Student-at-Piano

About the Department

A community of musicians and mentors.

The music department is intentionally collaborative, and students work closely with faculty mentors and fellow students. The weekly Music Colloquia, Musica Viva recitals, ensemble rehearsals, and other department activities help create an environment that is supportive of all musicians.

Targeted Degree Programs

Valpo’s music alumni excel in careers from music teaching to church music to arts management.

To acknowledge these diverse interests, the music department offers four degree programs, each one leading to a specialized major, as well as a music minor. The many tracks within these degree programs ensure that music students cultivate their own talents and interests.

Service to the Whole Community

The department welcomes students of all majors to be involved in musical life on campus. Non-majors can participate in department ensembles, studio lessons, introductory music courses, and extracurricular music groups. Learn more »

Union of Music and Faith

The music department invites students to explore the biggest questions of creativity, meaning, and vocation — in the classroom and beyond. Students can pursue one of two specializations in church music or join the selective and extracurricular ensembles that perform in the beautiful Chapel of the Resurrection. Valparaiso University also shares a special connection to the music of Bach and his church in Germany, which students can pursue through the Bach Institute and through the Chorale’s biannual residencies in Germany.

Rich Performance Opportunities

Valparaiso University’s music rings throughout the nation and the world. From Duffy’s Pub in Valparaiso to New York’s Carnegie Hall and Germany’s St. Thomas Church, Valpo’s music students make their virtuosity known. The Chorale, Kantorei, Symphony Orchestra, and Chamber Concert Band tour regularly in the United States and abroad, while the Jazz Band and select chamber ensembles perform off campus locally and around the region.

Creative Inspiration

The department’s busy concert calendar is deliberately designed to support learning, whether students listen in the audience or perform on stage. Throughout the year, a diverse group of visiting performers and scholars present recitals, lectures, workshops, and seminars. The department also expects students to regularly attend the concerts of their peers to develop their listening acuity and become familiar with a wide range of musical pieces.