Department of Music
College of Liberal Arts
The Department of Music is committed to providing high quality educational opportunities in music education, performance, and technology, enabling students to develop the skills required to assume leadership roles in music education, the music industry, and supporting fields. The Department of Music offers courses and performance opportunities which broaden the musical education in the liberal arts tradition and provide artistic enrichment for students, faculty, the community, state and nation.
Welcome to the Music Department
Jackson State University is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The NASM national office is at 11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21, Reston, Virginia 20190-5248 and can be reached by phone at (703) 437-0700. “The CAEP national office is at 1140 19th St NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036 and can be reached by phone at (202) 223-0077.”
The Jackson State University Department of music is perhaps best known for the Sonic Boom of the South. This high-energy show-stopping marching band is legendary throughout the United States and abroad, and has been chosen to perform for nationally televised awards programs and professional football games. However, the music program is about that, and much more.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
More About Us
This unit is home to over 20 music ensembles that master and perform Western classical, jazz, gospel, and world music genres throughout the Southern region. These include numerous brass ensembles, vocal and instrumental jazz combos, an orchestra, opera workshop, choirs, symphonic bands, and an African music and dance ensemble. The program has produced internationally renowned performers, music educators, and music producers who have matriculated through our National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) accredited programs in Music Education (both graduate and undergraduate), Music Performance, Music Technology, and Jazz Studies.
LEARN BY DOING
The department is home to chapters of international music service and professional Greek letter organizations Tau Beta Sigma, Sigma Alpha Iota, and Phi Mu Alpha. Faculty in the area are acclaimed and published composers, authors, performers, and grantees from numerous internal and external funders. Graduates of the department of music are consistently accepted into top graduate programs, performance ensembles, and work professionally in the fields of performance, music education, music technology, and theory/composition. The music department is home to one of the oldest Jazz emphasis programs at an HBCU in the nation.
“Challenging Minds, Changing Lives.”
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
We have one of the only African music and dance programs at an HBCU and we are the only music department at an HBCU in the state of Mississippi that has a fully functional orchestra and string ensemble, as well as an accredited music technology program with a state of the art recording studio and music technology lab. Additionally, in the state of Mississippi, we are the only HBCU music department with an opera/musical theater workshop. The Jackson State University Department of Music prepares the 21st Century musician to continue their educational endeavors or enter the competitive field of professional music!
RESOURCES
Programs of Study
Orff-Schulwerk Music Institute
Undergraduate Music Student Handbook
Graduate Music Student Handbook
Student Recital Form
PERSONNEL
READY TO JOIN?
For more information, please contact us at (601) 979-2141. We look forward to meeting with you and seeing how our program can help you achieve your goals.
Department of Music
