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Department of Music

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Music

New to WOU Music?

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Please fill out the NEW STUDENT INFORMATION FORM so the we can get to know you better and direct your inquiries to the correct faculty member(s).

The Legacy of Matthew Shepard Project

Scholarship Information

The WOU Music Department offers multiple scholarship opportunities for music majors (new, transfer & returning), and ensemble tuition remissions for non-music majors. The Music Department accepts auditions throughout the year but priority will be given to students who apply for the February 5, 2023 scholarship audition date.

Application Guidelines

Current Events

We annually sponsor several concerts, guest artists, guest lecturers, and student recitals. Please check our complete calendar for more information on these music events.

Winter 2023 Events
Purchase Tickets

Festivals & Workshops

We host several workshops and festivals, including the Great Western Music Championships for bands and orchestras, the Choral Festival, Percussion Festival, and the Composer’s Workshop. If you are a high school band, choir, or orchestra director seeking adjuticated opportunities for your ensembles, or need information on any of our festivals and/or workshops then please select the Learn more link.

Learn more

Media

To find out more about our program please visit out our media page that includes ensemble performances, faculty lectures, and student interviews.

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MUSIC DEGREE PROGRAMS

New BM Program

MUSIC EDUCATION

getting back to our roots!

When we were the Oregon College of Education the music department boasted one of the finest music education certification programs in Oregon. We are proud to announce our commitment to training the next generation of music educators – elementary, instrumental, and choral – with our new 4-year BM certification degree program.

Learn more

BM DEGREE PROGRAMS

professional music training

We offer 4-year professional BM degree programs in Music Education, Composition, and in Music with focus areas in Audio Production, Jazz Studies, and Vocal & Instrumental Performance. Come study with award-winning faculty of national and international renown.

Learn more

BA DEGREE PROGRAM

a flexible music pathway

Not looking for the professional music degree but still want to major in music? Then we offer the 4-year BA degree program. This program requires a student to complete 74 credits hours of music courses…and you still have access to our award-winning faculty!

Learn more

MUSIC MINOR

augment your major

We offer a general music minor – 27 credit hours, that includes 15 credits of upper-division music courses chosen in consultation with a music advisor. We offer a specific minor in audio production – 27 credits, dedicated entirely to courses in audio and media production. And we offer a specific minor in jazz studies – 27 credits, dedicated to courses in jazz and popular music.

Learn more

MUSIC ENSEMBLES

We offer multiple opportunities for music students to participate in various instrumental and vocal ensembles.

Not a music major? No problem! We welcome and encourage all WOU students to join our ensembles. We also provide tuition remissions for eligible, non-music majors to participate in ensembles. Please contact the ensemble director for more information pertaining to auditions and tuition remissions.

View ensembles

Instrumental Ensembles

large ensembles

Wind Ensemble

Jazz Orchestra

Latin Jazz Ensemble

Salem Pops Orchestra

chamber ensembles

Brass Quintet

Chamber Strings

Early Music Ensemble

Percussion Ensemble

Saxophone Quartet

Vocal Ensembles

chamber & large ensembles

Concert Choir

Chamber Singers

Early Music Ensemble

Opera Scenes

Voices Jazz Choir

FACULTY

Dr. Diane Baxter

Dr. Dirk Freymuth

Associate Professor of Music

DMA – University of Southern California
WOU information

Dr. Dirk Freymuth is an active recording engineer throughout the United States. He teaches audio production, music history, careers in music, and directs the early music ensemble. He oversees all aspects of the recording facilities.

Dr. Diane Baxter

Dr. James “Ike” Nail

Professor of Music

DMA – University of Texas, Austin
WOU information

Dr. Ike Nail oversees all aspects of the instrumental music education and instrumental music program. He teaches conducting and directs the wind ensemble and chamber string ensemble. Dr. Nail has received the Oregon Symphony Association Music Educator of the Year (2009) and the OMEA Music Educator of the Year (2014).

Dr. Diane Baxter

Dr. James Reddan

Department Head, Associate Professor of Music

DMA – Boston University
WOU information

Winner of the WOU Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award (2021), Dr. James Reddan is the director of choirs and choral music education. His choirs have performed throughout the world and he serves as an active adjudicator, guest clinician, and speaker. He teaches choral conducting, directs the chamber singers and concert choir, and has a curious fascination with assessment rubrics!

Dr. Diane Baxter

Dr. Kevin Walczyk

Graduate Coordinator, Professor of Music

DMA – University of North Texas
WOU information

Dr. Kevin Walczyk oversees the composition studies program where he teaches film scoring, jazz arranging, orchestration, and composition. He is recipient of both the Pastega Award for Excellence in Scholarship (2015), the Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching (1999), and the Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award (2007).

Dr. Diane Baxter

Dr. Adam Harris

NTT Assistant Professor

DMA – University of Washington
WOU information

Dr. Adam Harris is an Oregon-based jazz saxophonist, composer and music educator. He oversees all aspects of the WOU instrumental jazz program. He has shared the stage with some of the world’s most famous jazz musicians, including Wynton Marsalis, Dave Holland, Randy Brecker and Joshua Redman.

Dr. Diane Baxter

Dr. Claire Hudkins

NTT Assistant Professor

DMA – Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
WOU information

Dr. Claire Hudkins oversees the vocal performance studies area and directs the Western Oregon Voices – Jazz Choir. She is well versed in multiple styles, including opera, jazz, pop, folk, classical, and musical theatre.

Dr. Diane Baxter

Dr. Joel Alberto Garza

NTT Assistant Professor

DMA – Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
WOU information

Dr. Joel Alberto Garza is Director of Percussion Studies at Western Oregon University. He has performed nationwide at events including PASIC, SICPP (Summer Institute for Contemporary Performance Practice), TMEA, OMEA (Ohio), and the Contemporary Art Music Project (CAMP) CAMPGround22 International New Music Festival.

Dr. Diane Baxter

Jackie Ortiz Morelli

NTT Assistant Professor

MM – University of Oregon
WOU information

Jackie Ortiz-Morelli serves as staff accompanist, piano instructor, and teaches piano proficiency. Mrs. Morelli serves as the West Coast coordinator of all things pertaining to the University of Kansas basketball program. “Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!”

Dr. Diane Baxter

Dr. Carlos Velez

NTT Assistant Professor

DMA – Cleveland Institute of Music
WOU information

Dr. Carlos Velez teaches music theory, aural skills, flute performance, and composition applied lessons. He is an award-winning composer of national and international renown with numerous commissions.

Meet all our faculty

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

NEW STUDENT CHECKLIST

At Western Oregon University we understand that selecting the right university and music degree program takes time and a little research. Incoming freshmen, transfer students, and graduate students who are ready to take the steps to begin pursuing a music degree with us are encouraged to visit campus, take a free lesson with your prospective applied lessons professor, make application to the university, and schedule an audition for program entry and scholarships.

NEW STUDENT INFORMATION FORM

Please fill out the NEW STUDENT INFORMATION FORM so the we can get to know you better and direct your inquiries to the correct faculty member(s).

SCHEDULE A CAMPUS VISIT

We encourage you to spend a day with us while classes are in session. Take a campus tour, visit our classes, perform in an ensemble, and receive a free private lesson. This is the best way to see if WOU is the right fit for you. Contact the music department to schedule your visit. Campus tours can usually be scheduled on the same day through the admissions office.

MAKE APPLICATION

Undergraduates will make formal application to the university through the admission website. Graduates will make formal application through the graduate studies website. We accept applications throughout the year. We suggest, however, that you apply early so that you will meet eligibility requirements and deadlines for scholarships.

SCHEDULE AN AUDITION

Entry into the music program requires a formal audition, which takes place in early February. The audition is also used by the music faculty to determine scholarships. Please read all information pertaining to the guidelines for auditions and scholarships.

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LAURA KILLIP
Interim program & facilities coordinator
(503) 838-8340
e-mail: killipl@wou.edu
Campbell Hall 105 & Rice Auditorium 101
M-F 8:00AM-noon & 12:30 - 3:15PM

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WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
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Monmouth OR 97361

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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