Music Bachelor's Degree | Northern State University in South Dakota

The NSU music major will help you grow as a musician while preparing you to excel in your dream career. The bachelor of arts in music, offering a general background in music theory, literature, history and performance, is for students majoring in music as part of a liberal arts program.*

About The Program

NSU is a fully accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). As a music major at Northern, you'll get individual attention from our renowned music faculty members who will help you develop your fullest potential.

Performance and ensemble opportunities at NSU are numerous. Performance groups include the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, Aberdeen University/Civic Symphony, Symphonic Band, University/Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and opera scenes. Here, you’ll also find opportunities to participate in NSU’s woodwind, brass, percussion, and chamber music ensembles.

Music majors are required to perform a senior recital and complete the MFAT exam.

*NSU’s music B.A. is not a teacher preparation program. For teacher preparation, please see Northern's Music Education Bachelor's Degree.

Careers

We’re happy to offer career planning assistance so you can make informed and satisfying decisions related to your career and educational goals.

Potential careers include elementary, secondary, and collegiate level teacher, private studio instructor, music supervisor, church musician, composer/arranger, music librarian, conductor, music or television/radio industry worker, music technician, and sound technician.

For more information on careers in your major or help choosing a major, contact Career Services.

Internships

Internships are not required.

Scholarships

NSU offers four-year music scholarships to incoming freshman and transfer students. Awards are based on spring auditions (dates announced in advance) and academic achievement, talent, and letters of recommendation. NSU also may award music scholarships to full-time students who participate in at least one major ensemble during each semester the award is in effect.

Music Scholarships

NSU Scholarships

Courses

Music (BA) Course Requirements and Student Learning Outcomes

Sample Plans of Study

Music (BA) Plan of Study

Program Success/Outcomes

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“It was always a dream of mine to study in the U.S., but I play a very unique instrument called the cimbalom that is very difficult to find American teachers for. In fact, I couldn’t find a single university in the United States that offered a degree in the cimbalom. However, I got a tip from a Czech organization saying that they knew one professor in South Dakota that was originally from the Czech Republic. I sent her an email asking if there was any way I could study cimbalom at her school. We began talking and eventually we were able to find a way for me to study cimbalom at Northern! Now I am officially the first person to study the cimbalom in the United States. Northern has been really special because of how accommodating it has been to give me the education that I was looking for. Because of Northern’s size, I am able to have a lot of one-on-one interaction with my professors. This allows me to make sure that I am getting the preparation that I need as well as plenty of opportunity to play my instrument.” – Matej Cip #beNORTHERN #unleashYOURpotential #NorthernStateU #WhyNSU
A post shared by Northern State University (@northernstateu) on May 8, 2020 at 9:45am PDT

Contact Information

For more information about this degree, call 605-626-2267. Or, contact NSU Admissions at 605-626-2544 or admissions@northern.edu.

Our Faculty

Terry Beckler

Ph.D. University of Minnesota

M.M.E. University of Northern Colorado-Greeley

B.M.E. South Dakota State University

Dr. Terry Beckler, NSU professor of percussion and associate director of bands, previously was director of bands at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn., and at Huron University. He also has 10 years of public school experience as band director for the Red Rock Central (Lamberton, Minn.) and Sioux Valley (Volga, S.D.) school districts.

Dr. Beckler was a member of the 147th Army Band based in Mitchell, S.D., for 36 years, retiring as Chief Warrant Officer 5. He enlisted in 1986 as a percussionist, took over command in 1998 and completed his career as Chief, Army National Guard Bands. In January of 2006, the 147th Army Band was awarded the Howard Citation of Musical Excellence from the John Philip…

B.S. North Dakota State University

M.M., G.P.D. Peabody Conservatory of Music

D.M.A. North Dakota State University

A captivating and compelling performer, soprano Dr. Darci Bultema has performed on the operatic stage in a variety of roles, such as La Contessa in Le nozze di Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare, Clorinda in La Cenerentola, The Female Chorus in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, and Lavinia in Bononcini's Camilla. Originally from North Dakota, she has brought talent and versatility to opera companies across the United States via Florida Grand Opera, Tulsa Opera, Washington Opera, Baltimore Opera, Natchez Opera, Peabody Opera, and the Fargo Moorhead Opera.

In addition to her operatic repertoire, Dr. Bultema has appeared as a soloist in an assortment of orchestral works with The Florida Philharmonic, New World Symphony, Miami Chamber Symphony, Peabody Symphony…

Maturita, Conservatory, Prague, Czech Republic

Absolutorium, Academy of Musical Arts (terminal degree) Prague, Czech Republic

A native of the Czech Republic, Dr. Marcela Faflak has taught in the music schools in Prague and at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. She is active as a performer, accompanist, and adjudicator in the upper Midwest. She has been a member of Northern's music faculty since 1996.

D.M.A., Michigan State University

M.M., Wichita State University

B.M., Concordia College

Dr. Marla Fogderud, a native of North Dakota, is an active stage performer and recitalist throughout the United States and Europe. She was an apprentice artist with the Des Moines Metro Opera and has performed roles with Opera Kansas, Wichita State University Opera, Fargo Moorhead Opera, and Michigan State University Opera. She has been a soloist with the Cincinnati International Chorale, Wichita Symphony, Wichita State University Orchestra, Greater Grand Forks Symphony, Michigan State University (MSU) Concert Band, MSU Philharmonic and MSU Symphony.

Dr. Fogderud has appeared on the Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn., faculty recital series; Minnesota Public Radio Regional Artist broadcasts; North Dakota Museum of Art Summer Concert Series; Plymouth…

M.M., Northwestern University

B.A., Northwestern University

Since 2003, Mr. Hemke has been a woodwind and jazz professor at Northern. Before joining Northern, Mr. Hemke was director of jazz performance studies and saxophone instructor at the University of Missouri-Columbia for 10 years. He received bachelor and master of music degrees from Northwestern University.

He has performed as a guest artist in many international venues and as a sideman to many world-renowned musicians. He was the first call saxophonist/woodwind player for the Kansas City Orchestra and played much jazz in that city. He has been featured with the Amazonia Jazz Ensemble at The International Festival of Music of Para in Belem, Brazil. Mr. Hemke premiered new music commissioned for him in Poland with the Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra, and was a guest artist with the Athens Big Band at the…

B.M. University of Wisconsin-Madison

M.M. University of Cincinnati

D.M. Indiana University

Dr. Grant Manhart holds a doctor of music degree in trumpet literature and performance with minors in music history and jazz studies from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He holds a master’s degree in trumpet performance with a minor in jazz studies from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Wisconsin.

His extensive performing experience includes classical, jazz and popular music. Before his arrival at NSU in 1998, he toured with the famed Buddy Rich Band and Broadway’s "Dreamgirls;" lived in Puerto Rico and performed with the Latin Jazz group Picante; and performed with many other luminaries including Carol Channing, Herb Jeffries, Rita Moreno, June…

D.M.A., Arizona State University

M.M., Florida State University

B.M., Western Washington University

Dr. Audrey Miller is an associate professor of clarinet at Northern State University in Aberdeen. At Northern, Dr. Miller teaches applied clarinet, music theory and concert band. She regularly participates in community outreach, teaching clarinet workshops to young, aspiring musicians.

Before coming to Northern, Dr. Miller lived in Phoenix, Ariz., where she was an active chamber musician and clarinet teacher to students of all ages. She performed throughout Phoenix area as part of Classical Revolution PHX, Clarinets for Conservation, Kaleidoscope Winds reed quintet, Paradise Winds, and many more.

Dr. Miller had her international debut in Belgium in 2011 and spent the summer of 2013 teaching and performing in Tanzania…

B.M.E, Northern State University

M.M., Western Michigan University

D.M.A., Arizona State University (Tuba Performance)

Dr. Travis Netzer is a lecturer of tuba and euphonium at NSU. He grew up in Ipswich, S.D., and attended Northern for his bachelor's degree in music education. During his undergraduate degree studies, Netzer competed in the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Brass Competition and reached the national level of the competition two years in a row, placing runner up his second year. He received a graduate assistantship to attend Western Michigan University for his master’s degree in music performance and earned a doctorate of musical arts at Arizona State University, where he was the graduate assistant to Dr. Deanna Swoboda. While there, he competed and advanced to the semifinals in the International Tuba Euphonium Solo Competition…

B.M.E. University of Illinois

M.M. Cleveland Institute of Music

D.M.A. North Dakota (currently)

Tenor Michael Skyles joined the music faculty at Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., in 2009. Mr. Skyles received a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Illinois in 1992, and obtained his masters of music in vocal performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1996. A certified vocologist, he specializes in voice lessons, vocal pedagogy, and diction for singers, and is music director for theatre at Northern.

Born and raised in the Chicago area, he previously maintained a private voice studio and taught voice at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. In recent years, his students have advanced to compete at the national level. In 2009, one of his students was selected to be a finalist with the NFAA YoungArts…

D.M.A., M.M., Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

B.M., Central Washington University

christopherstanichar.com

“It was as though he were telling a story with his hands.” — Pravda Cevera (Russia)

“One of the best musical conductors to appear in Latin America”— Diario Xalapa (Mexico)

"The ever-smiling and extremely animated (Stanichar) guided the Everett Symphony through a superb performance filled with wit and charm… It was the kind of charismatic interaction with the audience and orchestra that showed the brilliance of Stanichar's directorial methods."—Mukilteo Beacon (Seattle)

Christopher Stanichar (b. 1969) is an active conductor, composer, and educator. He is a popular conductor, having directed some of the finest orchestras in Europe,…

Ph.D. Northwestern University

M.A. University of Minnesota

B.A. Valley City State College

William Wieland, Musician and Educator

Bill Wieland, a native of North Dakota, is an educator, composer and pianist. His compositions have received numerous awards and performances and he is often featured as a piano accompanist in the region. Dr. Wieland earned a bachelor of arts in composite music (piano) from Valley City State College in 1986, a master of arts in theory and composition from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in 1988 and a doctor of music in composition from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., in 1991. He has taught at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, De Paul University and Northwestern University.

He began teaching music…

A.B. Harvard University

M.M., DMA University of Arizona

In addition to conducting the Collegiate Choir, Chamber Singers, and Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Dr. Timothy Woods teaches music history, vocal pedagogy, choral conducting, and applied voice. He holds a doctor of music degree in choral conducting with a minor in vocal performance as well as a masters in conducting from the University of Arizona.

Dr. Woods is a member of ACDA, NATS, and the Center for Black Music Research. He is a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator, and has performed tenor solos with the Arizona Opera, Tucson Symphony and Denver Symphony Orchestra.