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Music

Have a love for music? Want to explore it deeper? St. Kate’s offers three innovative music majors — Music Studies, Music in the Church and Music Theater — and minors in music studies, theater studies and theater performance studies.

We blend core courses in music theory, world music, and the history of classical and popular music with plenty of opportunities to hone your personal skills. These include singing in a choir, playing with St. Kate’s String Chamber Orchestra or being a cast member in our annual music theater production.

Innovative curriculum

Our music program is unique because most of our courses are not sequential, and we welcome everyone with an interest in music. We have lessons in voice, piano, organ, guitar, flute and orchestral strings. We teach you how to read music or become better at it; we show you how music is made and appreciated around the globe.

Music in the Church majors take courses in both music and theology, guaranteeing an intimate connection between the two disciplines. They participate in liturgies on campus and will have an opportunity to partner with practicing church musicians.

Music Studies majors must take a capstone course and present their findings to the University community as a senior research presentation or senior lecture/recital. This requirement will strengthen both your public speaking and performance skills.

A flexible major

We designed our music majors with you and your many interests in mind. Our students pair their Music Studies or Music in the Church major with another St. Kate’s major, such as business, theology or psychology, to enter fields like music management and liturgical ministry. Some are even triple majors, like St. Kate’s alumna Amanda Yourchuck who studied music performance, French and international relations.

Opportunities to perform

Music students may perform as soloists in periodic Student Performance Hours or in individual recitals. Choral singers regularly find themselves performing thrilling masterworks with professional orchestras in the St. Catherine Choral Society, touring within the United States or abroad with the Women’s Choir, lending their voices to meaningful liturgies, or experiencing Renaissance music, costume and dance as participants in our Christmas Madrigal Feastes.

In our String Chamber Orchestra, student musicians sit side-by-side with professional section leaders to perform string repertoire. Flutists enjoy the woodwind comraderie of playing in our flute choir. Several ethnic music ensembles are also available through the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC). Learn more about ensembles »

Outstanding faculty

St. Kate’s music faculty members are outstanding teachers, respected scholars, gifted performers and caring mentors. Their areas of expertise include piano performance, voice performance, music theory, musicology and ethnomusicology, and choral conducting.

Exceptional facilities

You have the chance to perform in a range of venues, including five locations on the main St. Kate’s campus. The O’Shaughnessy has 1,800 seat-performing arts hall and one of the Midwest’s premiere professional venues; Frey Theater, our black-box facility; Our Lady of Victory Chapel, Jeanne D’Arc Auditorium and the Recital Hall.

Vibrant music scene

Minnesota is home to a talented collection of vocal groups, including the Minnesota Opera, Minnesota Chorale and the VocalEssence Chorus and Ensemble Singers, directed by the renowned Philip Brunelle. Music lovers can catch live music of many genres, including jazz and blues, most days of the week in the Twin Cities. In fact, multi-platinum singer Prince launched his career in Minneapolis.