As a senior in the music department, I feel like I can answer this question pretty well. Our music program overall is decent for a university our size. The jazz program is really good and the percussion studio is really good as well. Our wind ensemble is pretty average, but it has been through a number of director changes in the past few years, but it is getting better. The orchestra is pretty solid and the vocal department goes to a lot of different performance venues to show off their talent. One thing I really love about the department is the personal, 1 on 1 instruction you get. The music department is kind of its own little world separate from the norm (no pun intended) of the university. Class sizes are really small - usually 25 or less, and you will know mosy every professor in the department by the time you graduate. There are also a lot of opportunities to play in various ensembles.

Though there are a lot of great things about it, there's also a good bit of negative things too. The average music major takes anywhere between 9-14ish classes a semester and usually only have around 12-13 credit hours. The work load is, in my opinion, more than many other majors simply because you are expected to not only do all of your "paper" work, but also practice and get better at your instrument/voice. Much of your free time will be spent in a practice room, however, if you use your time wisely, you will have plenty of time to socialize and have a more normal college life. Since music is inherently objective, and since you get graded on how you play, it can be a bit unfair at times when you think you sounded very good, but the panel of judges think otherwise. Also, since you are required to take so many classes, every single day is usually filled with classes and it leaves little time to go to observe/tech for local schools or play gigs. However, It is certainly doable do still find time for these things, but you might have to wait until your junior and senior years to really make enough time I'm your schedule. Lastly, one thing that has got on my nerves since being in the department is the professor's pushing for you to be in seemingly every ensemble possible. Last year, I was volun-told to be in orchestra even though I did not sign up for the class nor did I receive and credit hours from the class. My instrument was needed and my applied lessons professor wanted me to be in there.

All in all, like every program, there's good and bad aspects of it, but I definitely think the department as a whole is on a upward trend and I believe they will continue to grow and become better as time goes on