Why study Music at MC?
Located in the new Clayton Center for the Arts, the Maryville College Music Department offers a comprehensive, NASM-accredited music curriculum within the acclaimed Maryville College liberal arts experience. Students will receive expert instruction in music theory, music history, and performance. Our five music majors‚ the Bachelor of Arts in Music, the Bachelor of Music in Music Education (Choral), the Bachelor of Music in Music Education (Instrumental), the Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, the Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition‚ provide ample preparation and flexibility for the pursuit of careers involving music or graduate school.
AUDITIONS AND ADMISSION TO MUSIC CURRICULA
All students intending to pursue a major or minor in music or participate in an ensemble must complete the Music Placement Hearings during Fall Orientation prior to beginning study. Each student will then be counseled into the appropriate courses. All music majors must demonstrate proficiency in basic keyboard skills. Those who lack this preparation upon entering must take Keyboard Fundamentals for 0 credits every term until all five areas of the proficiency requirement are passed. All music majors must pass the piano proficiency requirement before enrolling in Senior Project 351-352.
Admission to a particular curriculum as a music major is conferred by the music faculty after the completion of MUS 102: Music Theory II (3 hrs.) or, in the case of students with advanced standing, after one semester of study at Maryville College. Contact the Chair of the Division of Fine Arts for details.
French or German is recommended as the foreign language choice for singers and students planning graduate work in music.
Cultivating a vibrant environment, the Maryville College Music Department prepares students for lives as creative musicians who will bring imagination, beauty, intelligence, and vision to their communities, thereby becoming cultural leaders in the world.
Scholarships, Awards, & Auditions
The Division of Fine Arts offers several opportunities to both first-year and returning or transfer students based on academic achievement, interest areas, leadership and talent. Learn More about the awards and qualifications >
Meet a Current Scot
Claire Pinkston
Hometown: Loudon, Tennessee
As a Music Education major, Claire has always enjoyed music and performing, but Maryville College has allowed her to grow both her interest and her knowledge.
“Music majors are given the opportunity to perform and learn from professors and each other every week in a program that is immersive and interactive,” she said. “I am an active member of the Maryville College Concert Choir and our small ensembles, and I’m getting lots of performative experiences and making great memories.”
After graduation, she hopes to teach music at the high school level, inspiring young people to find joy and beauty in it as she has.
“I enjoy learning from all of the professors, and I feel like the people I am working with really care about my success,” she said.
Meet a Recent Grad
Brianna Bakoledis ’21
Currently: Music teacher at Sweetwater Primary School, Sweetwater, Tennessee
As a Music Education major with Licensure (and a focus in Voice), Brianna was as busy on the stage as she was in the classroom, taking part all four years in the Maryville College Concert Choir and the small ensembles Off Kilter and the Lassies. For two years, she was a vocalist with the MC Jazz Band, and for three she served as the MC Concert Choir manager.
Those experiences, she said, supplemented the instruction she received and the knowledge she gained to make for an ideal music education.
“The experiences and education I received served as a catalyst for being the music educator I am and continue to grow into every day,” she said. “I’m so incredibly thankful for my time at MC. The music faculty is not only extremely talented and knowledgeable, but they go above and beyond to support students both in and out of the classroom. It is truly a special place to be.”