College of the North Atlantic has completely redesigned its Applied Music program, launching a modernized curriculum that reflects the realities of today's music industry and prepares graduates to build rewarding careers in the arts.
The two-year diploma program has been reimagined from the ground up to reflect how music is in the modern era. Drawing on student feedback, industry focus groups, and research into similar programs across North America, the redesign places digital music creation, music business, and hands-on learning at the heart of the student experience.
"The music industry is constantly changing with how music is produced, consumed, and promoted," said Dr. Gregory Bruce, instructor. "We reinvented the Applied Music program to reflect what the music industry looks like today while giving it the flexibility to adapt as things continue to evolve."
One of the most significant shifts in the redesigned program is a move toward digital creation. Digital audio workstations, the foundational technology in modern songwriting, recording, and production, will now be central to new courses such as Creative Practice and Composing for Visual Media, as well as updated offerings in Music Theory and Songwriting.
"This shift in focus allows us to cater to a wider range of professional practices, and modernizes how we train students to be artist-entrepreneurs," Bruce said, "whether they want to be an instrumentalist, composer, singer-songwriter, rapper, or producer."
Equally significant is the program's expanded focus on the business of music. While many post-secondary programs offer generic business courses alongside music training, CNA's Applied Music program dedicates more time toward the business side of the industry. Personal Finance for the Arts, Publishing and Copyrights, Arts Project Management, and Marketing for Musicians are just some of the courses designed around the realities of a career in the music industry.
"Whatever your genre or practice, whether a classical pianist, a DJ, or a singer-songwriter, promotion, grant-writing, taxes, and tour-planning are all things most artists have to learn as they go, which is an expensive and exhausting endeavour," Bruce said. "Having a program which is about 50/50 creation and career will help students avoid these hurdles and have a more successful and sustainable career."
Instructor Michelle Robertson emphasized that the business component is far more than a practical add-on.
"Strengthening the music business component creates experiential, career-building learning opportunities that prepare students for the realities of professional life in the arts," Robertson said. "Our program will ensure graduates understand how to generate and protect income, navigate the industry, and access vital supports from organizations like Business and Arts Newfoundland and Labrador, MusicNL, and ArtsNL."
Robertson also highlighted the program's commitment to student well-being, a dimension that sets it apart from many comparable offerings.
"The redesigned program is built to support the whole individual," she said. "The inclusion of Wellness and the Music Industry reflects a commitment to student mental health and long-term sustainability in artistic careers."
Perhaps the most exciting addition to the program is the Capstone Project, which runs throughout the Intersession of students' second year. Students choose a significant practical project to see through from start to finish, such as organizing and promoting a live show, developing a multi-year grant proposal, recording a music video, or building a full promotional campaign for an album release. Internships within the music industry are also an option.
"These are all examples of real-world projects that we will support students in realizing," Bruce said, "so they come out of the program with tangible skills, products, and materials that they can immediately use in their career."
The program is also designed to be accessible to a wide range of students, from recent high-school graduates looking to jumpstart their career, to established artists looking to upgrade their skills in technology, theory, or business. With classes running in the mornings and afternoons, students can continue to perform, teach, and rehearse in the evenings.
Bruce noted, "Newfoundland and Labrador is a bastion of the arts, and this redesign will help bolster the music industry as an important cultural and economic sector.”
Applications for the redesigned Applied Music program are now open. For more information, visit www.cna.nl.ca/program/applied-music.
- 30 -
Media Contact
Ryan Crocker
Manager of Communications
P: (709) 699-8981
E: ryan.crocker@cna.nl.ca