Music BA, Performance Concentration
Program Details
Xavier University's Department of Music prepares students to enter the fields of music and music education, pursue graduate-level education, or enter occupations outside of music that requires a solid foundation in the liberal arts.
Students have the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to be a successful music performance artist. Fostering a practical, cross-cultural and student-oriented curriculum, the Music major prepares students for professional experience well beyond Xavier.
Curriculum
The sample course sequence below illustrates class offerings for the Music BA, Performance Concentration major. Consult the official Xavier University course catalog for detailed registration and advising information.
Fall
- MUSC 198: Studio Class............ 0cr.
- MUSC 199: Recital Attendance............ 0cr.
- MUSC 200: Music Theory I [Quantitatve]............ 3cr.
- MUSC 201: Aural Skills I............ 1cr.
- MUSC 208: Keyboard Skills I............ 1cr.
- Private Lesson I............ 1cr.
- Large Ensemble I............ 1cr.
- CORE 100: First-Year Seminar............ 3cr.
- CORE 101: First-Year Co-Curricular Passport ............ 0cr.
- ENGL 101 or ENGL 115............ 3cr.
- Second Language Elective I............ 3cr.
Spring
- MUSC 198: Studio Class............ 0cr.
- MUSC 199: Recital Attendance............ 0cr.
- MUSC 202: Music Theory II............ 3cr.
- MUSC 203: Aural Skills II............ 1cr.
- MUSC 209: Keyboard Skills II............ 1cr.
- Private Lesson II............ 1cr.
- Large Ensemble II............ 1cr.
- CORE 102: First-Year Co-Curricular Passport............ 0cr.
- Second Language Elective II............ 3cr.
- PHIL 100: Ethics as Intro to Philosophy............ 3cr.
- THEO 111: Theological Foundations............ 3cr.
Fall
- MUSC 198: Studio Class............ 0cr.
- MUSC 199: Recital Attendance............ 0cr.
- MUSC 210: Music History I............ 3cr.
- MUSC 300: Music Theory III............ 3cr.
- MUSC 301: Aural Skills III............ 1cr.
- Private Lesson III............ 1cr.
- Large Ensemble III............ 1cr.
- Scientific Perspectives............ 3cr.
- ERS Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- MUSC 198: Studio Class............ 0cr.
- MUSC 199: Recital Attendance............ 0cr.
- MUSC 211: Music History II [Writing]............ 3cr.
- MUSC 303: Aural Skills IV............ 1cr.
- Private Lesson IV............ 1cr.
- Large Ensemble IV............ 1cr.
- Mathematical Perspectives............ 3cr.
- Natural Science Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
Fall
- MUSC 198: Studio Class............ 0cr.
- MUSC 199: Recital Attendance............ 0cr.
- MUSC 311: Rock, Pop and R&B [OC+Divers]............ 3cr.
- Private Lesson V............ 1cr.
- Large Ensemble V............ 1cr.
- Theological Perspectives............ 3cr.
- ENGL/CLAS/SPAN 205: Literature and the Moral Imagination............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- MUSC 198: Studio Class............ 0cr.
- MUSC 199: Recital Attendance............ 0cr.
- Private Lesson VI............ 1cr.
- Large Ensemble VI............ 1cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
Fall
- Philosophical Perspectives ............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
Spring
- Historical Perspectives ............ 3cr.
- Social Science Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
- Free Elective............ 3cr.
Sample Courses
Xavier is known for providing an education that's both challenging and personal. Here are some courses that are part of the Music BA, Performance concentration at Xavier:
Studio Class (MUSC 198) - Meeting every other week, the course engages students in professional development by requiring them to perform for each other in the form of a master class, attend presentations and workshops, and receive instruction in pedagogy and other topics relevant to the profession.
Keyboard Skills I (MUSC 208) - The first in a sequence of courses for music majors. Skills learned include elementary scales, arpeggios, triads, chord progressions, and solo repertoire as well as sight-reading, accompaniment, harmonization, transposition, and improvisation.
Music History II (MUSC 211) - A continuation of Music History I, this course traces the path of Western Classical music from the early Romantic period to the present, situating the music in its historical and cultural context.
Rock, Pop and R&B (MUSC 311) - Survey of popular music styles from the Blues to newer trends, such as Hip-Hop and Alternative.
Student Clubs
The following clubs are popular choices for students in the music-performance major.
A caBellas
These singers are a close-knit group of students who love performing a cappella music on and off campus. They sing a variety of songs ranging from old classics to pop music. According to their mission statement, their goal is to "empower each other to be our best both in rehearsal and out of rehearsal. Each of us bring something unique to the group and when we sing we blend as if we are one voice."
Don't Tell Anna
Don't Tell Anna (DTA) is an improvisational comedy group that provides an alternative entertainment option to students on campus. The troupe combines the two types of improv, long-form and short-form, into monthly performances that are free of charge.
Harmon-X
Harmon-X is an a cappella group who's mission is to bring high-quality music to campus and beyond. Members practice three times a week for performances on campus and within the Cincinnati community.
Career Outcomes
99% of Xavier students, including those in the music performance major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduation (Class of 2022).
Career Opportinities: Designer, Marketing Manager, Artistic Fellow, Compact Utility Sales Specialist, Creative Content Developer, Equipment Manager, Executive Trainee
Top Companies for Graduates: Cincinnati Art Museum, College Hill Coffee, Public Communications Inc, St. Joseph Worker Program West, GE Aviation, News America Marketing, Boy Scouts of America
Take the Next Step
Cincinnati: A City of Opportunity
Cincinnati, Ohio is one of a handful of U.S. cities to boast a professional ballet, opera, symphony and theater. Students engage with hundreds of local arts organizations, including the Cincinnati Pops, Cincinnati Ballet and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra.
Student Involvement
Musical clubs and organizations on campus include the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, the XU Concert Choir, the women and men's choruses and the Edgecliff Vocal Ensemble.
Personal Attention
Small class sizes allow you to ask the right questions and get the attention you need to succeed and learn. On top of that, our Career Development mentoring program will connect you with a Cincinnati-based professional in your field.
‘Combining Music and Creativity’
When Dana Kim was a Music major at Xavier, she loved performing and she loved helping people. She had no idea she would be able to combine the two into a career. Further, she had no idea that one day there would be a COVID-19 pandemic, and that her services as a music therapist would be needed more than ever. But that’s exactly what happened.
Graduate With Honors
Are you looking for an academic challenge? The University Scholars Honors Program offers incoming students a more challenging curriculum and close support from professors while completing their undergraduate degree. Acceptance into the program is highly selective and includes a $2000 travel grant.
Music BA, Performance Concentration Major at Xavier University
The Department of Music is committed to the advancement of knowledge through the study of music as an art and a science. This study encompasses music theory, music history, pedagogy, esthetics, music education, and an extensive list of applied music opportunities. Students go on to hold positions as music teachers for all ages in schools, organists and choir directors, performers, private studio music instructors and many roles in arts organizations and businesses.
Xavier University’s College of Arts and Sciences challenges students to develop an integrated understanding of humanity, the world, and God by pursuing the questions raised in Xavier's core and departmental curricula. The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest college at Xavier University. The college provides an excellent liberal arts education in the Jesuit tradition that prepares students for careers, professional or graduate school, and life in a global society.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."