Music
At a Glance
I’m interested in this field of study. Can you tell me more about it?
Students major or minor in music for many reasons—interest in a career related to music may be one, but others include a passion for studying singing or playing an instrument, an outlet for creative expression, and the development of skills that are applicable to a variety of types of careers or later study.
Scripps music majors have gone on to a variety of careers in performance, teaching, composition and scoring, music scholarship, journalism, museum curation, arts administration, medicine, law, activism, engineering, psychology, and entrepreneurship. Scripps explores music as a critical form of human expression in various contexts throughout many parts of the world. By studying this major, you’ll gain a broad perspective on musical repertories, a deeper sociocultural understanding of contemporary and historical musical practices, skills in music theory and analysis, and techniques of musical performance and composition.
What are some courses appropriate for first-year students interested in exploring this field of study?
Along with studio lessons and ensembles, we recommend that you take the following courses during your first year at Scripps:
- MUS 003 (if needed)
- MUS 066
- MUS 081
- MUS 101
- MUS 110a
- MUS 110b
If I decide to major or minor in this field, are there certain courses that need to be taken in a specific sequence?
Yes, you should take courses in the following sequence: MUS 101, MUS 102, MUS 103, and/or 104.
Can students who major or minor in this field complete a second major or minor (as a double major or a major/minor combination)? If so, what are some common pairings?
Yes! You can combine a music major with fields in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and the arts. While the music major can involve a relatively high number of credits (from a minimum of 10 credits and a thesis or recital to some students choosing to complete 15 or more), many students have pursued double or dual majors with fields such as mathematics, history, psychology, media studies, English, biochemistry, physics, religious studies, and others.
What other useful information should I know about this field of study?
The study of music at Scripps College explores music as a cultural expression of Europe, the Americas, and other parts of the world. The music department also offers qualified students opportunities to perform in solo and group recitals, as well as in chamber music groups, choral ensembles, and orchestra.
Scripps Catalog link to specific requirements for the major/minor:
Music Major:
https://catalog.scrippscollege.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=33&poid=4900
Music Minor:
https://catalog.scrippscollege.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=33&poid=4901
Additional links to information relevant for new student registration:
Choir
Orchestra
Piano
Violin and Chamber Music
Voice
Link to profiles of faculty who teach in this field:
David Cubek
Anne Harley
Hao Huang
Cándida Jáquez
Charles Kamm
YouYoung Kang
Music Department – Full Faculty Listing
The study of music at Scripps College explores music as a cultural expression of Europe, the Americas, and other parts of the world. It provides students with historical perspectives on various musical repertories, socio-cultural understandings of contemporary and historical musical practices, skills in music theory and analysis, and techniques of musical performance and composition. The Music Department also offers qualified students opportunities to perform in solo and group recitals, as well as in chamber music groups, choral ensembles, and orchestra.
More information about upcoming live performances can be found on the Music Performances page as well as on the Scripps College Events Calendar or follow the music department on Facebook.
Program Information
Current Course Offerings
Audition Links
- Choir Auditions
- Orchestra Auditions
- Piano Auditions
- Violin and Chamber Music Auditions
- Voice Auditions
Music Performances
About the Department
The music program offers students many opportunities to engage with music both intellectually and aesthetically through course work and performance. The department offers courses in music history, music theory, and ethnomusicology, including distinctive courses such as “The Color of Music: Race in Blues and Jazz,” “Women in Music,” “Rhythm and the Latina Body Politic,” “Music in East Asia and its America Diasporas,” and “Stravinsky: His Milieu and Music.” In addition to courses which explore the aesthetic, theoretical, and cultural aspects of music from different times and places, the department offers private lessons in piano, voice, and violin, chamber music classes, and opportunities to perform in student recitals as well as in choral ensembles and orchestral ensembles. Scripps offers an environment stressing personal attention while providing a rigorous and multi-faceted education.
Our music graduates have pursued careers as conductors, composers, performers, and educators. Music majors can also pursue other exciting and enriching opportunities in church music, journalism, music criticism, music therapy, publishing, electronic music, radio/television/film, and the music industry. Training in music scholarship and performance also prepares students well for careers as diverse as business, medicine, law, and the engineering world.
Contact the Music Department’s Administrative Assistant, Diana Fortelny, by phone (909) 607-3266 or email dforteln@scrippscollege.edu with any questions.
The Joint Music Program
The Department of Music at Scripps College and the Joint Music Program of Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges offers many opportunities for music study and performance to music majors and other interested students. The Joint Music Program sponsors three ensembles, the Claremont Concert Orchestra, the Claremont Concert Choir, and the Claremont Chamber Choir. Qualified student members from all of the Claremont Colleges are welcome to join. The liberal arts ideal of music as an integral part of the curriculum is evidenced by students receiving academic credit for participation in large music ensembles as well as for applied lessons. Working in a supportive intimate environment, students find studying music at Scripps a stimulating and productive means of personal and artistic fulfillment.
In addition to large ensemble performance courses, the Joint Music Program offers MUS 81, Introduction to Music, a music appreciation class which focuses on Western musical traditions, and MUS 3, Fundamentals of Music, which covers basic music theory. These courses are taught by Scripps Joint Music professors and associated music faculty, and demonstrate our advocacy of interactive seminar-style teaching.
Contact the Joint Music Program Coordinator, Gregory Jackson, by phone (909) 607-3267 or email gjackson@scrippscollege.edu with any questions.
Music Scholarships
It is the goal of Scripps College to attract the best students, regardless of their financial status. Several Scripps music scholarships (partial) such as the Yuki Aoki Music Scholarship and the Alice Shapiro, Ruth Epstein, Jacqua/Hardin, and Pattison/McDowell/Pruessing Memorial Scholarships are granted to Scripps College music students, generally to upper-class students who have demonstrated excellence in the program.