Self-Determined Majors in Music and Technology

You can major in Music Technology and Recording Arts at Skidmore through the flexibility of our "Self Determined Major" program. This allows eligible students to design an individualized course of study with the assistance of Professor Holland, Director of the Music Tech. Facilities at Skidmore. Your proposal must be reviewed and approved by the College's Self Determined Majors Committee and must meet the rigorous standards of that group. 

Following approval, you have the opportunity to modify requirements. Proposals for changes to the major are again reviewed/approved by the Committee. Working with the help of an additional faculty member who serves as the Chairman of the Self-Determined-Majors Committee, you can also add additional faculty as advisors if your area of study requires (physics, mathematics, computer science and similar areas can be included in your major). Skidmore has had many students design very successful majors in areas related to music technology, many of whom have gone on to exciting careers in the music industry. Past Music Tech. majors at Skidmore have designed majors in:

• Music Technology
• Music Production and Engineering
• Music Engineering, Production and Physics
• Computer Animation and Music Technology
• Recording Arts
• Composition for Electronic Media

• Sample SDM Proposal 1 (HMs Proposal)
• Sample SDM Proposal 2 (PDs Proposal)
• Sample SDM Proposal 3 (TSs Proposal)
• Sample SDM Proposal 4 (SBs Proposal)
• Sample SDM Proposal 5 (RRs Proposal)

Learn About Past Majors

• Rob Hoffman: Grammy Winner, Producer, Writer, Performer:Rob has produced, engineered, played guitar and programmed for some of the music industry's biggest names including Christina Aguilera, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Jam & Lewis, Janet Jackson, The Randies, New Maximum Donkey, Holly Brook, Def Jam, Michele Crispin, Bare Bones, Barry White & many many more!
• Emily Lazar: NYC Mastering Engineer "The Lodge" (NYC);Featured on Cover of Electronic Musician Magazine in 2003, Recent clients include: David Bowie, Natalie Merchant, Destiny's Child, The Donnas, Apples In Stereo, Riddlin' Kids among many others.
• FALL TERM 2005: EXCITING NEW!!: Two of our recent graduates: Julia Sortwell and Aaron Stone were hired to work full time at "The Lodge" in NYC!! Congrats Julia and Aaron. Aaron says he's doing editing work for major television productions involving Merceds Benz and other major clients at The Lodge
• Julianne (Kelley) Jordan: has worked on over 20 Hollywood films including: "The Bourne Identity", "Agent Cody Banks" for MGM, the remake of "The Italian Job" for Paramount and was Music Supervisor fort the Hollywood blockbuster "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie"(2005)!
• Russ deMoose (Skidmore Graduate 2006) accepted to the NYU Music Tech. Masters Program. Click here to see Russ explaining his Senior Project in Music Technolgy at Skidmore (Surround Sound Electronic Compositions with Virtual Percussion Instruments
• Matt Appleton, talented singer and recording engineer, newly graduated from Skidmore....heading down to Full Sail pro recording school October 2003. Matt already has a CD out which he engineered at Skidmore and has already garnered much attention for his work.
• Lucas Meyers: works for director Adam Shankman, currently on a pilot for Fox called Splitsville. Also worked on the film 'Bringing Down The House' which was #1 at the box office for 3 weeks in a row.Producer credit on the Academy Awards for the opening segments.
• Roger Sherman: at Bristol Recording Studios ( www.bristolstudios.com ) as a producer/recording engineer, he's been written up in "Prosound News" and "Mix Mag".
• Sinem Varoglu: Graduate Student: NYU Music Tech./Film Program
• Nathan Barr: worked with Academy Award-winning composer Hanz Zimmer. Nate is now A Major Hollywood Film Composer in his own right: "Backdraft", "Time Machine", "The Prince of Egypt", Dukes of Hazard" (2005) and much much more!
• Josiah Hendler: recently graduated from "Full Sail" professional recording school in Orlando.
• Jo Horsley: Producer, singer, performer whose extensive studies in music tech. at Skidmore paved the way for recording gigs in Boston and a very successful career with his band "SpaghettiCake"
• Gary Wang: is also a recent graduate of "Full Sail" professional recording school.
• Jessica Harris '95: Jess was Assistant Technical Director for Boss Productions, which specializes in computer graphic effects for Hollywood movies. Jess worked on the movie "Air Force One", starring Harrison Ford.
• Kevin Porterfield '96, First combined major in music tech. and computer graphics!