Becoming a Golden Hawk means more than just cheering on our (really good) varsity teams – it means being a student who cares about your community, who works hard in the classroom, and who takes advantage of all the learning opportunities that can happen outside the classroom, too.
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You'll start your Bachelor of Music (BMus) as a common first-year student, giving you the flexibility to delve deeper into all areas of music before choosing your concentration.
Concentrations are chosen in second year and are offered in composition, integrated musical arts, music education, music history, theory and critical analysis, performance and self-directed studies.
You may also wish to consider applying to the Bachelor of Music Therapy after second year instead of choosing a concentration.
Once you are a music student at Laurier our academic advisor is always available to help you determine which concentration is the right fit for your career goals.
"For the past two years I have been placed in The Wilfrid Laurier Wind Ensemble and love everything about it. The wonderful thing about the ensemble credit is that everyone gets a chance to play. Every student is given the opportunity to audition in a professional manner, which gives us excellent experience for ‘real’ auditions in our careers." – Graham Falconer (BMus '20)
In this program, you’ll learn the fundamentals of composing while writing works for various ensembles.
For third and fourth year, you’ll study one-on-one with composition faculty members, exploring a variety of styles and mediums, including electronic and new media.
A weekly composers’ seminar will cover a range of interests pertaining to your work. In your final year, you’ll undertake a major project, which may be a work for a larger ensemble, a work of extended duration or a collaborative work in film, theatre, gaming or opera.
You will submit a portfolio to our Composition faculty at the end of second year, which must be approved to move into third year composition classes.
Highlights
If you wish to pursue a career in teaching music privately or at the elementary or secondary level, our Music Education major includes instruction in designing lessons from curriculum documents, using technology in the classroom, how to assess learning outcomes, classroom management along with the basics of conducting, instrumental and choral techniques and instruction in the methods, materials and philosophy of music education. It also leaves room for you to study a second teaching subject.
Music Education courses are taught by distinguished and experienced music specialists and in-school educators. You’ll have opportunities to gain in-school experience through volunteering in local schools organized by, Laurier’s Student Association of Music Educators (SAME). SAME members participate in the Ontario Music Educators’ Association annual conference plus additional educational and social events. You’ll receive weekly lessons, masterclasses and ensemble work in this major.
Highlights
This concentration is designed for musicians who want to enter the music profession in production, performance, and composition or song-writing after graduation.
Integrated Musical Arts focuses on experiential, project-centred learning. It was created with the understanding that musicians must be versatile, and therefore competent in more than one musical discipline, in order to have a successful career in music.
In this concentration, each student is required to complete three self-directed final projects in musical disciplines of Creation, Production and Performance. With the help of the Coordinator of the IMA program, each student chooses their three projects at the beginning of their third year of study, and, in consultation with the Coordinator, the student sketches out a plan for a course of study to support the final projects.
Music History, Theory, and Critical Analysis emphasizes academic study, while allowing continued performance opportunities through weekly lessons, masterclasses and ensemble work.
The program gives you flexibility in choosing from a range of music history and theory electives, allowing you to customize your studies around particular academic interests.
You will examine music across all periods of history, with opportunities to study popular music and music of other cultures. Our program emphasizes listening to and writing about music, and delves more deeply into musical analytical and compositional procedures.
In year four, you may have the option of working one-on-one with a faculty member on a research project of your choosing.
This major serves as excellent preparation for graduate work in musicology, music theory, library science, or other allied disciplines for which a strong foundation of academic courses, research and analysis skills are important.
Highlights
Our performance major is for gifted students in piano, voice, organ, orchestral instruments, guitar and historical instruments, who intend to become professional performers and/or teachers of performance.
In the Performance major you can take advantage of 90-minute weekly lessons on top of participation in a Laurier ensemble, concerto competitions, student recitals, student composers’ concerts and chamber music recitals. In fourth year you will present a 60-minute graduation recital highlighting your repertoire from the year.
If you demonstrate during your audition that you have the potential to succeed as a performer, you may be placed automatically in this major in first year.
Highlights
This program is designed to give you a well-rounded musical education with the freedom to choose electives in a variety of subjects, both in music and outside of music.
In Self-Directed Studies, you’ll study your instrument or voice in weekly one-hour lessons and participate in at least one instrumental or vocal ensemble annually.
Courses will come from the areas of Culture and Society, Performance and Production and Style and Structure.
Starting in second year and with the assistance of the academic advisor and faculty mentor, students will map a purposeful pathway through their degree by selecting upper-level courses across the areas of Culture and Society, Performance and Production and Style and Structure with greater depth of study in the area of their choosing.
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Want to learn more about the Faculty of Music at Laurier? Come visit us or request our viewbook.
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