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Music

Music

The music department at Covenant College equips versatile musicians and scholars to cultivate a distinctly Christian understanding of music and respond to their callings with an emphasis on service to the Church and its diverse communities. It also exposes students to a broad spectrum of music, thereby encouraging the appreciation and critical thought necessary to engage musical cultures.

On this page Overview Graduate Outcomes Programs / Features Faculty Contact

Program Overview

Covenant’s music department sets students on a path to fill an important need: namely, the need of God's world and His Church for capable, reflective musicians. In a sonic world ordered by its Creator, we need musicians who manifest the Imago Dei by glorifying God with their work and assisting others in doing likewise. Currently, our lives are dominated by technological advancements that permit the creation of musical works by virtually anyone; due to this, we train our musicians to explore the tremendous potential for development as well as recognize risk for misuse of God’s gift of music. 

Our students explore the contextual and architectural development of music throughout human history. They also enhance their individual musical abilities through opportunities to collaborate with others including public concerts, recitals, clinics, festivals, tours, and collaborative concerts, all with the guidance of expert musicians. A music major’s time culminates in their capstone recital or research project completed under the supervision of a faculty mentor.

Graduate Outcomes

Our graduates have gone on from Covenant to a wide variety of musical careers and professions including:

  • Director, BiFrost Arts and The Porter’s Gate Worship Project
  • Music Director, Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church
  • Co-founder, East Lake Expression Engine
  • Music Director, New City Fellowship
  • Organist, Faith Presbyterian Church Tacoma
  • Professor, Geneva College
  • Professor, Lee University
  • Producer and Songwriter, Harrison Center for the Arts
  • Elementary Music Teacher, Chattanooga Charter School of Excellence
  • Violinist and Faculty, Elizabeth Faidley Violin Studio and Manhattan School of Music

Alumni have also studied at the following graduate schools:

  • University of Florida
  • Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University
  • Washington University
  • North Carolina School of the Arts
  • Florida State University
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Music enables our souls to speak about their pain and joy. Music is not just a thing to be conquered. It's something that is characteristic of who God's people are.
Scott Finch

Associate Professor of Music

Programs, Features & Resources

Music majors choose a concentration from the following:

  • Church Music 
  • Creative Studies 
  • General Music 
  • Instrumental Performance 
  • Organ Performance 
  • Piano Pedagogy 
  • Piano Performance 
  • Vocal Performance

View Course Catalog

We also offer students the opportunity to minor in music.

View Course Catalog

Students who are interested in teaching music for grades P-12 should complete the Music Education (Pre-MAT) Concentration, in addition to the Common Music Core for the BA degree in music and then enroll in the one-year Master of Arts in Teaching at Covenant College. It is recommended that the Education Minor be completed.

View Course Catalog

  • MUS 211 Music Writing 
  • MUS 235 Shepherding Souls Through Music
  • MUS 241 Basic Music Technology
  • MUS 252 Introduction to Diction
  • MUS 262 Advanced Concepts of Musical Structure
  • MUS 275 Gypsies, Love, Insanity & Truth: The Context of Dramatic Music
  • MUS 463 Jazz Improvisation

  • “The Science of Sonorism: An Acoustical Analysis of Penderecki’s Timbre System”
  • “The Theological Implications of Olivier Messiaen’s Compositional Techniques”
  • “Fostering Creativity in Children Through Collaborative Musical Composition”

Guided Capstone Requirements

Music majors are offered many opportunities to perform in recitals. All majors are required to take eight semesters of Performance Seminar; minors take four semesters.  Music students are also required to participate in departmental ensembles. The ensemble requirements vary according to chosen instrument and degree.

Chattanooga Symphony and Opera
Advanced student musicians may qualify for membership in the orchestra or opera chorus, depending on open positions.

Students are also involved in a number of on-campus performances every semester. Some of our recurring concerts include:

  • Celebrate Christmas
  • Spring Choral Festival
  • Celebration Concert
  • Fall Instrumental Concert
  • Spring Instrumental Concert

Selections from previous concerts are available on the department's YouTube channel.

Covenant offers music scholarships, which are awarded based on a student's contribution to the music program. (You do not have to declare music as a major in order to compete for this scholarship.) Students with a major or minor in music receive higher awards.

Learn More

Covenant offers a competitive pipe & drum scholarship that is awarded to students who demonstrate the ability to contribute to Covenant’s Pipe & Drum Corps. For students who have experience playing the bagpipes or a Scottish snare drum, this scholarship provides an opportunity to contribute to the Covenant community through music.

Learn More

The John Hamm Performing Arts Series brings world-renowned musical artists to Covenant’s campus to offer recitals and educational opportunities that serve students as well as the surrounding Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain communities.

Learn More

Meet the Music Faculty

scott finch

Scott Finch Associate Professor of Music

lok kim

Lok Kim Assistant Professor of Music

brandon kreuze

Brandon Kreuze Professor of Music

david tahere

David Tahere Assistant Professor of Music

Ready to take the next step?

Thank you for your interest in Covenant! By filling out this form, we'll be able to connect you with the best information regarding your program of interest, as well as your Admissions Counselor.

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Graduate School of Education

Undergraduate Departments, Majors, Minors, Certificates, Concentrations, and Programs

Academic Certificates

  • Arts Administration
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability
  • Journalism and Society
  • Medical Ethics Consultation
  • Neuroscience
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Art

  • Art, 2-D Concentration 
  • Art, 3-D Concentration 
  • Art, Art History Concentration 
  • Art, Graphic Design Concentration 
  • Art, Photography Concentration 
  • Art minor
  • Art History minor

Biblical & Theological Studies

  • Biblical & Theological Studies 
  • Biblical & Theological Studies, Missions Concentration 
  • Biblical & Theological Studies minor
  • Biblical Languages minor
  • History of Christianity minor
  • Missions minor
  • Youth Ministry minor

Biology

  • Biology, Biomedical Concentration 
  • Biology, Environmental Concentration 
  • Biology, General 
  • Biology, Health Professions Concentration 
  • Biology minor

Business

  • Business 
  • Business, Accounting Concentration 
  • Business, Finance Concentration 
  • Business, Marketing Concentration 
  • Sport Management 
  • Business minor
  • Sport Management minor

Chemistry

  • Chemistry, Biochemistry Concentration 
  • Chemistry, General 
  • Biochemistry minor
  • Chemistry minor

Community Development

  • Community Development 
  • Community Development minor

Computer Science

  • Computer Science 
  • Computer Science minor

Economics

  • Economics 
  • Economics minor

Education

  • Education Studies 
  • Elementary Education (P-5) 
  • Secondary Education Certifications through MAT program 
  • Education minor

Engineering 3:2 Program

  • Natural Science, Pre-Engineering Studies Concentration

English

  • English 
  • English, Writing Concentration 
  • English minor
  • Writing minor

Health, Wellness and Coaching

  • Coaching minor

History, Politics, and International Studies

  • History 
  • History, Art History Concentration 
  • Political Science 
  • International Studies 
  • History minor
  • Political Science minor

Interdisciplinary Studies

  • Interdisciplinary Studies with Concentrations 

Mathematics

  • Mathematics 
  • Mathematics minor

Music

  • Music, Church Music Concentration 
  • Music, Creative Studies Concentration 
  • Music, General Music Concentration 
  • Music, Instrumental Performance Concentration 
  • Music, Music Education (Pre-MAT) Concentration 
  • Music, Organ Performance Concentration 
  • Music, Piano Pedagogy Concentration 
  • Music, Piano Performance Concentration 
  • Music, Vocal Performance Concentration 
  • Music minor

Philosophy

  • Philosophy 
  • Philosophy minor

Physics

  • Physics 
  • Physics minor

Pre-Professional Programs

  • Pre-Law Studies 
  • Pre-Medical Studies 
  • Pre-Nursing Studies 
  • Pre-Physical Therapy Studies 

Psychology

  • Psychology 
  • Psychology minor

Sociology

  • Sociology 
  • Sociology, Family Studies & Social Work Concentration 
  • Sociology minor

Theatre

  • Theatre minor

World Languages

  • French 
  • Spanish 
  • French minor
  • Spanish minor