A student playing piano with another playing clarinet on stage.

Music

Follow your passion and talents by studying music, either by majoring in this area or adding a minor to supplement your education.

Why Study Music?

If you have a passion for music, USD is the right place to be. Our music programs give you opportunities to thrive – with experiences ranging from music theory classes to one-on-one lessons with our expert faculty. You will learn in a space that cultivates your talents and prepares you for success in your future career.

The USD Department of Music offers a number of programs for you to choose from. Below you can learn more about earning a degree in music with specializations in industry and technology, music education, music performance and musical arts, as well as the minor in music.

Degrees & Offerings

Music: Industry and Technology (B.S.)

Bachelor’s
  Vermillion Main Campus

Music: Music Education (B.M.)

Bachelor’s
  Vermillion Main Campus

Music: Music Performance (B.M.)

Bachelor’s
  Vermillion Main Campus

Music: Musical Arts (BMA)

Bachelor’s
  Vermillion Main Campus

Music

Minor
  Vermillion Main Campus

A minor in music will supplement any degree as you explore your passions. The 26-credit hour minor focuses on music theory, aural skills, music cultures of the world and other topics related to the musical arts.

Program Details

Undergraduate

College

Department

Contact

Admissions

Known for Excellence

With qualities like small class sizes, specialized programs and incredible student opportunities, USD is not your typical university. What makes us unique is what makes your education exceptional.

Student Opportunities

As a student at USD, the opportunities available to you extend beyond the classroom. Explore your interests, find your community and experience your education to the fullest extent through the following opportunities.

Choir

The acclaimed choir program at USD provides students with the opportunity to be involved in a variety of outstanding vocal ensembles. Students are taught by dedicated and passionate faculty who believe in developing the student as a singer, musician and individual, as well as provide a quality choral experience.

Chamber Singers

The Chamber Singers is the premier vocal ensemble at USD. Performers are selected through audition from the entire university student body. The choir's repertoire, which is primarily a cappella, includes music from the Renaissance to the present in a wide variety of styles. The ensemble holds formal concerts on campus each semester, and its annual concert tour has taken the group throughout the United States and Europe. The Chamber Singers have been selected to perform at state and regional conventions, appeared on public radio programs, and received numerous national honors and distinctions.

Collegium Musicum

Collegium Musicum is a vocal ensemble exploring music from many genres and time periods, from early music to modern works. In frequent collaboration with other choral and instrumental groups at USD, the repertoire for the ensemble changes based on the unique group of vocalists who participate each semester. 

Symphonic Choir

The Symphonic Choir is a large, select mixed ensemble open to students of all majors, as well as members of the Vermillion community. The ensemble performs a broad range of music, with a particular focus on both large and small-scale choral masterworks. The Symphonic Choir regularly partners with the USD Symphony Orchestra, as well as professional ensembles such as the South Dakota and Sioux City symphony orchestras.

Vocal Jazz Choir

The Vocal Jazz Choir is an ensemble of 16 singers with additional crew and instrumentalists as needed. This choir performs a wide range of music from traditional jazz standards to contemporary a cappella, including the genres of pop and rock. The ensemble is intended for advanced vocalists who will utilize individual microphones and be required to perform tight harmonies.

Opera

The USD Opera offers students the opportunity to bring music and drama to life on the stage. The multiple national award-winning program trains performers to become believable and compelling singing-actors in operatic literature from the Baroque period through the contemporary lyric theater.

Every year, USD Opera produces a minimum of two productions. The fall production consists of a children’s opera, one-act or scenes program and includes outreach opportunities in the region. In the spring, USD Opera produces a full main stage opera with orchestra.

Opera students find out who they are as artists as they receive individual attention and personalized guidance from dedicated, highly skilled and acclaimed faculty. Find your voice, unlock your potential and discover your passion for a lifetime.

Departments & Facilities

Explore the departments, facilities and centers that contribute to your education in music.
the cello section of the USD Symphony

Music

Develop the skills necessary to be successful in your musical career while gaining lifelong friends and mentors. Whether you are interested in teaching, music performance or music history — or some combination of the three — the Department of Music will provide you with real-world experiences and connections to help you succeed.

Faculty & Staff

Get to know your professors in the Department of Music. Our faculty are experts in their field, contributing research and creative scholarship throughout the music field. 
Bio Image for Faculty Member David Holdhusen

David Holdhusen

Chair, Music/Professor/Dir, Choral Activities

Specialty

Chair, Dept. of Music
Director of Choral Activities
Bio Image for Faculty Member Bethany Amundson

Bethany Amundson

Assistant Professor, Director of Symphonic Bands

Specialty

Director of Symphonic Bands
Bio Image for Faculty Member Timothy Campbell

Timothy Campbell

Associate Professor

Specialty

Choirs & Voice
Bio Image for Faculty Member Chun-Ming Chen

Chun-Ming Chen

Director of Orchestral Activities, Professor

Specialty

USD Symphony Orchestra
Orchestral Conducting
Bio Image for Faculty Member Kelly Coslet

Kelly Coslet

Music Adjunct,Gallery Assistant,Howe Collection Cataloger
Bio Image for Faculty Member Todd Cranson

Todd Cranson

Associate Professor

Specialty

Director of Athletic Bands & Low Brass Studio
Bio Image for Faculty Member Alessandra Feris

Alessandra Feris

Associate Professor

Specialty

Piano
Bio Image for Faculty Member Ioana Galu

Ioana Galu

Associate Professor

Specialty

Violin/Viola Studio, Rawlins Piano Trio
Bio Image for Faculty Member Tracelyn Gesteland

Tracelyn Gesteland

Professor/Buhler Distinguished Professor

Specialty

Voice & Opera
Bio Image for Faculty Member Jordan Hoffman

Jordan Hoffman

Adjunct Instructor
Bio Image for Faculty Member Christopher Kocher

Christopher Kocher

Professor

Specialty

Director of Jazz Studies & Saxophone
Bio Image for Faculty Member Sonja Kraus

Sonja Kraus

Associate Professor

Specialty

Cello, String Bass, Rawlins Piano Trio
Bio Image for Faculty Member Stephanie Kocher

Stephanie Kocher

Collaborative Pianist,Music Adjunct,Piano Accompanist,CFA Outreach Coordinator

Specialty

Flute
Bio Image for Faculty Member Amy Laursen

Amy Laursen

Associate Professor

Specialty

Horn
Bio Image for Faculty Member Paul Lombardi

Paul Lombardi

Professor

Specialty

Music Theory / Composition
Bio Image for Faculty Member Darryl Martin

Darryl Martin

Conservator, National Music Museum
Bio Image for Faculty Member Juan Mendoza

Juan Mendoza

Assistant Professor

Specialty

Voice & Opera
Bio Image for Faculty Member David Moskowitz

David Moskowitz

Music Graduate Coordinator, Professor

Specialty

Director of Graduate Studies, Music History
Bio Image for Faculty Member Eric Mosterd

Eric Mosterd

Assist Dir, CTL
Bio Image for Faculty Member Eun-Hee Park

Eun-Hee Park

Assistant Professor

Specialty

Collaborative Piano, Rawlins Piano Trio, Pedagogy
Bio Image for Faculty Member Katherine Peterson

Katherine Peterson

Adjunct Instructor
Bio Image for Faculty Member David Sanderson

David Sanderson

Associate Professor

Specialty

Music Education
Bio Image for Faculty Member Mary Sidoti

Mary Sidoti

Music Adjunct

Specialty

Violin & Viola
Bio Image for Faculty Member Timothy Snow

Timothy Snow

Music Adjunct
Bio Image for Faculty Member Jennifer Van Peursem

Jennifer Van Peursem

Collaborative Pianist, NATS Conference/Competition,Piano Accompanist
Bio Image for Faculty Member Darin Wadley

Darin Wadley

Associate Professor

Specialty

Percussion
 
boy singing a solo on stage in front of a piano

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Student and organization performances are livestreamed online, which all are free to "attend" virtually or in-person!


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National Music Museum

National Music Museum

Founded in 1973, the National Music Museum and Center for Study of the History of Musical Instruments is one of the great institutions of its kind in the world. Its renowned collections, which include more than 14,800 American, European and non-Western instruments from virtually all cultures and historical periods, are the most inclusive anywhere.


Students have opportunities to work in the museum, study historic instruments and perform in the concert hall.


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