About Music

Singers

In the words of one noted critic, "All art constantly aspires towards the condition of music." And it is this "condition" of music — its purity of form, its expressive power, and the immediacy of its emotional impact — that has made it so central to every culture. Music is not an educational luxury; rather, it lies at the core of what it means to be human.

The music faculty offers all Lakeland students the opportunity to participate in the performing life of the campus community through vocal and instrumental ensembles. For music majors, the faculty provides an opportunity to turn performance into a vocation, with specialized tracks designed for vocal, instrumental, and piano training.

Students wishing to major in music may choose between one of six emphases: (1) voice performance, (2) instrumental performance, (3) piano performance, (4) music education-choral music certification, (5) music education-instrumental music certification, and (6) music education-general music certification. Those choosing music education-general music certification will choose a concentration from among instrumental, vocal, and piano.

Music students playing instruments

In addition to aspiring to excellence in their teaching and performance areas, students develop strong broad-based music skills through the music core classes. Thus, students develop clear conducting skills, proficient piano skills, and functional aural skills. Students also develop functional understandings of the musical language and of music history and literature. Summarily, Lakeland's music program strives to cultivate professional discipline and aesthetic appreciation in its students.

Students who major in music will be able to:

  • perform to an "advanced developing" or a semi-professional level of mastery, either in voice or their chosen instrument;
  • lead an ensemble with technical clarity and expressive effectiveness;
  • play the piano well enough to use it as a professional tool and a means of artistic expression;
  • demonstrate a functional understanding of music history and literature, including the tradition's seminal cultural periods, composers, and genres;
  • master the language of music, both in analysis and aural skill; and
  • display professional discipline and aesthetic appreciation.

Music Faculty

Click the links below to learn more about Lakeland's music faculty.

 

Janet L. Herrick

Janet L. Herrick, Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Lakeland College, is a graduate of Pennsylvania's Mansfield University (B.S. Music Education/Trumpet) and Texas Christian...
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Arthur T. Johnson

Arthur T. Johnson

Arthur T. Johnson, D.M.A. is Associate Professor of Music and the chair of the Creative Arts Department at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, where he oversees the keyboard and theory...
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Russell Pettitt

Dr. Russell T. Pettitt is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. At Lakeland, Dr. Pettitt conducts the Concert Band, directs Muskie pep...
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Martin Ulrich

Martin Ulrich

Dr. Martin Ulrich, Associate Professor of German and Music, has been teaching for the college since 1983. Ulrich holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.
Read more about Martin Ulrich