Music

Studying music at Augustana means outstanding performance opportunities, a liberal arts focus, small classes and personal attention from professors and advisors. Augustana’s academic reputation — and recommendations from music faculty who know you well — will create many avenues to secure your dream job, whether as a performer, composer or educator.

Augustana offers several majors/minors for music students:
• Majors and minors in music, and music performance, and music composition.
• Major in music education (instrumental or vocal)
• Minor in jazz
• Advising track for music therapy

A rigorous progressive music curriculum, combined with the freedom to pursue other interests, provides the knowledge and experiences to help you become an insightful musician with strong interpersonal skills.

Outside the classroom, Augustana’s ensembles from jazz to opera offer opportunities to broaden your understanding and love of music, as well as perform locally and abroad.

Our music faculty are known for developing not only musical skills but also life skills, helping you discover the best version of yourself. Graduates stay connected to Augustana long after they leave campus and also will help you navigate your college experience and the job market when you’re ready.

Distinctions

• Augustana is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

• The 40+ music faculty represents all instrumental and vocal areas. All students, including non-music majors, can take lessons and participate in one of 12 ensembles — from opera to a symphony orchestra to jazz combos. Nearly a quarter of Augustana’s students perform in ensembles.

• Students of any major — including non-music majors — may audition and apply for music scholarships ranging from $500–$4,000 annually.

• The music program has a strong tradition of touring ensembles. Since the early 1880s, annual tours have taken the Symphonic Band to 32 states and many countries.

• Augustana has four concert halls, including the 1,600-seat Centennial Hall and the more intimate, acoustically excellent Hamann Concert Hall. Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts, which houses all of the music department’s classrooms and offices, practice rooms and ensemble spaces, is currently undergoing a $12 to $13 million renovation.

•  In addition to ACME (Augustana College Music Educators), the college has active student-run chapters of Collegiate Music Educators, National Band Director Association, American String Teachers Association and American Choral Directors Association. Augustana also has chapters of Phi Mu Alpha and Sigma Alpha Iota, music service fraternities in which students assume leadership roles in service and professional projects.

• Recent music graduates have entered esteemed graduate programs at the New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, Cincinnati Conservatory, Northwestern, and the universities of Illinois, Michigan and Southern California.

Recent grads

Anne Bak ’21 performed a cello recital of Baroque compositions with early music specialist Jean-Pierre Menuge in Eu, France. Bak is teaching French for a year in the northern part of France. In addition to performing, Bak has kept an active teaching schedule, working with her students in the United States via Zoom.

Kathryn Krajewski ’18 is a viola/violin instructor at Niles North High School in Skokie, Ill., and a private viola/violin teacher.

Justin Lebo ’15 is the music director at Cricket Theater Company in Palatine, Ill.

Tony Passaro ’13 is director of bands and jazz ensembles at the International School of Brussels in Brussels, Belgium.

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