Music department to add bluegrass as a concentration
Megan Messer
Issue date: 2/9/10 Section: Arts & Entertainment
The music department faculty voted to approve a new music major concentration in bluegrass at last Thursday's department meeting.
"Music indigenous to the country is being recognized by academia, and I'm excited that Denison will be at the forefront of this," said Andy Carlson, co-director of the bluegrass program, at Friday night's Infamous Stringsdusters concert in Swasey. Denison will be one of only three schools in the nation to offer a certified bluegrass program. "I foresee this being a trend across the board like jazz in the 1970s," Carlson said.
Sophomore music performance major Craig McClelland plans to take full advantage of the new concentration. "I have had nothing but great experiences with the ensemble, it seems to just foster this environment of friendship and equality, where no one cares how good or bad you are at your instrument, and everyone just wants to help you learn," McClelland said. "Dr. Carlson and Professor Cook are not only great teachers, but they are actually out practicing what they preach, which makes it very easy to trust that they know what they are doing."
Currently, the only bluegrass curriculum consists of the ensemble. Next year, classes might pertain to traditional American music including bluegrass, folk and country, as well as the culture of bluegrass, McClelland speculated.
"Music indigenous to the country is being recognized by academia, and I'm excited that Denison will be at the forefront of this," said Andy Carlson, co-director of the bluegrass program, at Friday night's Infamous Stringsdusters concert in Swasey. Denison will be one of only three schools in the nation to offer a certified bluegrass program. "I foresee this being a trend across the board like jazz in the 1970s," Carlson said.
Sophomore music performance major Craig McClelland plans to take full advantage of the new concentration. "I have had nothing but great experiences with the ensemble, it seems to just foster this environment of friendship and equality, where no one cares how good or bad you are at your instrument, and everyone just wants to help you learn," McClelland said. "Dr. Carlson and Professor Cook are not only great teachers, but they are actually out practicing what they preach, which makes it very easy to trust that they know what they are doing."
Currently, the only bluegrass curriculum consists of the ensemble. Next year, classes might pertain to traditional American music including bluegrass, folk and country, as well as the culture of bluegrass, McClelland speculated.
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