Dear Prospective and Returning Students,
Thank you for your interest in the Music Program offered here at Lansing Community College. We hope that the information provided below will aid you in getting started in your career and educational goals.
LCC has a long tradition of training musicians as performers, educators, composers, music scholars, arrangers, and producers in Classical, CCM, and Musical Theatre styles. It is a safe place for exploration, as well as to achieve a foundational education in music before either entering the industry directly or furthering your education at one of our 4-year partner institutions.
We offer two Associates degrees—the Music AA is designed for students who intend to transfer from LCC directly to another institution, with the Music Industry AAA designed for those who want to immediately transition into the workforce. We also offer two Certificates, a Musicianship Studies path and one in Music Technology. For more information on our curriculum, please visit lcc.edu/music.
Please visit our website at https://music.openlcc.net to learn more about our degrees, meet the faculty, find the Music Student Handbook, and discover our Ensembles. You can also reach me directly for any questions by email (gewirtzj@star.lcc.edu) or phone (517) 483-5322. I look forward to speaking with you and your students about what LCC has to offer!
Sincerely,
Jonathon Gewirtz
Lead Faculty
Lansing Community College
What are the music course offerings at LCC?
We offer a wide variety of classes for music majors, non-majors, and community members. For a complete look at our courses, please see the catalog here: (https://www.lcc.edu/academics/catalog/). You’re looking for courses listed as (Music) MUSC ____ or Noncredit Community Education (0 credit option for our performing ensembles for non-music majors or community members).
What music ensembles are available?
We offer a Concert Choir, Jazz Band, Rock Band, Multi-Instrumental Music Ensemble, and Musical Theatre performance class.
What other classes can non-music majors take?
Very few of our classes are gated to prevent non-majors from taking them. We want to make sure you have the requisite knowledge or skill in certain instances (in Music Theory or Aural Skills for instance) to make sure you’re positioned for success before taking the class. We regularly have non-majors in our Music Appreciation and Musical Cultures classes that are both housed on the Michigan Transfer Agreement, as well as our piano classes and performing ensembles.
I can already read music; do I have to take the Rudiments of Music class?
We want to make sure you have the knowledge and facility to be successful in our Theory I class, so there is a diagnostic test you’ll need to take if you’d like to test out of the Rudiments class. Contact Professor Jon Gewirtz at gewirtzj@star.lcc.edu to find out more information .
Can you really make a career in music?
If the question is “Am I likely to sustain myself financially by performing alone?” the answer is “not likely.” But, being a vocational performer isn’t the only (or most driving) reason to major in music. The degree can directly lead you to careers that can sustain you financially like:
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- Music educator
- Music journalist
- Music therapist
- Music program director
- Song writer
- Sound engineer
- Conductor
- Composer
- Church music director
- Session musician
- And many others
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Moreover, through the study of music a person is prepared for a wide variety of seemingly non-related careers. It fosters critical thinking, creativity, discipline, self-motivation, communication skills, the ability to work well and collaborate, and many other skills that are sought out by employers. Studying music rewires the brain for learning and personal growth in a way that nothing else can. Check out this brochure from the NAMM Foundation for a quick look at why music study is beneficial for all, not just those wanting to be a professional musician (https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/Music-Matters-1.pdf)
Specific to your time at LCC, our own Data Science team has analyzed the impact of performing in our ensembles and found that students are roughly 20% more likely to persist from one semester to the next, and roughly 20% more likely to complete their degree, and have a boost in their GPA (even taking the ensemble grade out of the equation) by performing with one of our ensembles. Ensembles are there for everyone, not just music majors!
I want to be a Music major; how do I audition?
We are open to everyone, no audition required! However, to appropriately sign up for classes and ensure that you’re on the right pathway, the Program Chair would like to have a conversation with you before you register. Please connect with Professor Jon Gewirtz via email at gewirtzj@star.lcc.edu or phone (517) 483-5322.
What instruments can I play as a music major at LCC?
We train musicians in most instruments you’d find in a concert or jazz band, orchestra, or rock band, in addition to singers of classical, CCM, and musical theatre styles.
