Although the Department of Music was formally founded in 1972, it was in 1969 that Professor Florence Hong was invited to Soochow University to give undergraduate courses in music and to design a future plan of study.  Student response to Professor Hong’s offerings was so enthusiastic that she was prevailed upon to stay and to build the music program herself, thus becoming the mother of the Music Department at Soochow.

 

We offer undergradute and gradute programmes in a variety of musical disciplines.  The bachelor of music degree is intended for students planning careers as performers, composers and arrangers, and high school teachers. Areas of emphasis include Strings, Winds, Brass, Percussion, Keyboard, Vocal Arts and Composition.  Entrance auditions are required for all BA options.The Department of Music also offers two graduate degrees: a Master of Arts in Musicology, and a Master of Arts in Composition, Conducting (choral or instrumental), or Performance (piano, strings, winds, voice). Graduate study may include intensive work in the performance area, continuing development of knowledge in music history and music analysis, philosophical and pedagogical training, and offers opportunities for a wide variety of electives, as well as independent study in various areas of interest.

 

The music department is housed in the attractive, newly built (2008), purpose-designed Second Teaching and Research Building on the Wai Shuang Hsi Campus. It is located near the National Palace Museum and provides an excellent study environment.In addition to teaching rooms there are common rooms, practice rooms, a graduate students study room, a fully-equipped computer music studio, a recital hall and Performing Arts Center. The state-of-the-art 471-seat Performing Arts Center is used for recitals and concerts, and is equipped to a high standard, including two 9-foot Hamburg Steinway pianos.

Introduction of Master’s Program

    SCU realizes that as the technology and economy blooms in Taiwan, the needs for humanities subjects are more imminent than ever. Music plays a supporting but important role in our contemporary society. The rise of this phenomenon is due to music programs in Taiwan focus solely on the technics training in which overlook the research of music academia. Although the improvement of technics also raises the standard of performance in Taiwan, performers usually lack the awareness of the songs they play. Therefore, a music master program that is based on the academic research would propel our school to fulfill the goals, expectations and contributions to the music education in Taiwan.

the Master Program is divided into 3 divisions:

  1. Division A Composition
  2. Division B Performance (Instrumental, Voice and Orchestral Conducting)
  3. Division C Musicology (Music History, Music Literature, Ethnomusicology, Music of Taiwan, Hymnology)
 

 

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