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Music

Forward-thinking musicians thrive at Cornish. Our legacy includes maverick composers, cutting-edge jazz, and international performers. Here, you'll work with world-renowned faculty mentors to refine your skills and develop your own path in the music industry.

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Bachelor of Music (BM)

What Will You Learn
as A Music Major at Cornish?

Cornish has pioneered a unified degree that grounds our students in the essentials, yet offers individualized pathways that lead to discovery.

Vocalists, instrumentalists, and composers work side-by-side in the same curriculum, allowing ample opportunity for focused study and experimentation. As a music major, you’ll center your work in private instruction in your primary area of study, develop advanced skills in theory, composition, and music technology, and collaborate on your own creative projects.

Understand music through the lens of history, culture, and politics. Learn to communicate these ideas effectively as a performer, writer, and speaker.

See BM Degree Requirements and Model Program
I believe individual creativity gives rise to creative solutions to social problems. My music is a reflection of these ideas, and my journey to arrive at this way of thinking started at Cornish. Beth Fleenor (MU ‘04)

Explore Your Major


 

Student & Alumni Work

Students | Alums

Gregg Belisle​-​chi (BM ’11)

Martin Budde

Marina DeMarco

Denny Euprasert (BM ’92)

Celeste Felsheim

Kayce Guthmiller

Students | Alums

Amy Hall

Liam Hardison (BM ’19)

Dylan Hayes (BM ’19)

Payton Redwood (BM ’19)


David Semon (BM ’19)

Adam Torres

Cornish Ensembles

Cornish Jazz Ensemble: Natasha

Cornish Jazz Ensemble: Shoot From the Hip

Cornish Latin Ensemble

Student Performances

Delving into newer works, into improv, into Persian music, it’s been so helpful to find stuff like that to help me find my place in the musical world. Lily Shababi (MU ’19)

 


 

Cornish was an integral part of my growth as a musician. Tigran Arakelyan, (MU ‘10)

Music Faculty + Staff

Music

James Falzone

Academic Dean, Professor of Music
Music
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Tom Baker

Professor
Composition, Theory, Electronic Music
Music

Ryan Devlin

Singer Songwriter Instructor
Music
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Kaley Lane Eaton

Chair of Music, Interim Associate Professor
Music
Johnaye Kendrick music faculty

Johnaye Kendrick

Professor of Music
Music

Natalie Lerch

Professor
Voice, Pedagogy
Music
Kelsey Mines

Kelsey Mines

Bass Instructor
Music
Kerry O’Brien headshot

Kerry O'Brien

Instructor of Musicology and Percussion
Music
Beserat Tafesse headshot

Beserat Tafesse

Trombone Instructor
Music

Tom Varner

Associate Professor of Music
Music
marina albero instructor

Marina Albero

Instructor, Piano
Music
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Kelly Ash

Instructor
Voice, Songwriting
Music
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Heather Bentley

Instructor
Viola, Ensembles
Music

Greg Campbell

Instructor
Music
Ruthiue Dornfeld

Ruthie Dornfeld

Instructor, Fiddle
Music
Leanna Keith

Leanna Keith

Instructor, Flute
Music
Ray Larsen

Ray Larsen

Instructor of Music
Music

Michael Jinsoo Lim

Instructor
Violin
Music

Michael Nicolella

Instructor
Guitar
Music
jesse myers piano

Jesse Myers

Instructor, Piano
Music
Neil Welch saxophone instructor

Neil Welch

Instructor, Saxophone

Faculty Emeriti | Music
Jarrad Powell, Professor Emeritus | 1984 – 2020
Paul Taub, Professor Emeritus | 1979 – 2018 | (d. 2021)
Janice Giteck, Professor Emerita | 1979 – 2016
Jim Knapp, Professor Emeritus | 1971 – 2016
Dr. Peter Mack, Professor Emeritus | 1987 – 2021


Recent Cornish News & Blog Posts

cornish news graphic

Media Coverage

Cornish Alum Suzanna Son Featured for Breakout Role in ‘Red Rocket'

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Lenora St. Blog

From the Classical to the Cutting Edge: Interim Music Professor Kaley Eaton Embraces Music Technology in the Classroom

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cornish in the news graphic

Media Coverage

Former Instructor Jerry Granelli Featured on Jazz Northwest

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Make Music in Seattle