MUSIC
Ruby Dunphy, Lily Shababi, Owen Earl CA F E R AC E R | University District
“ MY ART, MY MUSIC, MY VOICE ALL I EVER DREAMED OF WAS TO USE
TO SHINE LIGHT ON ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME.”
—GRAMMY-NOMINATED SINGER / SONGWRITER / ACTIVIST MARY LAMBERT ‘11
TOMORROW’S MUSIC
TODAY
As a student in the Cornish Bachelor of Music program, you’ll join one of the most amazing music and art scenes in America, where you’ll be mentored by professors who are themselves working musicians, ready to share their experience and resources with you. Whatever path you choose— Instrumental, Vocal, Composition— you’ll tap in right away to the intimate, intensive, performance-oriented energy here, and feel like you’re part of more than a class—you’re part of a community. Seattle’s music history is epic. Think Quincy Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Sub Pop, Macklemore, and John Cage—one of the most influential composers in the last 100 years,
whose work at Cornish in the late 1930s changed the sound of music. Immerse yourself in this legendary music scene while you’re here. Attend the Seattle Symphony and genrebusting multi-media performance groups like the Degenerate Art Ensemble, co-founded by Cornish alum Joshua Kohl. Or, play your own gigs at The Royal Room or Cafe Racer, celebrated local music venues where Cornish students regularly perform. Our grads are moving the needle forward in the music world through their innovative careers. Like them, you’ll experience the highly personalized, one-on-one training Cornish is known for, and become part of our vibrant community of likeminded artists.
SEATTLE HOME TO ONE OF THE MOST
FORWARD-THINKING MUSIC SCENES IN AMERICA SEATTLE IS THE PERFECT PLACE to pursue your artistic education— and Cornish College lives right at the heart of it all.
the greater Seattle area is home to both tech giants, like Microsoft and Amazon, and natural wonders, like Mount Rainier and Snoqualmie Falls.
Home to a diverse range of internationally renowned music institutions (think Seattle Symphony and Sub Pop Records), Seattle is a thriving professional community for practicing artists. You’ll find Cornish alumni, faculty, and students creating bold, innovative work all over town.
And as a cultural crossroads with a progressive personality, Seattle is a place where “inclusivity” and “eco-friendly” aren’t just buzzwords; they’re the foundation upon which our city and college thrive.
With a white-hot economic base and a truly stunning natural setting,
Cornish couldn’t have happened anywhere but Seattle—and we think you’ll thrive here, too.
ŠAnkrom Moisan Architects/Casey Braunger
PERFORM IN YOUR
FIRST YEAR The heart of our Music department is PONCHO Concert Hall, located right inside your educational home, Kerry Hall. Just steps from your practice room, this is the stage where John Cage first premiered his ground-breaking prepared piano pieces, and where thousands of students have followed in his footsteps presenting their bold and personal music. Here you’ll experiment, pushing the boundaries of your practice, defining your own artistic pace as a musician. Anything is possible for you on this stage. And that’s just the beginning. Cornish Music students perform at venues all over Seattle, and are considered a mainstay of the city’s music scene.
REHEARSE, REFINE, EXPERIMENT, and perform in PONCHO Concert Hall, located off a tree-shaded courtyard on the east side of Kerry Hall, the original Cornish School building built by Nellie Cornish in 1921.
A DAY IN
THE LIFE
WHY INVEST
IN ARTS COLLEGE?
“OUR CALLING IS TO CREATE POSITIONS FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS, TO IMPROVISE AND BLOW THE CEILING OFF ANYTHING RESEMBLING A LIMITATION.” — CL A IRE CHASE, F LUTIST & MACARTH U R FELLOW
Art has always played a vital role in society. Artists and performers challenge the way people interact with space, with technology, and with each other. Generating new ideas requires artists to not only be able to work in their field, but also to think critically— examining a situation, identifying a problem, and then designing a creative solution. Whether writing a play that highlights social injustice or designing a new skyscraper, artists enlighten us with their ability to examine problems in an entirely new way. When you decide to invest your time and money into a college education, you are faced with a choice: invest in reproducing the techniques of other artists, or invest in a degree that teaches critical problem-solving by generating new art and performance. Hundreds of programs teach basic techniques
or craft in performance or visual arts, but few degrees teach artists how to apply critical thinking skills toward the creation of new work. At Cornish, we believe this immersive training offers the preparation necessary to address any future challenge. Cornish College of the Arts offers a wide range of scholarships and financial aid to support the investment you make in your own future. Our students understand the value of studying in a thriving urban environment with fellow artists and performers, and experience the results of their hard work. As the Cornish artistic community both leads a changing society and adapts to a changing job market, we proudly support our student visionaries who are boldly challenging society to look at the world in a new way.
LEARN MORE AT CORNISH.EDU/FINANCIALAID
MORE THAN 95% OF CORNISH STUDENTS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS.
BETH FLEENOR ‘04 may be one of the Cornish Music department’s most successful graduates. Not only has she enjoyed a celebrated career— performing
with
her
genre-defying
ensemble Crystal Beth & the Boom Boom Band, and being voted Seattle Weekly’s Best Classical Musician of 2017—but because of how she has made use of the self-directed education Cornish offered her.
“
I BELIEVE INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY GIVES RISE TO CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS. MY MUSIC IS A REFLECTION OF THESE IDEAS, AND
MY JOURNEY TO ARRIVE AT THIS WAY OF THINKING STARTED AT CORNISH.” — BETH FLEENOR ‘04
© Kelly O
“
DELVING INTO NEWER WORKS, INTO IMPROV, INTO PERSIAN MUSIC, IT’S BEEN SO HELPFUL TO FIND STUFF LIKE THAT TO HELP ME
FIND MY PLACE IN THE MUSICAL WORLD. OBVIOUSLY, I’M NOT DONE, I’M STILL SEARCHING—EVEN MORE!—FOR WHAT I CAN DO THAT HAS SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE. HAVING THE EXPERIENCE WITH THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY, IT WAS LIKE
COMBINING EVERYTHING THAT I LOVE INTO ONE EXPERIENCE. I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO THANK CORNISH FOR TURNING ME ON TO THE OPPORTUNITY.” —LILY SHABABI ‘19 ON PLAYING IN SEATTLE SYMPHONY’S SOLD-OUT MUSIC BEYOND BORDERS: VOICES FROM THE SEVEN
5 THINGS
YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE CORNISH MUSIC FACULTY
1
THEY’VE PERFORMED WITH RENOWNED ARTISTS like Chet Baker,
2
THEY PERFORM REGULARLY at concert venues and jazz clubs
Christian Wolf, Flora Purim, Nels Cline, John Zorn, Pauline Oliveros, and Beyoncé.
throughout Seattle and across the world, leading their own ensembles and projects.
3
THEY’VE RECEIVED GRANTS AND COMMISSIONS from the National Endowment for the Arts, Rockefeller Foundation, Walker Arts Center, Jack Straw Cultural Center, and Paul Allen Family Foundation.
4
THEY CARE DEEPLY ABOUT LOCAL AND GLOBAL ISSUES affecting
5
THEY RECEIVED THEIR TRAINING AT RENOWNED INSTITUTIONS including the New England Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music, Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, CalArts, Trinity College Dublin, Yale University, and, of course, Cornish.
artists and all citizens, and value the inclusion of diverse cultures and backgrounds.
LEARN MORE & MEET OUR FACULTY AT CORNISH.EDU/MUSIC
Seattle Weekly’s 2017 “Best of Seattle” honored Beth Fleenor ‘04 as Best Classical Musician and Ruby Dunphy ‘18 (pictured here) in Best Rock Band.
TEAR OUT & KEEP
APPLICATION DEADLINES
SCHOLARSHIPS
DECEMBER 1
Cornish offers merit scholarships based upon the strength of your application and audition/portfolio.
EARLY ACTION DEADLINE
FEBRUARY 15
Photography by Danielle Barnum unless noted. Design by Shannon Loys.
PRIORITY APPLICATION / SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE
Those applying for scholarship consideration should apply by
FEBRUARY 15.
After February 15. applications are accepted on a rolling basis if space is available.
CORNISH FAST FACTS ESTABLISHED
STUDENT ORIGINS
1914
35 states 18 countries
MAJORS
Art, Dance, Design, Film, Interior Architecture, Music, Performance Production, Theater
CAMPUS
3 locations in downtown Seattle: South Lake Union, Capitol Hill, Seattle Center
AVERAGE CLASS SIZE
13
ACCREDITATION
FACULTY:STUDENT RATIO
1:7
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, National Association of Schools of Art and Design
CORNISH.EDU/MUSIC
THE MISSION OF CORNISH COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
is to provide students aspiring to become practicing artists with an educational program of the highest possible quality, in an environment that nurtures creativity and intellectual curiosity, while preparing them to contribute to society as artists, citizens, and innovators.
ADMISSION@CORNISH.EDU
800.726.ARTS
CORNISH.EDU/MUSIC
L EARN MOR E AT
YOUR LIMIT?
WHAT’S BEYOND
Cornish College of the Arts 1000 Lenora Street Seattle, WA 98121
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