Calling all music lovers! Paradise Valley Community College’s Division of Fine and Performing Arts is rolling out a new degree this Fall – Popular Music. The new Associates in Arts degree is geared towards musicians who write, arrange, record, and perform their own original music. Focus will be on learning the craft of songwriting and the art of performing live, all aimed at creating successful musical entrepreneurs.
“We are really excited to launch this new AAFA in Popular Music, which will expose our students to various commercial musical styles of popular music,” said Chris Scinto, Division Chair, Fine and Performing Arts. “Our students will learn the essential skills needed to be a performing musician in any musical style, as well as amassing the knowledge and tools to be successful in today's music industry.”
The degree contains two fields of interest.
- Singer/songwriter/creator/performer – courses focus on topics, techniques, and skills directly related to the creation and performance of popular music, such as studio recording, content creation and copyright, computer literacy for musicians, and music orchestration and arranging.
- Jazz Musician – courses focus on topics, techniques, and skills directly related to the creation and performance of Jazz music, including Jazz Music Theory, composition, and improvisation.
All students will be required to take core classes including the fundamentals of music and musicianship, before moving on to more specialized classes in students’ respective field of interest in popular music.
For more information on this exciting new program coming to you for Fall 2020, email music@paradisevalley.edu or call 602-787-6595.