Document text
SOU offering degree to study the music industry By Kevin Opsahl Updated: Jun 28, 2022 06:54 AM A A Students can earn a degree in ‘Music Industry and Production Studies’ Southern Oregon University students Lio Maclean, left, and Brandon Stark, right, perform at the Rock Show Gala, opening the Oregon Fringe Festival, earlier this year. (Photo by Marvin Walder/courtesy SOU) Southern Oregon University has long taught musicians how to play in a band. Now, it’s going to teach them how to be the ones who make it all happen behind the scenes. The university announced this week it is offering a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in music industry and production studies. “The degree is designed to be as diverse as possible to prepare our students for (how) wide and rich the music industry is,” said Derek Keller, SOU assistant professor of music. “By this, I’m not looking to make rock stars out of our students.” He wrote much of the course curriculum, which differs only in that there’s a language requirement with the B.A., to include classes in marketing and business, among other areas of study. “When we hear the words ‘music industry’ or ‘music business,’ it frightens a lot of the rock star types away — when, in fact, it’s exactly what they need,” Keller said. “Whereas, if you say, ‘music industry,’ the fact is, it could actually capture a lot of people that don’t necessarily want to be on stage; they would rather push the faders or be on the post-production side.” That is not to say students in the new degree won’t have any interaction with ensemble players; they will. The first year of the program requires music theory, which will put the new cohort “elbow to elbow” with woodwind and string instrumentalists. “But then, they break away (to take) these other courses in audio music production sequence,” Keller said, noting SOU is one of only two institutions in the state that is a “learning partner” with AVID, the software developer of Pro Tools, the industry-standard audio/music production software. A “handful” of students have already signed up for Music Industry and Production Studies, according to Keller, and prospective students can do so at any time, since admissions are on a rolling basis. “The word has gotten out that we have these courses and there’s a degree coming,” he said. “There are at least two, if not three, people that have switched their majors from biology to music so they can do this degree.” Keller would like to see 10 students enrolled in Music Industry and Production Studies by the fall, when the program is unveiled in full. “We’re going to do another media blitz in the fall, so all the seniors across the state, and regionally, will see what’s going on and consider SOU and consider a degree in Music Industry Studies,” Keller said. Long term, he hopes the program produces 10 more students per year so it eventually has maybe close to 50 students. “It’s going to take a while to get some momentum,” Keller said. Meanwhile, for students who don’t want to pursue the full degree in music industry and production, SOU offers certificates in these areas, including sound design, audio and music production. One of Keller’s students, Cameron Kolpak, completed one of those certificates and earned a credential of “AVID Certified ProTools User” with three other students. “This is a huge portfolio piece and increases my marketability to music industry jobs, and allows me comfortability on these programs for my personal use as a musician,” Kolpak said. He is exploring career opportunities in anything from music production to movies to vocal performance. “If I were a freshman now, I certainly would have applied for the B.S. in Music Industry and Production Studies,” Kolpak said. “As a musician who is interested in popular music, rather than classical music, I felt throughout my education that there were topics in music I wanted to study, but couldn't because it wasn't offered at the time.” He said the ability to program is a skill “increasingly important to musicians, now more than ever.” Another of Keller’s students, SOU senior Erik Wiggins, will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in music. But he plans to return to SOU to receive a second degree in music industry and production. “Had the MIP program been available at my initial enrollment, I would have most likely gone that route over the B.S. in Music,” Wiggins said. “I believe the curriculum for the MIP is forward thinking, and as we continue to transition to digital, it will be necessary to do anything in music.” With another degree in hand, he hopes to open a music academy for pre-K to 12th graders in Southern Oregon “I chose to enroll in SOU’s music program to accomplish this goal. This was (and is) the best decision I have made,” Wiggins said. Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.