- Sette LaVergetta Center for Performing Arts
- 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- 570-348-6268
- dept.mtd
@marywood.edu - Facebook Instagram
Music, Theatre, and Dance
Marywood offers all the benefits of larger music and performance programs with greater flexibility. Whatever your goals in the performing arts field—to perform, to teach, to heal, to manage, or some combination of these—you'll have numerous opportunities to practice, learn, and collaborate from Day One. Our distinctive programs in Music, Theatre, and Dance embody the depth and rigor expected of conservatory programs, but in a welcoming atmosphere that embraces an ensemble philosophy and encourages collegiality and growth. Our highly credentialed, nationally and internationally acclaimed faculty are passionate about their craft and connected to their students. In fact, students support one another and work together, rather than competing against one another for performance opportunities. There are opportunities to perform locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.
General Guidelines for All Auditions
During the audition process, there will be opportunities to perform for our audition committee and meet members of our faculty. Additional arrangements may be made to meet with academic advisors and current Marywood music and theatre students.
Featured Pacer Profile
Beavers selected among 25 young music professionals seeking careers in musical arts.Read More
Accreditations
National Association of Schools of Music
Marywood University is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. | Address: 11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21, Reston, VA 20190-5248. | Phone: (703) 437-0700
American Music Therapy Association
The Music Therapy program is approved by the American Music Therapy Association.
Professional Memberships
- National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
- National Association for Music Education - Collegiate
- Jazz Education Network (JEN)
- American Music Therapy Association (AMTA)
- College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA)
- American String Teachers Association (ASTA)
- American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
- National Band Association (NBA)
- American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
- Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA)
- Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)
- National String Project Consortium (NSPC)
About The Music, Theatre, and Dance Department
Music and theatre programs have a rich history at Marywood. Since its founding in 1915, the University has continually renewed its commitment and support of students seeking performing arts degrees. Music education was one of the original degree programs in 1915, and the Marywood program in music therapy was groundbreaking when it started more than 40 years ago. Alongside degrees in music performance, theatre, musical theatre, and arts administration, we prepare our students to meet diverse needs of the 21st century as professional artists and leaders.
Music, Theatre, and Dance Faculty
Our highly credentialed, nationally and internationally acclaimed faculty are passionate about their craft and connected to their students.
Sette LaVerghetta Center for the Performing Arts:
- 1,100-seat Munley Theatre
- Black Box Theatre
- Digital piano lab
- 2 harpsichords and 2 harps
- Extensive practice facilities
- Complement of band and orchestra instruments
- Multiple copies of orchestral scores
- Choral music library
- Vocal music library
- Small library of reference books
- Curriculum lab and learning centerM
- 2 computer labs
- Biofeedback lab
- MIDI Creator equipment
- Music Therapy Lab
- Multiple organs
The Swartz Center for Spiritual Life features the beautiful Marian Chapel. In addition to liturgical celebrations, the Marian Chapel offers the Music, Theatre, and Dance Department an intimate 180-seat performing space. Completely renovated in 2007, the Marian Chapel (formerly the IHM Marian Convent), features a Peragallo pipe organ and 7-foot Steinway grand piano.
Community Involvement
Marywood University has established positive, long-standing relationships with the larger area community. Concerts, recitals, guest artist masterclasses, lectures, workshops, and academic and athletic camp programs draw a number of community constituents to campus each year.
Each year, the music unit offers a wide variety of programs and community outreach for the larger community. Target populations include: young school-age children through senior adults, as well as individuals with various disabilities. Approximately 1100-1200 students participate in the music unit’s on-campus outreach programs each year. These programs enhance the cultural, social, and aesthetic life of the wider public community. They also provide intentional, direct curricular connections and co-curricular experiences for Marywood music students.
Large Ensembles
Orchestra - The Marywood Orchestra is one of the most highly-regarded collegiate orchestras in the Northeast Pennsylvania region. The ensemble welcomes music majors, non-majors, and community members. Recent repertoire has included the Dvořák's New World Symphony and Mozart’s The Magic Flute.
Wind Symphony - Marywood’s premiere band ensemble; it typically includes nearly 100 student, faculty, staff, and community instrumentalists. This group focuses on literature requiring large instrumental forces. In recent years, members of the Wind Symphony have embarked on concert tours to Italy and China.
Wind Ensemble - Marywood’s small band ensemble provides opportunities for woodwind, brass, and percussion players to perform challenging pieces best suited to smaller and flexible instrumental forces.
Concert Choir - A large ensemble that performs a wide range of repertoire, from a cappella motets to orchestral masterworks such as the Requiems of Mozart, Verdi, and Brahms. Concert Choir frequently performs with the Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic, as well as other orchestras. The choir also performs regularly in the Marywood University Rotunda.
Chamber Singers - A small select choir that performs ambitious repertoire ranging from the Early Renaissance to world premieres. Chamber Singers was featured at the National Convention of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities in 2021 and 2022, and has twice been a national finalist for the American Prize in Choral Performance. This ensemble goes on a concert tour every spring.
Jazz Ambassadors - A jazz ensemble that welcomes student instrumentalists in any major. They perform a variety of jazz repertoire and have invited well-known jazz soloists for master classes and performances.
Tutti Ensemble - The Tutti Ensemble is a student-run program that teaches mentally or physically challenged young adults to play instruments and/or sing. Members of the Tutti Ensemble collaborate with Marywood’s music therapy and music education majors in the preparation of two annual concerts.
Chamber Ensembles
Woodwind Ensemble - Small instrumental winds ensemble; open to woodwind majors and non-majors.
Brass Ensemble - Small instrumental brass ensemble; open to brass majors and non-majors.
Percussion Ensemble - Small instrumental percussion ensemble; open to percussion majors and non-majors.
Chamber Music Ensembles - Small instrumental groups focusing on the performance of classical chamber music repertoire for strings, winds, and piano.
Instrumental Ensembles
Orchestra - Large orchestral ensemble; membership open to music majors, non-majors, and community volunteers. Permission of the Director is required for participation. All string music majors required to participate in orchestra.
Wind Symphony - Marywood’s premiere large instrumental band ensemble. Participation is required of all Marywood Music majors whose major performance medium (as determined by departmental acceptance audition) lies in the winds or percussion area. This group focuses on literature requiring large instrumental forces.
Wind Ensemble - Marywood’s premiere small instrumental ensemble. Participation is required of all Marywood music instrumental majors, but welcomes other Marywood students via audition. The Wind Ensemble consists of woodwind, brass, and percussion players who perform pieces of various instrumentation and styles best suited for smaller and flexible instrumental forces.
Jazz Ambassadors - Medium-size instrumental jazz ensemble; membership open to music majors and non-majors.
Tutti Ensemble - A student-run program that assists mentally or physically disabled clients to play music.
Small Music Ensembles
Woodwind Ensemble - Small instrumental winds ensemble; open to woodwind majors and non-majors.
Brass Ensemble - Small instrumental brass ensemble; open to brass majors and non-majors.
Percussion Ensemble - Small instrumental percussion ensemble; open to percussion majors and non-majors.
Chamber Music Ensembles - Small instrumental groups focusing on the performance of classical chamber music repertoire for strings, winds, and piano.
Guitar Ensemble - Open to classical guitar majors and non-majors.
Flute Ensemble - Open to flute majors and non-majors.
Marywood Guitar Ensemble - The Marywood Guitar Ensemble inspires audiences through its excellence in performing a very diverse repertoire, from Renaissance to Reggae. Ensemble members improvise, perform intricate guitar counterpoint, deliver surprising contemporary experimental pieces, and “groove" through rhythms such as waltz, rag, and bossa-nova.
Marywood Contemporary Music Ensemble - The Marywood Contemporary Music Ensemble is an undergraduate instrumental ensemble that performs and promotes works by twentieth-century composers, non-traditional offerings, world music repertoire, and Marywood students’ own original compositions.
Theatre Ensemble
For main-stage and student-directed productions; consists of all theatre degree students as well as non-majors who wish to be involved in public performance. There are three main-stage productions each year, including Children's Theatre.
Community-focused Ensembles:
Celebrations - Includes Junior and Senior Wind Band Celebrations (held annually for wind, brass, and percussion students in middle and high school) and String Celebration (held annually for string students in middle and high school; features a Senior Orchestra, Junior Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra)
String Project - An after-school, pre-collegiate string program for students ages 7-18. Participants take small-group lessons in violin, viola, cello, and double bass; participate in orchestra; and perform in concerts. String Project participants are divided into three levels; beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Students are assigned to a group based on experience.
Northeastern Youth Wind Ensemble - The Northeastern Youth Wind Ensemble operates under the auspices of the Conn-Selmer Division of Education, headed by Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser and is hosted by Marywood University. Through this unique relationship, high school age performers work directly with esteemed conductors, educators, composers, and guest performing artists, thus providing an opportunity to experience music in a unique, rewarding, instructive and constructive environment. The Northeastern Youth Wind Ensemble membership, chosen through a process that currently involves director recommendations, is composed of wind and percussion performers from the public, private, parochial and home schools in the Northeastern Pennsylvania area and beyond. All members must be actively involved in their school music program and must be recommended by their music teacher.
General Guidelines for All Auditions
During the audition process, there will be opportunities to perform for our audition committee and meet members of our faculty. Additional arrangements may be made to meet with academic advisors and current Marywood music and theatre students.
Special Projects
Music Celebrations
Includes the annual Junior and Senior Wind Band and Orchestra Celebrations for middle school and high school students. It has been a goal to bring the finest clinicians and conductors to each event and provide memorable experiences for the Marywood students and music students from many schools in the area. The level of participation and status of the events continue to grow.
String Project
An after-school, pre-collegiate string program for students ages 7-18. Participants take small-group lessons in violin, viola, cello, double bass, and guitar; participate in orchestra; and perform in concerts. String Project participants are divided into three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Students are assigned to a group based on experience. Marywood String Project won the 2010 ASTA String Project of the Year Award.
Northeastern Youth Wind Ensemble
The Northeastern Youth Wind Ensemble operates under the auspices of the Conn-Selmer Division of Education, headed by Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser and is hosted by Marywood University. Through this unique relationship, high school age performers work directly with esteemed conductors, educators, composers, and guest performing artists, thus providing an opportunity to experience music in a unique, rewarding, instructive and constructive environment. The Northeastern Youth Wind Ensemble membership is composed of wind and percussion performers from public, private, parochial and home schools in the Northeastern Pennsylvania area and beyond. All members must be actively involved in their school music program and must be recommended by their music teachers.
Latin Week at Marywood University
A week dedicated to all communities connected to the Latin language, in order to celebrate, study, and show its heritage. Events include concerts, round-tables, lectures, exhibitions, and multimedia initiatives. According to Marywood Professor Diogo Carvalho, who spearheads the initiative, Latin Week is a shared event where the Marywood University community learns from the Scranton community, and vice-versa.
