ISSUED: 23 September 2014
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — High school juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a degree in music are invited to attend the Shepherd University department of music visitation day on Monday, October 13.
Visitation day will give students the opportunity to live a “day in the life” of a Shepherd University music student and learn about the audition and application process. They will attend classes, meet the music faculty and current students, visit with representatives from the admissions office, hear ensemble rehearsals and performances, have lunch in the dining hall, and take a guided campus tour. Parents are also welcome to attend.
Shepherd offers three degrees: a bachelor of music in performance, a bachelor of music education and a bachelor of arts in music with concentrations in composition, music theater, and piano pedagogy.
The mission of Shepherd’s music department is to challenge its students to reach their potential by providing extraordinary experiences. Music majors have many performance opportunities, including four choirs, wind ensemble, wind symphony, orchestra, chamber groups, two jazz bands, an opera every fall, musical theater every spring, and one of the best small-school marching bands in the country.
Shepherd music students have the opportunity to study with the region’s most experienced performers and educators. Master classes are regularly offered with nationally acclaimed guest artists who are touring the region.
As a result of the high quality ensembles, Shepherd’s students have been invited to perform at a number of exciting venues, including Giant’s Stadium, the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, in cathedrals around the world, and Carnegie Hall in New York.
The Jazz Ensemble and members of the vocal ensembles toured England in 2007, and the Wind Ensemble and Chamber Choir toured Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic in May 2009 and Spain in 2011. The Wind Ensemble and the Chorus most recently traveled Paris, the Côte d’Azur and Monte Carlo in May 2013 and plans are underway for Northern Italy in May 2015.
To register for visitation day, complete the prospective student information form online at www.shepherd.edu/musicweb/information_request.html and indicate how many plan to attend. For more information, contact Esperanza Alzona, music operations manager, at 304-876-5711 or ealzona@shepherd.edu.
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