piano pedagogy, piano class, and accompanying
- Voice: voice, musical theatre, lyric theatre, opera, and three choral ensembles
Contact Lisa Royal at lsroyal@tayloru.edu or 765-998-5232 to learn more.
Tracy Manning
Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts, Dept. Co-Chair
Managing & Artistic Director of Theatre
