The Shepherd University Department of Music will host a Visitation Day on Monday, Oct. 15 open to all high school seniors and juniors who are considering a degree in music at Shepherd University. Students will attend classes, meet the music faculty and current students, visit with representatives from the Office of Admissions, hear ensemble rehearsals and performances, have lunch in the dining hall and take a campus tour. Visitation Day will give the students the opportunity to learn about the audition and application process. Parents are also welcome to attend Visitation Day.

Shepherd offers degrees in music and music education, areas of concentration in performance, musical theater, piano pedagogy, and composition. Shepherd’s Department of Music has a mission to challenge its students to reach their potential by providing extraordinary experiences. Music majors have many performance opportunities, including four choirs, wind ensemble, wind symphony, orchestra, chamber groups, two jazz bands, an opera every fall, musical theater every spring and marching band.

Shepherd students have the opportunity to study with the region’s most experienced performers and educators. Master classes are regularly offered with nationally acclaimed guest artists. As a result of the high quality ensembles, Shepherd’s students are invited to perform at a number of exciting venues. Invitations have been accepted from Giants Stadium, the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Carnegie Hall in New York and in cathedrals around the world. The Jazz Ensemble and members of the vocal ensembles toured England in 2007, and the Wind Ensemble and Chamber Choir toured Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic in May 2009 and Spain in 2011. The next tour is planned for Paris in May 2013.

To register for Visitation Day, complete the prospective student information form online at www.shepherd.edu/musicweb/information_request.html and indicate under “additional information or questions” how many persons will be attending.

For more information, contact Esperanza Alzona, music operations manager at 304-876-5711 or ealzona@shepherd.edu.