The DePauw University Contemporary Ensemble launched DPU Art Walk in 2019. Since then, the event has grown to span multiple days and exhibitions from various departments around campus including music, dance, theatre, fine art, and film studies!
Our top priority at DePauw University Institute of Music:
But what exactly does that entail? At DePauw, we believe a 21st-Century Musician embraces five large-scale objectives. Click on a value below to explore what each means to us.
1. A 21st-Century Musician is ACCOMPLISHED
We believe artistic excellence is essential for 21st-Century Musicians, whether pursuing performance, education, composition, or additional paths. At DePauw, here are some ways we realize this value!
Performance Excellence
A host of experiences cultivate high musical standards:
• Lessons & studio classes
• Large instrumental and vocal ensembles
• Chamber Music
• Annual opera and musical theatre productions
• Courses such as Music for the Stage
• Festivals such as the DePauw Jazz Festival
• Concerto Competition
Musical Knowledge
Many offerings teach students to have deep intellectual connections:
• Multiple degree/career paths
• Music core curriculum (theory & history)
• Music education curricular and co-curricular learning opportunities
• Experiential learning embedded in and beyond our curriculum
• Full integration with a world-class liberal arts and sciences college
2. A 21st-Century Musician is VERSATILE
We believe 21st-Century Musicians cultivate multiple musical skills and fluency with diverse traditions. At DePauw, here are some ways we realize this value!
Diverse Musical Styles
All DePauw students directly engage with a wide variety of musical idioms:
• Guest artist performances/workshops spanning classical, jazz, global, and popular traditions
• Multi-genre focus in core curriculum, such as in Musicking, Music Theory, and Musicology
• All instrumentalists play in multiple large ensembles and chamber groups
• All vocalists participate in opera, musical theatre, and choir
• Diverse repertoire assigned in private lessons and ensembles
Multiple Modes of Music Making
All DePauw students get experience with:
• Written and improvised music making
• Composing & arranging
• Teaching
• Keyboard skills
• Technological fluency
• Conducting
• Moving to music (through Eurhythmics, dance electives, etc.)
3. A 21st-Century Musician is EXPLORATORY
We believe 21st-Century Musicians are curious, constantly seeking new ways to connect their arts and mind to new realms. At DePauw, here are some ways we realize this value!
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
Some exciting ways DePauw students connect with non-music specialties:
• Art Walk (student run, multidisciplinary festival)
• Creative Convocation (events showcasing creativity across DePauw)
• Music/art collaborations like Percussion @ Peeler
• Music/dance/video collaborations
Technology Integration
Some exciting ways DePauw students apply technology to music:
• Music technology laboratories like the EEL and MITC
• Music tech courses
• Music Technology and Creation minor
• Music education technology projects
• Recording Studio
Intellectual Curiosity
Some exciting ways DePauw students pursue growth and discovery:
• First-Year Seminars
• Liberal arts and sciences academic core
• Intriguing electives
• Independent studies
• Honor Scholar projects
• Double degrees/double majors/minors/concentrations encouraged
• Guest speakers from wide-ranging disciplines
4. A 21st-Century Musician is COMMUNITY ENGAGED
We believe 21st-Century Musicians are socially minded and meaningfully engaged in communities from local to the global, with particular attention to access, diversity, and inclusion. At DePauw, here are some ways we realize this value!
Local
Some meaningful ways DePauw students directly impact our local community:
• On-campus performances that attract regional community audiences
• Off-campus performances in venues like Music on the Square, Beyond Homeless, Inc., and schools
• Robust Community Music Program
• Community ensembles such as the Putnam County Festival Choir
• Classes such as Making Music in Communities
• Holiday Gala
• Diverse music education field experiences embedded throughout 4 years
National/International
Some meaningful ways DePauw students engage with global communities:
• National/international tours by the orchestra and choir
• Study abroad program
• Global Music Experience
• Engagement with robust international student population
• All students take a Power, Privilege, and Diversity course
• Many courses, performances, and student projects engage with diversity/social justice issues
5. A 21st-Century Musician is RELEVANT
We believe 21st-Century Musicians balance tradition with the present and future of music, while bringing creative problem solving to their careers, communities, and causes. At DePauw, here are some ways we realize this value!
The Music of Now
DePauw students embrace the music of our time through initiatives like:
• Music of the 21st-Century Festival
• Backyard Gold Mine (faculty chamber ensemble)
• Contemporary ensemble (student-led group)
• Regular commissioning projects by the opera, instrumental ensembles, and studios
Entrepreneurial Perspectives
DePauw students amplify creative problem solving and meaningful impact through:
• Classes such as Career Development and Making Music in Communities
• Internal internships including work with the Music Production team
• External internships across the country
• Career workshops and guest speakers
• Student-led, high-impact organizations like Art Walk and Contemporary Ensemble
In addition to our insistence on cultivating 21st-Century Musicians, a few other features that make our program remarkable include: