Music

The Department of Music

Department website: music.barnard.edu
Office location: 319 Milbank Hall
Office contact: 212-854-2085, garcher@barnard.edu

Director: Gail Archer, garcher@barnard.edu

Department Manager: Karen Arciola, karciola@barnard.edu

The Study of Music

Mission

The Barnard Music Program provides the vocal program for the university, which includes the Barnard-Columbia Chorus and Chamber Choir, solo studio voice lessons and two levels of limited-enrollment vocal classes, Technique in Singing, and the Vocal Repertoire Class. In addition, the program provides a music history course, Introduction to Music, which is a year-long survey of Western European art music, from sixth-century Gregorian Chant to the work of living composers. The course fulfills the Fine and Performing Arts requirement of the General Education Requirements and also serves as a pre-requisite for the music major. Students may complete a senior project in music repertoire by presenting an hour-long recital, or may write a fifty-page thesis project in music research. The successful student will gain professional level performance skills though studio lessons and the theory and ear training sequence, and gain a comprehensive knowledge of music history from the courses in historical musicology and ethnomusicology provided by the Music Department at Columbia University.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully graduate with a major in Music will be able to attain the following outcomes:

• Analyze the harmonic structure of art music and identify schools of composition by historic period and nationality
• Read music at sight at the keyboard, with their instrument, or sight sing representative excerpts from all periods of Western European art music
• Perform at a professional level vocally or instrumentally
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the diversity of style, musical period and mastery of the representative literature for voice or instrument
• Apply knowledge of musical theories, traditions and periods to the study of the major
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Explain the theoretical concepts and organizational principles, harmony, pitch, and rhythm of both non-Western and Western art music

Programs of Study

Major

Minor

Student Advising

Advising Resources

• Prospective majors and minors should consult with Gail Archer, garcher@barnard.edu
  • Office hours: Mon/Wed 12:30-2:20pm, Tue 9:30-11:30am, Thu 5-6pm
• Program planning meetings planned in the Fall/Spring

Guidance for First-Year Students

The following Fall 2026 courses are recommended for First-Year students:

• MUSI BC1001 - An Introduction to Music I
• MUSI BC1002 - An Introduction to Music II
• MUSI UN1593 - Barnard-Columbia Chorus I
• MUSI UN1595 - Barnard-Columbia Chambr Singer

Enrolling in Courses

• Courses requiring an audition, contact Gail Archer, garcher@barnard.edu
• Prerequisite coursework that all students must have completed or should pursue in order to be eligible for courses in major, minor include:
  • MUSI BC1001- An Introduction to Music I
    or
  • MUSI BC1002- An Introduction to Music II
• Prospective music majors are advised to satisfy the prerequisites prior to their declaration as majors or before the end of their sophomore year

Courses Taken Outside of Barnard

Columbia University Courses

All Columbia College Music courses are accepted towards the major.

Transfer Credit

When students wish to transfer credit to Barnard from other institutions, their coursework is first evaluated for college elective credit by the Registrar's Office.  Once approved, course can be considered by departments for credit toward the major or minor.

Senior Capstone Project

Senior Seminar for Music Majors (MUSI BC3992)- Students write a 20-25 page essay on a topic of their choice.

Senior Project: Research for Music (MUSI BC3990)- Students extend the paper they have written in the Senior Seminar course to create a 50 page written thesis.

Senior Project: Music Reperatory (MUSI BC3991) - Students prepare a 1 hour long concert program featuring music from a variety of historical periods.

2026-2027 Faculty

Director
Gail Archer (Professor of Professional Practice)

Adjunct Lecturers  
Jean-Paul Björlin
Harolyn Blackwell
Coralie Gallet
Marilyn Louise McCoy
Josephine Mongiardo-Cooper
Lauren Ninoshvili
Robert Osborne

Requirements for the Music Major

You need a total of 48 points, minimum, for our major across two tracks:

12 points Music Theory I-IV
  4 points Ear Training I-IV
  6 points Music History I/II
  6 points 2000-level courses
  9 points 3000-4000-level courses
  4 points vocal or instrumental lessons
  4 points Senior Seminar
  3 points Senior Project: Research or Repertoire

Program of Study: To be planned with the department consultant before the end of the sophomore year. Prospective music majors should complete the prerequisites by the end of their sophomore year and are encouraged to complete them by the end of their first year. By the end of her first year as a music major, the student should select a faculty adviser.

Prerequisite: MUSI BC1001 AN INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC I or MUSI BC1002 AN INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC II, MUSI UN1002 FUNDAMENTALS OF MUSIC, and MUSI UN1312 INTRODUCTORY EAR-TRAINING. Prospective music majors are advised to satisfy the prerequisites prior to their declaration as majors or before the end of their sophomore year. This requirement may be fulfilled either through successful completion of the courses or satisfactory performance on examinations administered each semester by the department.

Courses: At least 40 points, including MUSI UN2318 MUSIC THEORY I - MUSI UN2319 MUSIC THEORY II; MUSI UN3321 MUSIC THEORY III - MUSI UN3322 MUSIC THEORY IV; four semesters of ear training, unless the student is exempt by exam; the following two history courses: MUSI UN3128 History of Western Music: Middle Ages to Baroque and MUSI UN3129 History of Western Music: Classical Era to 20th Century; and at least three 3000- or 4000-level electives in her area of interest (theory, history, composition, or ethnomusicology). The remaining points are chosen from 2000- to 4000-levels. No more than 6 points of 2000-level courses and no more than 4 points of instrumental or vocal lessons will count toward the major.

Senior Project: In the fall semester of the senior year, a major must enroll in MUSI BC3992 SENIOR SEM FOR MUSIC MAJORS in which the student will write a paper which deals with primary sources. In the spring semester of the senior year, a student will either work with their adviser to expand the paper written in the senior seminar by taking MUSI BC3990 SENIOR PROJ:RESEARCH FOR MUSIC, or will take MUSI BC3991 SENIOR PROJ: MUSIC REPERTORY and prepare an hour-long vocal or instrumental recital, or compose an original composition.

Keyboard Proficiency: Music majors will be required to take a keyboard proficiency exam, which must be arranged by making an appointment with a member of the piano faculty, immediately upon declaration of the major. Those who do not pass the exam will be required to take MUSI W1517 Keyboard Harmony and Musicianship - MUSI UN1518 KEYBOARD HARMONY/MUSICIANSHIP, for 1 point each term, which will count against the maximum 4 points allowed toward completion of the major.

Languages: For students who plan to do graduate work in music, the study of German, French, Italian, and/or Latin is recommended.

Note: With the permission of Gail Archer, Barnard Director, students may take lessons at the Manhattan School of Music or the Julliard School. For non-majors, there is a six semester limit, but majors may continue for the remainder of their program.

Practice Rooms: Piano practice rooms are available, at a nominal fee, upon application to the Music Department in 319 Milbank. Application should be made during the first week of classes. Preference in assigning hours is given to students taking piano instruction, majors, and concentrators, in order of application. The organ studio in St. Paul's Chapel is available for organ practice. Arrangements should be made with Mary Monroe, Associate in Organ Performance, during the first week of classes.

Requirements for Ethnomusicology Track in the Music Major

The ethnomusicology track combines the social science of music in such courses as the Social Science of Music and Asian Music Humanities, together with anthropology as a regular option for all students.  All  special majors in ethnomusicology must take two courses in anthropology at the recommendation  of the Barnard anthropology department in consultation with ethnomusicology faculty at Columbia.

Courses for an ethnomusicology track in the music major

Pre-requisite: One semester of Introduction to Music MUSI BC1001 AN INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC I or MUSI BC1002 AN INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC II

Course List

Code	Title	Points
MUSI UN2314	EAR-TRAINING I	1
MUSI UN2315	EAR-TRAINING II	1
MUSI UN2318	MUSIC THEORY I	3
MUSI UN2319	MUSIC THEORY II	3
MUSI V3420	The Social Science of Music	3
Up to 4 performance credits (lessons or ensembles)		4
One 3000-level wester music history course		3
One Asian Humanities-Music (AHMM) course		3
Three ethnomusicology electives, one at the 2000-level and the other from the upper division electives		9
Two courses in Anthropology, one at the introduction to cultural anthropology level; the other, an elective		6
Ethnographic thesis of 30-40 pages, developed over the senior year		6

Requirements for the Minor

4 Terms of Theory

MUSI UN2318 MUSIC THEORY I  MUSI UN2319 MUSIC THEORY II

MUSI UN3321 MUSIC THEORY III  MUSI UN3322 MUSIC THEORY IV

4 Terms of Ear-Training (unless student is exempt by exam)

MUSI UN2314 EAR-TRAINING I  MUSI UN2315 EAR-TRAINING II

MUSI UN3316 EAR-TRAINING III  MUSI UN3317 EAR-TRAINING IV

2 Terms of History

MUSI UN3128 History of Western Music: Middle Ages to Baroque  

MUSI UN3129 History of Western Music: Classical Era to 20th Century  

Instrumental Instruction and Performance Courses

Please note: In the instrumental lesson listed below, all offered on a weekly, individual basis, a course of half-hour lessons earns 1 point of credit, and a course of one-hour lessons earns 2 points of credit. Unless otherwise indicated on auditions and registration is posted during the fall registration period by director of Music Performance Program.

 

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