Music Major - Rigorous Academics with Real World Experience

Would you like the opportunity to perform alongside the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, or with other regionally recognized musical groups?

These highly engaged, hands-on learning environments are available to you as a student in the Bachelor of Arts program in Music at Florida Southern College.

Grow your musical skills in a program that emphasizes applied music while providing a solid foundation in theory, music history, and piano proficiency that enables you to explore and express the structure of music and the historical context of musical genres.

Top Reasons to Study Music at FSC

Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, the Music Department provides a rigorous and comprehensive music curriculum.
Our low student-to-faculty ratio ensures that you’ll get personal attention from professors who are committed to your success.
Thought-provoking classes and inspiring professors will help you discover your calling and prepare for the challenges ahead in graduate and professional school, the workplace, and life.

You’ll learn by doing. At FSC, you will have numerous opportunities to perform in solo recitals, ensembles, and competitive events with nationally recognized performers.
Our small size means you will have easy access to our music computer laboratory and practice rooms.
As a student musician, you’ll perform in our 1800-seat Branscomb Auditorium, one of the finest concert halls in North America.

Our music alumni continue their studies at some of the finest graduate schools in the country.

Engaged Learning in the Classroom

FSC’s music programs thrive on engagement. Here, you’ll join a community where students and faculty work closely together. Our intimate faculty-student ratio provides you with constant teacher interaction and advice. And because practice rooms are steps away from teaching studios, answers and assistance are just across the hall.

Along with our Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, and Jazz Ensemble, we have additional performance opportunities through numerous small ensembles that include:

Chamber Singers
Choral
Clarinet Choir
Flute Choir
Horn Choir
Men’s Chorale
Percussion Ensemble

Saxophone Choir
Symphony Orchestra
Trombone Choir
Trumpet Choir
Tuba Choir
Women’s Chorale

Departmental Clubs & Organizations

We host numerous organizations on campus. These include:

FSC’s band program, which offers audition-based performance groups for both music majors and those wanting to pursue a musical interest while majoring in another field;
The Music Educators National Conference student chapter, which all interested music students are encouraged to join;
Delta Omicron, an international professional fraternity open to music majors and minors, and Phi Mu Alpha, a music fraternity open to anyone with a professional interest in music regardless of major; and
The Music Entertainment Industry Student Association, a national organization for students in the field of music management.

Scholarships

Talent-based scholarships for students intending to pursue a music degree are available through audition.

Learn More About Auditions

Related Majors

News

Making Music in Taiwan

A Summer Spent Singing in Italy

FSC Symphony Orchestra Offers Free Concert Featuring Student Soloists

Start the Conversation
and Contact…

Paula Parsché
Director of Piano Studies & Chair of the Department of Music
863.680.4233
pparsche@flsouthern.edu

Meet Our Faculty

Music Ensembles

Audition Info

Festival of Fine Arts

Christmas Gala on PBS

For more than four decades, the Florida Southern College Department of Music has been delighting audiences with its annual Christmas Gala.

Watch Video

Scholars Meet Divas!

FSC singers take the stage with professionals from ISO to perform The Merry Widow.

Chris Kline

talks about realizing his dreams at Florida Southern College.

Special Features

Study with accomplished teachers who are also accomplished performers. Learn from those who have experience in the industry.

FSC’s music facilities include large teaching studios, ensemble rehearsal halls, and well-equipped practice areas.

Our location offers outstanding music venues and opportunities through our Festival of Fine Arts. And many of these performances are free or at discounted admission for our students.

Our Roux Library houses numerous musical resources and gives you access to extensive digital databases, including the Naxos Music Library, the world’s largest online classical music library.

Graduate & Professional Opportunities

FSC’s Bachelor of Arts in Music prepares you to teach applied music privately or enter graduate school for more specialized studies. Our Music program is highly successful at placing music education graduates, helping students in applying for acceptance at prestigious graduate schools, and supporting careers in performance and music business professions.

Our alumni have also gone on to continue their studies at some of the finest graduate schools in the country, including:

The New England Conservatory of Music
The Bard Conservatory
Boston Conservatory of Music

Emory University
Manhattan School of Music
Eastman School of Music

Program Requirements

Music (B.A.) Major Requirements

A. General Education Requirements	40 hours
B. Major Requirements	48-52 hours

Music Theory: 16 hours

MUS 1151	Aural Skills I
MUS 1152	Aural Skills II
MUS 1173	Theory: Introductory Harmony
MUS 2251	Aural Skills III
MUS 2252	Aural Skills IV
MUS 2271	Theory: Advanced Harmony I
MUS 2272	Theory: Advanced Harmony II
MUS 3371	Theory: Forms and Analysis

Music History: Eight hours

MUS 3381	History of Music I
MUS 3382	History of Music II

Conducting: Two hours

MUS 3386	Fundamentals of Conducting I

Applied Piano proficiency
(non-piano majors): 0-4 hours

MUS 133C- 234C	Keyboard Musicianship I-IV or by performance examination

Applied Lessons and Recitals: 14 hours
(one hour required from MUS 4490)

MUS 1131-4432	Strings (violin, viola, cello, string bass)
MUS 1133-4434	Piano
MUS 1135-4436	Woodwinds (flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone)
MUS 1137-4438	Brass (trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba)
MUS 1139-4440	Percussion
MUS 1143-4444	Voice
MUS 1147-4448	Classical Guitar
MUS 4490	Senior Recital

Ensemble: Eight hours total

At least five ensemble hours must be chosen from the following major ensembles:

MUS 1101-4402	Chamber Singers
MUS 1103-4404	Women's Chorale
MUS 1105-4406	Men's Chorale
MUS 1109-4410	Concert Choir
MUS 1111-4412	Symphony Band
MUS 1121-4422	Orchestra

Three additional hours must be chosen either from the major ensembles listed above or the chamber ensembles listed below:

MUS 1107-4408	Opera Theatre
MUS 1113-4414	Jazz Ensemble
MUS 1117-4418	Wind Ensemble
MUS 1119-4420	Piano Ensemble (two hours required for piano majors)
MUS 1123-4424	Chamber Ensemble (variable selections)

C. Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements	20 hours
D. Electives	12-16 hours
E. Total	124 hours

Interested in a music minor?

Students majoring in other disciplines can learn the fundamental principles of music by earning a music minor. You must complete twenty course hours selected from music theory, music history, ensembles, and applied lessons. See the Academic Catalog for details

Course Descriptions

Ensemble Participation

One hour. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. This course focuses on group instruction in music with a major emphasis on skill development, conceptual understanding, and aesthetic appreciation of appropriate ensemble literature, culminating in live concert performance experiences. Ensembles carry one semester hour of credit for each semester of participation.

CHAMBER SINGERS
MUS 1101-1102, 2201-2202, 3301-3302, 4401-4402
Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

WOMEN'S CHORALE
MUS 1103-1104, 2203-2204, 3303-3304, 4403-4404
Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

MEN'S CHORALE
MUS 1105-1106, 2205-2206, 3305-3306, 4405-4406
Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

OPERA THEATRE
MUS 1107-1108, 2207-2208, 3307-3308, 4407-4408
Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

CONCERT CHOIR
MUS 1109-1110, 2209-2210, 3309-3310, 4409-4410

SYMPHONY BAND
MUS 1111-1112, 2211-2212, 3311-3312, 4411-4412
Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

JAZZ ENSEMBLE
MUS 1113-1114, 2213-2214, 3313-3314, 4413-4414
Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

WIND ENSEMBLE
MUS 1117-1118, 2217-2218, 3317-3318, 4417-4418
Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

PIANO ENSEMBLE
MUS 1119-1120, 2219-2220, 3319-3320, 4419-4420

ORCHESTRA
MUS 1121-1122, 2221-2222, 3321-3322, 4421-4422
Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

CHAMBER ENSEMBLES
MUS 1123-1124, 2223-2224, 3323-3324, 4423-4424
Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

Music Appreciation

MUS 1164 HISTORY OF JAZZ
Four hours. Development of jazz as a medium of musical expression.
Gen Ed: FA (In)

MUS 1165 GREAT WORKS OF MUSIC
Four hours. A comprehensive survey of western music.
Gen Ed: FA (In)

MUS 1166 CARRIBEAN MUSIC
Four hours. This course will study and explore the history and social impact of music in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica from the late 18th century to the present. Characteristics and development of musical genres will be discussed along with their relationships to those of neighboring nations. No prior musical knowledge is required. Gen Ed: FA (In)

Music Theory

MUS 1070 INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC THEORY
Three hours. A comprehensive review of the fundamentals of music theory. This course does not count for credit towards the music major.

MUS 1151 AURAL SKILLS I
One hour. This course teaches about and gives practice in recognizing musical events and elements by ear and in singing musical elements or materials at sight.

MUS 1152 AURAL SKILLS II
One hour. Prerequisite: MUS 1151. This course builds on skills developed in previous aural skills courses. It teaches about and gives practice in recognizing musical events and elements by ear and in singing musical elements or materials at sight.

MUS 1173 THEORY: INTRODUCTORY HARMONY
Three hours. Prerequisite: A passing score on the Music Department’s Basic Music Theory Exam. This course covers written diatonic harmony and basic chromatic harmony through part-writing, functional analysis, and original composition.

MUS 1179-1180, 2279-2280, 3379-3380, 4479-4480 COMPOSITION
One to three credit hours. Prerequisite: approval of instructor. This course consists of supervised composition for various media through both seminar sessions and individual instruction. Gen Ed: FA (Ex)

MUS 2251 AURAL SKILLS III
One hour. Prerequisite: MUS 1152 or permission of the instructor. This course builds on skills developed in previous aural skills courses. It teaches about and gives practice in recognizing musical events and elements by ear and in singing musical elements or materials at sight.

MUS 2252 AURAL SKILLS IV
One hour. Prerequisite: satisfactory completion or MUS 2251 or permission of the instructor. This course builds on skills developed in previous aural skills courses. It teaches about and gives practice in recognizing musical events and elements by ear and in singing musical elements or materials at sight.

MUS 2271 THEORY: ADVANCED HARMONY I
Three hours. Prerequisite: MUS 1173 or permission of the instructor. Study of modulation, chromatic and extended traditional harmonic practices, and advanced counterpoint.

MUS 2272 THEORY: ADVANCED HARMONY II
Three hours. Prerequisite: MUS 2271. Study of modulation, chromatic and extended traditional harmonic practices, and advanced counterpoint.

MUS 3371 THEORY: FORM AND ANALYSIS
Three hours. Prerequisite: MUS 2272. This course emphasizes detailed stylistic analysis of musical forms from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern Periods.

MUS 3372 THEORY: COUNTERPOINT
Two hours. Prerequisite: MUS 3371. The course consists of an in-depth study of contrapuntal processes from 18th Century practices to current procedures. Original compositions: Two-Part invention, Three-voice fugue, Chorale Prelude, and Twelve-Tone composition.

MUS 4471 ORCHESTRATION
Two hours. Prerequisite: MUS 3371. Techniques of effective scoring for orchestra.

MUS 3384 VOCAL LITERATURE II
One hour. Examination of repertory for voice by English and American composers.

Music: General Offerings

MUS 1184 ENGLISH DICTION
One hour. One semester of study of English diction for voice concentration majors.

MUS 1185 GERMAN DICTION
One hour. One semester of study of German diction for voice concentration majors.

MUS 1186 ITALIAN DICTION
One hour. One semester of study of Italian diction for voice concentration majors.

MUS 1187 FRENCH DICTION
One hour. One semester of study of French diction for voice concentration majors.

MUS 3386 FUNDAMENTALS OF CONDUCTING I
Two hours. Prerequisite: MUS 2272. This is a course in organizing and conducting choral and instrumental ensembles in which basic conducting technique (patterns, posture, subdivision of beats, starting, stopping, cues, and baton technique) is acquired.

MUS 3387 FUNDAMENTALS OF CONDUCTING II
Two hours. Prerequisite: MUS 3386. This course continues the conducting curriculum with: (A) further study of the techniques of choral and instrumental conducting, (B) score study and preparation, (C) rehearsal planning, pacing and execution; (D) interpretative factors: group tone development; (E) ensemble literature.

MUS 3388 JAZZ IMPROVISATION
One hour. Improvisational techniques in actual jazz performance.

MUS 3389 ACCOMPANYING AND COACHING
One hour. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Instrumental and vocal accompanying for the pianist with emphasis on stylistic traditions and with special attention to the art song.

Music