Music Merchandising Specialization
The Onondaga Music degree program offers a two-year sequence designed to parallel the first two years of a typical four-year music degree program in music education, music business, or music therapy. Completion of the two-year music curriculum will provide you with an A.S. degree that includes a well-rounded liberal arts education. It also provides the options of transfer to a four-year degree program or direct entry into work as a private studio music teacher, professional musician, or any of a variety of positions in music merchandising. Admission into the Music program requires adequate pre-college training and preparation, which is tested through audition prior to entry. Students must also take placement exams in music theory, music reading, and piano.
If your audition suggests insufficient training in music theory, ear-training and/or your major instrument (or voice) and you wish to enter the Music degree program as a music major, a two-semester sequence of proficiency courses is available. These courses cannot be applied to the degree requirements for the MUS A.S. degree; therefore, students in this situation will require an additional two semesters to complete the program. Those students whose audition results suggest a more serious level of under-preparation will be referred back to the Office of Recruitment and Admission for possible admission to an alternate academic program.
Elective courses include Ethnic Music, Music Composition, Music Techology, Music Business, Improvisation, Diction for Singers, introductory Music Education courses, and applied music as well as performing ensembles. Membership in Music department ensembles is decided by audition and is open to all Onondaga students.
The Music department has developed a basic electronic music laboratory located in the Music Resource Center. The use of the Electronic Music Lab is incorporated into a number of the Music department’s course offerings. The lab features MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) equipped state-of-the-art pianos. In addition, a complete computer-controlled MIDI studio has been established featuring Kawai, Roland, and Yamaha synthesizers. This comprehensive digital synthesis studio is supported by a library of music software programs.
The Music department presents many public concerts during each semester, including regular performances by student ensembles that are featured on the Arts Across Campus calendar as well as many featured artists from outside the campus. Such student ensembles normally include the Onondaga Singers, Concert Choir, Wind Ensemble, Brass Quintet, Flute Choir, Clarinet Choir, Saxophone Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, String Ensemble, Latin Band, and Jazz Ensembles.
A convocation for music students is scheduled every Friday during College Hour and features concerts by students, student ensembles, faculty members, and/or visiting musicians featured in Arts Across Campus.
Specialization: Music Merchandising
A curriculum specialization in Music Merchandising is available if your career plans include the fields of music and business. The format of this specialization would follow the same requirements as the MUS A.S. with the addition of courses in Economics (ECO 203), Business (one of BUS 121 or BUS 243) and Music as a Business (MUS 182).
Program Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate proficiency on their instrument or voice in the areas of tone production, technique, and musicality.
- Understand how to recognize, distinguish, and interpret various music styles and performances.
- Analyze musical works and demonstrate an understanding of the compositional techniques endemic to the style of music studied.
- Demonstrate keyboard and aural skills, including sight-singing and rhythmic reading.
