[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/news\/more-than-music-faulkner-universitys-music-department-shapes-faith-purpose-and-calling\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/news\/more-than-music-faulkner-universitys-music-department-shapes-faith-purpose-and-calling\/","headline":"More Than Music: Faulkner University\u2019s Music Department Shapes Faith, Purpose and Calling\u00a0","name":"More Than Music: Faulkner University\u2019s Music Department Shapes Faith, Purpose and Calling\u00a0","description":"If a greater knowledge of music and the arts is the only thing a student walks away with after graduating from Faulkner University\u2019s music department, then something has been missed.  At its core, the mission of Faulkner\u2019s Department of Music,…","datePublished":"2026-05-22","dateModified":"2026-05-22","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/author\/rburylo\/#Person","name":"Rebecca Burylo","url":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/author\/rburylo\/","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/37a0c97fbd1eda89e38697defcaf0573?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/37a0c97fbd1eda89e38697defcaf0573?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Faulkner University","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/Official-Horizontal-480x128.png","url":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/Official-Horizontal-480x128.png","width":480,"height":128}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/mag-3.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/mag-3.jpg","height":807,"width":625},"url":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/news\/more-than-music-faulkner-universitys-music-department-shapes-faith-purpose-and-calling\/","about":["Current Students","Highlights","News"],"wordCount":998,"articleBody":"If a greater knowledge of music and the arts is the only thing a student walks away with after graduating from Faulkner University\u2019s music department, then something has been missed. At its core, the mission of Faulkner\u2019s Department of Music, housed within the Alabama Christian College of Arts and Sciences, goes far beyond notes,\u00a0rhythms\u00a0and performances. The department exists to cultivate faithful servants of Jesus Christ, using music as a powerful means of connection,\u00a0ministry\u00a0and transformation.\u00a0\u201cMusic is a means by which to be in touch with our students and their lives,\u201d said Art Williams, chair of the Department of Music. \u201cI love to tell students, \u2018I care that you know what a quarter note is, but I care so much more about the kind of person you are becoming and that you are growing in Christ.\u2019\u201d\u00a0The Faulkner University Chorus performs at the Annual Benefit Dinner at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center in Montgomery, Ala. After years of learning music in secular educational settings, Williams came Alabama Christian Academy (ACA) to teach and later joined Faulkner’s Department of Music. It was\u00a0at ACA\u00a0that he discovered a deep passion for Christian education and the opportunity to shape students both musically and spiritually.\u00a0He described music as a universal language and a natural avenue to introduce people to Christ. \u201cWho doesn\u2019t like music?\u201d Williams said. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the few ways we can all connect. That\u2019s why the world needs more Christian musicians and artists.\u201d That philosophy defines the culture of Faulkner\u2019s music program. Small class sizes allow faculty to provide individualized instruction while fostering spiritual growth, meaningful\u00a0relationships\u00a0and a supportive environment grounded in faith. Professors invest deeply in students\u2019 lives, helping them succeed not only as musicians but as people\u00a0seeking\u00a0to honor God.\u00a0Faulkner Majorette member Sofia Roman.\u201cMy favorite moments are when students come to my office, and we end up talking about things happening in their lives,\u201d Williams said. \u201cSome have experienced very difficult things. We get to have real, life-changing conversations, and my advice is always the same: You can\u2019t lose obeying God. No matter the circumstance, there\u2019s no way you lose by being faithful to Him.\u201d That care and connection resonate strongly with students and form the foundation of Faulkner\u2019s music educational offerings in music. Preparing Music Educators With Purpose The\u00a0Bachelor of Music Education\u00a0is a four-year degree designed for students pursuing a career in teaching music\u00a0with each\u00a0course integrating\u00a0a Christian worldview, equipping graduates to enter classrooms prepared both academically and spiritually.\u00a0Offered collaboratively by the Department of Music and the College of Education, the program emphasizes strong musicianship alongside educational philosophy and best practices for the classroom. Students may focus on choral music, instrumental\u00a0music\u00a0or both, while preparing for teaching certification for PreK through 12th grade.\u00a0\u00a0Music education majors participate in the Faulkner National Association for Music Education (NAfME) student chapter and attend the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference every year. Choral students participate in a regional tour every spring, while instrumental majors perform at all home football games during marching season and present multiple concert band performances each spring. Students attend conferences annually, network with professionals in the\u00a0field\u00a0and develop leadership skills that serve them long after graduation.\u00a0The Faulkner University Chorus performs in Lester Chapel on the Montgomery campus. The\u00a0Bachelor of Arts in Music\u00a0is designed for students seeking advanced musical training without a teaching certification\u00a0and includes concentrations in vocal or instrumental music.\u00a0Coursework includes music theory,\u00a0sight-singing and\u00a0ear training, music history, conducting, orchestration and arranging.\u00a0Students receive weekly private instruction on their primary instrument, perform daily in\u00a0ensembles\u00a0and complete a professional internship during their final semester. These experiences allow students to gain firsthand knowledge of careers in\u00a0music in\u00a0settings such as recording studios, churches, high school bands and\u00a0choruses\u00a0and other professional music environments.\u00a0Performance opportunities mirror those of music education majors, including national travel, concert performances and ensemble participation by audition. The Minor in Music allows students from other academic disciplines to pursue music-related studies by completing a minimum of 18 credit hours, including six upper level courses. The minor requires at least two hours of private instruction and two semesters of ensemble participation, with course selections approved by the department. Building Community Through Music Music scholarships are available annually to students who\u00a0participate\u00a0in Faulkner\u2019s ensembles, and a music major\u00a0is not required to\u00a0qualify. Auditions are\u00a0required\u00a0for all music students and are offered on multiple dates each year to accommodate prospective students.\u00a0Performance opportunities abound through ensembles including Faulkner University Chorus, Faulkner Singers, Eagles Marching Band, Concert\u00a0Band\u00a0and the Faulkner\u00a0Swingin\u2019 Eagles Jazz Ensemble.\u00a0Choral students often tour nationally, performing at schools and churches from Texas to Washington, D.C., and have the opportunity to perform for world-renowned dignitaries at Faulkner\u2019s annual Benefit Dinner.\u00a0Faulkner University Color Guard member Ashley Franklin. Before admission as music majors, students complete a theory placement exam and an audition on their primary instrument. Degree candidates also fulfill recital, jury and concert attendance requirements, complete a senior recital and pass proficiency and field exams. A Calling Rooted in Faith Whether students pursue teaching, performance or ministry, Faulkner\u2019s music program emphasizes calling over career and service over self. \u201cOur goal is not just to graduate musicians,\u201d Williams said. \u201cIt\u2019s to graduate people who love God, love others and use their gifts to serve.\u201d At Faulkner University, music is not simply studied or performed. It is lived, shared and offered as a testimony of faith."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"More Than Music: Faulkner University\u2019s Music Department Shapes Faith, Purpose and Calling\u00a0","item":"https:\/\/www.faulkner.edu\/news\/more-than-music-faulkner-universitys-music-department-shapes-faith-purpose-and-calling\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]