Music
Major and minor offered.
Visit the music department webpage at https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/music.
Major Requirements
Students wishing to major in music must complete the following requirements:
-
MUS 200 or 201.
-
MUS 210.
-
MUS 220.
-
At least five other full-unit courses in music, two of which must be 300-level courses.
-
At least three semesters of participation in a music department ensemble.
Honors
To receive honors in music, students must attain a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major and submit for consideration a substantial senior-year project, which may include study in composition, performance, literature and/or analysis.
Minor Requirements
Students wishing to minor in music must complete the following requirements:
-
MUS 200 or 201.
-
MUS 210.
-
MUS 220.
-
At least two other full-unit courses in music, one of which must be a 300-level course.
-
At least two semesters of participation in a music department ensemble.
Advanced Standing
Students with a background in music (including fluent reading of at least one clef) may register for MUS 200 or 201 (Music Theory). Students without extensive prior experience in music should begin their coursework with MUS 100 or 101 (Introduction to Music).
Individual Lessons
St. Lawrence students may elect to take individual lessons in voice or on an instrument, space permitting, for a fee of $400 per semester. Full-time SLU students registered for department ensembles may take lessons for the reduced fee of $200 per semester. Full-time students enrolled in MUS 101 (Introduction to Music), MUS 201 (Music Theory), or MUS 260 (Rehearsing) will receive lessons at no additional cost. Students claiming this exemption will be graded on lesson participation as a portion of the course grade. Go to https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/music for further information on lessons.
Ensembles
Students audition for ensembles at the beginning of each semester instead of registering for ensembles during the normal registration period. Go to https://www.stlawu.edu/offices/music for information on auditions. Normally, students receive 0.25 unit of credit for taking an ensemble.
021. Laurentian Singers.
A select undergraduate vocal ensemble that performs both on and off campus through the year. Their far-ranging repertoire is drawn from traditional choral sources as well as world and popular idioms. The Laurentian Singers tour each Spring Break.
022. University Chorus.
A choir open to the entire University community. The ensemble performs major works from the choral and choral-orchestral repertoire from the 16th through the 20th centuries.
025. String Orchestra.
An ensemble that performs repertoire from the 17th century through the present. Recent concerts have included works by Antonio Vivaldi, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert and Henry Cowell.
026. Wind Ensemble.
This ensemble explores a range of music covering over 200 years of repertoire in a variety of styles, and is open to wind, brass and percussion players.
027. Rhythm and Roots Ensemble.
This ensemble takes a particular strand of vernacular music as its focus each semester, and is open to guitarists, percussionists, pianists, vocalists, and woodwind and brass players. Recent topics of study include Hawaiian music, the music of Motown, and New Orleans rhythm and blues.
028. Improvisation Lab.
This ensemble provides opportunities for students to develop their interests and skills in a variety of American popular musics. Students research recordings outside of class and use them as the basis for further study in class. Rehearsals emphasize playing by ear in conjunction with using varying degrees of written notation.
029. SoundSandBox.
Do you catch yourself drumming incessantly on tabletops, singing along with the washing machine’s beat, or making saxophones out of pizza boxes and broken straws? The SoundSandBox is for you, a place to explore ways of making sound together. Skilled musicians are welcome, but all students may audition for this ensemble. Recent projects include collaborating with NYC-based percussionist Susie Ibarra and accompanying a silent film on Halloween.
032. Funk Ensemble.
Dubbed SLUFunk by its members, the Funk Ensemble primarily performs American R&B, soul, and funk music, but has also explored styles ranging from Afro-Cuban jazz to Nigerian Afro-beat to contemporary hip-hop. The ensemble both plays the music and seeks to understand its historical context and significance. SLUFunk is modeled on a working band: participants make decisions about membership, repertoire, and gigs, and are expected to take on the work of the band from writing arrangements to designing posters to lugging gear.