Immerse yourself in exciting courses and live performance
As a Denison American Roots Music student, you can take courses in music theory, composition, songwriting, improvisation, music history, and sound editing/recording — all taught by talented faculty members who are active music professionals and performers.
Outside the classroom, you perform on stage — starting in your first year — at local and regional music festivals, private events, in concert halls and theaters, even opening for national touring artists like The Steep Canyon Rangers, Sister Sadie, Mile Twelve, and The Special Consensus.
The American Roots Music ensemble rehearses, arranges and performs in arrangements ranging from duo, trio, full string band, large ensemble, and small hybrid acoustic/electric bands. You are encouraged to develop your own music as you explore the variety of models of traditional and modern sounds.
Qualified students from any major can participate in ensembles, take private lessons with Denison’s world-class faculty, and participate in masterclasses with national touring artists. They gain expertise on guitar, mandolin, banjo, violin/fiddle, bass, and dobro/slide guitar, as well as vocal performance.