NASM Accreditation
The Kean Music Dept. is fully accredited by the
prestigious National Association of Schools of Music,
and recently received the renewal of its accreditation
from 2000-2010.
An
Outstanding Music Education Program
The Kean Music Dept. has a
strong reputation for the preparation of music teachers,
and boasts an excellent record for placing its graduates
in public school teaching jobs. The program was
thoroughly revised and strengthened in Fall 2001.
A Mid-Sized Department
The Music Dept has eight Resident faculty, eight
Concert Artists, and thirty-two adjunct faculty. These
professors are dedicated to developing the talents of
the sixty to seventy music majors/minors enrolled each
semester, as well as their general music students. Thus,
although the faculty and the program are large enough to
offer a full range of undergraduate courses and thorough
training, students also receive a generous amount of
faculty attention as well as solos and other performance
opportunities they might not get in a school with
200-400 music majors. The music students at Kean
University are a close-knit, supportive group of
talented musicians. Because the learning environment in
our department is friendly as well as professional, it
is gratifying to see students making a great deal of
progress from year to year.
Concert Artist Program
In
1998, world-class performance was established at the
university with the unique Concert Artist Program.
Performers of national/international distinction now
teach music majors and minors at Kean, and also perform
on campus as well as area schools.
www.keanconcertartists.com
Classical Concert Series
Recent performances at Kean include concerts by Emerson
String Quartet, Empire Brass Quartet, Los Romeros,
Vienna Choir Boys, soprano Harolyn Blackwell, cellist
Daniel Lee, guitarist Sharon Isbin, violinist Leila
Josefowicz, and pianists Misha Dichter and Jeffrey
Siegal.
Location and Concerts in NYC
Kean is 10 miles from NYC, and the Music Dept. features
frequent bus trips to Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and
the Metropolitan Opera. With the new train stop across
from the university, it takes about ½ hour to get into
“the city.” Kean is also centrally located in the state,
and has unsurpassed access to New Jersey¹s highways as
it is a short driving distance from the Garden State
Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike, Routes 22, 78, 24, and
1/9.
New Instruments and Technology
All of Kean’s practice rooms and classrooms are equipped
with new Kawai and Yamaha pianos, including a number of
grands. Students and faculty also regularly make use of
a Steinway 7’ grand and two 9’ Steinway concert grands.
In 2000, the department also acquired a number of new
band instruments to support the instrumental program. In
addition, the Music Dept. boasts a state-of-the-art
computer music facility with Macintosh G4 computers,
high-end Kawai digital pianos with 88 full-weighted
keys, and a myriad of other digital audio and
MIDI-related hardware. Recently, several music
classrooms were technologically enhanced with
capabilities for Power Point presentations, DVD/CD,
internet access, etc.
Long Class Periods
Whereas many of the New Jersey state schools hold 50
minute classes, Kean University classes meet for 1 hour
and 20 minutes, allowing the students and professors a
much more in-depth educational experience. The
atmosphere is also decidedly less hurried than in a
traditional 50-minute class meeting, allowing more time
for questions and faculty-student interaction.
Rewarding Ensemble Experiences
The Kean Concert Choir has performed many major works
with orchestra and student soloists. The choir toured
Boston in 1999, Washington D.C in 2000, and Montreal in
2001 and 2004. The Kean Concert Band is directed by Dr.
Thomas Connors, most recently the director of the
140-piece marching band at Kent State University in
Ohio. The Kean University Jazz Ensemble is directed by
jazz great Andy Fusco, and is extremely popular on and
off campus. Our Chamber Ensembles also providing the
students with an invaluable experience in musical
growth, as does the Kean-affiliated Livingston Symphony
in which Kean University students perform.
Value
Even with its many advantages, Kean¹s tuition is among
the least expensive of the NJ state universities. In
addition, Kean has no applied music fee, whereas many
other schools charge up to $600 per year above tuition
for private lessons saving Kean music students up to
$2,400 over 4 years. We are proud that even with is
exceptional quality, our music education is the most
affordable of New Jersey’s four-year baccalaureate
programs.
