Music Education at EMU
Black Lives Matter. Our Black and brown students and colleagues face systemic racism. As we prepare our future music educators to meet their classrooms and communities’ complex realities, we strive to listen, learn, and grow. EMU Music Education program is committed to reflection, action, and change. We stand by those opposing racism in all its forms.
With roots dating back to 1854, the School of Music & Dance strives to promote lifelong learning, to prepare students for professional careers in music or dance, and to advance the cultural life of the campus, community, and beyond.
If music has changed your life and you want to share your passion, a music education degree is the most direct way to give back! In the Bachelor of Music Education program at EMU, you will prepare for a carrer as a professional music educator. You will choose one of two specializations: instrumental or vocal. When you depart EMU, you will be certified K-12 music and be well-positioned to accept any music position. Our recent graduates have success in rural, urban, & suburban settings and are well prepared to pursue graduate degrees from top-tier graduate schools in music performance, education, and educational leadership.
In the Master of Music Education at EMU, you will work with EMU's distinguished faculty to advance your current understanding of music teaching and learning. You will have the option of selecting either a thesis project, recital, or a guided research/teaching project based on your interests and professional development goals.
We invite you to learn more about our dynamic and rigorous program and the music education community here at The EMU School of Music & Dance. Students can see detailed catalog descriptions on the Programs webpage and find a semester-by-semester guide on the Current Students (Advising) forms link.
The School of Music & Dance is home to over 60 faculty and lecturers who lead our students — nearly 300 majors and numerous students majoring in other fields — in over 200 music and dance events each year. The School is housed in Alexander Music Building, with over 86,000 square feet of space dedicated to music and an inventory of 120 pianos. Performances occur in Alexander Recital Hall, Legacy Theatre, Warner Dance Studios, the Honors College Auditorium, and Pease Auditorium, a 1500-seat historic concert hall that serves as a jewel of the EMU campus.
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Why EMU for Music Ed? Expand dropdownEMU's most prestigious and long-standing tradition is developing highly trained and successful educators! The School of Music & Dance is deeply grounded in this tradition. How do we do it?
- First, we have high standards in the College of Education and the School of Music & Dance for all students.
- The rigorous general education program means that we encourage students with a broad and more developed foundation upon which to draw in their teaching.
- Performance opportunities for EMU students are second-to-none. Because our School of Music & Dance is grounded in the music education program, our music ed students have many opportunities to shine. In ensembles, opera workshop, jazz-band or in the applied studio, our students have a wide variety of performing opportunities.
- EMU is well-positioned in south-east Michigan, and we can offer easy access to world-class off-campus opportunities. Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor & metro-Detroit, no internship or performance program is too far away. Ideally, we are located for supplemental music-related positions to gain real-world teaching experience as they complete their education. Suppose you are considering pursuing a MM in Performance after you complete your Bachelor of Music Education. In that case, we have a long line of students who have been well-trained in their private studios here at EMU. Many music education student so have earned teaching assitantships and graduate teaching awards for master’s study at top-tier institutions.
- We have nearly 300 music & dance students on our campus, but we have a purposeful, intimate graduate program. This means you will have a connected cohort of committed students with which to engage while not having to compete for opportunities with graduate students.
- EMU can offer an affordable high-quality education, while preparing you for graduate school readiness at institutions with large graduate populations.
Music Ed Instrumental Expand dropdownVocal Music Education Expand dropdownMusic Education students are at the heart of our vocal area. The curriculum is designed for our students to become expressive performers and influential music educators. The faculty set the standards for our students high and mentor them to meet the expectations.
For students in the Vocal Music Education degree, opportunities are at the core of transforming a music student into an excellent music educator. Opportunities to observe outstanding music educators, opportunities to lead peer groups, opportunities to start your conductor training from the first-semester, opportunities to become conducting apprentices for the university ensembles, and opportunities for you to lead ensembles of your own. EMU is a place with unparalleled opportunities for our vocal music education students.
Leadership Opportunities Expand dropdownOpportunities to lead and grow are some of the most valuable development opportunities.
Section Leaders- Students lead their peers in musical situations weekly.
Ensemble Leadership- EMU Students provide leadership in non-musical ways to each of the ensembles. Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers, Social Media Coordinators, and Event Managers are only some of the roles possible for our students.
Conductor's Lab Ensemble- This extra-curricular group provides the opportunity for young conductors to study gestures, rehearsal techniques, and score study each semester.
Conductor's Apprenticeship- Select students become conducting apprentices for the choral ensembles.
Student Led Ensembles- The choral area has four student-led musical ensembles for our music educators to grow. Evergreen, Emerald Harmony, & Summit Street are all fully student-led A Cappella ensembles on campus. Also, EMU Gospel Choir is entirely student led and has had music students deeply involved.
Professional Student Chapters Expand dropdownAmerican Choral Directors Association
Founded in 1959, the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) is a nonprofit music-education organization whose central purpose is to promote excellence in choral music through performance, composition, publication, research, and teaching. In addition, ACDA strives through arts advocacy to elevate choral music's position in American society.
Members of the EMU Student Chapter are a eclectic mix of majors from music education to vocal performance to BA Music students. Regardless of major and background, all are here to learn about choral music in all its forms. Anyone with an interest in choral music is welcome to attend meetings!
Contact
Brandon Johnson, faculty advisor | [email protected]American String Teachers Association
The American String Teachers Association is a membership organization for string and orchestra teachers and players, helping them to develop and refine their careers. ASTA's members range from budding student teachers to artist-status performers. The organization provides a vast array of services, including instrument insurance, an award-winning scholarly journal, discounts on publications and resources, annual professional development opportunities, and access to collegial network of colleagues throughout the string profession.
Contact
Chad Hutchinson, faculty advisor | [email protected]College Band Directors Association
The National Association for Music Education
National Association for Music Education (NAfME), among the world’s largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. NAfME advocates at the local, state and national levels; provides resources for teachers, parents, and administrators; hosts professional development events; and offers a variety of opportunities for students and teachers. The Association orchestrates success for millions of students nationwide and has supported music educators at all teaching levels for more than a century.
Since 1907, NAfME has worked to ensure that every student has access to a well-balanced, comprehensive and high-quality program of music instruction taught by qualified teachers. NAfME’s activities and resources have been largely responsible for the establishment of music education as a profession, for the promotion and guidance of music study as an integral part of the school curriculum, and for the development of the National Standards for Arts Education.
Contact
Heather Shouldice, faculty advisor | [email protected]
Gunter McCourt 20 MM Music Education
"I admire the dedication of the music faculty and students to their music and leadership roles. There's a shared sense of responsibility throughout the music programs. When the school's students and professors confront difficulty, they band together to find ways to support one another."
Sydney Timmer 22 Bachelor of Music Education
"I love how invested the professors and administration are in each student. They set the bar high for us and help us achieve our goals. They also listen to our lives outside the academics and take the time to get to know us personally."
Devyn Mitchell 19 Bachelor of Music Education
"The EMU School 0f Music & Dance is a truly remarkable place. The class sizes are small and the professors are kind, passionate, and eager to teach. There are plenty of leadership opportunities to grow as a musician and an individual."
Alissa Amell 19 Bachelor of Music Education
"I love the sense of community that comes with being involved with the School of Music & Dance. All of the people in my classes are there to do exactly what I am there to do: expand my knowledge and love for music. I appreciate the family atmosphere. If I am struggling with a problem, students will come over and encourage me. I have never felt more welcome and accepted in a school setting."
Austin Hadwich 22 MM Music Education
"From the faculty to the students, everyone is hear to help you, cultivating a creative and productive learning environment. Students are really pushing to be the best that they can be. Above all else, it is a second family with people you can go to when times are hard and when times are great."