West Virginia University will help students expand the boundaries of what it means to be a musician with a new major in integrative and contemporary performance.

The new Bachelor of Arts program was approved by WVU’s Faculty Senate at their May 9 meeting.

“The goal of the major is to offer an opportunity for students to focus on the study of contemporary music performance within a curriculum that emphasizes cross-disciplinary study between the arts,” said Michael Ibrahim, associate professor of saxophone in WVU’s School of Music.

Students will engage in their studies with the added focus of music composed and performed since 1970 and, within an integrative curriculum, tailor their coursework to include electives from the areas of art, theatre, dance, industry, and philosophy.

“This integration aims to develop skills, advance understanding, further interpretive performance, and support creativity as a holistic means to growth,” said Ibrahim. “It serves our mission to develop students’ ability to think critically about their roles as musicians in today’s changing landscape, and to impart a learning experience with outcomes relevant to creative musical practices and professional culture of the 21st century.”

As the only Bachelor of Arts degree of its kind in the state of West Virginia, the proposed major will offer West Virginia residents the opportunity to obtain the knowledge needed to pursue a career in this vast professional field.

For more information on the major, please contact James Froemel, coordinator of undergraduate admissions at 304-293-4339 or james.froemel@mail.wvu.edu.