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Music Industry

Develop your musical talents while learning how to showcase your performance skills, foster your career in composition, and collaborate with other artists.

Music Industry

Music is powerful. It makes us listen, think and feel. If you count beats in your sleep, or dream of producing music, you may want to consider an education in Music Industry. Bring your love for music and your passion for creating it to Villa Maria College, where you can customize your studies to showcase your unique talents and support your long-term career goals in our non-traditional music program.

The Business of Music

If your passion for music and business are inseparably intertwined, Villa’s Music Industry program can help you forge your path. By focusing more on the behind-the-scenes aspects of the music and entertainment industries, students can learn more about the business and production sides of music. Our faculty can work with you to develop your skills and choose a career path within the multi-faucets of the music industry, such as recording or business. Many graduates of Villa’s Music Industry programs go on to become successful freelance musicians or apply to graduate school for performance or composition.

The Career Potential

Our experienced faculty has set one goal for all students: to experience, explore and gain knowledge in all areas of music. This means that Villa’s Music Industry program can prepare students for a career in a number of relevant fields.

A degree in Music Industry will prepare you to enter the 8th largest industry in the United States: the music business. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment for musicians, singers, and related workers is expected to grow by 10% from 2010 to 2020.

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Internships

Over the course of their 4 years at Villa, all Music Industry students are required to complete a set amount of internship hours. This helps you learn to apply what you are learning in the classroom in a professional setting and prepares you to work in the entertainment business after graduation. Past internships have been completed at:

Deep Thinka Records
GB Audio
Al Hemer Music Corporation
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
World of Noise Recording Studio

Sonic Farm Studio
Mark Custom Recording
Chautauqua Institution
Indigo Productions
Riviera Theatre

Rapids Theatre
O’Connell and Company Productions
Art Services Initiative of Western NY
WYRK
WUFO

Dylan Brawn, ’14 - Bachelor of Science Degree, Music Industry

“Brawn is responsible for moving orchestra equipment to and from its regular storage at Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall and the Amp. We get what we call move sheets around a week ahead of any scheduled moves related to rehearsal or performance. It’s all pretty well organized.” The hours are long. “When the orchestra is playing, many of us work up to 12 hours on those days,” Brawn said. One of his jobs on performance nights is to make sure the maestro has what is needed. Brawn usually cues the concertmaster and the announcer for the performance, and can control the stage and house lights.” — Excerpt from an July 2014 article published in the Chautauqua Daily Newspaper.

Course Requirements

Concert Attendance

Whether you’re a die-hard pianist or a passionate vocalist, it is important to develop an appreciation for many other forms of music. As a graduation requirement, all Music Industry students are required to attend 5 concerts per semester. Villa hosts several weekly concerts that are free, but students are welcome to check out concerts in other places in order to fulfill this requirement.

Recital Seminar

All Music Industry students must complete a Recital Seminar course during their tenure at Villa. The class aims to create well-rounded musicians, capable of success in any situation by teaching musical artistic preparation, professional performance etiquette and stage demeanor. The importance of selecting the appropriate genre, audience, purpose and venue are all explored in this class.

Senior Recital

As a testament to the hard work Music Industry students put in during their time at Villa, each graduating senior develops, prepares for and presents a senior performance recital. Created under the guidance of a faculty mentor, and in collaboration with a student’s applied music instructor, students are expected to deliver a professional-level performance as a program capstone course.

You must attain a minimum grade of C in all music courses, fulfill recital seminar and concert attendance requirements, and complete four semesters of performance ensemble.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Music Industry Curriculum Requirements

Placement Performances

All incoming Music Industry students must schedule a time for their placement performance. The placement performance is similar to an audition, but is not required to gain admission. Upon acceptance into either Villa’s Music Industry program, please contact our Office of Admissions to schedule your placement performance. Admissions can be reached at 716-961-1805 or [email protected]

Listen to Villa Students

Our students perform in ensembles, which can qualify you for special scholarship talent grants. Take a listen to the talent, while learning more about our program below. All Villa students, not just music industry students, are welcome to explore their musical talents by joining an ensemble.