Please refer to the main Bachelor of Music, Music Performance Concentration page for the performance concentration overview and learning objectives.
Organ Option
Within the Performance Concentration, Organ Option students have an opportunity to perform on the world-famous Casavant organ. Since its installation in 1968, the Casavant organ has gained international fame as one of the 25 greatest organs in the world (Anton Heiller, 1968). Built in the North German tradition, CSU's Casavant is among the world's most beautifully balanced and well-voiced organs.
In addition to practice and lesson time on the Casavant, organ students, through an arrangement with local churches, have access to practice and lesson times on three other exemplary organs in Fort Collins:
- The Phelps organ at St. Luke's Episcopal Church
- The Marcussen & Son organ at First United Methodist Church
- The Allen Digital organ at the American Baptist Church.
Harpsichord students practice and take lessons on one of the department's two instruments:
Built in 2022 by Bruce Kennedy, whose workshop in Tuscany produces world-famous harpsichords, the instrument is a German double-manual (after M. Mietke, 1702-1704), capable of playing a range of keyboard music, but especially that of J.S. Bach.
A two-manual, three-choir instrument built by Dennis Brown (1982) to the specifications of Taskin, the great French harpsichord builder to the Louis at Versailles.
Liturgical Studies is a course of study that complements the degree program of an undergraduate or graduate music student interested in church music. It is also designed to provide continuing education to professional musicians in the community. The program seeks to offer theory and history of liturgical music together with applied music lessons and practical training for church music careers.
Music Auditions
Prospective CSU Students: In addition to applying to CSU through the Office of Admissions, a successful audition with CSU Music faculty is required for entrance into the B.M. concentrations. Please visit the music website for Music Audition Information.
Current CSU Students: To change your major to music, you may call the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance at (970) 491-5891 or email smtd@colostate.edu. Current CSU students need to complete the audition process and be accepted to the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance before contacting the College of Liberal Arts Academic Advising Center. Please visit the music website for Music Audition Information.
Music Program Fee
A music program fee is assessed with undergraduate and graduate music majors and minors, per semester. The fee does not apply to the following students: online degree students, summer-only master's degree students, music therapy students in an internship off-campus, music education students who are student teaching off-campus, and music minors who are not actively enrolled in any lessons or ensembles. Please visit the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for special course fees.
A minimum grade of C is required in all music courses used to satisfy the requirements of the major programs (B.A. and B.M.) in music.
Effective Fall 2022
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| AUCC | Credits | ||
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | 1A | 3 |
| MU 117 | Music Theory I | 3 | |
| MU 118 | Music Theory II | 3 | |
| MU 127 | Aural Skills I | 1 | |
| MU 128 | Aural Skills II | 1 | |
| MU 131 | Introduction to Music History and Literature (GT-AH1) | 3B | 3 |
| MU 275H1 | Applied Instruction: Organ | 6 | |
| MU *** Ensemble (see list below)2 | 2 | ||
| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | 1C | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 1B | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 28 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| L*** *** Foreign language3 | 10 | ||
| MU 217 | Music Theory III | 3 | |
| MU 218 | Music Theory IV | 3 | |
| MU 227 | Aural Skills III | 1 | |
| MU 228 | Aural Skills IV | 1 | |
| MU 275H1 | Applied Instruction: Organ | 6 | |
| PSY 100 | General Psychology (GT-SS3) | 3C | 3 |
| MU *** Ensemble (see list below)2 | 2 | ||
| Advanced Writing | 2 | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 32 | ||
| Junior | |||
| MU 254 | Beginning Conducting | 2 | |
| MU 471 | Recital | 1 | |
| MU 475H4 | Applied Instruction: Organ | 6 | |
| Select 4-6 credits from: | 4-6 | ||
| Arranging and Orchestration | |||
| Jazz Composition/Arranging | |||
| Counterpoint | |||
| Advanced Orchestration | |||
| Tonal Analytic Techniques | |||
| Post-Tonal Analytic Techniques | |||
| Upper-Division Music History 4A/4B (see list below) | 4A,4B | 6 | |
| MU *** Ensemble (see list below)2 | 2 | ||
| MU *** Electives | 3 | ||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |
| Electives | 2-3 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Senior | |||
| MU 437 | History and Structure of the Organ | 2 | |
| MU 468 | Organ Literature | 2 | |
| MU 471 | Recital | 4C | 1 |
| MU 475H4 | Applied Instruction: Organ | 6 | |
| MU *** Ensemble (see list below)2 | 2 | ||
| MU *** Music Electives | 3 | ||
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 3A | 7 | |
| Historical Perspectives | 3D | 3 | |
| Electives5 | 4 | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||
Ensemble Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MU 201 | Men's Chorus | 1 |
| MU 202 | University Chorus | 1 |
| MU 204 | Marching Band | 1 |
| MU 205 | Concert Band | 1 |
| MU 206 | Colorado State University Concert Orchestra | 1 |
| MU 300 | Women's Chorus | 1 |
| MU 302 | University Orchestra | 1 |
| MU 304 | Symphonic Band | 1 |
| MU 305 | Colorado State University Concert Choir | 1 |
| MU 309 | Jazz Ensemble | 1 |
| MU 310 | Jazz Combo | 1 |
| MU 400 | Colorado State University Chamber Choir | 1 |
| MU 401 | Opera Theater | 1-2 |
| MU 402 | Theater/Chamber Orchestra | 1 |
| MU 404 | Symphonic Wind Ensemble | 1 |
| MU 406 | New Music Ensemble | 1 |
| MU 407 | Accompanying | 1 |
| MU 408 | Chamber Music | 1 |
Upper-Division Music History 4A/4B Courses
| Code | Title | AUCC | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| MU 332 | History of Jazz | 4A,4B | 3 |
| MU 334 | Perspectives in Early Music History | 4A,4B | 3 |
| MU 335 | Music of the Common Practice Era | 4A,4B | 3 |
| MU 430 | 20th and 21st Century Music | 4A,4B | 3 |
| MU 431 | American Music | 4A,4B | 3 |
- 1
Take two semesters each in the freshman and sophomore years.
- 2
Students must participate in an ensemble during each semester in which they are enrolled in MU 275H or MU 475H. At least once during the program of study, this must be achieved by taking MU 408 or through another small ensemble experience.
- 3
Take two semesters of a foreign language during the sophomore year.
- 4
Take two semesters each in the junior and senior years.
- 5
Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to 120, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).
Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program:
A grade of C or better is required in all music courses used to satisfy major requirements.
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| CO 150 | College Composition (GT-CO2) | 1A | 3 | ||
| MU 117 | Music Theory I | X | 3 | ||
| MU 127 | Aural Skills I | X | 1 | ||
| MU 131 | Introduction to Music History and Literature (GT-AH1) | X | 3B | 3 | |
| MU 275H | Applied Instruction: Organ | X | 3 | ||
| MU*** Ensemble (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 1 | |||
| Total Credits | 14 | ||||
| Semester 2 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| MU 118 | Music Theory II | X | 3 | ||
| MU 128 | Aural Skills II | X | 1 | ||
| MU 275H | Applied Instruction: Organ | X | 3 | ||
| MU*** Ensemble (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | 1 | ||||
| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | X | 1C | 3 | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning | X | 1B | 3 | ||
| CO 150 must be completed by the end of Semester 2. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 14 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Semester 3 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| MU 217 | Music Theory III | X | 3 | ||
| MU 227 | Aural Skills III | X | 1 | ||
| MU 275H | Applied Instruction: Organ | X | 3 | ||
| Advanced Writing | 2 | 3 | |||
| L*** *** Foreign Language | 5 | ||||
| MU*** Ensemble (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 1 | |||
| Total Credits | 16 | ||||
| Semester 4 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| MU 218 | Music Theory IV | X | 3 | ||
| MU 228 | Aural Skills IV | X | 1 | ||
| MU 275H | Applied Instruction: Organ | X | 3 | ||
| PSY 100 | General Psychology (GT-SS3) | X | 3C | 3 | |
| L*** *** Foreign Language | 5 | ||||
| MU*** Ensemble (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 1 | |||
| Total Credits | 16 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Semester 5 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| MU 254 | Beginning Conducting | 2 | |||
| MU 475H | Applied Instruction: Organ | X | 3 | ||
| Select one course from the following: | X | 2-3 | |||
| Arranging and Orchestration | |||||
| Jazz Composition/Arranging | |||||
| Counterpoint | |||||
| Advanced Orchestration | |||||
| Tonal Analytic Techniques | |||||
| Post-Tonal Analytic Techniques | |||||
| Upper-Division Music History 4A/4B (See list on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 4A,4B | 3 | ||
| MU*** Ensemble (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | 1 | ||||
| Arts and Humanities | 3B | 3 | |||
| Total Credits | 14 | ||||
| Semester 6 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| MU 471 | Recital | X | 1 | ||
| MU 475H | Applied Instruction: Organ | X | 3 | ||
| Select 2-3 credits from the following: | X | 2-3 | |||
| Arranging and Orchestration | |||||
| Jazz Composition/Arranging | |||||
| Counterpoint | |||||
| Advanced Orchestration | |||||
| Tonal Analytic Techniques | |||||
| Post-Tonal Analytic Techniques | |||||
| Upper-Division Music History 4A/4B (See list on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 4A,4B | 3 | ||
| MU*** Ensemble (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 1 | |||
| MU *** Electives | X | 3 | |||
| Electives | 2-3 | ||||
| Total Credits | 16 | ||||
| Senior | |||||
| Semester 7 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| MU 437 | History and Structure of the Organ | X | 2 | ||
| MU 475H | Applied Instruction: Organ | X | 3 | ||
| MU*** Ensemble (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 1 | |||
| MU*** Music Electives | 3 | ||||
| Biological and Physical Sciences | X | 3A | 4 | ||
| Historical Perspectives | X | 3D | 3 | ||
| Total Credits | 16 | ||||
| Semester 8 | Critical | Recommended | AUCC | Credits | |
| MU 468 | Organ Literature | X | 2 | ||
| MU 471 | Recital | X | 4C | 1 | |
| MU 475H | Applied Instruction: Organ | X | 3 | ||
| MU*** Ensemble (See List on Concentration Requirements Tab) | X | 1 | |||
| Biological and Physical Sciences | X | 3A | 3 | ||
| Electives | X | 4 | |||
| The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study. | X | ||||
| Total Credits | 14 | ||||
| Program Total Credits: | 120 | ||||