Music Department

Department Faculty

Scott Finch
Hyung Lok Kim
Brandon Kreuze, Department Chair and Program Coordinator
David Tahere

Department Goals

The Covenant College Music Department seeks to support the mission of the college in four ways:

Equipping versatile musicians and scholars to cultivate a distinctly Christian understanding of music and to respond to their vocational and avocational callings in music, with a special emphasis on service to the Church and a diversity of communities;
Contributing to the liberal arts education of all students through exposure to a broad spectrum of music from different times and places, thereby encouraging the appreciation for a variety of musical styles and the capacity for critical thought about music that are necessary to engage musical cultures;
Serving the Church and the community by participation in the worship of congregations near and distant, and by presentation of outstanding concerts and recitals that draw a variety of people to our campus on a regular basis and intentionally cross cultural barriers;
Engaging in the ongoing international conversation of music through the established routines of public concerts, recitals, clinics, master classes, festivals, tours, collaborative concerts with sister institutions, publishing, and even occasional arenas of competition.

Requirements for All Music Majors

Music majors are encouraged to attend student recitals and are required to participate in departmental ensembles. The ensemble requirements vary according to chosen instrument and degree. All majors are required to take eight (8) semesters of Performance Seminar; minors take four (4) semesters. The number of semesters required for Performance Seminar is modified when a student studies abroad during any semester and for transfer students into the program. Each degree requires a specific number of semesters of applied music and ensemble participation regardless of number of credit hours earned.

All music majors must demonstrate basic proficiency in piano by showing competency in performance, reading and functional skills. Evaluation areas include a prepared solo piano piece, a traditional hymn, an instrumental or vocal accompaniment, sight-reading, two-octave major and harmonic minor scales to four sharps/flats, and vocal warm-up exercises. Specific information about piano proficiency requirements is available through the Music Department. Students entering the program with previous piano study may arrange to be examined in piano proficiency skills during their first semester. Music majors lacking keyboard training should enroll in private piano instruction either with or without credit during their first semester as a music major. Music majors are expected to complete their piano proficiency exam by the end of the sophomore year.

Scholarships or performance grants are available to gifted students. Auditions for music scholarships should be in person when possible. However, when circumstances prevent a prospective student from appearing in person, an audition by video recording will be accepted. Information on music scholarship and audition guidelines can be viewed online.

Applied Music: Some Music Department faculty offer private instruction in their area of expertise. The department also maintains a list of local artists who teach applied music for the department. Students needing instruction in a performance area not currently represented among the full-time faculty will be assigned to other local private teachers. In cases where instruction is taken off campus, the student must obtain approval from the department chairman. Music majors and minors may choose to also pursue study in a secondary area of applied music for credit or non-credit.

Accompanist fee: Unless it is determined to be unnecessary by the applied instructor, all students taking lessons in non-keyboard instruments will be assigned an accompanist and assessed an accompanist fee of $100. Students may expect the accompanist to attend lessons and schedule independent rehearsals as appropriate to the assigned literature and performance opportunities. Students who perform a recital and utilize the services of a staff accompanist will be charged $250 in the semester during which they perform the event.

Programs

Major

Minor

Music Minor

Courses

Music: General Music Courses

(Also see courses under Applied Music, Ensembles, History/Literature, Recitals, and Theory/Composition)

Music: Applied Music Courses

Music: Ensembles

Chattanooga Symphony and Opera

Advanced student musicians may qualify for membership in the orchestra or opera chorus, depending on open positions. Inquiries regarding auditions and other details should be addressed to the Managing Director, Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402

Music: History/Literature Courses

Music: Theory/Composition Courses