Info For
Skip to Content
Music program student playing in a music concert

Music Program

Part of the Music, Theatre & Dance Department

Sharpening Your Craft; Engage Your Faith

The Music Program at Taylor University emphasizes active learning in every degree track. By joining our Music majors, you won’t just sit and study methods and theories—you’ll put them into action.

Through ensemble rehearsals, concerts, productions, student recitals, and fully staged musicals and operas, our students take their learning from the desk to the stage. You’ll also gain a technical background in music theory, acting methods, and dance techniques to take your gifts and skills to the next level and pursue industry-related careers on top of performance.

Auditions & Scholarships

All prospective Music majors must audition for admission into the Music, Theatre & Dance department. Our programs offer both merit- and need-based awards that are designed to enhance the University’s financial aid package. To be considered for music scholarships, students interested in Music majors or minors must be complete their auditions by March 15.

To sign up for an audition time, speak with a Taylor Music or Theatre professor, or to receive additional information about music auditions and scholarships, please contact Andrea Baker, the Music, Theatre, & Dance program assistant, at andrea_baker@taylor.edu.

Professional Competitions & Opportunities

  • National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) voice competitions
  • National Association for Music Educators (NAfME)
  • Marion Philharmonic Concerto Aria Competition
  • Indiana Intercollegiate Band
  • Indiana Music Teachers Association
  • Elmhurst Jazz Festival
  • Performance productions: opera, musical theatre, lyric theatre
  • Center for Musical Development—teaching community children
  • Marion Philharmonic Orchestra performance collaborations
  • Guest artists

Vocal and Instrumental Ensembles

  • Women’s Chorus: Adoration is a choral ensemble open by audition to all women at Taylor. This choir uses contemporary and sacred choral arrangements, spirituals, and praise and worship songs to minister. Pursuing vocal excellence, the chorus performs in churches, University functions, schools, and community venues.
  • Taylor University Chorale: The Taylor Chorale is open to all Taylor students by audition. Their repertoire consists of music drawn from the spectrum of sacred choral works. The ensemble’s mission is to express the highest divine and human values through choral arts. Performances include domestic and international tours, as well as concerts for conferences and conventions.
  • Taylor Sounds: The Taylor Sounds is a selected group of musicians dedicated to a high standard of chamber choral performance. The group seeks to learn a breadth of music by notable composers, while expressing the highest divine and human values through the choral chamber music art. Performance tours include domestic and overseas venues as well as conferences, conventions, and banquets.
  • Lyric Theatre: Lyric Theatre is open to all students by audition. Performances include a combination of fully-staged productions and semi-staged “scenes” productions. The primary goal of the ensemble is to create live performances demonstrating dramatic confidence, vocal ease, and aesthetic sensibility.
  • Wind Ensemble: The Wind Ensemble is open to all wind and percussion players by audition. Performing classic and contemporary wind, sacred, pops, and pep band literature, the Wind Ensemble presents one full concert program each semester as well as annual tours.
  • Jazz Ensemble: The Jazz Ensemble is open to all wind and percussion players by audition. They perform contemporary stage band literature as well as jazz classics. The ensemble performs a concert on campus each semester and tours in local schools and regional jazz festivals.
  • Jazz Combo: The Jazz Combo is a selected ensemble open by audition. The Jazz Combo explores improvisatory styling and performs a concert each semester. Beginner, intermediate, and advanced level instruction is given.
  • Symphony Orchestra: The Symphony Orchestra is open to all string, wind, and percussion players by audition. Each semester, the Symphony Orchestra performs a full concert of selected masterworks from each of the major historical periods written for full orchestra.
  • Taylor Ringers: The Taylor Ringers consists of thirteen members chosen by audition. The Taylor Ringers perform a variety of four- to five-octave literature of a moderate to difficult nature on campus and during tours each year.

Streaming will start approximately 15 minutes before each event. More events are being continually added, so please keep checking back. Thank you!

Watch Now

Music Facilities & Equipment

The Smith-Hermanson Music Center houses an electronic music studio, a music technology lab, teaching studios, rehearsal rooms, and practice rooms. The attached 218-seat Butz-Carruth Recital Hall boasts a Bösendorfer grand and a Steinway piano. The Recital Hall is designed to provide the best acoustics for performance recording. The electronic studio and technology lab are equipped with music composition and editing software.

Other facility equipment includes:

  • 47 pianos across campus
  • Wind, brass, string, and percussion instruments
  • Electronic and pipe organs
  • African drums
  • Drum sets and keyboards

Private Lessons & Ensembles

We offer ensembles and private lessons in all instrumental and choral areas.

  • Instrumental: symphony orchestra, wind and jazz ensembles, jazz combos, and chamber music ensembles such as string quartet, brass ensemble, and flute choir
  • Piano: piano, piano pedagogy, and accompanying
  • Voice: voice, musical theatre, lyric theatre, and two choral ensembles

Center for Musical Development

Interested in learning to teach music? The Center for Musical Development provides musical instruction to students from the surrounding community. This program gives Taylor students practical experience in teaching music to young learners. Children ages eight to 16 can receive piano lessons from Taylor students and professional instructors at a reasonable cost, with no prior musical training required. Contact Dr. Becky Baker for more information at becky.baker@taylor.edu or 317-432-2029.

Upcoming Performances

View full season event brochure.

Name of Concert Performers Date/Time Location
The Spitfire Grill Lyric Theatre February 2-4 Butz Carruth Recital Hall
Christmas Pops Wind Ensemble December 11, 5:30 Boren Campus Center
Faculty Recital Dr. Christopher Bade, Dr. Leon Harshenin February 10, 7:30 Butz Carruth Recital Hall
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten Taylor Theatre February 23-25, March 1-3 Mitchell Theatre
Faculty Recital Dr. Loralee Songer March 15, 7:30 Butz Carruth Recital Hall
The Shadow of Thy Cross: The Music of Lent Chorale and Sounds March 15, 7:30 Location TBD
Spring Concert Wind Ensemble April 17, 7:30 Rediger Chapel/Auditorium
Newsies Taylor Theatre April 26-28, May 3-5 Mitchell Theatre
Center for Musical Development Piano Recitals CMD students May 4, 1:00 Butz Carruth Recital Hall
Symphony Orchestra Symphony Orchestra May 6, 7:30 Rediger Chapel/Auditorium
Jazz Concert Jazz Ensemble May 9, 7:30 Rediger Chapel/Auditorium
I Sing Because I'm Free: Spring Concert Chorale and Sounds May 11, 7:30 TBD
Women's Chorus Women's Chorus May 12, 3:00 Butz Carruth Recital Hall
Wind Ensemble Pops Concert Wind Ensemble May 13, 5:30 Boren Campus Center

Composing Your Future

Grad Programs

Some of our Music, Theatre & Dance graduates have gone one to complete their master’s degrees at the following colleges:

  • Bowling Green State University
  • Ball State University
  • Indiana University
  • Southern Illinois University
  • University of Michigan

Career Opportunities

No matter which Music, Theatre & Dance major you pursue, you will have a wide range of career opportunities, from music composer to performer to teacher to stage manager. The Music, Theatre & Dance department has a 96% career placement rate, and our faculty and Calling and Career Office work hard to connect students to employment and internship opportunities throughout their time at Taylor.

Department News

Lyric Theatre Presents The Spitfire Grill Thumbnail

Lyric Theatre Presents The Spitfire Grill

Jan 31, 2024

Taylor University’s Lyric Theatre is presenting Fred Alley and James Valcq’s musical The Spitfire Grill this weekend in the Butz-Carruth Recital Hall. Performances will be at 7:30 pm on February 2 and 3, and 2 pm on February 4.

Five Taylor Students Win at Singing Competition Thumbnail

Five Taylor Students Win at Singing Competition

Nov 09, 2023

The National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Indiana District Auditions is an annual singing competition that attracts students from universities across Indiana.

Summer Research Projects Grow Depth of Knowledge Thumbnail

Summer Research Projects Grow Depth of Knowledge

Oct 26, 2023

Most classes may have been out for the summer, but faculty-mentored research projects in music, biology, biochemistry, engineering, and more were in full swing across campus.

Faculty & Staff

Profile image of Conor Angell

Department Chair

Conor Angell

Department Co-Chair and Professor of Music
Lyric Theatre & Voice

Profile image of Reed Spencer

Department Chair

Reed Spencer

Department Co-Chair and Associate Professor of Music
Choral Ensembles

Profile image of Christopher Bade

Christopher Bade

Professor of Music
Woodwinds & Orchestra

Profile image of Andrea Baker

Andrea Baker

Music, Theatre, & Dance Program Assistant

Profile image of Leon Harshenin

Leon Harshenin

Professor of Music
Coordinator of Piano Studies

Profile image of Judy Kirkwood

Judy Kirkwood

Theatre & Film Program Assistant

Profile image of Eva Kwan

Eva Kwan

Associate Professor of Music

Profile image of Loralee Songer

Loralee Songer

Assistant Professor of Music

Profile image of Todd Syswerda

Todd Syswerda

Professor of Music Composition, Songwriting, and Music Technology