Music

Life enrichment on a major scale.

Looking for information on music scholarship auditions?

Oglethorpe鈥檚 music program is designed for all students 鈥� music minors and elective-takers alike 鈥� to add valuable musical instruction to their greater pursuit of the liberal arts. Our goal: to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for musical learning, artistic exploration, and artistic expression. You鈥檒l receive personal attention from our distinguished faculty and can take advantage of curricular opportunities as well as private lessons in voice, piano, strings, brass, guitar, and woodwinds (for just $35 per lesson) from some of the finest professional musicians in Atlanta!

As a music student at Oglethorpe, you鈥檒l鈥�

Perform on and off-campus in a large or small music ensemble
Engage with other students in pursuing your creativity and passion
Better understand how music is structurally composed
Hone your skills in analyzing a piece of music for performance
Gain a deeper appreciation for music in its historical and cultural context
Become a more accomplished musician

Minoring in Music was one of the greatest decisions I've made at Oglethorpe! As someone with a hobby as a pianist, I've learned many skills that made a noticeable impact on my ability to read sheet music and learn quickly. If you enjoy playing an instrument and want to increase your music knowledge, you won't regret taking this minor."

-Morgan Lamm '26

Some people, to borrow from the university鈥檚 tagline, use music to make a life; some use it to make a living; some use it to make a difference. However you choose to pursue your talents, your musical training at Oglethorpe will be an enriching experience that ensures a more rewarding musical life in the years to come.

Oglethorpe offers for talented students of all majors. These scholarships range from $500-$2500 a year and are available for both instrumentalists and vocalists. At Oglethorpe, your musical talents can be recognized with financial support while you pursue a major in chemistry, business or any other discipline. We take pride in this rare opportunity afforded to ALL students at Oglethorpe regardless of your academic path.

University Singers and Chorale

The University Singers is the flagship ensemble and primary class in applied music at Oglethorpe. As a co-curricular offering, it carries one semester hour of credit which may be applied to any degree offered at the University. Students learn and perform a wide variety of musical selections, collaborate with the 好色先生TV Symphony, and headline university events like The Boars Head Ceremony. Additionally, the Singers serve as both academic and cultural representatives of the University, embarking on regional and international tours every other year.

Membership

After acceptance to the University, students may register for Music 134: University Singers. No audition is required, but students are welcome to contact Prof. Schmidt, [email protected], to set up an informal pre-screening that would consist of vocal exercises and a simple music literacy assessment.

The University Chorale is a highly-select ensemble drawn from the membership of University Singers via audition. These auditions occur during the first and final weeks of each semester pending ensemble vacancies. Being selected for the Chorale is a distinct honor and is based upon solo performance, musical literacy skills, vocal technique, and an understanding of the necessary requirements and expectations of the ensemble. These musicians, in addition to performing in concert alongside University Singers, engage in bespoke events on and off-campus. Participation in Chorale is reported as part of the Singer鈥檚 grade.

University Symphony and Jazz Ensemble

Open to all students regardless of major studies, the 好色先生TV Symphony offers students the opportunity to perform a wide range of symphonic repertoire at a high artistic level, spanning classical masterworks to contemporary and popular selections. The ensemble plays a central role in campus traditions, presenting featured performances at the annual Fall Music Gala, the Boar鈥檚 Head Celebration in December, and the Music Department鈥檚 Spring Concert.

In the Oglethorpe Jazz Ensemble聽(known as 鈥�The Jazzy Petrels鈥�), students explore a wide variety of genres and styles, including swing, be-bop, funk, rock and Latin jazz. In addition to formal concert performances on the Fall Music Gala and Spring Concert, the 鈥淛azzy Petrels鈥� often perform for campus functions or off-campus events. There are frequent opportunities for paying engagements through this ensemble.

Music Scholarships

Who should apply: Any student currently attending the University with a strong academic record and a desire for significant musical engagement as part of their Oglethorpe experience.

Purpose: To reward excellence and achievement in musical performance. To provide supplemental funding for students to engage in private instrumental or vocal study.

Amounts: Ranging from $500.00 to $1000.00 per year. (Awards are applicable to any degree offered at Oglethorpe.)

Requirements:

Must be accepted for admission to 好色先生TV.
Must exhibit excellence in musical performance, as well as strong musical literacy skills in the audition.
Must register for MUS 136 Applied Music and perform in at least one music ensemble on campus.

Procedure: To apply, please fill out the . If you have questions about Music Scholarship, please send an inquiry email to the Music Program Coordinator, Dr. Andrew Schmidt.

Scholarship Auditions: Held at varying times throughout the year; awards are made prior to the Fall semester for the upcoming academic calendar year (September-May).

Instrumental Auditions:

3 major scales and arpeggios (two octaves each) of your choice
Prepare two selections in contrasting styles (i.e. Classical, Baroque, Romantic, 20th century, etc., OR by genre: pop, Jazz, Broadway, original composition, etc.). No selection needs to exceed 3-5 minutes.
Play a brief sight-reading selection chosen by the audition panel

Vocal Auditions:

Prepare two selections in contrasting styles (i.e. Classical, Jazz, pop, Broadway, etc.) If preparing two Classical pieces, they may be in different languages or from different musical time-periods.
Complete a simple vocal assessment of technique and range.
Sing a brief sight-reading selection chosen by the audition panel.

Hands-on Learning
Career Opportunities
Degree Requirements & Courses

As a global city, Atlanta is home to a musical scene that’s especially dynamic, eclectic, and diverse (earning Atlanta its honorary title as hip hop’s “third coast.”) Where else can you find world-class opera and symphony, classic country and retro rockabilly, homegrown indie breakout bands, and some of the biggest names in rap and hip hop? Atlanta is also home to several legendary producers who’ve worked with the brightest stars in the business. If an internship in music is what you’re after, Atlanta has great opportunity.

Unique to Oglethorpe, all students regardless of major can join one of Oglethorpe鈥檚 musical ensembles. While this is difficult at many schools for non-music majors, at Oglethorpe this is a great opportunity for talented students to participate in performance groups. The University Singers, led by Dr. Andrew Schmidt, explores the best of choral literature, performs several concerts a year and tours regionally and internationally. The University Singers are also eligible to audition for the highly selective University Chorale. Try out for the Jazzy Petrels, the OU Jazz Ensemble or the 好色先生TV Symphony, both led by Dr. Nico Gutierrez. These ensembles perform at beloved Oglethorpe events like the Boar鈥檚 Head Celebration, Convocation, the Fall Music Gala and other on and off-campus events.

Study music in private lessons with the best teachers and musicians in Atlanta. Students have the opportunity to study any instrument or voice-type for credit. Our faculty help students perform in recitals, theater productions, campus events, and assist in finding paying openings with area church choirs and music schools.

Enjoy free concerts right on campus. The university event calendar is rich with musical performances of all kinds: a cappella vocal music, visiting guest artists and ensembles, opera and jazz.

Music can be a full- or part-time vocation or a fulfilling lifelong hobby. Here are a few ways you can leverage your musical training:

Offer instruction and tutoring in piano, voice, guitar, brass, or woodwinds. Find work as a studio musician, or perform for hire at special events. You may choose to continue your music education beyond Oglethorpe to become a music teacher or direct a community choir or orchestra.

Many of our students have found successful careers in church music leadership, serving as church music ministers.

Combine the music minor with a major in business or communications and pursue a career on the business side of music-making and production; choose a major in theatre for more opportunities in education or community programming (or maybe even Broadway!); consider a major in English or writing if you鈥檙e interested in becoming a songwriter.

Follow in the footsteps of Oglethorpe music alumni like John Burke 鈥�11, a Grammy-nominated pianist whose three solo albums of original piano compositions have been released to international praise; his second album was nominated by SoloPiano.com for Album of the Year.

See degree requirements and course descriptions in the University Bulletin.