All Music Technology courses are open to students regardless of proficiency on an instrument or voice. However, in order to major in the Music Technology degree program, students must first pass an instrumental or vocal audition. To learn about our audition requirements, please visit our Auditions page.
We allow students to audition for the program before being accepted to the College. However, an acceptance into the Music program is not a guarantee of acceptance into the College. Therefore, it is a good idea to forward your KSC application as soon as possible.
The Music Department does not match non-matriculated students with instrumental or vocal teachers. However, we are happy to forward the information you provide to faculty and/or students who may be available for private lessons, and they will contact you directly. To provide information about your interest in private lessons, please complete and submit this form.
The Music Department encourages degree-earning students to accept on- and off-campus gigs. To request musicians for such a purpose, please complete and submit this form.
When it’s time to register for next semester’s classes, simply register for the ensemble as a regular class. Each ensemble’s course number is listed on our Ensembles page.
Important note: When registering for an ensemble, students can choose 1 credit or 0 credits. The system always defaults to 0 credits. If you want to receive credit on your transcript, be sure to manually change the credit to 1.
Yes! The Music Department is a welcoming place. We invite students from across campus, in addition to alumni and community members, to join our ensembles.
Most ensembles are open to all students without audition. However, after registering for a non-auditioning ensemble, the student may be contacted by the ensemble director to discuss her or his experience and past repertoire. This conversation helps the director to determine whether the ensemble is a good match for the student’s experience and skills. Please visit our Ensembles page for information about which ensembles require an audition.
The Music Department has four vocal ensembles, four large instrumental ensembles, and more than ten chamber ensembles. Each ensemble has set weekly rehearsal times, which can be found on our Ensembles page. Each ensemble performs once each semester. Visit our Events page to see a list of recital dates for this academic year.
Quick Facts
- Each year, the Keene State College Music Department is made up of 80-90 music majors and 10-20 music minors.
- The music faculty consists of 10 full-time professors and over 30 specialized lecturers and adjunct instructors.
- Keene State is the only liberal arts institution in northern New England to be accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The College is also accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
- The Music Department has one of the largest and most active collegiate chapters of the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), and it has received numerous national, regional, and campus awards. Students also participate in collegiate chapters of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).
- Each year, the Music Department inducts its top academic students into the Kappa Pi Chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda, the National Music Honor Society.
- The Music Department presents more than 75 public concerts, clinics, workshops, master classes, and recitals each year.
- Keene State College music graduates have successful careers in music education, performance, technology, and composition and have completed graduate study at some of the most prestigious universities, schools of music, and conservatories in the country.
Facilities
The Redfern Arts Center features the superb Alumni Recital Hall, two theatres, technology-enhanced practice facilities, rehearsal rooms, media-enhanced classrooms, a dance studio, and the Music Technology Instruction Lab.