Sacred Music
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Program TypeMajor
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Degrees OfferedB.M.
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SchoolSchool of Arts & Sciences
Develop your musical knowledge and skills while exploring the role of music in history and worship. Prepare for a career in music ministry or for further studies in music or theology.
What ³Û´Ç³Ü’l±ô Learn
³Û´Ç³Ü’l±ô combine studies in theology and music, including organ, piano, voice, and conducting to prepare you for service as a church musician. ³Û´Ç³Ü’l±ô explore historical trends and Church teachings on music in worship in a curriculum grounded in our Christian, Catholic, Benedictine values.
- Learn by Doing
In the sacred music practicum, you’ll take what you’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to a parish setting by assisting a professional church musician in preparing and directing the musical prayer at a local church.
- Automatically Earn a Minor Degree
By successfully completing this program, you’ll automatically earn a minor in Liturgy.
- Prepare for Graduate Study at Mary
Continue your education with Mary’s online .
Program Information
Please visit our catalog for admission requirements and a full list of our courses.
The Music Department at UMary provided the perfect culture in which I could grow: in my academic studies, in my musicianship, and in my own human formation. All classes I took at UMary, whether music and liturgy-based or not, provided me with valuable lessons and tools that I often use in my current career. The musical training was thorough, and the community was unmatched. I am forever grateful for the time I spent at UMary and the formation that took place through the Music Department.
Featured Faculty
Rebecca Raber, DMA
Director of Choral Studies, Cappella & Concert Choir, Fellow in Catholic Studies
I have a deep passion for music and its special capacity to affect the human soul. My career has been built on my desire to encourage and develop my students’ musical gifts—all within and supported by a strong and intentional community. I seek to reveal the elements of truth, beauty, and goodness through sacred choral music, mingling the composer’s artistry with a sincere and intentional expression of the text, so that our singing transcends simple music and becomes prayer.
It is essential in our world that singers recognize, experience, and create beauty within it. Studies show that singing daily—particularly in community—strengthens musicians physically, intellectually, and spiritually. The choral art is best celebrated by singers knowing that they are part of something bigger than themselves. It is beautiful. That's the kind of experience I want to provide my students and share with our community.
