The Univeristy of Kansas degrees in Church music?
  • ChristopherMcCloskey
    Posts: 26
    While perusing an old copy of the TAO, I ran across a full page ad for the University of Kansas division of Organ and Church Music's fall conference focusing on chant and organ improvisations based on chant. Needless to say I was a little surprised because 1) it dealt with chant and not the more common conference topic of hymn playing etc. and 2) because its a state school. Does anyone know about the school or the Church Music degree programs there and/or how the conference went?
  • Brent.Stull
    Posts: 1
    I am currently a student in the Department of Organ & Church Music. If you'd like more information, please send me a private message requesting specific information.

    Thanks!
  • DougS
    Posts: 793
    The School of Music at the University of Kansas is excellent, generally speaking. The Organ and Church Music program is well respected. I can't speak about the conference, but I have been to concerts at the main organ recital hall, most recently at a different conference there in July 2009. It's very nice.

    The downside for a Catholic in the program is that there are not loads of Catholic churches in the area. Kansas City is quite far, but it would be doable for an advanced degree candidate.

    I believe Jeff Ostrowski, a regular forum poster, also attended KU--not sure whether it was the organ program or not.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    BB/JO was a piano major, as I recall was unable to play for one reason or another, and moved on to musicology. Piano's loss, chants gain, if I got the apostrophes correct.
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    I went to KU because I was granted a Piano Scholarship (I came in second in the All-State piano competition they have: Mary O'Fearing, I believe) but injured my shoulder and switched to Music Theory. I have never regretted my decision.

    When I was there, KU had 71 FULL TIME music faculty. Not Graduate Teaching Assistants (TA's). Not Drama teachers. Not Theatre Voice. 71 full-time MUSIC professors. Plus all the Grad student TA's of course.

    I think it is a good school for music.
  • catpower
    Posts: 4
    The School of Music at the University of Kansas is one of the top-universities-in-the-world. Last year the KU Choirs toured across Kansas and I had the chance to see a live performance. The education provided by the University is very good.
  • AndrewK
    Posts: 41
    I was able this past summer to meet with Michael Bauer who is one of the professors of organ at KU. He is really quite a nice man and an excellent organist. I am looking into KU for grad work which prompted the meeting. The program looks really fantastic in regards to church music while still maintaining a strong emphasis on organ performance.
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