• <a href="/live/image/gid/76/width/650/99991_49-NBD_5773.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image99991"> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/99991_49-NBD_5773.rev.1692980866.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/99991_49-NBD_5773.rev.1692980866.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/99991_49-NBD_5773.rev.1692980866.jpg 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/99991_49-NBD_5773.rev.1692980866.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/99991_49-NBD_5773.rev.1692980866.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/99991_49-NBD_5773.rev.1692980866.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="690" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1365" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a><div class="hero-split_image_caption collapsable-caption"></div>
  • <a href="/live/image/gid/76/width/650/102698_45-P1150375.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image102698"> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/102698_45-P1150375.rev.1708373067.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/102698_45-P1150375.rev.1708373067.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/102698_45-P1150375.rev.1708373067.jpg 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/102698_45-P1150375.rev.1708373067.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/102698_45-P1150375.rev.1708373067.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/102698_45-P1150375.rev.1708373067.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="690" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/102698_45-P1150375.rev.1708373067.jpg 2x" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1537" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a><div class="hero-split_image_caption collapsable-caption"></div>
  • <a href="/live/image/gid/76/width/650/102696_9-P1460782.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image102696"> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/102696_9-P1460782.rev.1708372904.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/102696_9-P1460782.rev.1708372904.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/102696_9-P1460782.rev.1708372904.jpg 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/102696_9-P1460782.rev.1708372904.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/102696_9-P1460782.rev.1708372904.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/102696_9-P1460782.rev.1708372904.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="690" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/102696_9-P1460782.rev.1708372904.jpg 2x" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1537" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a><div class="hero-split_image_caption collapsable-caption"></div>
  • <a href="/live/image/gid/76/width/650/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.jpg" class="lw_preview_image lw_disable_preview" tabindex="-1"><picture class="lw_image lw_image92316"> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.rev.1643143164.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.rev.1643143164.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/76/width/500/height/479/crop/1/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.rev.1643143164.jpg 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.rev.1643143164.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.rev.1643143164.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.rev.1643143164.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.rev.1643143164.jpg" alt="Orchestra students rehearse in Evans Auditorium" width="720" height="690" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.rev.1643143164.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/76/width/720/height/690/crop/1/92316_20210930-DSC_4309.rev.1643143164.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2136" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a><div class="hero-split_image_caption collapsable-caption"> Orchestra students rehearse in Evans Auditorium</div>

Why Choose a Degree in Music?

Our faculty are distinguished performers, composers, and musicologists who provide rich and rigorous coursework for all students, from professionally oriented students preparing for careers in music to dedicated nonmajors who want to continue their musical studies. We foster a collaborative sense of community and take pride in our ability to offer all our students the opportunity for an outstanding musical education full of growth and joy.

What You’ll Study

The department offers a major and minor. In addition to musicianship, literature, theory, and weekly lessons in their performance area, all our majors study conducting, instrumentation, and world music. Our programs in musicology and ethnomusicology are exceptional, as are our programs in composition and performance. From the wind ensemble to the orchestra, from raga and tala recitals to the Voces Auream choir, our students are creating, studying, performing, and researching music in groundbreaking, exciting ways.

Many of our students study music and earn course credit while on an overseas program. In addition to general cultural programs that are open to all students, we encourage our majors to participate in the England: Fine Arts program. The program focuses on the arts in the U.K. and the relationship of music, theatre, and the visual arts to English culture. In addition to attending weekly concerts and plays and visiting galleries and museums, students embrace social and economic questions related to the arts through classes, lectures, and group discussions.

Outside the classroom, we offer lessons in a wide variety of instruments, including voice, and students can choose to participate in a variety of ensembles, such as choirs, wind ensemble, orchestra, jazz combos, Ghanaian percussion, Javanese gamelan, Opera and Musical Theatre Workshop, and more. All performing groups welcome participation by nonmajors, and all studio instruction is open to beginning as well as advanced students. Our annual James W. Rogers Concert features exciting musical performances by members of the student body and faculty in solo, chamber, and large ensemble settings. Our performance instructors regularly perform with groups of great distinction, such as the Oregon Symphony, the Mel Brown B-3 Group, Cappella Romana, Resonance Ensemble, Portland Percussion Group, and Pink Martini. The Faculty Chamber Players and Palatine Trio series feature members of our splendid performance faculty, as does the annual Friends of Rain concert, which focuses on music composed in the last 50 years.

Curriculum

Complement Your Education With One of These Minors

The most popular minors for our music majors are English, history, and theatre.


What Students Are Saying About Lewis & Clark

What Can You Do With a Degree in Music?

Our alumni use their bachelor of arts degree in music to pursue careers in music and many other fields. They also attend prestigious graduate schools, such as Princeton University, University of Michigan, Indiana University, the Royal Academy of Music, College of William and Mary, and the University of California at Los Angeles.

Dedicated Faculty

Our expert professors are your expert mentors. You will learn directly from faculty (no graduate assistants here!) that are nationally recognized in their fields of study and who love to work with and learn from their students. Your professors will inspire you to be a thoughtful and passionate participant in a diverse world. Your small classes will support you as you explore new ideas, find your voice, and speak your truth.

Our music faculty are some of the most engaged working artists in the Pacific Northwest. They are fellowship winners, run nationally recognized arts nonprofits, and have had their work supported through residencies, foundations, and grants. The faculty produce events annually, often bringing students on as assistants or collaborators.

Meet the Professors

  • 12:1 

    Lewis & Clark College has a student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1.

  • Top 100 

    Lewis & Clark is in the top 100 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2023–24 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” list.

  • 96% 

    Within six months of graduation, 96% of the Lewis & Clark Classes of 2018–2022 were already changing the world through employment (76%), continuing studies (19%), and service work (1%), like the Peace Corps.

  • 1 of 7 

    L&C is one of seven Oregon schools to make the national Colleges of Distinction list in 2023–24.

  • 29+33 

    Lewis & Clark offers 29 majors and 33 minors.

Invest in Yourself

A private liberal arts education is often more affordable than you think. Last year, Lewis & Clark distributed over $74 million in assistance from institutional, federal, state, and private sources. Additionally, we’re so confident that our first-year students will graduate with their bachelor of arts degree in four years that if you don’t, we’ll cover the extra semester of tuition.

At Lewis & Clark, we think demonstrating outstanding skill and potential in an instrument, voice part, and/or music composition deserves recognition, which is why we offer merit-based music scholarships, regardless of your major. These scholarships range from $1,400 per year, which covers the cost of applied lessons, to approximately $6,000 per year. The amount of aid a student receives is contingent upon their audition and financial need.

Music Scholarships

Find Your People

Students can join a variety of student-run organizations. Don’t see what you’re looking for on the club list? Start something new and build your own community of peers!


Where Lewis & Clark Will Take You

  • L&C prepared me for working professionally in the arts by allowing me to try everything. That flexibility led me to really diverse professional opportunities.

    Elsa Dougherty BA ’20
    Music | Flushing, Michigan
    More about Elsa
  • I truly did discover my vocation freshman year, and then I did everything I needed to do to answer that calling. Everything I did at L&C prepared me for what I’m up to now in terms of a career.

    Marianna Ritchey 1999
    Music history | Telluride, Colorado
    More about Marianna
  • The hands-on mentorship, the thoughtful pedagogy, and, of course, my classmates at L&C holistically prepared me for graduate school.

    David Salkowski BA ’14
    Music | Russian Studies
    More about David

Music Events

March 22

Senior Recital: Lauren Springett

Lauren Springett presents “Sing It Springett”, a Senior Vocal Recital on Friday, March 22, 2024 at 7:30pm in Evans Auditorium.

April 5

“Brush Up Your Shakespeare!”

The Lewis & Clark Department of Music Vocal Performance Workshop presents “Brush Up Your Shakespeare”, an extraordinary evening of texts from Shakespeare’s plays set in songs, musicals, and operas. For two nights only - Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 7:30pm in Evans Auditorium.

April 6

“Brush Up Your Shakespeare!”

The Lewis & Clark Department of Music Vocal Performance Workshop presents “Brush Up Your Shakespeare”, an extraordinary evening of texts from Shakespeare’s plays set in songs, musicals, and operas. For two nights only - Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 7:30pm in Evans Auditorium.

More News and Events →