Bachelor of Music in Music Education

The Music Education program at Nazareth prepares future teachers through the direct experience of teaching and performing, as well as intensive academic study. Liberal arts courses enrich and deepen the learning experience. Students have the opportunity to participate in workshops and conferences, and to teach pre-college students in the Community Music Program and various extensive sites in Rochester.

The Department of Music adheres to the philosophy that to teach well, you must also perform well. Students are required to achieve a high level of musical artistry on their primary instrument. Through this combination of musicianship, academics, and pedagogy, Nazareth students are well-prepared to educate and inspire the musicians of the future.

Program Highlights

• The Music Education program prepares students for initial certification (Birth-12 Certification in Music) from the New York State Department of Education.
• Curriculum includes professional courses in instrumental, choral, and general music methods, as well as liberal arts courses, culminating in a Senior Experience that includes a Senior Recital and a Senior Comprehensive Examination.
• The student teaching experience serves as the experiential capstone for this program.
• Emphasis on practice-teaching experiences throughout the course sequence.
• Extensive collection of music teaching materials and resources.
• Opportunity to participate in student chapters of The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and The American Choral Directors Association, American String Teacher Association, as well as a mini conference that is held on campus annually.
  

Program Director

Keith Koster, Ph.D.
585-389-5164
kkoster8@naz.edu

Dr. Koster received his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia, his M.M. from Indiana University, and his B.S. from Quincy College. He has completed certification training in both the Orff-Schulwerk and the Kodály approaches and regularly presents sessions, research findings, and performances at venues around the country. A bassoonist and woodwind specialist, he also maintains an active performance profile.