Music Department
The CRC Music Department offers a stimulating environment where enthusiastic faculty mentor motivated students to help them succeed and thrive in a wide variety of musical pursuits. Music Majors study with renowned faculty and receive one-on-one lessons in our unique Applied Music lesson program. Our Orchestra, Choirs, Concert Band, and Jazz Band ensembles are supplemented by a thriving Composition program, Gospel Choir, Artists In Residence, as well as an acclaimed Guest Artist series. Our two-year degrees and one-year certificate programs provide unique training opportunities that can help students transfer to prestigious four-year institutions and help others begin working in the field immediately. Be a part of the art, today!
So You Want to Be a Music Major?
Music is a lifelong adventure - our programs will provide you with the important first steps towards achieving your goals. To successfully complete the AA-T and/or AA Degree, we highly recommend that students refer to the Program Maps posted on the Music Program page.
Each Music major must choose one major instrument (or voice) of study. To help gain proficiency, the Applied Lessons course (MUIVI 410) provides weekly individual instruction with a private instructor, and might be the most important class of the degree.
Applied Music Auditions for Music Majors
CRC's two-year program in music provides students with a foundation in music theory and history, in addition to allowing specialization in either instrumental, keyboard, or vocal performance areas. Registered Music Major students may begin this specialization by auditioning for Applied Music courses.
Jennifer Rineman says she’s most “on fire” when she’s singing. That must be an awesome feeling for a cancer survivor who suffers from anxiety and a mild auditory processing disorder. Jennifer’s overcoming of all that–and self-criticism too–in order to sing is because she found her way to Cosumnes River College and is now following her dream: majoring in music and classical voice.
Jennifer had always regretted not finishing her degree, a task she started in the early ‘90s after high school and tried to work on over the years. The cancer diagnosis in 2015 brought on the motivation she needed to finally get it done. Jennifer wondered though if her age would be a barrier and if she would “fit in.” To Jennifer’s relief, the students and instructors accepted her from the start and are fantastic. CRC, she says, is like a family.
Now her plan is to go on and get a Bachelor of Music degree, possibly a master’s and even a doctorate so to teach at the college level. She will also enjoy a career performing and teaching private lessons. Jennifer cautions young students tempted to postpone college. It does get harder to go once you have a full-time job and a family, she warns. But as Jennifer will attest, if college will lead to a job you really want, you can make it work. It’s never too late to start or go back to college.
Upcoming Performances
Follow @musicatcrc
