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Many things make music study at Mount Allison special. We are consistently ranked as one of the top universities in Canada. Our Music Department has a strong national reputation for excellence in teaching, creative activity and scholarly research.

The study and performance of music have been an integral part of Mount Allison for over 125 years. Today we welcome students who intend to follow professional careers in music, as well as those who wish to study and perform music on an elective basis or as an extra-curricular activity.

In our degree programs, we develop well-rounded musicians. The integration of our academic courses and musical activities provides students with specialized music training as well as a sound basis in the liberal arts. We present courses in music educa-tion, music theory and composition, music history and literature, and performance. We offer performance study in piano, harpsichord, organ, voice, brass, woodwinds, bowed strings, guitar, and percussion.

Our degree programs are intended to offer several levels of involvement in music:

• The Bachelor of Music program stresses the professional training of excellent musicians. In this program, about three-quarters of a student’s courses are in music. Instruction in musical performance is a central part of this program, with all students taking at least three (and most students four) years of advanced private lessons on their chosen instrument. The program is flexible, allowing students to focus freely on the areas of musical study that best suit their interests and career plans.
• The Bachelor of Arts (Major and Honours in Music) programs are designed for students whose wish to balance musical study equally with that of another subject or subjects: about half of this program’s courses are in music. There is the possibility of performance study, though this program is more suited for those who might be thinking of careers in music scholarship, librarianship, broadcasting or similar fields.
• Students in any degree program at Mount Allison may complete a Minor in Music, which requires that about one-quarter of the program courses be in Music. Many students in other disciplines have strong musical interests, and this program is intended to appeal to them.

Music study at Mount Allison offers many advantages:

• A faculty of excellent musicians and music scholars. Nine of our eleven full-time faculty members have doctoral degrees in their fields; all are highly experienced and committed to nurturing talented students.
• First-rate facilities. The Marjorie Young Bell Conservatory of Music is one of the finest university music buildings in the country. It houses a 350-seat recital hall; studios, offices, and classrooms; ample practice rooms and ensemble rehearsal rooms; an outstanding collection of musical instruments, a new, well-equipped music computer lab and a digital creative sound studio; the Music Library; and separate choral and instrumental music collections.
• The Alfred Whitehead Memorial Music Library, certainly the finest library of its kind in Atlantic Canada. Recently expanded, the Music Library holds thousands of books, recordings, videos, scores, and periodicals, as well as listening, video-viewing, and computer-equipped study areas.
• The Atlantic Regional Office of the Canadian Music Centre. Mount Allison has long been associated with the study of Canadian culture, and the presence of the CMC Atlantic Office brings resources to our students that almost no other university in Canada can offer.
• A generous and growing scholarship program, including renewable and single-year entrance scholarships, bursaries, and in-course awards. Our top entrance music scholarship is currently valued at $6000 a year, renew-able for four years. In total, the Music Department had over $27,000 in music entrance scholarship funds avail-able this past year, and another $20,000 for in-course awards – and many of our students also hold valuable University scholarships.
• Outstanding students! We consistently draw young musicians of great talent and academic promise from the Atlantic region, from across the country, and from abroad. They challenge us to bring out their best, and they stimulate each other to do the same. When they leave Mount Allison, they go on to successful careers in teaching, performance, scholarship, and many other fields. We are enormously proud of their achievement, and the chance to join their company would be a privilege for any prospective student!
If you have more questions about studying music at Mount Allison, what should you do? Contact us!
Here’s how:
• Visit our web site. Click on “Admissions” for extensive information on our programs, application procedures, our Music Application Form, and much more. You might particularly find useful our page called “How Can You Prepare to Study Music at University?”. We also have a complete sample of our Entrance Assessment, including sound files and answers to the sample questions.
• Send us an e-mail at musdept@mta.ca or call us at (506) 364–2374.
• Come visit us! This is undoubtedly the best way to get to know the University and the Music Department. Mount Allison’s Registrar's Office runs an excellent campus tour program; read about it at www.mta.ca/administration/sas/admissions/tours.htm. If you visit, we invite you to sit in on a class, speak with our students, meet with us to discuss your plans, and take a tour of the Conservatory. If time allows, you may even be able to get a free performance mini-lesson from one of our faculty members! Check our Web site for details and contact us is you’re planning to visit!

All the best for your musical future!

Department Website

Academic Calendar: Music