Music

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www.nwciowa.edu/music

Northwestern’s music department is dedicated to a Christ-centered and holistic educational process that draws students toward musical maturity so they might transform the world around them.

The music department has the following goals:

1. Students will develop a greater understanding of the integration of the Christian faith and their lives as musicians.
2. Students will grow in musical maturity through development in critical thinking, creative self-expression, musical sensitivity and artistry. This growth will enable them to transform the world around them through their work in music education, ministry-related positions, other music-related career work, graduate school, further professional or technical training, and/or a vocational positions.

1. Students will develop musical and academic skills necessary for cognition in the structure, history, theory and techniques of music.
2. Students will demonstrate musical understanding and growth through active music making and listening.

The music department offers two majors to which a career concentration or pre-professional program may be added.

Piano Proficiency

The piano proficiency exam is used to assess keyboard facility in the areas of scales, chord progressions, sight reading, solo performance and accompanying. All Music Majors, Music Ministry Majors, Modified Music Majors and Music Minors must enroll in class or private piano beginning in their first semester as a freshman until all parts of the piano proficiency exam are passed. The piano proficiency should be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Music education and music ministry majors must complete all parts of the piano proficiency exam prior to scheduling their student teaching experience or practicum.

Juries

Performance examinations are given each semester to all majors and minors who are enrolled in applied music. These allow the music faculty to evaluate student progress in the areas of musical expression and technical facility.

Recital Attendance

All students enrolled in applied music lessons are required to attend a specified number of on-campus recitals, concerts and applied performance labs each semester.

Performance Requirement

Students who are enrolled in applied music lessons will be expected to perform in applied performance labs at the discretion of the instructor.

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