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Music Department
Do you love to create, perform and listen to music? Can you imagine every day being filled with music activities of one kind or another? Whether you choose to major in music or another field, you can use your skills and interest to join over 400 students who are fully involved in Bradley’s music program.
Majors
Music Performance
Refine your musical skills and pair a minor in Jazz Studies, Music, Music Industry or Musical Theatre.
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Music Education
Become a professional music educator and pair a minor in Jazz Studies, Music, Music Industry or Musical Theatre.
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Music and Entertainment Industry
Prepare for a career in the music industry and pair a minor in Jazz Studies, Music, Music Industry or Musical Theatre.
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Digital Music Technology
Learn the world of music tech and pair a minor in Jazz Studies, Music, Music Industry or Musical Theatre.
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Music Composition
Learn to compose and pair a minor in Jazz Studies, Music, Music Industry or Musical Theatre.
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Music Business
Become a music business professional and pair a minor in Jazz Studies, Music, Music Industry or Musical Theatre.
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Music for Video Games
Build skills that give you the power to bring interactive media to life and pair a minor in Jazz Studies, Music, Music Industry or Musical Theatre.
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Music – Dual Degree
Combine your passion for music with another major or pair a minor in Jazz Studies, Music, Music Industry or Musical Theatre.
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Minors
The 21-credit Jazz Studies Minor is open to all students, without audition. It will strengthen your understanding and performance of jazz through ensemble participation, music theory, jazz improvisation, jazz composition and arranging, and American music history.
This minor is easily paired with majors across campus.
The music minor, open to all students by audition, strengthens your understanding and performance of music through individual vocal or instrumental lessons in the area you select and courses in theory, history, keyboard skills, and ear-training.
You’ll also participate in one of the music department’s 15 ensembles. Designed for personal growth or career preparation, the minor can easily be paired with majors from across the university.
The 18-credit hour music industry minor is open to any student, regardless of major, with no audition requirement. You’ll be immersed in courses representing all facets of the music industry.
Electives allow you to focus on specific disciplines or you may complete the minor as part of the Hollywood Semester program.
This 20-hour minor, open to all students, includes courses in Acting, Piano, Music Theory, and Ear Training/Sight Singing. Acting the Song and History of American Musical Theatre. You’ll be involved in Theatre Arts productions through our Practicum program, and you’ll work closely with a Theatre Arts advisor, to keep you on track.
This minor pairs well with majors in Music, Theatre Arts, communication, TV arts, creative writing, and other majors within the fine arts, or the liberal arts and sciences.
Departmental Resources
Real-time live streaming from Dingeldine Music Center is available only during concerts.
Join us for a special program to learn what high school students and their parents need to know about Music majors, minors and ensembles at Bradley University. This program will also include campus tours and lunch with Bradley music students and faculty.
Check back soon for upcoming Visit Days in Fall 2025!
Hilltop studio is a full functioning 24 track digital recording studio. Located on campus in University Hall ( next to Constance Hall ). This studio is equipped with a set of Yamaha drums, keyboards, and bass amplifiers.
The microphone selection of dynamic, condenser, and ribbon microphones includes:
- Shure B57
- Shure B58
- Shure KSM 32
- Shure SM 81
- Sennheiser 421
- Sennheiser 609
- Audix F2
- AMT S25B
- AKG 2000
- AKG 3000
- AKG C 451 B
- AKG C 451 EB
- AKG 414 stereo pair
- Neumann 184 stereo pair
- Neumann 105
- Royer 121 ribbon mic.
- Lauten LT-386 Eden tube mic
DI boxes include:
- Demeter VTDB tube DI
- Neve RNDI
- Radial Stereo DI w/ Jensen transformer
- Radial J48
- Radial ToneBone Bass DI
- Countryman 85
Also available are world class mic preamps including Neve 5024’s and the Focusrite ISA 428 MK II.
Hilltop Studio uses Pro Tools as our main DAW but we have available Logic Pro, Luna, and Cakewalk.
Studio Availability
| Monday | 9am – 4pm |
| Tuesday | 9am – 7pm |
| Wednesday | 9am – 7pm |
Free
- Student Class Project in Studio
- Ensemble Project On Campus
- Faculty Project in Studio –Student Mixed
$20 per hour
- Ensemble Project OFF Campus
- Faculty Project in Studio –Studio Mgr.Mixed
- BU Student Independent Project in Studio
$50 per hour
- Faculty Project outside of Studio –Student Mixed
- Faculty Project outside of Studio –Studio Mgr.Mixed
- Non-BU Client Independent Project in Studio
Music Major and Minor Auditions
Admission for music majors consists of two parts:
- General admission to Bradley University
- Admission to the Department of Music via a successful audition
You may select a music major when you apply for general admission to the university, but that status will only be achieved once you have been formally accepted into that degree program in the Department of Music following a successful audition.
All applicants (new students and transfer students) in the following majors must audition on their primary instrument for admission into these degree programs in the Department of Music:
- Music Performance
- Music Composition
- Music Business
- Music Education
- BA/BS in Music
There are three parts to the audition process at Bradley:
- Performance (8-10 minutes) See requirements for each area below.
- An informal interview with the faculty member(s) in your major area of study (15-20 minutes).
- Basic Theory Exam. (15 minutes). The results of this exam will give the faculty a better understanding of the student’s knowledge in this area, but will not be a factor in consideration of acceptance and scholarship money.
Accompanists will be provided for auditioning vocalists. A fifteen minute rehearsal will be offered before the audition. Accompanists are not provided for instrumentalists, though you are welcome to bring your own.
Music and Entertainment applicants are only required to do the interview portion.
2024-25 Audition Dates
Three options are available:
- Perform a live audition on the Bradley campus at one of our three audition days listed below. We encourage applicants to select this option.
- Schedule a live audition on a date of your choice by emailing musicinfo@bradley.edu.
- Submit a recorded audition.
Campus Audition Dates
Audition dates coming soon!
Music ensembles are for all Bradley students, regardless of major. Students can also participate in more than one ensemble each semester if they wish.
Choral Music
The Bradley Chorale is the touring choir and other opportunities exist in vocal jazz, treble choir and opera.
String Music
The Bradley Symphony Orchestra is supported by an active chamber music program and applied lessons.
Instrumental Music
An active performance program that includes two concert bands, two jazz bands, basketball band and other smaller ensemble opportunities.