Mission Statement

The mission of the Hurley School of Music is to provide rigorous musical training relevant to the needs of modern society, undergirded with the power and depth of Centenary College’s liberal arts philosophy. Hurley supports the College’s aims to strengthen the foundation for students’ personal and career goals, teach the joy of creativity and discovery, foster active listening and critical thinking, develop respect for the value of artistic expression, and nurture an appreciation for the diversity of human cultures. Music students may pursue a BA in Music with the option of adding concentrations in performance, choral music, composition, and sacred music, or a BA in Vocal Music Education with K–12 certification from the State of Louisiana. The Hurley School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.

 

Goals

• Provide a musical education of the highest quality for its music majors, whether in a program of general music study, or more focused concentration.  The Hurley School of Music places strong emphasis on participation in quality performance of music.
• Provide rigorous and practical training for aspiring elementary, middle, and high school music educators.
• Provide instruction for the non-major in the appreciation of music, both academic and performance areas, which will enhance the cultural literacy of Centenary graduates.
• Provide musical and educational resources for the ArkLaTex community.

 

Goal One: Music Majors

Goal one is achieved through the degree programs of the School of Music, as follows.

Mission of the BA Degree in Music

The purpose of the B.A. in Music degree is to produce graduates whose education — combining specializations in music with a broad background in liberal arts — prepares them for a wide range of further educational and vocational activities.

 Objectives

• Students will develop their unique musical interests and talents.
• Students will demonstrate proficiency in music history, music theory, and aural and keyboard skills, as well as perform and sight-read on their major instrument at a level appropriate for their chosen studies.
• Students will explore technology pertinent to modern approaches to musical performance and creation.

 

Mission of the BA in Music Degree with a Concentration in Choral Music 

The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree with a concentration in Choral Music Education improves conducting and teaching skills for students wishing to work with choral music in a variety of settings; or students who wish to enter Centenary’s MAT degree in order to pursue certification and careers as general music specialists or choral directors in K-12 programs in public, private or parochial schools.  This concentration gives them the foundational skills and knowledge to successfully pass the PRAXIS exam and enter the master’s program for certification.

 Objectives

• Students will exhibit effective conducting techniques.
• Students will display efficient rehearsal methods.
• Students will demonstrate a variety of pedagogical skills.
• Students will develop planning and organizational strategies.
• Students will seek and synthesize answers through inquiry and analysis.
• Students will develop strategies for nurturing a collaborative and diverse community.

 

Mission of the BA in Music Degree with a Concentration in Performance

The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree with a concentration in Performance is a course of study for students intending to pursue a career in performance, or to embark on further study enter graduate study in a specific performing medium.

 Objectives

• Students will demonstrate competent performance techniques in a specific performing medium, including sight-reading fluency, supple and beautiful sound and knowledge of a variety of different performing styles.
• Students will learn a broad variety of repertoire for their major instrument during study for public performances on their instrument or voice.  In the case of vocal students, they will also achieve competence in foreign language diction.

 

Mission of the BA in Music Degree with a Concentration in Sacred Music

The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree with a concentration in Sacred Music prepares the student for music leadership in the religious community and for graduate study in the area of sacred music.

 Objectives

• Students will develop the conducting and leadership competencies expected of a church musician.
• Students will learn the history of sacred music, especially as it parallels the history of the church, including liturgical forms and hymnology.
• Students will understand the administrative structures and procedures of church music, including management and organization.
• Students will develop a philosophy of sacred music, including an understanding of the place of music in worship, and the creative uses of both traditional literature and newer forms of worship music.

 

Mission of the BA in Music Degree with a Concentration in Composition

The Bachelor of Arts in Music degree with a concentration in Composition offers students an understanding of the fundamental elements involved in the creation of original music.  Students in this concentration learn by modeling original work after existing works from a wide variety of style periods, with a focus on methodology.   Practical skills like computer software notation and performance production are integrated into traditional studies such as counterpoint, orchestration and analysis.  Students in this concentration may elect to pursue graduate study in composition.

 Objectives

• Students will understand the aural effect of new music on listeners and learn to manipulate and control that effect through a comprehensive knowledge of the fundamental properties in music construction.
• Students will perfect compositional techniques in their own work.

 

Mission of the BA Degree in Vocal Music Education

The Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Music Education degree provides a broad practical, theoretical, and philosophical training in areas integral to effective teaching in modern society. In addition to mastering foundational musical skills, students explore pedagogical techniques in music education and general education methods courses and apply them in various levels of field experiences in local classrooms. Exposure to pertinent research techniques and analysis, as well as learning theories and teaching philosophies, strengthens students’ understanding of their craft. The BA in Vocal Music Education degree culminates in an intensive student-teaching practicum that aims to further prepare students for careers as general music specialists or choral directors in today’s public and private schools.

 Objectives

• Students will develop their unique musical interests and talents.
• Students will demonstrate proficiency in music history, music theory, sight-reading, vocal performance, conducting, aural, and keyboard skills.
• Students will demonstrate a variety of pedagogical skills.
• Students will seek and synthesize answers through inquiry and analysis.
• Students will develop strategies for nurturing a collaborative and diverse community.

 

Goal Two: Non-Majors

Goal two is achieved through the following objectives.

 Objectives

• To provide opportunities for non-major students to participate in music ensembles of all types.
• To provide opportunities for non-major students to take private applied lessons.
• To provide core classes that will enhance the liberal education of Centenary students