Exterior image of Massy Performing Art Center

About

College of Music & Performing Arts

Welcome from the Dean

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the College of Music & Performing Arts at Belmont University. CMPA is a place where you can feed your creativity while fully developing your talent. We offer internationally recognized, nationally-accredited programs in music, theatre and dance.

Our excellent artist-faculty will teach and mentor you through innovative curriculum and experiences to prepare you to thrive in 21st century arts careers. We provide opportunities to connect and learn through study away, internships, guest artists and alumni. The vibrant arts culture in Nashville enhances our top-rated programs by providing opportunities and partnerships.

CMPA is embedded in a top-rated university that values the arts. We are a student-focused, Christ-centered community developing the whole person and preparing students for the present and the future.

As Dean of the college, I am honored to serve Belmont and use my diverse experiences as a performer, musician, teacher and an arts leader to ensure that we are providing a relevant and an engaging experience for students. I invite you to join our creative community. We are fully committed to challenging you to develop your passions and talents to make the world a better place.

Stephen Eaves, D.M.A.
Dean, College of Music and Performing Arts

Our Mission

To be an exceptional creative community that is recognized globally for providing essential, innovative, and collaborative educational experiences in the performing arts.

Our Vision

To provide challenging educational experiences in music, theatre, and dance that foster aesthetic values, artistic understanding, creativity, and professionalism.

Goals

  1. To offer curricula appropriate to students seeking academic degrees in music, theatre and drama or dance.
  2. To offer academic classes, music lessons and performance experiences for students majoring in other disciplines.
  3. To provide arts-related events which enrich the cultural life of the university and community.
  4. To promote lifelong valuing of the arts.

 

The College of Music and Performing Arts is composed of the School of Music and Department of Theatre and Dance. The School of Music offers eleven majors leading to the Bachelor of Music, the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Music, the music minor, and six majors leading to the Master of Music. The Department of Theatre and Dance offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts with four areas of concentration (performance, directing, production design, theatre education) and the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Theatre, as well as the film acting minor, theatre minor and the dance minor. The college offers degrees that are designed for students who wish to prepare for professional careers in the performing arts or graduate school in performing arts-related areas as well as the general liberal performing arts degrees and minors.

The Belmont University Department of Theatre and Dance is a fully-accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).

The Belmont University School of Music is a fully-accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

The Theatre Education and Music Education degree paths lead to certification upon successful completion of degree and any certification tests. The State of Tennessee certification for Theatre Education and Music Education has teacher license reciprocity with many states. Click here for a complete list of states and territories of the United States that have teacher license reciprocity.

The Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy at Belmont University is approved by the American Music Therapy Association. The degree path leads to Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) certification upon successful completion of degree and certification test. The credential of Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) from The Certification Board for Music Therapists is accepted in all states and territories of the United States. Click here for a complete list of state and territories of the United States in which Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) is accepted.