Pattern

Curriculum and Concentrations

As you join us at Cornish College of the Arts, you begin a rich and diverse musical journey. There is an adventurous and joyous spirit in the work of our students and faculty, and an abiding commitment to exploration and experimentation. Cornish offers students the opportunity to study a broad spectrum of musical styles with an outstanding faculty who exemplify excellence, openness and leadership as both teachers and practitioners. We offer a curriculum that is innovative and rewarding, and that prepares students with a practical foundation for entry into the musical worlds of jazz, new music, concert music (instrumental and vocal), electronic/MIDI, electro-acoustic, and world music upon graduation. As composers, improvisers and performers, you are encouraged to expand your musical horizons, take on new challenges and pursue your dreams. Our program is demanding but the environment is supportive, and you will be swept up by the enthusiasm and energy of your fellow students and the faculty. Cornish College’s history and heritage of innovation and experimentation lives on today as we create a musical community of adventurous thinkers, creators and performers.

Cornish offers a rich program of musical study with three focus areas:

Students receive specific training through individualized instruction with a primary teacher, while also being able to concentrate more fully in coursework that allows specialization in particular areas of interest. These areas of concentration include:

In addition to the academic, skills, and performance classes in each focus area, selected topic courses in each of the areas of concentration are rotated cyclically, allowing students to tailor their education to their interests.

Composition Program

Coming out of a tradition of innovation and experimentation from the days of John Cage and Lou Harrison, the composition program at Cornish is one of the most innovative in the country. Composition majors are able to study with a number of distinguished faculty, all active composers, who represent a broad range of styles and sensibilities. Weekly hour-long lessons are at the center of the composition program, and are supported by classes that offer a chance for collaboration and feedback. Scoring for instruments, electronic music, MIDI, Digital Audio Editing, scoring for Film and Video, and classes in notation are offered annually.

Professional resident ensembles support the composition program with readings, workshops and performances of student work. All composition majors present junior and senior recitals showcasing their best work.

Recent guest composers have included Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Trimpin, Bun-Ching Lam, Meredith Monk, Rinde Eckert, Sheila Silver, Samuel Jones, Tania León, and Kyle Gann.

Instrumental Program

Instrumental majors study with a primary instructor, taking hour-long lessons weekly. Students focus on either jazz or classical performance, and participate in ensemble classes, for which auditions take place every semester. There are various levels of jazz groups, including Latin, Bebop, Fusion and Free Ensembles, as well as Chamber Music, Composer-Performer, Gamelan and Advanced Gamelan ensembles.

Solo performances and ensemble recitals are scheduled throughout the year. Each semester concludes with a four-day-long performance marathon, Scores of Sound, in which all studios and ensembles participate. In the junior and senior years, all instrumental majors present public recitals. Master classes and workshops with visiting artists of international stature enhance the studio and classroom experience. Recent artists have included Jane Ira Bloom (jazz sax), Kenny Werner (jazz piano), Brad Shepik (jazz guitar), Kirk Nurock (pianist-composer), Sharon Isbin (classical guitar), Vladimir Feltsman (classical piano), The Colorado Quartet, The Cypress Quartet, and the Dorian Woodwind Quintet.

Vocal Program

Vocal majors are able to concentrate on either jazz or classical voice (opera-musical theater) studies. All majors are assigned a primary instructor, with whom weekly hour-long lessons are scheduled.

Jazz vocalists take two years of vocal standards, where they work with a trio of bass, piano and drums and learn to create their own arrangements, make charts, scat, and develop a set.

Opera-musical theater majors can perform in the annual opera or musical theater production, the musical theater workshop, or various rotating vocal ensembles and studio performance classes, and take English diction-IPA, and Italian, French and German diction, as well as vocal repertoire.

All vocal majors perform in noon concerts, vocal forums, the Scores of Sound performance marathon, and present junior and senior recitals.

Master classes and workshops with visiting artists have included Barbara Cook, Harolyn Blackwell, Mimi Lerner, Kurt Ollman, Lucy Shelton, Jay Clayton, Nancy King and others.