Dr. Sojung Lee Hong, who has been teaching in the Music Department at Judson University for the past 26 years, was interviewed by Music Education News regarding the innovative Master of Arts in Community Music and the Certificate in Community Music programs at Judson University.
Music Education News: Tell us about the Community Music major at Judson University, which saw its inaugural graduates in May of this year.
Dr. Sojung Hong: The Community Music major encompasses performance, education, technology, and research. It provides students with a comprehensive understanding of community music activities and curriculum development. Students learn leadership, planning, teamwork, communication skills, and musical competencies, all of which lead to a wide range of career options after graduation.
This program provides opportunities for students to creatively showcase their talents while fostering the ability to address social and cultural issues through community engagement. Therefore, it is a field of study for music students who not only major in music performance but also actively engage in other music fields such as music education, music therapy, music business, and applied musicology.
Music Education News: What kind of career paths can graduates of this program expect?
Dr. Sojung Hong: The first cohort of students brought a rich mix of academic backgrounds from their undergraduate studies. We had a singer-songwriter, a musical organization director, a choir conductor, a media producer, and a private lesson instructor. Over the past two years, they have acquired practical skills through group teaching practicums, leading ensembles, technology projects designed for group instruction, internships at cultural arts organizations, and organizing collaborative community concerts.
They completed their master’s degrees after finishing their capstone courses, performing recitals showcasing their respective fields, and submitting research papers. They now serve the community in various roles, such as senior center music teacher/program manager, public school accompanist/operations manager, church music/community music school director, and worship music leader/university lecturer. One graduate has even continued his education by enrolling in a doctoral program.
One of the current students has organized a community handbell ensemble for early retirees. She has also been chosen as a presenter at the annual conference of the College Music Society in October this year. Her paper will explore the impact of video game music on our community.
Music Education News: What kinds of courses do students take in this major?
Dr. Sojung Hong: The Community Music major features classes focused on discussion, projects, and one-on-one mentoring with professors. The core courses include Community Music: Meaning and Practice, Instructional Methods for Community Music, Community Music and Entrepreneurship, Global Music Education, Community Music and Technology, and Ensemble Leadership and Management. The program aims to train leaders who can operate music programs in after-school classrooms, senior communities, libraries, hospitals, churches, etc., as both teachers and performers. Moreover, it focuses on developing tailored classes and concerts for each community to keep up with the rapidly changing society while providing a vision for the future. In addition to making music together, students are trained to effectively communicate their own story on stage as performers. The goal of Judson University’s Community Music major is to produce passionate musicians with the skills necessary to contribute through music toward the well-being of their community members, social equity, and cultural diversity.”
FURTHER INFORMATION:
For further information about both the Master of Arts in Community Music and the Certificate in Community Music programs, both available in the HyFlex* format, please contact Dr. Hong at [email protected].
* HyFlex is a course design method and teaching approach that was designed to better accommodate student needs by combining online and classroom-based components.
Visual Presentation of the MACM Program: https://youtu.be/xfrb2llKO70?si=0pTME50k_v2RHDzP
Master of Arts in Community Music:
https://www.facebook.com/judsonu.maincommunitymusic/