Music - Applied Instrumental
Turn your talent into a career with an instrumental music bachelor's degree from UW-Eau Claire, a rigorous program accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
Creating a Symphony of Success
Designed for those aspiring to be performing artists or private studio instructors, the applied instrumental music major pairs a rigorous curriculum with valuable, professional experiences.
Known for its vibrant music scene, both UW-Eau Claire and the city of Eau Claire offer many opportunities to showcase your skills. You may perform in solo recitals, chamber music and ensemble concerts, and theatre productions. Serve as a rehearsal pianist for opera productions. Or discover best practices and new perspectives through internships, study abroad, and the National Student Exchange program. Multiple guest artists frequent classrooms, offering special classes, masterclasses, and performances every year. And the department regularly offers concerto competitions and annual tours/performance opportunities.
Our professors have deep experience on and off stage, and they use that knowledge to help you realize your professional potential. Small class sizes allow you to get one-on-one attention and collaborate with others who are passionate about music. No matter your career goals, we are here to help make them happen. In fact, the applied instrumental music major is known nationally for producing successful graduates. Are you ready to be one of them?
Program Details
Accreditation Information
All music degrees from UW-Eau Claire have been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
Our applied instrumental music major will provide you with many opportunities to build your performance portfolio. A variety of ensembles — from band to orchestra to jazz — will push your creative boundaries and facilitate collaboration with experts in your chosen field. An abundance of community music festivals offer many internships and networking opportunities.
Our student-focused faculty make it their top priority to keep you motivated, engaged and inspired, so you continue to grow. Perform alongside your professors in the Contemporary Music Ensemble and engage in collaborative research and performance projects.
Each spring break, music and theatre arts students have the opportunity to visit New York City. There, they attend plays, musicals, masterclasses, and other artistic events, while also shadowing working professionals and meeting various actors and musicians to learn more about their specific trade.
UWEC is home to multiple concert venues, six music classrooms, over 40 practice rooms (including chamber music practice rooms), percussion rooms, a reed room, organ practice rooms, harpsichord practice rooms, an audio recording studio, a music technology lab, a digital piano lab, and several rehearsal rooms. We are also proud to partner with the Eau Claire community's newest performance venue, Pablo Center at the Confluence. This state-of-the-art facility is home to many UWEC classes, rehearsals and performances.
Gain a global understanding of culture and music through study abroad, the National Student Exchange program, or undergraduate research opportunities. Frequent world-renowned guest artists will introduce you to new music and new ways of thinking. And chances to perform internationally are also available to students. Past performances have taken place in Ireland, Singapore, and Italy, to name a few.
Blugold Stories
I’ve played with some of the most famous people in the world — played in some of the biggest and most highly desirable concert halls — and I was able to do that with the education I received at UW-Eau Claire.
From accompanying professional musicians to playing in jazz bands and conducting operas and musicals, I have had experiences here that have not only shaped me as a musician but as a human being as well.
From the professors who teach you to the students who work alongside you, a love for music is not hard to find when you’re at UW-Eau Claire. And that love isn't just isolated to our campus. Eau Claire is nationally recognized for its abundance of music festivals, events and venues.
Whether you are pursuing a major or minor in music, or fulfilling a passion, the strings area at UW-Eau Claire provides rare experiential opportunities that explore the rich traditions of string chamber music and other eras,
Justthe
facts
Where can the music - applied instrumental program lead me after graduation?
Our applied instrumental majors are well-prepared for their professional careers. Graduates have gone on to receive Grammy awards and join professional ensembles, as well as become composers, professors, arts administrators, studio instructors, and more.
Example Careers
- Professional performer
- Conductor
- Private music teacher
- Music professor
- Arts administrator
Recent Graduates
String Bass Player
San Francisco Symphony
California
Tuba Player
Beijing Symphony Orchestra
China
Professor in Jazz Studies
Indiana University
Indiana
Director of School of Music
University of Iowa
Iowa
Professor of Musicology
Michigan State University
Michigan
Trumpet Professor
University of Iowa
Iowa
Conductor
James Madison University
Virginia
Owner
Offbeats Violin and Guitar Studio
Wisconsin
UW-Eau Claire's applied instrumental music bachelor's degree program will provide you with many opportunities to enhance your musical skills and knowledge. A robust curriculum includes courses in music theory, history, literature, pedagogy, recital, conducting, and ensembles.
In addition to UW-Eau Claire admission requirements, students enrolling as a music major or minor are required to successfully complete a departmental audition for instrument or voice prior to enrolling. Audition information and scheduling are available on the department website.
Here are a few courses in Music - Applied Instrumental at UW-Eau Claire.
MUSI 180
Symphony Band
Local concerts, annual concert tour and/or other out-of-town appearances may be part of this course.
MUSI 260
Contemporary Music Ensemble
Includes study and performances of contemporary compositions as well as 20th- and 21st-century repertoire and styles.
MUSI 227
Music History & Society I
Development of European classical music to 1700 with comparative music examples from folk, popular, and jazz traditions.
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