Case Western Reserve University

What you'll study

The programme emphasises core musicianship — including aural skills, music theory and music history — alongside applied study in performance, composition and contemporary music technologies. Typical units include harmony and counterpoint, 20th- and 21st-century music, music analysis, ensemble rehearsal and performance, orchestration, and music pedagogy. Students often take modules in electronic music, recording and production, and computer-aided composition as well as electives that allow study of world musics, jazz, or musical theatre.

Students pursue private lessons on their primary instrument or voice and participate in chamber ensembles, large ensembles and recital projects. The department encourages interdisciplinary work: students commonly combine music study with courses in psychology, engineering, theatre, film, or business to explore fields such as music cognition, audio engineering, scoring for media or arts management.

Case Western Reserve offers pathways to conservatory-level training through established collaborations with the Cleveland Institute of Music for students aiming for a professional performance-focused degree, while the home programme provides a liberal-arts Bachelor degree with flexible options for research, composition and technology-based projects.

Entry requirements

• Academic background: A strong secondary-school record with coursework in music where available; admissions considers the overall academic profile and preparation for a university liberal-arts curriculum.
• Audition/portfolio: Applicants for performance or composition concentrations must normally submit a live or recorded audition and, for composition applicants, a portfolio of works. Audition repertoire typically includes contrasting pieces demonstrating technical command and musicality.
• Supplementary materials: Letters of recommendation, a personal statement outlining musical goals, and any recordings or scores that document experience and potential.
• Language and placement: Placement in theory and aural skills is determined after admission to ensure students enter appropriate-level coursework.

Career prospects

Graduates follow diverse career paths: classical and contemporary performance (solo, chamber and orchestral), composition and arranging for concert, theatre and media, music production and audio engineering, music education at a range of levels, and arts administration and entrepreneurship. The degree also prepares graduates for further study — master's and doctoral degrees in performance, composition, musicology, music theory and music technology — or for cross-disciplinary careers that combine music with medicine, engineering, business or digital media.

Students benefit from internship and collaboration opportunities within Cleveland's cultural ecosystem, which helps bridge academic study with practical professional experience in concert presenting, recording studios, and creative industries.

Why study at Case Western Reserve University

• Interdisciplinary environment: The university's liberal-arts focus allows students to combine rigorous music training with courses in science, engineering, humanities and business to develop unique career profiles.
• Professional partnerships: Strong ties with local institutions, notably the Cleveland Institute of Music and the city’s orchestral and performing-arts organisations, provide additional mentoring, advanced training and performance opportunities.
• Facilities and faculty: Students have access to performance venues, rehearsal spaces, music technology labs and faculty who are active performers, composers and scholars offering personalised instruction and research supervision.
• Location: Situated in Cleveland, the programme gives students easy access to a vibrant music scene — including professional orchestras, opera, theatre and contemporary music presenters — strengthening practical training and networking prospects.