School of Music

Student Experience

Degree Programs

Bachelor of Arts in Music, with a concentration in:

  • Liberal Arts – Music
  • Music Performance (Instrumental)
  • Music Performance (Vocal)
  • Music Education (Instrumental)
  • Music Education (Vocal)
  • Music Industry Studies

Minors in Music:

  • Music
  • Music Industry Studies

Vocal Ensembles

The Chamber Singers is the premiere mixed choir at Louisiana Tech University and consists of approximately 25 singers that perform works from the Renaissance through the 21st century. The ensemble performs 4 regular annual concerts and numerous events such as the annual Shakespeare Festival, local civic luncheons, choir tours, and convention performances.

The University Concert Choir is the larger mixed ensemble at Louisiana Tech University and consists of approximately 30-50 singers that perform works from the Renaissance through the 21st century. The ensemble performs 4 regular annual concerts.

The Opera Workshop provides music and theatre students, as well as those students in other areas of study, with an opportunity to broaden their interest, knowledge, and appreciation of opera, operetta, and musical theatre works.  Participating students experience the audition and rehearsal process, as well as experience in the technical side of opera production.

Instrumental Ensembles

The Louisiana Tech University Guitar Ensemble is open to any student interested in playing guitar in an ensemble setting.  The ensemble performs several times during the school year at departmental and university functions and local area events, playing music from a wide variety of historical and stylistic genres.

The Percussion Ensemble is a select chamber group available to any university student with previous percussion experience. The ensemble performs each quarter both on and off campus. Participation in the ensemble is required for percussion majors.

The String Ensemble is a chamber group available by audition to any university student with previous string experience. The ensemble performs a concert of chamber music for strings each quarter.

The Symphonic Wind Ensemble is the elite instrumental concert group and is open to qualified wind and percussion players by audition. This group performs in a variety of concerts on the Tech campus. Auditions for placement for all Concert Bands occur during the Fall Quarter.

Popular Music Ensembles

The Band of Pride, Tech’s marching band, is open to all students who have previous instrumental or guard experience. This group performs at all home and selected away football games, in exhibitions at area marching festivals, and in parades.

The basketball band, known as the Hoop Troop, is the campus basketball pep band. The group performs at all home men’s and women’s games and at times travels to away games and tournaments.

The Jazz Ensemble  is a 18-20 member band whose mission is to perform Jazz literature from the past and present. The ensemble performs a minimum of once each quarter and is featured at the President’s Breakfast at the end of each academic year. The ensemble is open by audition to qualified trumpet, saxophone, trombone, drum set, bass, guitar, and piano players.

The Popular Music Ensemble provides a performance opportunity for students in the Music Industry Studies Program, as well as other students across campus, by audition. The group performs a short concert each quarter, and explores a variety of popular styles and genres, depending upon student interest. 

Opportunities for Non-Majors

The School of Music offers a number of opportunities for non-music majors or minors to participate in an ensemble, learn how to sing or play an instrument, or learn more about music. The following courses are open to all students at Louisiana Tech University and might fulfill a student’s General Education requirement in the Fine Arts (contact your academic advisor for more information):

Music Courses – The following lecture-based courses are designed to provide  non-music majors to broaden their musical horizons or dive deeper into a particular genre or style of music. These courses are sometimes offered online. 

  • MUGN 290: Music Appreciation (3 credits)
  • MUGN 291: Global Popular Music (3 credits)
  • MUGN 292: Topics in American Popular Music (3 credits)
  • MUTH 100: Rudiments of Music Theory (3 credits)

Group Lessons – The following courses are designed for non-music majors to provide opportunities to learn to play an instrument or write music in a group setting:

  • MUGN 110: Introduction to Songwriting (3 credits) Prerequisites: MUTH 102 or Instructor Permission
  • MUGN 112: Beginning Piano (2 credits)
  • MUGN 152: Beginning Guitar (2 credits)

Private Lessons – Students who are not currently majoring in music may be allowed to enroll in private lessons with instructor permission and if studio space allows. For more information, contact instructors directly (see Faculty directory). 

Ensembles – All ensembles are currently open to non-majors. Please note, most require previous experience and/or an audition in order to enroll and participate. See Ensemble (Link) for more information.