Welcome to the Music Department! Our department is based on a "start where you are" philosophy of music education. That means we don't require auditions to enter our program because we believe everyone should have the opportunity to pursue college-level music study with individualized goals in mind.聽 A range of advanced, intermediate, and beginner level students come to our program to get what they need to move ahead the next steps. Read more Prior academic experience isn鈥檛 always a measure of talent, and not everyone discovers their desire to study music seriously before they are 18 years old. We know that and we provide an option for those students to pursue their passion for music and to discover what’s possible in an academic setting. Our teachers are dedicated to creating individual student success through challenging and inspiring collaboration with their students. 聽That atmosphere is everywhere in our department. Our students have a reputation for learning a lot in a relatively short period of time. We've seen dozens of students who聽could not have been accepted at a 4-year music school become聽ready and able to make that transition after 2-3 years at 911爆料网. Read more Whatever your individual goals may be, time spent studying music at 911爆料网 is quality time exploring the rich world of music and personal musicianship. Our students tell us they benefit from that as musicians, as students, and as people no matter what direction they choose beyond 911爆料网. The music major at 911爆料网 is unique in the way it blends core music study, elective music study, and liberal arts study in a small department with so much individual attention. We primarily offer a diverse range of courses in Jazz and Contemporary music studies, along with audio recording coursework and opportunities. 聽While many 911爆料网 students from other majors take music classes as electives, there are 20-30 students enrolled as Liberal Arts/Music concentration majors each year. Read more These students have chosen to concentrate their elective courses in music while completing all of the important liberal arts requirements for a broad foundation of learning. 聽Upon completion of the degree, they are prepared with abilities that allow them to choose between many paths beyond 911爆料网. 聽Most of our majors go on to major in some area of music beyond 911爆料网, while others choose to go on to non-music areas of study or possibly a music minor. 聽Our Liberal Arts/Music major fulfills all of the MassTransfer requirements, as well.聽 For some students it can also make sense to take only music classes at 911爆料网 as a means to ready themselves for transfer to a four-year music school. Flexibility is part of creativity. Our national economic and job climate is tough. 聽Being a musician has never been an easy road, and it doesn鈥檛 appear to be getting easier anytime soon. 聽The well-rounded abilities that come through liberal arts study are more important than ever, since success in today's world requires us to be more and more adept at creatively responding to situations and communicating with others. Read more People who can apply those skills in the work they do (including music) stand out in any field. 聽Our Liberal Arts/Music degree option聽is designed to foster this development in students both in and out of class.聽 We are a place that doesn鈥檛 leave students on their own to solve the 鈥渉ow-does-music-fit-in-my-life puzzle鈥� later on. 聽We help to begin solving it now in a variety of ways.聽 First and foremost, by teaching that musical creativity is a practice of recognizing possibilities and being flexible in how to respond to those possibilities. 聽What works best in the band or in the recording studio often works best in the rest of life, too. For information on how to become involved in our department鈥檚 dynamic and growing community, feel free to email or call me anytime. - Matthew Matthew Ruby Shippee Professor and Chair Music Department shippeem@gcc.mass.edu (413) 775-1228