Curriculum and Concentrations
The Cornish Music Department offers a Bachelor of Music curriculum with programs of study in three focus areas:
No matter which program of study you elect to pursue, you’ll receive highly personalized training through weekly, hour–long individual lessons with a primary artist/mentor. In some instances, students may also develop an individualized major in consultation with the department chair.
Your first and second year coursework will consist of a rigorous curriculum of foundational academic and skills–based courses designed to prepare all students, regardless of major, with the skills they need to succeed as musicians. In addition to these courses, you can select from a variety of performance–based ensembles and special topics in each area of concentration.
The opportunities for performance are numerous, with many different levels and types of ensembles offered every semester. Student composers have the opportunity to hear their music performed by fellow students and faculty. Student performers and composers are presented in noon concerts, studio labs, and in end–of–semester presentations. Master classes and special workshops with visiting artists of international stature will also offer you an opportunity to receive valuable feedback and experience.
Your final year at Cornish culminates in a senior recital, an evening–length, professionally produced presentation designed to showcase the best of your artistic work at Cornish with the larger College community.
The Instrumental Program
Instrumental performance majors choose to focus on either classical or jazz performance practices. In addition to private instruction, students audition to participate in a variety of small and large ensembles.
If chamber music is your passion you’ll work closely with one of our faculty members to hone your craft while participating in a variety of mixed classical chamber ensembles, percussion, guitar, or string quartets. Cornish also will offer you the possibility of participating in a variety of performance opportunities with Seattle area orchestras.
Perhaps your interests lie in jazz or other improvised music. Cornish will offer you the chance to sharpen your skills in our Latin, bebop, fusion, free jazz or contemporary big band ensembles. Cornish faculty members not only coach all ensembles — they also play in them, contributing valuable insight gained through their real–world experience touring, recording and performing as professional, practicing artists.
The Vocal Program
As a vocal major you can concentrate on either jazz or classical voice, or chart an entirely new path of your own design that defies any genre. Jazz vocalists gain valuable experience through immersion in an intensive program focused on learning the jazz vocal repertoire and developing the skills necessary to create their own arrangements. Classical voice majors have the opportunity to participate in the annual opera/musical theater production, musical theater workshops, chamber choir, and various other studio performance classes.
The Composition Program
A long and distinguished tradition of innovation and experimentation has attracted composers to Cornish since John Cage was here in the 1930s. Today that tradition continues with our composition program — ranked as one of the most innovative in the country.
As a composition major you’ll be invited to explore private instruction in a broad range of styles and skills–based and survey courses that offer a chance for collaboration and feedback. These include classes in counterpoint, orchestration, arranging, notation, electronic music, digital audio, and scoring for film and video.
You’ll also have an opportunity for professional resident ensembles to perform your compositions in readings, workshops and special performances. In recent years ensembles in residence have included the Pacific Rims Percussion Quartet, the Corigliano String Quartet, the Jim Knapp Orchestra, the Seattle Chamber Players, the Saint Helens String Quartet and the Javanese gamelan ensemble Gamelan Pacifica.
Recent guest composers have included Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Trimpin, Bun–Ching Lam, Meredith Monk, Rinde Eckert, Tania León, and Kyle Gann.