Music
Cottey offers an Associate in Arts-Music, a minor in music, and performance opportunities for qualified students.

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Program Description
Cottey’s Associate in Arts-Music (A.A.M.) degree prepares students to continue their studies in baccalaureate programs in music education, music performance, composition, music therapy, music theory, and musicology. The A.A.M. degree focuses on the first two years of liberal arts coursework needed for a baccalaureate degree in music, including music theory coursework, lessons, and ensembles.
A graduate of the A.A. Music program:
- demonstrates the music literacy and technical skills necessary for critical thinking in music
- demonstrates performance skills on piano, including scales, transpositions, and harmonizations
- demonstrates a body of knowledge and musicianship for solo performance at a level appropriate for transfer into a baccalaureate program
- collaborates successfully with other musicians in an ensemble setting
Please tap here for information on our Partnership for Music Education program.
Please tap here to download programs and view live stream events for Cottey College’s music department.
Please tap here to view the Music Department Handbook.
Signature Courses
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MUS 287 Chamber Singers
Chamber Singers are a select group of women who sing in a variety of styles, with an emphasis on 20th and 21st century women composers. Chamber Singers welcomes women singers from the Cottey College Community by audition. Contact Professor Spencer for more information.
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MUS 285 Wind Ensemble
Wind Ensemble is open to all Cottey students with experience playing in a concert band setting. In addition, female high school students and adults (any gender) from the surrounding community may join. Please see the full policy. This concert band performs from all genres of the traditional concert band literature.
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MUS 289 Jazz Ensemble
Jazz Ensemble performs blues, swing, jazz, funk and more. This group enjoys the flexibility of improvisation based music, and performs regularly each semester.
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Other Ensembles
Each semester various chamber ensembles are formed based on student interest. For example, brass quartet, woodwind quintet, piano duo, etc.
Interested in joining an ensemble? Contact the Music Department by clicking here.
Career Outcomes
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Career Outcomes
- Elementary or Secondary Music Teacher
- Performer
- Private Music Instructor
- College Professor
- Music Therapist
- Music Historian
- Sound Engineer
- Arts Administrator
Scholarships
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Scholarship Audition
Music scholarships are available to all qualified students, regardless of academic major. Prospective students must first be accepted for admission to Cottey College, and submit a music scholarship application. Next, prospective students must audition for the music faculty.
- Prospective students may interview and audition with a Music Department Faculty member during a campus visit. Prospective students who visit when classes are in session may meet current students and experience a Cottey ensemble rehearsal.
- Prospective students who are not able to visit campus in person can submit a CD, DVD, or online link of a high quality recording.
Audition materials may include: contest-type solos, etudes, or All-District/Region audition music. Vocalists should sing with accompaniment, if possible. If you are having trouble selecting music, please ask your high school director or music teacher. Or, contact our Music Department Faculty (music@cottey.edu). Each scholarship application is processed soon after all materials are received. The priority deadline for scholarship consideration is February 1. Later applications will be considered until funding is exhausted.
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Scholarship Requirements
Recipients of the scholarship for music majors/minors must enroll in one course from the harmony block of classes (Harmony, Aural Skills, and Keyboard Harmony), private lessons in your primary instrument (1-2 credit hours), and a Cottey music ensemble (1 credit hour) each semester.
Recipients of the scholarship for non-music majors must enroll in a private lesson and a Cottey music ensemble each semester.
Students selected for a music major scholarship and a scholarship in another discipline may be asked to choose between the two disciplines because it is difficult for a student to complete the requirements for two scholarships if carrying a music major load.
Program Admission
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Program Admission and Entrance Audition
All prospective music majors must audition, complete the music theory placement test, and be admitted to the music degree program in addition to meeting all Cottey College admissions requirements. We recommend auditioning in person during a campus visit if possible; however, prospective students who are not able to visit campus in person can submit a CD, DVD, or online link of a high quality recording. Audition materials may include: contest-type solos, etudes, or All-District/Region audition music. Vocalists should sing with accompaniment, if possible. If you are having trouble selecting music, please ask your high school director or music teacher. Or, contact our Music Department Faculty (music@cottey.edu).
If you are interested in a music scholarship, your entrance audition will count as your scholarship audition. You will still need to complete a scholarship application.
Music Minor
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Program Description
The music minor is a 21-credit hour program for students who are majoring in areas other than music, and want to continue studying music at the college level. Music minors enroll in an ensemble and applied lessons (voice, woodwind, brass, piano, or percussion) each semester. Students also have a weekly individual lesson and group repertoire class.
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Career Outcomes
Possible Employment Settings:
- Schools
- Churches
- Professional bands, choirs, and orchestras
- Hospitals and nursing homes
- Recording studios
- Music publishers
- Music-related businesses

Why Cottey’s Associate in Arts-Music program is unique.
Students perform both as a soloist and with ensembles every semester, giving them the opportunity to learn new performance techniques, musical styles, and genres.
The close-knit family of the music department fosters new musicians as they develop career skills. Our program provides a wide variety of courses to support Cottey students in many different music careers, such as music therapy, music education, music performance, and music.
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