Programs
CURRICULUM GUIDES - Visit the Dana School of Music for a listing of courses required for each degree program.
Bachelor of Music in Performance preparation for a performance or university teaching career. Emphasis is placed on the development of fundamental musicianship skills such as aural skills, reading, improvisation, instrumental techniques, composition and arranging, instrumental versatility, knowledge of various styles, repertoire, and interpretation. May include a broad or more specialized instrumental focus depending on the student's career goals.
Bachelor of Music in Performance - Jazz Emphasis is designed for students seeking a career in jazz or commercial music performance and teaching. The student may choose either drumset or vibraphone major. Also includes study of styles, improvisation, Latin percussion, and fundamental skills on the standard orchestral percussion instruments.
Bachelor of Music in Music Education - Jazz Emphasis Similar to the Bachelor of Music in Music Education but with increased focus on jazz performance and education.
Bachelor of Music in Music Education - preparation for career in public or private elementary or secondary education. Includes teacher licensure for classroom and instrumental music, grades K-12. Fundamental techniques and repertoire on a broad spectrum of instruments including: snare drum, keyboards, timpani, multiple percussion, drum set, orchestral accessories, and hand percussion. A music education degree is not required for teaching at the university level. There is also a new BME - Jazz Emphasis degree track now available.
Bachelor of Music in Recording - preparation for a career in studio and live audio recording, editing, mastering, and production. Students may specialize on instruments appropriate to their desired career goals, but are required to develop fundamental skills on the standard instruments such as snare, drumset, hand drums, percussion keyboards, timpani, and orchestral accessories. There exist four possible degree emphasis tracks: Recording, Entrepreneurship, Video Production, and Jazz Studies.
Bachelor of Music in Composition - Students are encouraged to write solo and ensemble percussion works premiered by our studio. Students may specialize on instruments appropriate to their desired career goals, but are required to develop fundamental skills on the standard orchestral percussion instruments.
Bachelor of Arts in Applied Music - This degree includes a secondary (minor area) of interest. Appropriate for a music business career such as retail, manufacturing, management, or artist relations; this degree, with a minor in business, would be an excellent choice. Students may specialize on instruments appropriate to their desired career goals, but are required to develop fundamental skills on the standard orchestral percussion instruments.
Bachelor of Arts in Applied Music – Entrepreneurship
Bachelor of Arts in Applied Music – Non-profit Leadership
Independent Curriculum Program (ICP) - Student may create their own cross-disciplinary degree program. Student first fulfills the YSU general education requirements and then designs their own curriculum with the assistance of faculty advisors chosen from among several disciplines of their choosing.
Master of Music in Performance - Intensive focus on performance and scholarship, including development of solo repertoire and chamber repertoire. Culminates with a percussion recital and scholarly program notes research paper. Student may specialize on instruments appropriate to their desired career goals.
Master of Music in Jazz Studies - Intensive focus on analysis, composition, history.
Master of Music in Education - Intensive focus on advanced educational concepts, research, and scholarship.
Master of Music in Conducting - Intensive focus on wind band and orchestra conducting.
Minor Level Studies - Audition and permission of the instructor and Dana chairperson are required. Thirty-minute weekly private lessons. Intended to prepare a prospective major for an audition into the percussion major program, for non-percussion music education majors pursuing study beyond the Percussion Methods course, for composers, or music minors.
SPECIALIZATION OPTIONS
Students, in consultation with their advisor (Dr. Schaft), may co-design the desired amount of breath/depth in their curriculum to best pursue their career goals.
Jazz Studies Degree: (choose one)
Drum Set Major – Study of American music including jazz, R&B, funk, fusion, rock, country, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Caribbean styles such as reggae, calypso, soca, etc.
Vibraphone Major - Studies include four-mallet technique, pedaling and dampening techniques, jazz theory, scales, modes, chord voicing, improvisation, transcriptions, and jazz repertoire
Total percussion - A traditional curriculum designed for a broad range of performance and teaching opportunities. We typically recommend this option for music education majors. Study of standard orchestral instruments including timpani, snare drum (orchestral & rudimental styles), xylophone, glockenspiel, orchestral accessories (tambourine, triangle, cymbals, bass drum, etc.), keyboard percussion (marimba, vibraphone, xylophone, glockenspiel), multiple percussion, marching percussion, drum set, and World percussion.
Contemporary music - Study of percussion solo and ensemble repertoire, contemporary chamber repertoire, and contemporary orchestral literature.
Keyboard percussion - Study of the major keyboard solo and ensemble traditions of the world. Instruments include marimba, xylophone, glockenspiel, and vibraphone. Study two and four-mallet techniques. Repertoire includes contemporary marimba and vibraphone literature, western art music transcriptions, ragtime xylophone music, and keyboard ensemble repertoire.
Symphonic/orchestral percussion - Includes rudimental snare drum, standard orchestral and wind ensemble instruments such as timpani, xylophone, bells, snare drum, and orchestral accessories. Emphasis on standard orchestral repertoire required at professional orchestra, wind ensemble, military bands, opera, and ballet auditions.
World percussion – Study of hand percussion traditions such as Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, West African, and frame drumming of the Middle East, India, North Africa, etc. and the application of these ethnic traditions and instruments in various contemporary American and World musics. Also includes study of drum circle facilitation and dance class accompaniment.
