Music
Mission
The Music program prepares and equips students for positions in the fields of music and audio production, developing students with technical skill, artistry, and a sophisticated knowledge of music and audio production. Our program works closely with the Film & Media Arts program, providing students a unique opportunity to realize their projects in a multi-disciplinary environment. Students and faculty work closely on creative projects ranging from concerts and albums to films and documentaries.
Our program size allows us to focus attention on each student as an individual, helping each one grow into a well-rounded, competent, and confident musician. We offer the degrees:
- Bachelor of Music in Music Production and Audio Engineering
- Bachelor of Arts in Music
- Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre (in collaboration with the Theatre Arts Program)
- Minor in Music.
LaGrange College Music Objectives
The LaGrange College Music program strives to:
- provides opportunities college-wide for all students to develop an appreciation of and critically engage in the music and audio production arts through offerings in music literature, music/audio production, applied instrument instruction, and ensembles.
- provides a strong music and audio production curriculum for majors and minors;
- provides opportunities for student research projects in music and audio production.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of a Music degree, a student should be able to
- demonstrate a broad range of music performance, audio production and/or post-production techniques (these may include but are not limited to studio realizations and recital performances);
- demonstrate the ability to synthesize ideas and techniques in creative expression;
- demonstrate appropriate facility with the tools and techniques of their chosen field that can result in ongoing participation in artistic and professional endeavor.
Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Sophomore Portfolio Review—A faculty committee from Music and Film & Media Arts will review sophomore portfolios using a standard rubric. The evaluation will include an assessment of the student’s technical facility, ability to express themselves creatively, and their ability to explain their work orally or in writing.
Senior Capstone Review—A faculty committee from Music and Film & Media Arts will review capstone projects using a standard rubric. The evaluation will include an assessment of the student’s technical facility, ability to express themselves creatively, and their ability to explain their work orally or in writing.
Ensembles
Several musical ensembles are available for both music majors and non-majors: LC Singers, LC Recording Studio Band, and Musical Theatre. To learn more about our various ensembles, and to set up an audition, please contact us at awieland@lagrange.edu.
Facilities and Resources
Housed in the West Side Building, the Music Department includes the modern 150-seat Beason Recital hall, a suite of mixing and editing rooms, applied studios, smart classrooms, dedicated ensemble rehearsal rooms and a live recording studio and control room. For students planning to work in the TV and film industry, the facility features a video staging and shooting room with grid lighting, a Chromakey (green screen) wall and a dedicated project workroom for stop-motion animation and detailed videography. Price Theater houses a 280-seat performance space, a 60-seat experimental lab theater, a studio classroom, costume shop, scene shop and costume and properties storage. Callaway Auditorium, a state-of-the art concert hall, provides more than 740 seats and superior acoustics.
Music Awards/Scholarships
Renewable talent-based awards and scholarships are available for incoming first-year students as well as for transfer students. Recipients must be a music major/minor and participate in an ensemble. Contact awieland@lagrange.edu for more information.
Majors and Minors
Major Minor
B.A. in Music B.M. in Music Production and Audio Engineering Minor in Music BM in Music Production and Audio EngineeringCourses
Music Theory I introduces students to the foundational elements of tonal music, including notation, scales, key signatures, intervals, rhythm, and basic harmonic principles. Emphasis is placed on developing fluency in musical analysis, part-writing, and the structural concepts that support Western tonal harmony. This course prepares students for continued study in music theory, ear training music production & audio engineering, and film & media scoring. Previous musical experience is helpful but not required.
A broad survey of American music and musical technology from the late 1700s to present.
A broad survey of music aimed at developing aesthetic awareness and critical analysis of music from various styles and genres.
Ear Training I introduces basic aural skills, including interval recognition, melodic and rhythmic dictation, and sight-singing. Students develop fundamental listening abilities that support concepts learned in Music Theory I.
Ear Training II continues aural skill development through sight-singing, interval work, and melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic dictation. Students strengthen accuracy, musical memory, and fluency with increasingly complex patterns. May be taken before or after Ear Training I.
A weekly seminar hour for the presentation, discussion and critique of compositional and creative student works in progress. Guest lectures and topical presentations will also occur throughout the semester.
Beginning instruction in piano for music majors with no previous keyboard training. Development of basic reading skills. Open to non-majors with the approval of the instructor.
Topics covered include: basic vocal technique, vocal anatomy, breath management, maintaining vocal health, vocal registers, theatrics of singing, IPA, and basic score reading.
This course trains students in the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet to pronounce foreign language art songs and arias. Emphasis is on IPA symbols applied to English, Italian, German, and French.
This course introduces the fundamentals of audio engineering, incluing microphone techniques, signal flow, recording, editing, and basic mixing. Students gain hand-on experience capturing and producing live musical performances using industry-standard tools and workflows.
Piano II builds on fundamentals keyboard skills through expanded technique, intermediate repertoire, hands-on harmonization, chord progressions, and sight-reading development. Students refine coordination, fluency, and musical expression while gaining greater functional proficiency at the keyboard for use in theory, ear training, music production, and film scoring.
Individual instruction in the students area of discipline to develop technical proficiency, portfolio material, and live performance opportunities. May be repeated for credit. Section codes are as follows: Voice (A), Guitar (D), Music Production & Audio Engineering (P), Film & Media Scoring (Q).
Individual instruction in the student’s choice of instrument or voice to develop technical proficiency, repertoire knowledge, and performance skills. May be repeated for credit. (N.B., Composition does not count as a primary applied instrument for degree completion. Refer to “Primary Applied Instrument” above.) Section codes are as follows: Voice (A), Piano (B), Organ (C), Guitar (Classical and Contemporary)(D), Percussion (E), Applied Composition and Sound Design (F), Strings (G), Flute (H), Clarinet (I), Oboe (J), Saxophone (K), Trumpet (L), Trombone (M), Euphonium (N), Horn (O)
Performance organization(s) providing ensemble experience. May be repeated for credit. Section codes are as follows: LC Singers (A), LC Performance Ensemble (G).
Performance organization(s) providing ensemble experience. May be repeated for credit. Section codes are as follows: LC Singers (A), LC Performance Ensemble (G).
Music Theory II continues the study of tonal harmony through an exploration of diatonic chord functions, voice-leading principles, harmonic progression, cadences, and introductory formal structures. Students apply analytical and part-writing skills to increasingly complex musical textures while deepening their understanding of harmonic syntax and musical style. This course prepares students for advanced theoretical study and provides essential foundations for Music Production & Audio Engineering, as well as Film & Media Scoring.
Advanced compositional study of large-scale forms and genres. Assigned and student-initiated composition projects that include brass quintet, string quartet, art song, mixed-voiced choir, and chamber orchestra. Students may also compose works that use live or pre-recorded elements and/or techniques, music for video or short film, or other nontraditional means. All completed compositions that meet the required criteria for these listed performing groups will be rehearsed and recorded.
Music of the Classical, Romantic, and Modern eras, beginning with Beethoven. Course will emphasize historical analysis and criticism, aural identification, and research.
This course focuses on various aspects of diatonic/chromatic harmony, musical style/genre traits, and musical form/structure. Topics include but are not limited to: binary form, rounded binary form, sonata form, strophic form, 32-bar pop song form, church modes, and pitch-class sets. Some lab time will be devoted to studio recording/production and music notation. Other topics will include basic MAC computer skills, especially as they pertain to music theory and music production. This course may be taken before or after MUSI 1102 & 2202.
Class instruction for musical theory topics of a highly specialized nature. The content of this course will change based upon the expertise of the instructor and the needs of the students. Topics include, but not limited to, pop music form and chord progressions, arranging, Schenkerian Analysis, Nashville numbers, lead sheets and chord charts, etc. May be repeated for credit. May be taken for 1-3 credit hours.
Class instruction for musical technology topics of a highly specialized nature. Topics will focus on music technologies used in commercial music. The content of this course will change based upon the expertise of the instructor and the needs of the students. Topics include, but are not limited to, microphone techniques, music notation software, live sound reinforcement, on-the-fly multi-media presentation software, Ableton Live, etc. May be repeated for credit.
Conducting techniques, score reading, rehearsal techniques for choral and/or instrumental ensembles.
This course covers techniques for combining video, sound, and sound effects in various creative contexts. Projects include: recording voice over, introductory video recording, basic lighting for video, basic interview techniques, introductory video editing techniques, advanced sound design, and advanced audio editing techniques.
The study of basic issues pertaining to the music industry which may include: entrepreneurship, music copyrights, music synchronization, musical mechanical licensing, standard music contracts, royalties, artists’ advances and contracts, buyouts. Introduction to the major licensing organizations, i.e., ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the professional society of musicians.
A special projects course with hands-on participation and teamwork required. Each project is unique; specific content will be publicized in the semester preceding the course offering.
A supervised, practical “real world” experience in a professional off-campus environment. May be repeated for credit.
The study of selected operas and operatic excerpts that may result in staged performances.
Class instruction for musical topics of a highly specialized nature. The content of this course will change based upon the expertise of the instructor and the needs of the students. May be repeated for credit.
The capstone presentation is a senior-level exploration of a faculty-approved music topic.
Approval of instructor.
This course focuses on composing, arranging, and producing music using MIDI within a digital audio workstation (DAW). Students develop intermediate skills in sequencing, virtual instrumentation, sound design, and hybrid production techniques while applying creative and technical strategies to complete original projects.
This course introduces students to composing and producing music for visual media, including film, television, and digital content. Students develop original cues that support narrative, mood, and character while applying MIDI composition, orchestration, and production techniques. Emphasis is placed on storytelling, creative expression, and industry-standard workflows.
This course explores composing and producing music for a variety of visual media, including film, television, and digital content. Students create original cues using MIDI, virtual instruments, and hybrid production techniques, focusing on narrative, mood, and style. Emphasis is placed on creative experimentation, media-specific scoring approaches, and professional production workflows.
Individual instruction in the students area of discipline to develop technical proficiency, portfolio material, and live performance opportunities. May be repeated for credit. Section codes are as follows: Voice (A), Guitar (D), Music Production & Audio Engineering (P), Film & Media Scoring (Q).
Performance organization(s) providing ensemble experience. May be repeated for credit. Section codes are as follows: LC Singers (A), LC Performance Ensemble (G).
Performance organization(s) providing ensemble experience. May be repeated for credit. Section codes are as follows: LC Singers (A), LC Performance Ensemble (G).
This course provides students with exposure to current issues, trends, and opportunities in the music and entertainment industries through weekly presentations, guest lectures, and panels with profesionals from diverse sectors of the field. Students gain insight into caraeer pathways, networking strategies, and industry practices while reflecting on their own professional goals.
This course explores the creation and production of music for live sporting events and other media contexts. Students learn to compose, arrange, and produce music that enhances energy, atmosphere, and audience engagement. For the final project, students may either produce a music soundtrack for a LaGrange College sporting event or complete an alternative media-based composition project.
This course engages students in collaborative, research-driven podcast production, guiding them through the creation of three polished episodes per semester. Students work in interdisciplinary teams to develop concepts, script content, record, and produce podcasts while applying storytelling, audio production, and professional workflow techniques. Empshasis is placed on creative collaboration, research integration, and portfolio-ready outcomes.
