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Performance and Pedagogy
Dordt’s performance and pedagogy emphasis will help you hone your music skills through college and beyond as you prepare to share your passion through teaching. You’ll have the chance to be a part of multiple ensembles on campus and to be mentored by expert musicians and conductors.
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Program Overview
If you aspire to teach rather than perform professionally, Dordt’s performance and pedagogy emphasis is for you. Whether you want to pursue graduate school or head straight into teaching and instructing, this program will prepare you for success.
An excellent faculty. Top-of-the-line facilities. A focus on helping you learn how God can use your unique talents and abilities. At Dordt, we help you achieve your goals as a musician and future teacher.
What You'll Learn
Through the performance and pedagogy emphasis, you’ll develop your performance skills while also preparing to teach others. You’ll take classes such as music in worship, orchestration, and ear training. You’ll also take private lessons to improve your own abilities.
What You Can Do With A Performance and Pedagogy Emphasis
Students pursuing a performance and pedagogy emphasis will develop a deep knowledge of various instruments. They’ll also have opportunities to perform in appropriate ensembles on the secondary instrument. Areas of Focus include brass, strings, woodwinds, percussion, voice, and keyboards.
Conductor
A Conductor brings together different music and instruments to create a musical piece of art.
Musician
Musicians possess the talent and skills needed to play an instrument.
Musical Pedagogical Practitioner
A Musical Pedagogical Practitioner connects music to the broader community and addresses the different perspectives of students.
Career Preparation
Dordt University's 2023 Career Outcome Rate was 99.4%! “This data point tells us that Dordt graduates are prepared for the careers of their choosing,” said Amy Westra, director of Career Development. “A Dordt education provides students with industry-relevant courses and connections that make a difference.”
Students who choose the performance and pedagogy emphasis will choose a performance category from organ, piano, voice, or instruments, each of which sets up a series of courses including private lessons and advanced studies. Students will complete these courses in addition to the general requirements for a music degree.
*Note: Students in performance and pedagogy must audition for acceptance into the program by the end of the sophomore year. Students in performance and pedagogy are required to present a half junior recital and a full senior recital. They must audition for the recital during the semester or year prior to the recital.
- Worship and Liturgy: A study of the various liturgical worship practices of Christian denominations, with primary focus on music in the Reformed denomination. Experiences such as field trips and participation in various Christian worship practices will deepen the student’s familiarity with liturgy and practical (musical) skills needed in a worship context. Students will receive instruction on planning music for worship, gain exposure to a variety of materials and methods, and cultivate their own musical skills by designing liturgies, culminating in the development of a Reformed philosophy of church music. The course will help to prepare students to serve aptly in a church setting.
- Introduction to Music Literature: A survey of the basic repertoire and of masterpieces in several genres (art songs, symphonies, concerti, major choral works, etc.), involving extensive and intensive listening, and study of style and form.
- Orchestration: A study of transposition, instrumental ranges, and balance by arranging keyboard and choral works for instrumental ensembles.
- Lifespan Development: This course studies the growth and maturation of persons throughout the entire lifespan, including examination of physical, cognitive, personality, social changes, faith development, and other developmental tasks. This course will also focus on evaluating the theoretical issues and
descriptive information portraying the growth of an individual from conception through late adulthood. Students will develop a biblically informed vision of who we are as image-bearers of God and what it means to be humans living in God’s creation.
Students will choose one of four performance categories:
- Organ
- Private Organ Lessons
- Advanced Organ Study: Advanced organ literature and preparation of a half junior or senior recital.
- Advanced Organ Study: Advanced organ literature and preparation of a full senior recital.
- Individual Studies
- Piano
- Private Piano Lessons
- Advanced Piano Study: Advanced piano literature and preparation of a half junior or senior recital.
- Advanced Piano Study: Advanced piano literature and preparation of a full senior recital.
- Piano Pedagogy and Literature: Study of techniques and methods of teaching piano and survey of literature for the piano.
- Individual Studies
- Private Piano Lessons
- Voice
- Private Voice Lessons
- Advanced Voice Study: Advanced voice literature and preparation of a half junior or senior recital.
- Advanced Voice Study: Advanced voice literature and preparation of a full senior recital.
- Vocal Pedagogy: Methods of teaching voice.
- Individual Studies
- Instruments
- Private Instrument Lessons
- Advanced Instrument Study: Advanced instrumental literature and preparation of a half junior or senior recital.
- Advanced Instrument Study: Advanced instrumental literature and preparation of a full senior recital.
- Orchestration: A study of transposition, instrumental ranges, and balance by arranging keyboard and choral works for instrumental ensembles.
- Individual Studies
- Brass Pedagogy: Methods of teaching brass instruments.
- Woodwind Pedagogy: Methods of teaching woodwind instruments.
- String Pedagogy: Methods of teaching string instruments.
- Percussion Pedagogy: Methods of teaching percussion instruments.
- Private Instrument Lessons
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Faculty
With experience in a variety of fields, our faculty members are equipped and ready to help you succeed.
Faculty Info
B.J. Haan Auditorium
While studying performance and pedagogy, you'll have the opportunity to spend time in the B.J. Haan Auditorium and it’s adjoining Music Building. These facilities include access to mechanical action and electro-pneumatic pipe organs, upright and grand piano practice rooms, instrumental practice rooms, a Yamaha Disklavier, and a Dekker harpsichord.
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Student Stories
Dordt students and alumni use their gifts to make a difference in the world. Check out their stories to see how Defender Nation lives out our mission to work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life.
Into the Unknown
Anna BlauwAnna's experiences at Dordt allowed her to grow the faith and confidence that she needed to overcome the fear of the unknown by focusing on who God wanted her to be.
Anna Blauw
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Overcoming through God
Brittany BloemhofDespite COVID putting Brittany's college experience on hold, her time at Dordt taught her to lean on God and grow into a more open-minded person.
Brittany Bloemhof
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