2026-2027 Undergraduate Bulletin
Conservatory of Music
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 Return to: Undergraduate Programs and Department Information
Dean - T. Zugger
Professors - Hasseler, Jelle, Lentsner, Payton, Wang, G. Zugger
Associate Professors - I. Cox, Kitchel, Licata, Witty, Zilincik
Assistant Professors - Bergan, Blake, Loughrige
Instructor - Schmitt
Adjunct Faculty - Aliyeva, Bates, Baker, Bonardi, Burgoyne, M. Cox, Cherwinski, Davis, Dowdy, Fatout, Faulkner, Hines, Jones, King, Locke, Louden, Matsuda, McCann, Melcher, Mueller, Musselman, Nagy, O’Day, Regensberger, Smith, Souza, Stevens, Sturdevant, Weikel, Wolfe
Conservatory of Music History and Background
During the 1918-19 academic year, a department of music was established at Capital University. In 1926, the initial department became the Conservatory of Music. Throughout the years, music has become a thoroughly established and vital part of Capital University, and the Conservatory has grown in size and excellence providing intensive training on the collegiate level, as well as providing opportunities for middle school and high school ensemble performers and pre-collegiate students desiring private instruction. All members of the faculty represent professional expertise and diversity of background and experience. Several members of the faculty hold prominent positions in the greater metropolitan area’s music organizations, including the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Jazz Orchestra, and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, as well as in major professional and academic organizations throughout the nation.
The Conservatory of Music offers a selective admissions policy of acceptance by audition. After being academically accepted by the university, each applicant desiring to become a Conservatory major must audition on a primary instrument (voice, woodwind, brass, keyboard, percussion, or string). Auditions are scheduled by the Admission Office and are normally conducted by two or more members of the Conservatory faculty from the student’s performance area. Students accepted on the primary instrument will be offered entry in the Conservatory.
The Conservatory of Music, offering undergraduate degree programs during the fall and spring semesters and master’s programs during the summer, attracts an international student body while serving Ohio and surrounding regions through music performances, clinics, workshops, festivals, consulting work, and other research and scholarly activity. Performances are given by university students, faculty and guest artists, and include regional, national, and international ensemble tours. All activities serve communities at large, as well as public and private schools in the state and region.
The Conservatory offers courses leading to the following degrees: (1) bachelor of music in music education; (2) bachelor of music in performance with emphases in voice, wind and orchestral instruments, and piano or organ; (3) bachelor of music in jazz studies; (4) bachelor of music in keyboard pedagogy with emphases in piano or organ; (5) bachelor of music in composition; (6) bachelor of music with emphasis in music industry; (7) bachelor of arts in music; (8) bachelor of music in music technology; and (9) master of music in music education with emphases in Kodály. The Conservatory also offers a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies with an emphasis in Music Technology and a music minor.
In addition to degree offerings, the Conservatory serves the Greater Columbus Area through its Conservatory Preparatory Division for pre-collegiate musicians, Early Music in Columbus, hundreds of musical recitals and concerts annually, as well as major events such as the Christmas Festival, Jazz and World Music Festival, the NOW festival, and the Honor Band Festival.
Conservatory of Music Mission
The Capital University Conservatory of Music promotes excellence through creativity, performance and scholarship to enhance the value of music in everyday life.
Conservatory of Music Learning Outcomes
Bachelor of Music Degree Students will:
- Demonstrate the application of technical skills and music analysis in interpreting music.
- Contextualize and/or communicate music through the lens of current and past cultures and societies.
- Develop, practice, and implement professional knowledge.
- Articulate musical knowledge through speaking, writing, and critical listening.
B.A. in Music Degree Students will:
- Apply technical skills and analysis in music interpretation.
- Contextualize and/or communicate music through the lens of current and past cultures and societies.
- Develop and implement varied professional skills within chosen disciplines.
- Articulate musical knowledge through speaking, writing, and critical listening.
Core Values
- We support the Capital University mission. Capital University transforms lives by empowering an inclusive community of learners through engaging academic, co-curricular, and professional experiences.
- We value a blend of professional and liberal arts education.
- We believe in providing an atmosphere dedicated to scholarly and creative activity.
- We recognize and value the role of music within our diverse culture and the culture of others.
- We create advocates for musical arts, education, and culture in our society.
Conservatory Faculty Goals:
- Goal: To provide quality curricular programs in Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts, and Master of Music.
Application: We will review and evaluate our programs through employing national standards as our benchmarks.
- Goal: To understand and meet the changing needs of our students, community, and society through individual inquiry and a dynamic curriculum.
Application: We will investigate and employ best practices and methodologies for both existing and potentially new areas of curricular development.
- Goal: To provide aesthetic and educational experiences for Conservatory students and the university community.
Application: We will enhance the experience of our students and university community through ongoing programs and course offerings, guest artists, lectures, tours and other opportunities.
- Goal: To demonstrate our expertise with the music profession through educational programs, service, and events.
Application: We will expect the highest level of scholarship, leadership, and performance from our students and faculty as they interact with prospective students and collaborate with the professional arts community.
- Goal: To engage in expanded forms of community outreach.
Application: We will develop and lead initiatives to connect with a broader constituency.
- Goal: To use technology in advancing the mission of the Conservatory.
Application: We will incorporate technology as a tool for teaching, research, and learning for our Conservatory faculty and student body.
The Conservatory of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
The Conservatory of Music occupies a complex that includes Mees Hall, Bexley Hall, and Leonard Hall. On-campus instructional equipment includes a full complement of instruments, a comprehensive electronic music studio, multiple recording and production spaces, an electronic class keyboard room, a computer classroom/lab, practice rooms, the 180-seat Huntington Recital Hall, and the 950-seat Mees Auditorium with a world-class Shantz organ.
International Music Study
The Conservatory’s high-achieving students are encouraged to participate in the student exchange program with Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre located in the country’s capital city, Tallinn. Established in 2023, this program offers Capital music majors an impactful experience of spending a semester or an academic year at the top Estonian music conservatory, focused on maintaining high standards in composition (acoustic and electronic), performance (vocal and instrumental), conducting, and music technology. All courses are taught in English.
Capital University also offers a unique opportunity for a semester of study at the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of Music within the Liszt Academy in Budapest/ Kecskemét, Hungary. Students live at the institute, which is in a restored early 18th-century monastery just outside of Budapest. All classes are taught in English.
Music Technology students at Capital University have had the opportunity to study for a semester at Queen’s University Belfast, a leading public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Students immerse themselves in the state-of-the-art Sonic Arts Research Centre and explore courses in audio perception, sound recording and production, instrument and installation devices, and more. This program is open to sophomores and above, offering a unique international experience in music technology.
Requirements for all Undergraduate Music Degrees
(Requirements vary for Bachelor of Arts in Music and Bachelor of Professional Studies emphasis Music Technology degrees.)
Class Keyboard: *All entering students will be placed in an appropriate Class Keyboard section (or private lesson in special cases) based upon a keyboard skills assessment administered either at the time of audition or during fall orientation.
Recital Attendance: Recital attendance is required of all students according to the minimums set forth in their chosen degree program. Students attend performances by their peers, alternating as scheduled between area and Conservatory-wide performances, and by visiting artists associated with special Conservatory events. In addition to these scheduled activities, enrolled students are required to attend 10 additional recitals or concerts that may come from any combination of on- and off-campus musical events. For additional details, refer to the syllabus for the MUSIC R101 course.
Ensembles: *All Conservatory majors are required to participate in at least one ensemble each semester on their primary instrument. (Composition majors who have completed the 202 level on their primary instrument may select ensembles by advisement.) Membership in ensembles is determined by audition. Participation in ensembles for students in degree programs that include a professional semester (e.g. music education, music technology) is optional during that professional semester. Participation during the professional semester requires the completion of a Conservatory Exceptional Consideration form.
Ensemble requirement for students with a Music Performance Award: The Music Performance Award recognizes your exceptional musical talent and provides you the opportunity to perform with Conservatory of Music ensembles. Students receiving a Music Performance Award are required to participate on their primary instrument in the ensembles designated each semester by the Conservatory of Music. Students receive a waiver from this requirement during their professional semester of student teaching or internship.
Signature Learning Requirements: In general, music majors are required to meet all goals of the university Signature Learning curriculum (see the section “Signature Learning” in this bulletin). The Fine Arts requirement is waived in all Bachelor of Music degrees, since the competencies are met by completion of the music requirements. Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree are required to take a non-music section of the Fine Arts requirement.
*Not required for the degree B.A. in Professional Studies, Music Technology track.
Lessons
Prerequisite: Conservatory major, degree requirement or permission of the Dean in consultation with the instructor.
Lessons may be individual or group lessons. Group Lessons consist of weekly lessons through the semester delivered to a relatively small number of students simultaneously by one instructor. The size of the group will depend on the type of lesson being taught.
Special Fee applies (see “SPECIAL FEES” in the FINANCE section of this Bulletin).
Primary Lessons - 1 credit
Primary Lessons, required of all Bachelor of Music degree majors, normally consist of 14 hours of private (one-on-one) studio instruction on the student’s primary instrument, delivered one hour per week and are valued at one (1) academic credit each semester, plus an area jury at the end of each semester.
Minimum study and level achievement on the primary instrument is determined by the student’s degree curriculum.
Performance Level Primary Lessons - 2 credits
Performance Level Primary Lessons: All BM in Performance and BM in Jazz Studies majors are required to study six semesters of Performance Level Primary Lessons on the primary instrument. For Composition majors, five semesters of Performance Level Composition Lessons are required. Performance Level lessons are valued at two (2) academic credits each semester. Acceptance via 101 Level Jury or later is required.
Ensembles
Ensembles are open by audition to all Capital University students.
Major Ensembles - 1 credit, rehearsing 3 or 6 class hours weekly
INSTRUMENTAL
050 Orchestra
051 Wind Symphony
052 Chamber Percussion Ensemble
053 Symphonic Winds
JAZZ
055 Big Band
056 Fusion Band
057 Jazz Concert Ensemble
058 Contemporary Arts Workshop
VOCAL
060 Chapel Choir
061 Capital Cantabile
062 Choral Union
063 Opera/Musical Theatre
065 Capital Consort
066 Philomel
OTHER
068 Lab Band (Jazz Lab 01, MIDI Band 02)
069 Rock Ensemble (C.U.R.E.)
Minor Ensembles - 0.5 credit, rehearsing 1 or 2 class hours weekly
070 Chamber Music - Instrumental & Vocal Ensembles
071 Chamber Music - Quartets and Quintets
072 Concert Percussion Ensemble
073 Chamber Music
074 Small Jazz Groups
Courses for Non-Music Majors
Prerequisites: None for most, permission of the instructor for some. Open to all Capital University students. Conservatory majors are given priority placement in these courses if the course cap is reached. See Course Descriptions. Ensembles open to all students, regardless of major, by audition (see above).
Return to: Undergraduate Programs and Department Information
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