Purpose

The B.M. in Commercial Music degree is designed to provide five essentials needed for successful development as a musician training for a career in the commercial music industry:

1. Core studies in Commercial Music Studies, including: Music Theory and Musicianship, Music Technology, and introductory Music Business and Entrepreneurial concepts for the Commercial Musician;
2. Ensemble Experience;
3. Applied instruction on primary and secondary instruments;
4. Hands-on experience in the music industry under the supervision and mentoring of well-established, professional practitioners; and,
5. Studies in the specialized concentrations in Commercial Performance, Songwriting, Jazz Studies, Film Scoring (Film and Media) Recording Engineering and Producing or Publishing and Producing.

It is our belief that graduates from the School of Music’s Department of Commercial Music will possess such a high level of musical and industry level skill that they will convey the unique mission of Liberty University to the world -- through the Commercial Music field -- as stage artists, songwriters, recording session performers and studio musicians, studio engineers and producers, front-of-house engineers, film score composers, and publishers of music for the evangelical community. Additionally, the emphasis of a Commercial Music degree taught with a specifically Christian Worldview, by professors committed to sound conservative Evangelical theology, sets Liberty University’s Commercial Music curriculum apart from other “music industry” type programs and provides a significant influence in the commercial music industry as a whole.

With the establishment of the Zaki Gordon Center for Cinematic Arts, a fresh new approach to film making and industry influence has emerged. As a complement to the substantial efforts of this new film division, the School of Music has developed a degree in Commercial Music, with at least five optional concentrations, for the purpose of equipping skilled musicians to work closely with these new Christian filmmakers, producing Christian-based film that will impact the culture and the world for Christ.

Finally, all commercial music majors experience intense, industry focused, and evangelical community enriched practicum and internships. These experiences are designed, guided and supervised by skilled leadership in the School of Music’s Department of Practicum.

Four strategic target audiences are served by this degree:

1. Students interested in a diversified commercial music approach to Jazz Studies or Music Performance in a conservative evangelical university.
2. Students interested in writing music for film or music for short films for worship.
3. Students interested in developing skill as a Christian artist or songwriter.
4. Students interested in a developing skill as a recording engineer, producer or publisher strategically serving the evangelical community.

Students pursuing the B.M. in Commercial Music degrees are required to successfully complete: a piano proficiency; attend 56 approved concerts and recitals; maintain a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all MUSC courses; successfully pass a Freshman Promotional Jury and Sophomore performance review; and conducting.

Program Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to:

• Demonstrate technical fluency, expressiveness, style, and professionalism in musical performance.
• Apply broad-based knowledge of music through research in the areas of music history, music theory, and music literature.
• Integrate Christian faith into the discipline of commercial music.

Commercial Performance Concentration

The student will be able to:

• Formulate a strategy for developing a successful career in the music industry.
• Develop contextually based worship strategies.

Film Scoring Concentration (Film and Media)

The student will be able to:

• Compose music soundtracks with electronic instruments and traditional acoustic instruments for commercial media.
• Create commercial music projects that involve syncing music to film.

Jazz Studies Concentration

The student will be able to:

• Arrange commercial music in a jazz style.
• Perform written and improvised commercial music in a jazz style.

Publishing and Producing Concentration

• The student will be able to create quality commercial music content using best practices in music publishing and audio production for worship.

Recording Engineering and Producing Concentration

• The student will be able to create quality commercial live and recorded music content using best practices in current audio technology and production.

Songwriting Concentration

The student will be able to:

• Demonstrate the process of writing, preparing, and presenting a song for professional publication.
• Develop contextually based worship strategies.

Delivery Format: Residential Only

• Artist
• Film score composer
• Jazz artist
• Music producer and publisher
• Songwriter
• Sound engineer