Music Major SAP
Music Education
Choral Music Certification
Throughout their time at Lakeland, students who will receive Choral Music Certification are expected to use the skills they will need as teachers. In courses such as Secondary School Choral Methods (MUSE 435), students must conduct all or a portion of a choir rehearsal in area schools. In Vocal Pedagogy and Literature (MUS 465), students work with at least one private student of middle or high school age, helping him/her prepare for and perform in the WSMA Solo and Ensemble Festivals. Students who excel in Choral Writing and Arranging (MUS 383) will hear their work performed on the concert stage. Coursework in musical theatre (e.g., Choreography) provides future secondary music teachers with the hands-on experience needed to produce a musical in a public school setting. Aside from student teaching, the culmination of this major is conducting the Concert Choir at every concert during the annual spring tour and homecoming concert on campus.
General Music Certification
Throughout their time at Lakeland, students who will receive General Music Certification are expected to use the skills they will need as teachers. All of the specialized methods courses that are required include hands-on components. Area music teachers welcome our students into their classrooms where they begin by teaching mini-lessons and progress to full-length lessons. By the time our students begin student teaching they have already had significant classroom teaching experience. Rather than learning about instruments used in the classroom, students actually learn to play guitar (as an accompaniment instrument), recorder, autoharp, and Orff keyboard percussion instruments.
Music Performance
Instrumental Performance
Students majoring in instrumental performance have numerous opportunities to develop their skills as musicians. Throughout the curriculum, they are required to perform in recitals, concerts, and other public events. Students are also required to attend concerts, both to develop their critical eyes and ears and their program-planning abilities. Through courses in pedagogy and conducting, music majors are actively engaged in leadership roles as they learn how to teach music and conduct groups of musicians.
Piano Performance
Students in the piano performance emphasis of the music major are clear practitioners of their craft and are also involved with community music organizations by the time they graduate from Lakeland. For example, students in the Piano Pedagogy and Literature classes (MUS 367 and MUS 368) join and actively participate in a local association of teachers—the Michibago Music Teachers Association (MMTA). These students attend meetings and assist at area music festivals. Some students have taken leadership roles in this group, ranging from serving as an officer to chairing a festival to presenting on a desired pedagogy or other music-related topic. Students in the Accompanying course (MUS 218) are also expected to engage with other community ensembles or groups, such as accompanying community choirs or local ballet classes. Such relationships benefit not only the students, but the community as well.
Voice Performance
Students receiving degrees in the voice performance emphasis of the music major have a plethora of opportunities for public solo performance. On-campus, these majors are routinely featured as soloists on Departmental Recitals and with the Lakeland College choirs, and many audition for roles in the College’s spring musical. In addition, majors plan and perform three individual recitals throughout their career at Lakeland, giving them preparation not only in performance, but performance-planning elements as well, including hiring an accompanist, arranging publicity, printing programs, and planning a post-recital reception. Off-campus, Lakeland students work with the Director of Choirs to audition for and perform solos with the Sheboygan Symphony Chorus.
In addition, many Voice Performance students aspire to create a teaching studio of their own. In Vocal Pedagogy and Literature (MUS 465), students work with at least one private student of middle or high school age, helping them prepare for and perform in the WSMA Solo and Ensemble Festivals. Area high school and middle school students are also referred to Lakeland’s Voice Performance students, who set up “studios” in Verhulst practice rooms.
