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Our Mission
The mission of the Georgia College Department of Music is to provide an interdisciplinary, liberal arts-oriented education in music, music education, and music therapy. We prepare students to embark on rewarding career paths within these fields while emphasizing the cultivation of critical thinking skills and diverse global perspectives. The department is committed to serving the broader university community through inclusive participation in ensembles and engaging course offerings. Our students learn to think independently and lead creatively through undergraduate research, community outreach, clinical training, professional development, continuing education and mentoring opportunities.
Our Values
Culture: Our department cultivates a nurturing, supportive, and collaborative environment for everyone.
Curricula: Our comprehensive and innovative curriculum allows students to develop practical skills needed to be successful in the field of music, as well as critical and analytical competencies that are the hallmark of a liberal arts education.
Leadership: Through performances, internships, workshops, and research opportunities, our students have the opportunity to become well-rounded musicians, creative and critical thinkers, and globally conscious citizens prepared to take on leadership roles.
Diversity: Our learning community fosters robust intellectual exchanges that promote intercultural understanding, respect for diversity in its many forms, and the cultivation of an inclusive society.
Outreach: As strong believers in the transformative power of the arts, our department culturally enriches the middle Georgia region by establishing collaborative projects with community partners and offering a diverse slate of performances and presentations.
Legacy: Our department encourages students to become independent and creative musicians, equipped for lifelong musical engagement.
View our updated concert calendar!
Inclusive Excellence Statement
The Georgia College Department of Music considers diversity, equity, and inclusion to be an essential part of our values. Our definition of diversity not only includes race, color, nationality, ethnicity, citizenship status, class, creed, disability, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and veteran status, but also a gamut of ideas, approaches, disciplines, learning styles, and musical genres. Inclusive excellence is an integral component to the entire music-making process, and our “active, intentional and ongoing engagement with diversity” is essential to our department’s ability to achieve social impact (https://www.aacu.org/making-excellence-inclusive).
We are committed to welcoming a diverse group of music innovators into our community and supporting their creative endeavors. We cultivate a learning environment that shows respect for all individuals inclusive of individual and group/social differences. Our department is committed to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of students, faculty, and staff from historically excluded groups. We encourage open dialogue that builds a community of support where everyone can feel respected and valued for their unique experiences and contributions. The Department of Music at Georgia College aims to educate all its members to be global citizens.
The Georgia College Department of Music is actively involved in teaching, scholarship, and service activities which demonstrate our commitment to inclusive excellence:
Teaching
- Topics on diversity and inclusion in a variety of music courses
- Regular programming of repertoire by composers from historically excluded communities
- Appropriate training of students for their work with historically underserved populations
Scholarship
- Faculty scholarship that intersects with diversity, equity, and/or inclusion
- Student research and presentations on matters of diversity, equity, and/or inclusion
Service
- Engaging musical experiences for neurodiverse individuals within our community
- Bobcat Keys, an after-school beginner piano program that targets students in rural communities
- A beginning strings program in Baldwin and neighboring county schools
- Recruiting of students from high schools that may not be as well represented or may be overlooked by institutional recruiting activities
Learn more about the Music Department at Georgia College!
Upcoming Events
Workshops: Resume and Interview Refresher with Dr. Dana Gorzelany-Mostak Link to materials here.
Hear from former students
Community Participation Jazz Jams at Amici's
Our Artists-in-Residence: Kazanetti String Quartet
Performing and teaching together since 1996, the Kazanetti String Quartet is an award-winning group that has distinguished itself across the country through its diverse programming and its commitment to excellence. Newly-appointed Artists-in-Residence at Georgia College, Kazanetti’s mission statement—to serve, to enrich, and to educate through the voice of music—embodies its desire to make music available to everyone. Recently, Kazanetti returned from France as one of the selected quartets to perform at the Debussy Conference in Paris and has expanded its classical programs through collaboration with many artists and other professionals including the internationally-acclaimed Manhattan String Quartet, Academy Award nominee Mary Badham (To Kill a Mockingbird), and world guitarist Pierre Bensusan. In addition to its recent Georgia College appointment, the Quartet maintains its residency at The Plaza Arts Center in neighboring Eatonton. The ensemble plays an active role in education and continues to make a substantial impact on the arts with its highly innovative and successful concert series, kazanetti4kids, a program that integrates music, reading, and literacy with the core academic curriculum. Committed to arts advocacy and community engagement, the Kazanetti String Quartet maintains partnerships with organizations such as the Chattahoochee Nature Center and the Atlanta History Center. For more information, please visit www.kazanetti.com
Hiring GC Student Musicians
The Georgia College Music Department provides a referral service for individuals or organizations looking to hire current music majors though the University Career Service Center and their program, Handshake. To post a specific engagement for our students, please fill out the Post A Job Opportunity Form. You will receive email verification that it has been posted. Please reach out to the Georgia College Department of Music for further information regarding the procedure. Note: Last minute performance requests may not receive an immediate response for your situation.
The Handshake form is not a contract and is only meant to assist in the process of posting musical opportunities for Georgia College music students.
Students interested in music can join one or several clubs and organizations on campus:
Sigma Alpha Iota is a professional music fraternity for women. Its purpose is to foster interest in music and to promote social contact among persons sharing an interest in music. The Beta Rho Chapter at Georgia College, founded on April 17, 1953, is the second oldest chapter in Georgia.
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, founded in 1898, is a national fraternity for men. It is open to all men who have an interest in music, regardless of major. The Eta Alpha Chapter was the first fraternity formally established on campus at Georgia College.
The American Choral Directors Association is dedicated to the advancement of choral music. Student ACDA provides opportunities for professional development for college students through participation in regional and national conventions.
NAfME, the National Association for Music Education, is the leading organization for music education in the United States. Collegiate NAfME (formerly CMENC) is the student division of NAfME and provides opportunities for professional development for college students.
Music Therapy Society of Georgia College
Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. The purpose of the Music Therapy Society of Georgia College is to educate and increase awareness of the student body and community about the benefits and opportunities of music therapy, encourage professional growth of students pursuing a major/minor in music therapy, provide volunteer music therapy services and other community services to the surrounding public, and to raise funds for SER-AMTA Conference, which is held every year. Membership is open to any student, no matter what his, her, or their major or minor is, who has an interest in and would be an advocate for music therapy.
The Express Your Self Club
The Express Your Self Club seeks to enable students' self expression using the creative arts such as: art, music, poetry, theater, creative writing, dance, drama, etc. The club also includes ASL Sign Language. It doesn't matter what your GPA, major or minor is, all GC students are welcome. The club knows that college and life in general can be stressful. They show that using creative arts can help relieve stress. Using these tools during the club meetings will help you learn more about yourself. It is a wonderful experience and offers a chance to make new friends.
Performance Ensembles
Chamber Ensembles
The music department has a number of chamber ensembles of like instruments that are coached by faculty and rehearse weekly. Students typically play alone on their part, and the ensembles perform at least some works without a conductor. The music tends to be challenging, but anyone (including non-majors) can sign up for chamber ensembles. Repertoire changes each semester depending on the group composition. For information on any of these ensembles, please email music@gcsu.edu, and your inquiry will be forwarded to the faculty director.
- Brass Ensemble: Dr. Cliff Towner
- Flute Choir: Elise Allen
- Guitar Ensemble: Matthew Robinson
- Percussion Ensemble: Mia Eaton
- Saxophone Quartet: Dr. Andrew Allen
- String Chamber Ensemble: Dr. Bryan Hall
- Woodwind Chamber Ensemble: Rebecca Cooke
- Small Group Combo: Chris Enghauser & Don Parker
Jazz Band
The GCSU Jazz Band has a long tradition of excellence, and continues to amaze audiences with its entertaining and energetic performances each semester. The Jazz Band’s year culminates with our annual JazzFest held on our beautiful front campus each April featuring middle school and high school bands from around Georgia along with our Alumni Jazz Band. Guest artists soloing with the GCSU band have included saxophonist Jeff Coffin, trumpeter Melvin Jones, bassist Rodney Jordan and many more.
Max Noah Singers
Max Noah Singers (MNS) is a choral organization made up of select singers with an emphasis on the study and performance of a variety of literature from madrigals and motets to the avant garde. MNS is open by audition to all members of the university community.
MNS has performed a number of premieres of commissioned works by such composers as Douglas O’Grady and Leanne Benson. In addition to participating in the mostly classically based concerts with University Chorus and Women's Ensemble, MNS also presents concerts with popular solo and ensemble music in a themed atmosphere, such as the annual Valentine’s Day Rendezvous; these concerts serve as fundraisers for tour expenses and allow the singers to travel without having to pay much toward the trip.
MNS takes a five-day performance, recruiting and outreach tour each year in December after finals; past destinations include Nashville, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina; Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; Orlando, Florida (Walt Disney World); and Washington, D.C.. Members of MNS also represent Georgia College at the annual Georgia Music Educators Association All-College Chorus.
The group rehearses three times a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 1:00 to 1:50 p.m. Please contact Dr. Jennifer Flory (jennifer.flory@gcsu.edu) for more information.
Orchestra
The GCSU Orchestra is a string ensemble comprised of GCSU students (music majors and non-music majors), faculty and community members. The purpose of the ensemble is to improve skill and to cover a variety of repertoire fostering students' musical development.
The ensemble rehearses three times a week and performs a concert each semester. This course can be used as a required ensemble for music majors who perform on an orchestral string instrument (violin, viola, cello, string bass.) This course can also be used as an elective for all university students.
University Chorus
University Chorus (UC) is a non-auditioned choral organization focusing on the study and performance of music of all periods and styles and is open to all members of the university community. Students who enjoy singing are encouraged to join regardless of major or music-reading skills.
In the past five years, UC has performed a number of choral masterworks with instrumental ensembles and professional vocal soloists. These works include Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mendelssohn’s Hymne, Corigliano’s Fern Hill, Elgar’s Spanish Serenade and Hamilton’s Christmas Come In!.
UC rehearses twice a week, Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Please contact Dr. Jennifer Flory (jennifer.flory@gcsu.edu) for more information.
Wind Symphony
The Georgia College Wind Symphony is open by audition to all GCSU students, regardless of their major. Students who were involved with their high school ensembles are encouraged to continue their performance experience at the college level and the GC Wind Symphony serves as a great opportunity to further your musical experiences.
The performance group places an emphasis on reading experiences in a wide variety of standard and new band literature. In recent years the GC Wind Symphony has featured guest conductors like Steven Reineke and David Holsinger who rehearse the group and conduct on concerts featuring their music.
The Georgia College Wind Symphony rehearses two days a week. The only activities scheduled out of this regular class meeting time are dress rehearsals, performances and social activities. Students receive one hour of academic credit for each semester they participate in the Wind Symphony.
Women's Ensemble
Women's Ensemble (WE), open to all female members of the university community, is a non-auditioned choral organization focusing on the study and performance of music of all periods and styles specifically for women’s voices. All female students who enjoy singing are encouraged to join regardless of major or music-reading skills.
WE was reconstituted in 2006 and since then has performed a variety of works for treble voices including two world premieres: Emma Lou Diemer’s Five Limericks with two pianos and percussion, and David Hamilton's Serenade with orchestra.
WE rehearses twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-4:45 p.m. Please contact Dr. Jennifer Flory (jennifer.flory@gcsu.edu) for more information.
Music Theatre Scenes
Music Theatre Scenes includes the study and performance of scenes excerpted from music theater and operetta. The course is open by audition to all members of the university community. In this course, students build competence in all areas of the field of acting, including voice, movement, characterization, historical style, and scene study. Music Theatre Scenes meets twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00-3:15pm. Please contact Dana Gorzelany-Mostak (dana.gorzelany@gcsu.edu) for more information.
Opera Scenes
Opera Scenes includes the study and performance of scenes taken from various operas/operettas spanning the Baroque to the contemporary period. Participants are expected to sing in Italian, German, and French. Students enrolled in voice and non-major voice are encouraged to audition. This course is repeatable for credit. Permission of the instructor and an audition are required at the end of the previous semester. Opera Scenes meets twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00-3:15pm. Please contact Dr. Youngmi Kim (youngmi.kim@gcsu.edu) for more information.