<p>Hi, I'm new to this site but I've appreciated all the breadth of musical knowledge discussed in the forum! I'm a HS sophomore and I'm considering double majoring in Piano Performance and Sacred Music. I've been playing piano for only about 5 years, but I have progressed rapidly and have been told I am very gifted and encouraged to pursue a career in music. I've been heavily involved in my church with choir, ensembles, accompanying, praise team, guest solos, etc. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE music and can not imagine life without it.
I see myself down the road teaching piano and working as a music director for a church, part time or full time depending on the situation, (though I am a good performer, I am not super competitive, and am not interested at upper-end conservatories like Julliard, Oberlin, etc.). I would love to wed my two passions in music by getting two BM degrees, but I'm wondering if a university will allow me to double major in a music discipline. I just haven't heard of many people who doubled in Flute or Voice, for instance. I'm also wondering if I could complete them both in 4 years and not go crazy with senior recitals. Plus, would the double degree give me a boost in the music director field? (I plan to continue on for a MM anyway, not sure which field yet.) Any advice, counseling, thoughts would be welcome.</p>
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You use “double degree” and “double major” interchangeably. I think doing piano performance and Sacred Music would just be the 1 BM degree, 2 majors…same degree at most schools. Not sure, my school doesn’t offer sacred music majors. I will be a piano performance major this fall by the way, if you have some questions about that.</p>
<p>A double major shouldn’t change too much I’d think. You’d have lessons and ensembles. Although I’m not sure (you’d have to check the degree requirements for schools you’re considering), adding Sacred Music to Piano Perf major should add probably a few music history classes in sacred stuff, maybe a religious ensemble, maybe some church accompanying requirements or something like that. I wouldn’t think it’d add much to the Piano Perf major. PP majors already have: lots of theory, music history, piano lessons, sometimes lessons on a minor instrument, ensembles, accompanying sometimes, pedagogy classes, etc…so a lot is in there.</p>
<p>Double -Degree in Muisc
We have spent the past year looking a many different schools for a different double degree in music and it has been fascinating to us to see where it is encouraged, easy and where is is discouraged or not possible. (And we found it is not at a certain level of school that is runs one way or the other. It just depends upon what the school believes.) I think you will need to do some research to find out where this could work best because I suspect you will get many different answers to the question. And while we did not look at this school for our son because it did not offer what he was looking for I think you should check out Westminster Choir College for what you are looking at. I have known several very happy musicians with a church focus who went there. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks iluvpiano for the clarification; probably one degree, double major. I’ve looked into various college’s requirements for piano performance and church music, and they are actually super similar (same theory, ear training, classes, history, first and secondary concentrations). The church music has about 5-8 different classes like advanced conducting, hymnology, church music administration, choir literature, etc., so I’m thinking it won’t be too much work. As far as piano goes, do you think I should stick with Piano Performance or pursue the less common Piano Pedagogy? I know the only big difference is a senior teaching semester.</p>
<p>My daughter just got her double performance BMs in April and she finished in 4 years. She received two diplomas.</p>
<p>Yeah I don’t think it would add too much to combine those 2 majors. I’d go with piano performance, partly because it’s hard to find undergrad piano pedagogy majors. I don’t know where you’d find a school with sacred music and piano pedagogy majors. With a piano performance degree, that still allows you to teach private lessons as a job later. Some programs you can still get teaching experience in college as a performance major (I have to take a class where you teach, for class credit, as a performance major).</p>
<p>My son is also due to graduate with two performance BMs next spring…done in four years, due to testing out of several semesters of basic coursework in theory, etc., summer courses, as well as taking 20 credits (and sometimes 22) per semester.</p>
<p>If you are thinking of teaching privately, a BM degree is fine, you don’t need any formal teaching courses for that (though having a course in pedagogy wouldn’t hurt, obviously). The other thing you might want to look into if you are thinking of being a church music director is learning the organ, it would broaden your appeal in being hired since many churches use organs in their services.</p>
<p>^Yeah, some colleges will have a few pedagogy courses required under a BM performance degree. Mine does- that teaching class, plus 2-3 other pedagogy classes.</p>
<p>Chucrchpianist15,</p>
<p>I think a double music major, although sometimes quite difficult, is quite possible.
As far as piano performance and sacred music, you can do both.
I go to Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL, and although we don’t offer B.M. degrees (we have B.A.s), we have a VERY good music program. I am a sophomore music theory/composition major and I have grown so much in my first year - I love it! As far as I know, we have the option of doing as many majors as we want. TIU offers both Piano Performance and Church Music degrees, and our piano teacher is AWESOME! All of the music majors get a lot of personal attention and help if we need it since we are a small private school. I highly recommend looking into it.</p>
<p>Just saw how much Piano Pedagogy was being discussed. . . . TIU has that as well (as do many other schools).</p>