Department of Music and Program in Musical Performance

The initial premise of the Department of Music at Princeton is that music is a fundamental aspect of human experience and in its many forms and guises has been and always will be a basic part of our social and intellectual life. We try to offer our students glimpses of the many meanings and consequences of musical thought, observation, and activity and, for those interested in pursuing professional careers, a basic education that will form a solid foundation for future development. In most cases, but not all, studying music here is a continuation of childhood involvement. Typical music majors are those for whom music holds a special meaning.

There are two main aspects to studying music at Princeton. The first is to build a firm basis for further study through involvement with fundamental concepts and practices, particularly those relevant to Western music of the past and present. The second is to engage an area of special interest, which may have been a student’s overriding passion for the past 10 years, or may be something unfamiliar that proves irresistible. In any case, the department provides a set of resources in the form of a variety of courses on music history (Western and non-Western), music theory, composition, music technology, and performance-related projects and activities. In addition, independent projects, senior theses, student-initiated seminars, and a rich musical life in and around Princeton provide a good environment for learning and growth.

The study of music at Princeton may encompass any of a wide variety of subjects, aims, and interests. For some it may involve preparation for a career as a professional performer. While we are not a conservatory, we hope that the broad and intense areas of study we offer in composition, music history, and music theory, as well as opportunities to combine these with performance work, add a depth and range to the training of a performer that is not available at any conservatory. In recent years we have had several majors who have gone on to successful performing careers, including the pianist Robert Taub, jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan, and singers John-Paul Bogart and Martha Elliott.

Since 1991, the department has offered a certificate program in musical performance. The program provides an opportunity for students to develop their performing skills in the context of regular liberal arts study. One of the goals of the program is to enhance the study of performance through the study of theory, composition, and music history. While the program is not designed to produce professional performers, it will provide a foundation upon which a student may build to go on to further training, such as conservatory study at the graduate level. Admission to the program is by audition.

Majoring in music may also mean preparing for a career in composition. The department has been one of the leaders of the field in graduate education in this area for more than 40 years, and more recently we have expanded our offerings in the undergraduate arena. We have a variety of resources, including music theory courses that stress compositional work, electronic and computer synthesis facilities, beginning and advanced compositional workshops, and independent projects and senior theses in composition. Some of our former majors have gone on to graduate study in composition and careers as professional composers of concert music, while others have made careers in arranging and commercial music.

For others, music history becomes a focal point of their studies. The department has an outstanding graduate program and a prestigious faculty. The study of music history, music in history, or music as history is an extremely broad field, and individual approaches and interests are encouraged once a student has a working knowledge of the underlying principles of the field. Coursework ranges from the study of composers’ manuscripts to work in ethnomusicology, opera, 20th-century music, medieval and Renaissance music, and other special topics. The music department is small but encourages a wide range of interests, abilities, and aspirations among its faculty and students.

Finally, a significant percentage of music majors do not go on to professional careers in music but rather go into law, medicine, business, or some other profession. For many of these students, their time at Princeton is all the more valuable in that it is the last chance to devote themselves to musical studies before plunging into demanding careers that leave little time for music.