It was founded in 1896 by Edward MacDowell (1860-1908). Although MacDowell remained at Columbia for only eight years, his remarkable vision for the place of music in a liberal arts institution still influences us today, as we pursue a 21st century vision for music scholarship, performance, and education. MacDowell saw a dual role for musical education at Columbia, and accordingly he divided the ea
rliest courses into two groups: general musical culture and technical training. The legacy of the former group includes Music Humanities, part of Columbia’s Core Curriculum since the 1940’s (and still going strong), as well as the many courses in Western and non-Western repertories offered today for students from all disciplines. Entering its next century, the Music Department maintains and has even expanded its disciplinary depth and diversity. In a recent survey of graduate programs in music in the U.S., Columbia’s was one of only a dozen rated “distinguished.” Graduate applications have more than doubled in six years. Our faculty and students continue to win the most coveted fellowships and awards, from such agencies or organizations as the Guggenheim Foundation, Fulbright, the NEA, the NSF, the Social Science Research Council, the NEH, ASCAP, and the American Academy in Rome, among many others. The number of undergraduates majoring in music at Columbia has grown sharply over the past decade. Music Humanities continues to attract nearly 700 students every semester. The University Orchestra has toured to great acclaim. Each year the Department’s Music Performance Program enables hundreds of students to receive academic credit for lessons and chamber ensembles, including jazz; their teachers are among the best musicians in New York. Columbia has also broadened musical opportunities for its students through an innovative exchange program with the Juilliard School; qualified students at either institution can enroll for courses or lessons for credit at the other. These are just some of the ways in which Music at Columbia thrives today.
