Undergraduate Program

Curriculum

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The program requires five years (ten semesters) to complete with equal work toward both a Bachelor's of Music and a Bachelor's of Arts in another chosen field.

The major components of the Bachelor's of Music degree in the Conservatory are:

Additional music electives are available in a broad range of topics including classes in music history, advanced analysis and courses studying musics beyond the Western classical tradition. All courses in the Bard College B.A Music Program, including those in electronic music, jazz, and world music, are open to students in the Conservatory.

Studio Instruction

The special mentoring relationship formed in the crucible of intensive one-on-one study with a master artist plays the key role in study at the conservatory. As an important center of professional musical activity in the New York City region, Bard is able to attract world-class faculty who believe strongly in the special mission of the Conservatory. Visiting performers and composers present master classes and concerts at the Conservatory for the entire Bard community.

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Aural Skills

This sequence of courses provides Conservatory students with skills in sight-singing, harmonic, melodic and rhythmic dictation, clef reading, keyboard harmony, harmonic analysis and other requirements of functional musical literacy.

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Conservatory Seminar

The Conservatory Seminar is a unique four-semester course that integrates the study of music theory and music history in order to give students a richer understanding of these topics as vital and relevant to their work as interpreters and performers.

Each week students perform in class in order to demonstrate the topics under discussion. Using these works as both illustration and as point of departure, students deepen their knowledge of the diverse theoretical structures and historical contexts that inform the composition of a piece of music thereby gaining a deeper insight into the compositional and interpretive process. This work leads in the third semester of the Conservatory Seminar to students composing in a variety of historical styles and, in the fourth semester, to free composition.

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Music History

In addition to the four-semester Conservatory seminar, a two-semester survey of music from the middle ages to the present day is required.

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Chamber Music

Chamber music plays a particularly important role at the Conservatory and participation is required of all performance majors. In addition to performing the standard masterworks of the chamber music repertoire, students work closely with the composition program of the Conservatory to perform works of the late 20th and the 21st centuries. Studio faculty members not only serve as coaches but often as players in ensembles so that students can hear firsthand and learn from the playing of a more experienced musician. The chamber music program is further enriched by masterclasses and concerts by guest artists groups.

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Orchestra

The growth gained by rehearsing and performing music with peers in large ensemble is an irreplaceable part of any orchestral musician's education. Bard places considerable emphasis upon this aspect of the Conservatory experience, participation in orchestra required of all performance majors. The Bard Conservatory Orchestra performs at least twice each semester in the beautiful and acoustically superb Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College. Under the direction of its music director, Leon Botstein, and frequent guest conductors, the orchestra performs the core works of the symphonic repertoire plus new compositions. 

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Graduation Recital

A senior recital demonstrating the unique musical strengths and artistic goals of each student is required of all performance majors.

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Summary of College and Conservatory Requirements

In order to be awarded the Bachelor of Music degree, a student must complete all requirements for Bard’s Bachelor of Arts degree in a field other than music, in addition to Conservatory requirements.  Five years of study will normally be required to complete all requirements for the two degrees.   A Conservatory student may withdraw from the Conservatory and continue as a B.A. candidate at Bard College.  (Such a decision may have an impact on the student’s financial aid.)  However, a student may not withdraw from Bard’s B.A. program and continue in the Conservatory.

Requirements for the simultaneously awarded degrees of B. Music and B.A. can be summarized as follows:

1. A minimum of 160 credits, at least 64 of which must be taken at Bard. [Students who enrolled before Fall, 2011 are required to complete a minimum of 156 credits.]

2. A minimum of 40 credits outside the division of B.A. major.

3. Every student must take two semesters of First-Year Seminar.  Transfer students may be exempt.

4. Every student must be promoted to the Upper College by passing moderation.

5. Every student must complete an acceptable B.A. senior project in a field other than music.

6. Distribution requirements: one course from each of the appropriate distribution areas.

7. Studio instruction (CNSV 100) in every semester of enrollment for performance majors.  Composition tutorial (CNSV 102) in every semester of enrollment for composition majors.

8. Orchestra (CNSV 112) in every semester of enrollment for performance majors.

9. Chamber music (CNSV 110) in every semester of enrollment for performance majors.

10. Conservatory Seminar (CNSV 115, 116, 215, 216) four semesters.

11. Aural Skills (CNSV 108, 109) two semesters. [Does not apply to students who enrolled before Fall, 2010.]

12. Music History (MUS 264-265).

13. Conservatory Senior Project (CNSV 401) - includes recital. [Does not apply to students who enrolled before Fall, 2011.]

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