Music
The core undergraduate music program at Holy Names features a unique, innovative Great Works curriculum, integrating all aspects of musical studies (history, theory and aural skills) in relation to the greatest masterpieces of the Western musical tradition. Each course in the six-semester sequence focuses on a period of music history, while making connections with the music of other periods and other cultures around the world. Courses are team-taught by the HNU music faculty and integrated with students’ work in performance ensembles and individual music studies.
Holy Names University offers two undergraduate music degrees. The Bachelor of Music degree in Performance (Piano, Vocal, or Instrumental) prepares students for graduate study and career possibilities in performing, accompanying, and teaching. The Bachelor of Arts in Music has a less demanding performance requirement and offers the opportunity to pursue a double major or a self-designed major. We also offer a five-year honors degree program (BM/MM or BA/MM). |
- Curriculum
- Careers & Outcomes
- Faculty
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Bachelor of Music (Piano, Vocal or Instrumental Performance)
Five Year Honors Program (BA/MM and BM/MM)
The Minor
Bachelor of Arts in Music
Preparation for the Major (10 units)
- MUSC 1A,1B American/World Music (3,3)
- MUSC 16 Private lessons (principal study) (1,1)
- MUSC 21/22 Piano class OR voice class (1,1)
Major Requirements (42 units)
- MUSC 12 Medieval/Renaissance (4)
- MUSC 13 Baroque I (4)
- MUSC 104 Baroque II/Classical I (4)
- MUSC 105W Classical II (4)
- MUSC 106W Romantic (4)
- MUSC 108 20 th /21 st Century (4)
- MUSC 16/116 Principal study Lessons (1,1,1,1,1,1)
- MUSC 60-67/160-167 Ensembles (1,1,1,1,1,1)
- MUSC 181A Choral Conducting (2)
- MUSC 102 Bytes and Notes (1)
- MUSC Electives Upper division (3)
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Bachelor of Music (Piano, Vocal, or Instrumental Performance)
Preparation for the Major (10 units)
- MUSC 1A, 1B - American/World Music (3, 3)
- MUSC 16 - Private Lessons (1, 1)
- MUSC 21/22 - Piano class OR voice class (1,1)
Major Requirements (40 units)
- MUSC 12 Medieval/Renaissance (4)
- MUSC 13 Baroque I (4)
- MUSC 104 Baroque II/Classical I (4)
- MUSC 105W Classical II (4)
- MUSC 106W Romantic (4)
- MUSC 108 20 th /21 st Century (4)
- MUSC 16/116 Principal study lessons (1,1,1,1,1,1)
- MUSC 17/117 Secondary instrument study (1)
- MUSC 60-67/160-167 Ensembles (1,1,1,1,1,1)
- MUSC 181A Choral Conducting (2)
- MUSC 102 Bytes and Notes (1)
Additional Course Requirements for Concentrations
Piano Performance(13 units)
- MUSC 65/165 Accompanying (1,1)
- MUSC 134A,B Keyboard Literature (2,2)
- MUSC 151 Piano Pedagogy (3)
- MUSC Electives Upper Division (2)
- MUSC 190A,B Junior and Senior Recitals (1,1)
Vocal Performance (13 units)
- MUSC 132A,B Lyric Diction (1,1)
- MUSC 133 Vocal Literature (3)
- MUSC 154 Vocal Pedagogy (3)
- MUSC Electives Upper-Division (3)
- MUSC 190A,B Junior and Senior Recitals (1,1)
Instrumental Performance (13 units)
- MUSC 63/163 Orchestra (1,1)
- MUSC 135 Instrumental Literature (3)
- MUSC 152 Instrumental Pedagogy (3)
- MUSC Electives Upper Division (3)
- MUSC 190A,B Junior and Senior Recitals (1,1)
Requirements Outside the Major
All candidates must complete at least 30 units outside the major. Voice majors are encouraged to take at least 8 units of foreign language.
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Five-Year Music Honors Program
(BA/MM and BM/MM)
Piano and voice students with a high standard of performance who enter the University with at least a 3.5 GPA, and have maintained a 3.5 GPA at the University for at least one semester, can elect to participate in a five-year BA/MM degree program. The Bachelor's degree will be conferred upon completion of all undergraduate requirements and the Master's degree will conferred at the end of the fifth year. This program is appropriate for qualified transfer students. Students are expected to excel both in performance and in academics. Performance levels will be reevaluated each semester at the Performance Final. Students whose GPA falls below the 3.0 minimum will be allowed one probationary semester to regain good standing. No additional probationary terms will be allowed. When the student has reached within 35 units of graduation with both degrees, the advisor will ask the student to complete a simple form from the Student Resource Center. The student will then be officially classified as a graduate student on the registration database, and will be charged the graduate student tuition rate and eligible for graduate student financial aid.
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The Minor
This program allows for a concentration of courses selected from theory, music history, performance and electives for the student interested in developing basic musical skills.
- MUSC 1A,B American/World Music (3,3)
- MUSC 12 Medieval/Renaissance Music (4)
- MUSC 13 Baroque Music I (4))
- MUSC 16/116 Private Lessons (1,1,1,1)
- MUSC 71/171 A,B or C Perspectives in Music (3)
- MUSC Ensembles Upper-Division (1,1)
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Arriving at Holy Names, I knew I had a passion for music and a desire to turn that passion into a reality. I came to find that I was surrounded by supportive professors, small class sizes, and others who were just as enthusiastic as myself.- Michele Giradot, B.M., '09 |
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