About the School of Music

The School of Music is a full member of the National Association of Schools of Music and a member of the Association of Illinois Music Schools. We offer the Bachelor of Music degree in Performance, Music Education, Composition, Music Business, Music Therapy, and Jazz Studies, and the Master of Music degree in Performance, Music Education, Conducting, Composition, Piano Pedagogy, Musicology, and Jazz Studies.  

Certification as a music therapist is available through the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT).

Mission

The School of Music at Western Illinois University is committed to a dual mission within the university:  
Helping each undergraduate and graduate music major and music minor to be the best musician they can be through course work, applied study, solo and ensemble performance, practical experience, and a variety of listening opportunities; and serving, along with other departments in the College of Fine Arts and Communication, as a cultural center for the university, the community, and the region; including a strong commitment to providing opportunities for non-major university students to develop awareness and understanding of music in a variety of cultural contexts.

Goals

The primary goal of the WIU School of Music is to develop skilled and sensitive musicians at the undergraduate and master's level. In addition, the Western Illinois University School of Music serves to:  

• Train student musicians in the fine art of musical performance through applied lessons and solo and ensemble performance experiences.
• Help students understand the structures and contexts of music throughout history and in the present, to enhance their appreciation and performance of diverse musical styles.
• Prepare graduates who possess the aural, analytical, conceptual, technological, and performance skills needed to be successful in the fields of education, therapy, performance, composition, and industry, or as students in an advanced degree program.
• Help music students develop the tools of self-discipline, creative expression, analysis, problem-solving, and communication for success in their chosen life's work, in or out of the field of music.
• Provide basic music courses and ensemble experiences that will assist the general university students who desire to be articulate, responsive, and knowledgeable citizens, consumers, and patrons of the arts.
• Share the joy of musical expression with the general student, university, community, and regional populations through concerts and recitals.
• Serve as a resource center for the elementary and secondary music programs and music teachers in Illinois and bordering states.
• Provide opportunities for pre-college music study for community/regional service and for on-campus pedagogical laboratory experience opportunities.
• Offer a music curriculum with sufficient depth and breadth to satisfy the needs and interests of the students enrolled.
• Maintain a faculty of musician-teachers who, through dedication to excellence, sound pedagogy, and effective communication skills, present models that inspire students to achieve their full potential.