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Curriculum

The Bard Music Program is dedicated to enabling music students to carve out paths that match their talents and passions. Many of our students major in, for instance, violin, or classical voice, or jazz percussion, all of which we fully support; others find themselves attracted to hybrid forms, between disciplines, and we cheer them on.
Curriculum Areas

Curriculum Areas

At the simplest structural level, the Bard College Music Program is divided into the following areas. Each of these areas has its own set of course requirements, typically a mix of performance lessons and ensembles, theory classes, and history classes; visit each individual page for specifics.

Alternative Course Study

Alternative Course Study

In addition, the student whose work does not fall neatly into one category is encouraged to work out an individual course of study with his or her adviser. The student who works in both classical music and jazz, or who composes both acoustically and electronically, or who plays violin and sings in a rock band, is a staple of our department.

Program Requirements

  • Graduation Requirements
    By the time of graduation, all music majors are expected to have completed between eight and 10 specific requirements, depending on their area of study. The requirements include courses in both music theory and history; one class in composition or, with the approval of the adviser, 4 credits in an equivalent course involving personal musical creativity; and a performance class, accompanied by two semesters’ worth of private lessons (performance class may be replaced by some other class involving public performance). For curriculum area–specific information about course requirements, go to each curriculum area web page.
  • Moderation Requirements
    Moderation ordinarily takes place in the second semester of the sophomore year. Generally, half of the Music Program course requirements for graduation should be completed by the time of Moderation. For their Moderation Project, most students give a 25- to 40-minute concert of their own music and/or music by other composers; a substantial music history or theory paper written for a class serves for students pursuing those fields. For curriculum area–specific information about Moderation, go to each curriculum area web page. Learn more about Bard College Moderation here and Moderation Papers here.
  • Senior Project Requirements
    Preparation for the Senior Project begins in the junior year. The Senior Project in music consists of two concerts of approximately 45 to 60 minutes each. Composers may replace one concert with an orchestral work written for performance during the Commencement Concert. In certain cases, involving expertise in music technology, a student may submit produced recordings of music rather than give a live performance. An advanced research project in music history or theory can also be considered as a Senior Project. For specific requirements for each area of specialization, go to curriculum area web pages. Learn more about Senior Project guidelines at Bard College here.

Applying to the Program