This program provides a new approach to musical study that enables students to develop a personal, artistic voice, capable of making a positive difference in the world.

MUM launches Creative Musical Arts Program
by Maharishi University of Management, Iowa, USA, Achievements
1 July 2010

Maharishi University of Management is launching a new music program this fall, with courses on songwriting and music technology. Faculty will include renowned musicians from New York City and the University of Michigan.

Students can earn a 20-credit minor in Creative Musical Arts, choose music as a specialization of the BA in Media and Communications degree, or take music classes as electives. The department plans to expand the program into a major and a graduate program. The first academic year will commence with a summer festival of music workshops and concerts during the first week of August.

“I’ve been fortunate to have an incredibly knowledgeable and dynamic team of professionals helping me design the curriculum,” said professor Isabelle Matzkin, who will head the program. “We are developing a very innovative approach to musical study, centered around the systematic development of creativity.”

The program hopes to accommodate the wide range of musical interests among the students, from composing to performance to creating music digitally.

Among the key individuals spearheading the program are Ed Sarath, professor of music and founder of the jazz department at the University of Michigan; Jane Pitt, award-winning composer and singer-songwriter; and Donald Sosin, professional film composer and performer. A number of other musicians are scheduled to teach courses as well, including top professionals in the fields of performing, composing, teaching, and music technology.

Courses scheduled for the 2010/11 academic year include A New Approach to Music Theory; The Artistry of Songwriting; Music, Consciousness, and Veda; and Creative Music Technology.

The program will also offer ongoing performance instruction with professional musicians in the area including individual and group lessons, as well as choirs and other ensembles. Some ensembles, such as the university choir, will also be open to members of the Fairfield community.

“Music has a powerfully harmonizing and integrating influence on the individual and the environment,” said professor Matzkin. “Our goal is to provide an educational setting where students will harness that power and develop a personal, artistic voice capable of making a positive difference in the world.”

For more information or to apply contact MUM Admissions at admissions@mum.edu or 1-800-369-6480 (from outside the USA: 1-641-472-1110).

© Copyright 2010 Maharishi University of Management