Music

Music is an integral part of a liberal arts education and vital to campus life at Holy Cross. Every year, hundreds of students take advantage of a wide range of opportunities to explore, experience and perform music both inside and outside the classroom.

As a universal form of human expression, music transcends boundaries of language, culture, time and place. Whether you are interested in classical, popular or world music, in music of the past or the present, in creating, performing or simply listening, Holy Cross provides a rich context for engagement with music and the arts.

Program Type

Major

Department

Music

Areas of Study

Our academic courses challenge students from across the curriculum to think, speak and write effectively about music.

Theory and composition
History and cultural studies
Performance studies
Classical music and popular music
Global music and jazz
Audio engineering and music technology
Instrumental and vocal lessons
Ensembles

Requirements

Music Theory 1 (Music 201), with Music Theory 1 Lab (Music 202)
Music Theory 2 (Music 203) with Music Theory 2 Lab (Music 204)
Music Theory 3: Advanced Topics (Music 305)

History of Western Music 1 (Music 211)
History of Western Music 2 (Music 212)
Advanced Topics in Music History (Music 315)

Two courses at the 200 level or higher.
- At least one of these courses must be a classroom experience. The other course may be a classroom experience or a performance experience (MUSC 218/219, 231/232).
- Two courses at the 300 level or higher. At least one of these courses must be a classroom experience. The other course may be a classroom experience or a performance experience (MUSC 331/332, 431/432, 433/434).
One elective must be in World Music, Popular Music, Digital/Computer Music or Jazz at the 200 level or higher.

2 semesters of participation in a department ensemble
2 semesters of private lessons on an instrument or voice

Sample Courses

Course Catalog

History of Western Music 1
Music Theory 1
History of Rock
Fundamentals Of Music
World Music
Intro to Audio Recording

Meet Your Department Chair

Dan DiCenso - Music Department Chair, Associate Professor Urban Studies , Medieval and Renaissance Studies , Africana Studies , Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies , Catholic Studies

Meet All Music Faculty and Staff

Faculty and Staff

Opportunities

Music Scholarships

The Brooks Scholarship is a four-year, full tuition scholarship offered to a high school senior who will major in music or double major in music and another discipline.

The Organ Scholarship is a four-year, full tuition scholarship offered by the College of the Holy Cross through the Department of Music, in collaboration with the Office of the College Chaplains, to a high school senior who will major in music or double major in music and another discipline.

Contact Alice Resker (include scholarship title in subject line) for application details.

Contact Alice Resker

Application Portal For Brooks Scholarship

Research

Music majors are welcome to work with faculty advisors on original research as part of the Summer Research program.

Summer Research Program

Awards for Music Majors

Two prizes are awarded each year to a Holy Cross senior:

Beethoven Prize for the best essay or composition.
Walter Gordon Howe Prize for excellence in percussion performance.

Awards

Student Advisory Committee

Members of the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) are elected by all music majors in the spring of each year. The music department frequently consults with the SAC regarding issues of class offerings, programming and events. The SAC administers course evaluation forms for every music course at the end of each semester. SAC officers also help in the evaluation of faculty in terms of appointment, tenure or promotion.

Lessons

With options for every student interested in the performance of music, all students (majors and non-majors) are welcome to take private lessons. Students work one-on-one with exceptional instructors drawn from across New England and have access to small group tutorials, performance forums, workshops and master classes.

More Lesson Details on Ignite

Performance Instructors

Instrument	Faculty Member	Email
Bassoon	Stephanie Busby	stephaniebusby@gmail.com
Cello	Mina Kim	mkim@holycross.edu
Clarinet	William Kirkley	wkirkley@holycross.edu
Double Bass	John (Bebo) Shiu	jshiu@holycross.edu
Flute	Ona Jonaytite	ojonaity@holycross.edu
French Horn	Marina Krickler	mkrickle@holycross.edu
Guitar	Jeffrey Nevaras	jnevaras@holycross.edu
Oboe	Joe Halko	joeoboe.halko@gmail.com
Percussion/Drums	Jonathan Hess	jhess@holycross.edu
Piano	Ulysses Loken	uloken@holycross.edu
Piano	Sonya Ovrutsky Fensome	sovrutsk@holycross.edu
Piano	Jonathan Yasuda	jyasuda@holycross.edu
Trombone	Douglas Weeks	dweeks@wpi.edu
Trumpet	Bruce Hopkins	bhopkins@holycross.edu
Viola	Sergio Muñoz Leiva	smunoz@holycross.edu
Violin	Aleksandra Labinska	alabinsk@holycross.edu
Voice	Marsha Vleck	mrvleck@aol.com
Voice	Bill Cotten	wcotten@holycross.edu

Join a Performance Ensemble

We offer frequent opportunities for students to rehearse and perform in vocal and instrumental ensembles, covering a wide spectrum of musical styles. All students are welcome to join.

Chamber Music

Small instrumental student ensembles (such as duets, trios and quartets) get coached by the Director of Chamber Music and other performance faculty members and perform throughout the semester.
Chamber Music
Chamber Singers

A select choral ensemble of approximately 16 musicians from the College Choir who display the highest level of musical excellence.
Chamber Singers
Ensemble Orchestra

The Holy Cross College Orchestra gives both majors and non-majors the opportunity to come together and play orchestra masterworks, ranging from the Baroque era to pieces written in the modern day.
Ensemble Orchestra
Ensemble Choir

The College Choir is a large mixed ensemble open to all students, which develops a love for choral music and singing among the members and shares that passion with audiences.
Ensemble Choir
Jazz Ensemble

A large instrumental jazz band that includes saxophones, trumpets, trombones and a jazz rhythm section (keyboard, guitar, bass and drums).
Jazz Ensemble
Wind Ensemble

The Holy Cross Wind Ensemble provides woodwind, brass and percussion musicians the opportunity to perform both standard and contemporary wind band literature and engage in meaningful musical experiences.
Wind Ensemble
H-CLEF (the Holy Cross Laptop Ensemble Federation)

H-CLEF (Holy Cross Laptop Ensemble Federation) is the performing ensemble of Music 290: Coding Music. Designed as an experiential, hands-on learning environment, Coding Music welcomes all majors interested in sound synthesis, DIY instrument design and collaborative performance of live electronic music.
H-CLEF (the Holy Cross Laptop Ensemble Federation)
Student Clubs & Organizations

Holy Cross has more than 100 student organizations on campus.
Student Clubs and Organizations

Venues & Facilities

Holy Cross is home to a number of arts facilities that support and foster the creative endeavors of our students and faculty, as well as the many artists, musicians and other creative professionals that visit our campus. Facilities and venues include impressive performance spaces, in addition to several locations for classes, rehearsals, studying and creating.

Explore Venues & Facilities